Method and apparatus for producing a filling material and filling material

Abstract

A method for producing a filling material comprising eider down and / or duck down and plant kapok fibers, comprising feeding plant kapok fibers to a mixing chamber (16), separating primary kapok filaments (210) from the plant kapok fibers in the mixing chamber (16) by directing a jet of pressurized fluid and / or a blade at the plant kapok fibers, feeding eider down and / or duck down into the mixing chamber (16), and incorporating the primary kapok filaments (210) into the lamellae (101) of the eider down and / or duck down (100) by mixing the primary kapok filaments (210) and the eider down and / or duck down in the mixing chamber (16) by means of said jet of pressurized fluid and / or blade, for example fed by suitably oriented nozzles (33).

Description

[0001] Divisional application This application is a divisional application of application number 202180005878.2, filed on May 13, 2021, entitled “Method and apparatus for producing filler materials and filler materials”. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to methods and apparatus for producing filling materials comprising waterfowl (goose and / or duck) feathers, down and kapok fibers, and filling materials, particularly high-quality materials for, for example, clothing, decorative items, household linen products and casual accessories. Background Technology

[0003] High-quality fillings must be lightweight, breathable, and have a natural fit to anatomical shapes. When used in clothing, home linen, and casual accessories (such as sleeping bags), the filling must also have excellent thermal insulation properties.

[0004] The best material for producing fillers has long been considered to be obtained from the upper backs of farmed ducks, particularly geese and ducks.

[0005] These birds' feathers actually form an outer coat that allows them to move and survive in any temperature. The coat is composed of feathers and down, which form tiny thermoregulating air sacs that prevent body heat loss while also preventing outside air from coming into contact with the bird's skin.

[0006] In particular, a feather consists of a shaft (the base of which is the tuft), a free portion called the rachis, and two consecutive blades (the blades rising from the rachis), together forming the vane. The vane comprises many branches or barbs, from which barbules branch out, which are fine and usually very short filaments. Barbules are connected to adjacent barbules by hooks or wing hooks.

[0007] Down is composed of soft, lightweight feathers, lacking the quill and shaft, and the hooks or barbs are also absent, so the barbs remain independent and do not form a uniform vane. Therefore, the barbs of down form silky, soft sheets that are essentially independent and do not fuse with other sheets. Down primarily serves as insulation.

[0008] Therefore, down from ducks is the ideal material for fillings, rather than their feathers.

[0009] From a physics perspective, the excellent insulation properties of down depend on the air trapped between the down feathers. For example, 1 gram of down occupies about 0.4 liters of volume and can fully recover its volume after compression.

[0010] Related technologies References KR101450655 and DE10346773 teach how to mix plant fiber kapok with down in bales to make filling.

[0011] Documents KR101398025B1 and GB 274480A disclose devices for partially untangling plant kapok fibers through the mechanical action of paddle blades of various shapes.

[0012] Document GB 547117A discloses a device for partially untangling kapok fibers by means of the mechanical action of a pair of sieves facing each other, each sieve being provided with sharp teeth, and these sieves being movable relative to each other, thereby partially untangling the kapok fibers.

[0013] Document GB296582A discloses a method for blending kapok fiber with down, wherein bales of kapok fiber are fed into a mixer via suction, which partially detangles the bales. Down is added to the mixer during or after the partial detanglement operation. GB296582A explains that the partial detanglement of the bales of kapok fiber is for the purpose of producing plant fibers, and that adding feathers to these partially detangled kapok fibers allows the barbs and quills of the feathers to bind with these fibers. Thus, according to GB296582A, a homogeneous mixture of kapok fiber and down with insulating properties is produced. Summary of the Invention

[0014] The applicant noted that using down as a filling material has the disadvantage of being very expensive, even up to one hundred euros per kilogram, which in turn leads to a high cost of the final product.

[0015] The applicant also observed that kapok fiber has an undeniable advantage among non-animal-derived and very inexpensive alternatives for filling materials, thus providing further possibilities for obtaining filling materials through a blend of down and plant-based kapok fiber.

[0016] Kapok fiber is a very soft, silk-like fiber found in the fruit of the kapok tree (scientific name: Ceiba pentandra).

[0017] Kapok fiber is typically sold in bales, with sizes and weights varying to suit different needs, and is used as a low-cost (a few euros per kilogram) and completely natural filling material. Kapok fiber is about eight times lighter than cotton and incorporates approximately 80% air by weight.

[0018] The applicant has demonstrated that although packaged kapok fibers have fairly good thermal insulation properties, they are almost unusable for producing high-quality fillers, i.e. fillers with good softness and high thermal insulation properties.

[0019] Based on the applicant's experience, while the filling of a down comforter, which is partially mechanically untangled with plant cotton fibers, may have insulating properties, it may also lack sufficient softness and uniformity, or at least not be comparable to down filling.

[0020] In particular, the applicant has demonstrated through experiments that the method for mechanically untangling kapok fibers taught by the aforementioned prior art only allows for partial untangling of the fibers, but still maintains the fiber structure formed by clusters of primary filaments bound together and intertwined.

[0021] In this regard, the applicant has observed that, according to the teachings of the prior art, the mechanically partially untangled structure of kapok fibers does not allow for any substantially tight bond with goose or duck down, and thus the resulting filling material has a “clump” of kapok fiber material, and similarly, has a softness and “feel” that cannot be compared with filling materials made solely of down.

[0022] Therefore, the applicant's objective is to provide a filling material produced from a mixture of kapok and down, and a method and apparatus for producing a filling material containing a mixture of kapok and down that allows for a high level of softness, insulation and uniformity.

[0023] Therefore, in its first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing filler materials.

[0024] More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing filler materials, comprising: - Feed the plant cotton fiber into the mixing chamber; - By directing a jet of pressurized fluid and / or blades to the plant kapok fibers, primary kapok filaments that are not bound together with each other are separated from the plant kapok fibers in the mixing chamber; - Feed goose down and / or duck down into the mixing chamber; - By mixing the primary kapok filaments and the goose down and / or duck down in the mixing chamber by means of the jet and / or blades of the pressurized fluid, the primary kapok filaments that are not bonded to each other are incorporated into the goose down and / or duck down sheets.

[0025] In a second aspect, the present invention relates to apparatus for producing filling materials comprising goose down and / or duck down as well as plant fiber kapok.

[0026] More specifically, the present invention relates to a device comprising: - A blend chamber of goose down and / or duck down flakes and plant fiber kapok; - A plurality of feed nozzles and / or feed channels for pressurized fluid in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source, wherein each feed nozzle and / or feed channel faces the internal volume of the mixing chamber and is oriented to direct the jet and / or blades of the pressurized fluid into the internal volume.

[0027] In a third aspect, the present invention relates to filling materials comprising goose down and / or duck down as well as plant fiber from kapok.

[0028] More specifically, the present invention relates to a filler material comprising: a) A blend of goose down and / or duck down, wherein the goose down and / or duck down comprises primary kapok filaments that are not bonded together, incorporated into the goose down and / or duck down (100) sheets in an amount equal to or greater than 10% by weight of the total kapok weight. and / or b1) Goose down and / or duck down, and b2) Untangled kapok fibers, which are made of clusters of primary kapok filaments that are not bonded together and are not incorporated into down flakes, and have a weight equal to or greater than 0.05 g, the amount of which is equal to or less than 20% of the total weight of kapok.

[0029] In this specification, when referring to filler materials, the term "softness" ("filler capacity") is intended to indicate the material's ability to recover its initial volume after being subjected to compression.

[0030] In this specification, the term "primary filament" for kapok is intended to refer to a single kapok fiber filament that is not entangled or aggregated with other kapok fiber filaments.

[0031] In this specification, the term "plant fiber" for kapok is intended to refer to an aggregate of primary kapok filaments that are intertwined and entangled to form clusters of primary filaments.

[0032] Therefore, within the framework of this specification, clusters of plant fibers or primary filaments are physically different from clusters of one type of plant fiber or primary filament. Clusters of two types of kapok fibers or primary kapok filaments can be physically separated from each other.

[0033] In this specification, the terms “mixed goose down and / or duck down,” “mixed down,” “mixed down sheet,” or “mixed down sheet” are intended to refer to down or down sheets incorporating at least one primary kapok filament, such as one or more primary filaments inserted between the barbs of the down.

[0034] Within the framework of this specification, all numerical entities representing quantities, parameters, percentages, etc., are in any case assumed to be preceded by the term "about" unless otherwise stated.

[0035] In addition to the ranges specifically indicated below, all ranges of numerical entities include all possible combinations of the maximum and minimum values, as well as all possible intermediate ranges.

[0036] The applicant was surprised to discover that by separating unbonded primary kapok filaments from plant kapok fibers and incorporating these filaments into goose down and / or duck down sheets, it is possible to produce a filling material with similar thermal, softness, and uniform properties to filling materials made entirely of down, while reducing production costs and increasing environmental sustainability compared to filling materials made entirely of down.

[0037] According to the present invention, it may be advantageous to separate unbonded primary kapok filaments from plant kapok fibers and incorporate a large number of these primary filaments into goose down and / or duck down sheets by means of a jet of pressurized fluid and / or the individual action of the blades, without the need for mechanical intervention on the plant kapok fibers or goose down and / or duck down as taught in the prior art described above.

[0038] In fact, the applicant has discovered through experiments that, due to the jetting of the pressurized fluid and / or the action of the blades, it is possible to separate the primary kapok filaments from the fibers and to effectively promote the insertion of the filaments between the barbs of the down feathers.

[0039] In this way, the primary kapok filaments are wrapped around and effectively bound to the down feather branches, forming a mixed sheet that stably binds the primary kapok filaments to the down sheet itself.

[0040] Unlike filling materials that use partially untangled plant fibers mechanically, this blend of feathers and primary kapok filaments hooked onto down feather branches retains essentially the same properties as down sheets. The primary kapok filaments are much smaller than down sheets and therefore do not substantially alter the typical shape and characteristics of down sheets.

[0041] In this regard, the applicant has found that in filling materials with substantially the same softness and uniformity as filling materials composed solely of down, the amount of primary kapok filaments that are not bonded to each other incorporated into the down flakes is equal to or greater than 10% of the total weight of the kapok.

[0042] Not wishing to be bound by any interpretive theories, the applicant believes that when the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the leaves come into contact with the fibers of the kapok plant, they generate high-energy, high-turbulence flow, which can have a dual beneficial effect: i) By separating the primary filaments held in a separated state, they are allowed to penetrate the initially untangled plant fibers of kapok, so that they can subsequently be effectively inserted between the barbs of the down; and ii) Untangling the starting plant cotton fibers by producing untangled fibers, said untangled fibers being made of clusters of primary filaments that are more loosely bonded to each other than the starting fibers.

[0043] Within the framework of this invention, the applicant has also discovered that untangled fibers made from clusters of primary filaments that are more loosely bonded to each other than the starting fibers, such as the untangled fibers obtained in the steps described above for separating primary kapok filaments by directing a jet of pressurized fluid and / or a blade toward the original untangled kapok fiber, have a weight equal to or less than 0.05 grams.

[0044] In this regard, the applicant discovered through experiments that this untangled fiber, made from clusters of primary filaments weighing 0.05 grams or less, does not form clumps in the filling when mixed with down to produce filling, thus giving the filling excellent softness and high thermal insulation properties. This is unrelated to the presence of unbonded primary cotton filaments in the down flakes.

[0045] In particular, the applicant found that in filling materials comprising goose down and / or duck down as well as plant kapok fibers, the filling materials have substantially the same softness and hand feel properties as filling materials composed solely of down, and the amount of untangled plant kapok fibers weighing equal to or greater than 0.05 grams is equal to or less than 20% of the total weight of the kapok.

[0046] In fact, the applicant has demonstrated that high-quality fillings can be obtained not only by mixing unbonded primary kapok filaments with goose down and / or duck down, but also by mixing untangled fibers made from clusters of filaments weighing 0.05 grams or less into down.

[0047] In fact, the applicant has observed that untangled fibers made from clusters of primary filaments weighing equal to or less than 0.05 grams are less “orderly”, i.e., compared to the clusters of typical untangled plant kapok fibers usually provided in package form, and compared to plant kapok fibers untangled in a purely mechanical manner as taught in the prior art, they are made from clusters of primary filaments that are more randomly oriented in the space around the aggregation center.

[0048] Not wishing to be bound by any explanatory theory, the applicant believes that untangled fibers made from clusters of primary filaments weighing equal to or less than 0.05 grams, such as untangled fibers obtained according to the method of the invention, interact with and interact with down in a manner different from that of initially untangled kapok fibers or purely mechanically untangled fibers.

[0049] In this regard, the applicant has indeed demonstrated through experiments that untangled fibers made from clusters of primary filaments weighing 0.05 grams or less are more likely to recover their undeformed shape than purely mechanically untangled fibers that consist of clusters of primary filaments weighing more than 0.05 grams.

[0050] According to the present invention, the filling material comprising untangled fibers made of clusters of primary filaments weighing equal to or less than 0.05 grams has a much higher degree of overall softness and uniformity than that achievable with plant cotton fibers untangled by purely mechanical means according to the prior art.

[0051] Advantageously, the jet of pressurized fluid directed to the kapok fiber and / or the leaves have the effect of untangling the fibers and separating the primary filaments, minimizing the possibility of kapok fiber degradation or breakage compared to the mechanical untangling methods provided by existing technologies.

[0052] Therefore, it is advantageous to minimize the generation of fiber dust or debris that is useless in achieving the desired softness and insulation effect of the filling material.

[0053] Furthermore, it is advantageous that the full untangling of the starting kapok fibers and the separation of primary filaments from the fibers can also be achieved in a relatively short time by jets of pressurized fluid guiding the fibers and / or by blades.

[0054] According to the present invention, by selecting appropriate weight percentages of plant-based kapok fibers and down, it is possible to obtain filling products with properties more or less similar to those of fillings made entirely of down.

[0055] In particular, by reducing the weight percentage of kapok while increasing the weight percentage of down, the resulting filling material exhibits properties more similar to those of fillings made entirely of down. By reducing the weight percentage of down to favor the weight percentage of kapok, the resulting filling material exhibits properties further away from those of fillings made entirely of down, while maintaining excellent softness and insulation properties.

[0056] The present invention may include one or more of the following preferred features, individually or in combination, in one or two aspects thereof.

[0057] Preferably, unbonded primary kapok filaments are incorporated into goose down and / or duck down sheets in an amount equal to or greater than 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, or 40% of the total weight of the kapok.

[0058] Preferably, unbonded primary kapok filaments are incorporated into goose down and / or duck down sheets in an amount equal to or less than 95%, 90%, 85%, 80%, 75%, or 70% of the total weight of the kapok.

[0059] Preferably, the plant kapok fiber comprises a certain amount of clusters of primary kapok filaments, which are not incorporated into the down flakes and have a weight equal to or greater than 0.05 grams, and equal to or less than 15%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, or 1% of the total weight of the plant kapok fiber.

[0060] More preferably, the plant-based kapok fiber comprises a certain amount of clusters of primary kapok filaments, which are not incorporated into the down flakes, and weighs 0.05 grams or more, which is equal to 0%.

[0061] In this way, it is possible to achieve the best softness properties of the resulting filling material.

[0062] Preferably, the filling material comprises 5% to 80% by weight of the total weight of the filling material, more preferably 10% to 75% by weight, and even more preferably 10% to 50% by weight of plant-based kapok fibers.

[0063] In this way, it is possible to achieve an optimal trade-off between the quality of the resulting filler material and the production cost.

[0064] In fact, the applicant has observed that in order to obtain a material with properties very similar to those of down, the mixture must have a sufficient number of down flakes to serve as a receptacle for the primary kapok filaments.

[0065] Thus, the applicant has demonstrated that when the amount of plant-based kapok fiber exceeds 80% by weight of the total weight of the filling material, the resulting material exhibits excessively reduced performance in terms of softness, uniformity, and thermal insulation compared to a filling material composed solely of down.

[0066] Preferably, separating unbonded primary kapok filaments from plant kapok fibers comprises forming untangled plant kapok fibers composed of clusters of primary filaments bonded together, with a weight equal to or less than 0.05 grams.

[0067] Thus, as described above, it is advantageous to achieve both the separation of primary kapok filaments and the formation of untangled plant kapok fibers in a single operation, which, when mixed with down, results in a high-quality filling material.

[0068] Untangled plant cotton fibers weighing 0.05 grams or less actually have a lower density of primary filaments, which also tend to redirect more randomly around the aggregation center, resulting in untangled fibers with optimal filling material properties.

[0069] Preferably, separating unbound primary kapok filaments from the plant kapok fibers comprises obtaining 30% to 90% by weight, more preferably 40% to 70% by weight, such as about 50% by weight, of the total weight of the plant kapok fibers.

[0070] The advantage is that this allows for the production of high-quality filling material even when using large quantities of kapok.

[0071] As mentioned above, in fact, the resulting blended sheet has essentially the same softness and insulation properties as down, and even if it is not incorporated into down, the untangled fibers made from clusters of primary filaments weighing equal to or less than 0.05 grams also give the filling excellent softness and high insulation properties.

[0072] In this way, by mixing down with a mixture of primary kapok filaments and untangled kapok fibers weighing equal to or less than 0.05 grams, it is possible to avoid the very complicated process of collecting primary kapok filaments and untangled kapok fibers separately.

[0073] Preferably, primary kapok filaments are incorporated into goose down and / or duck down sheets in the aforementioned mixing chamber, while unbonded primary kapok filaments are separated from the plant kapok fibers.

[0074] This approach has the advantage of potentially maximizing efficiency in the preparation of blended down while reducing the time required to produce fillers.

[0075] Preferably, the method of the present invention includes mixing untangled plant cotton fibers weighing equal to or less than 0.05 grams with goose down and / or duck down.

[0076] As mentioned above, it is advantageous that high-quality filling materials can be obtained even without converting all the starting plant kapok fibers into primary filaments.

[0077] Preferably, unbonded primary kapok filaments are incorporated into goose down and / or duck down sheets, while simultaneously mixing untangled plant kapok fibers weighing 0.05 grams or less with goose down and / or duck down.

[0078] This approach has the advantage of potentially maximizing efficiency in the preparation of filler materials while reducing the time required for their production.

[0079] Preferably, the separation of unbound primary kapok filaments from the plant kapok fibers is carried out by keeping the plant kapok fibers suspended in a mixing chamber.

[0080] Thus, it is advantageous that the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the action of the blades on the material which is continuously kept in a turbulent state may result in the greatest efficiency in separating primary kapok filaments from the kapok fiber and obtaining untangled fibers weighing equal to or less than 0.05 grams.

[0081] Preferably, the primary kapok filaments that are not bonded to each other are incorporated into the sheets of goose down and / or duck down by keeping the primary kapok filaments and the goose down and / or duck down suspended in the mixing chamber.

[0082] Preferably, the untangled plant cotton fibers are mixed with the goose down and / or duck down by keeping the untangled plant cotton fibers and goose down and / or duck down suspended in a mixing chamber.

[0083] According to each of these last two preferred embodiments, it is advantageous to have the greatest efficiency in the preparation of the blended down and filling materials, while reducing the time required for its production.

[0084] Preferably, the primary kapok filaments, goose down and / or duck down, or untangled plant kapok fibers are kept in suspension at least partially through the jet of the aforementioned pressurized fluid and / or the leaves.

[0085] This approach has the advantage of potentially maximizing efficiency in the preparation of filler materials while reducing the time required for their production.

[0086] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned pressurized fluid jet and / or blades advantageously perform three effects simultaneously: i) Keep the heterogeneous material composed of plant kapok fibers and down stirred; ii) Separating unbound primary kapok filaments from the kapok plant fibers; iii) By incorporating kapok primary filaments into down sheets and by mixing the mixed down sheets with untangled plant kapok fibers that have the best properties for filling materials, the unbound kapok primary filaments, untangled plant kapok fibers and goose down and / or duck down sheets are mixed together.

[0087] Preferably, the primary kapok filaments, goose down and / or duck down, or untangled plant kapok fibers are kept in suspension at least partially by passing through a comb rotating in the mixing chamber.

[0088] In this way, it is advantageous that the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the blades may help keep the components to be mixed and / or combined (primary kapok filaments, goose down and / or duck down, and untangled plant kapok fibers) suspended, while the simultaneous presence of the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the blades minimizes any undesirable mechanical degradation of kapok.

[0089] Preferably, directing the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the blades to the kapok fiber comprises feeding the pressurized fluid into the mixing chamber at a pressure equal to or greater than 0.1 MPa.

[0090] More preferably, directing the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the blades to the plant kapok fibers includes feeding the pressurized fluid into the mixing chamber at a pressure between 0.2 MPa and 2 MPa, or even more preferably between 0.3 MPa and 1.0 MPa, for example, about 0.7 MPa.

[0091] In this way, it is advantageous to achieve the above-mentioned technical effects, which are attributed to the jet of pressurized fluid and / or blades.

[0092] In fact, the applicant argues that the pressurized fluid, such as compressed air, fed into the mixing chamber generates a high-energy, highly turbulent airflow that promotes the vortex motion of down flakes and primary kapok filaments. This promotes and accelerates the adhesion of primary kapok filaments to down feather branches and incorporates the former into the down.

[0093] Preferably, the pressurized fluid feeding time is longer than two minutes, more preferably longer than three minutes, for example, about ten minutes.

[0094] The applicant has found that, after approximately 20 minutes of maximum pressurized fluid feeding time, the degree of mixing between down and primary kapok filaments does not increase significantly.

[0095] The pressurized fluid feed can be continuous or intermittent. Preferably, the pressurized fluid feed is continuous.

[0096] Preferably, directing the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the leaves to the plant kapok fibers involves feeding compressed gas, preferably compressed air, into the mixing chamber through multiple feed nozzles and / or feed troughs.

[0097] In this way, it is possible to achieve highly directional flow of pressurized fluid, which achieves the above-mentioned technical effects in the best way.

[0098] For example, a generally cylindrical mixing chamber with a length of about 3 meters and a diameter of about 2 meters can be provided with 4 to 18 feed nozzles and / or feed troughs, preferably 8 feed nozzles and / or feed troughs.

[0099] As described above, each feed nozzle and / or feed trough faces the internal volume of the mixing chamber and is oriented to guide the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the blades into the internal volume.

[0100] Preferably, the pressurized fluid feed nozzles and / or feed troughs are arranged according to one or more pairs of mutually positioned, substantially opposite, more preferably longitudinally opposite, portions of the mixing chamber.

[0101] In this way, it is possible to achieve highly directional and guided pressurized fluid flow, thereby achieving the above-mentioned technical effects in the best way.

[0102] In a preferred embodiment, the mixing chamber is defined in a mixing cylinder, preferably a static cylinder.

[0103] Preferably, the mixing cylinder has perforated sidewalls, and pressurized fluid is fed into the mixing cylinder in the form of jets and / or blades.

[0104] In this preferred embodiment, the pressurized fluid feed nozzles and / or feed troughs are arranged in pairs, substantially opposite each other, and facing the internal volume of the mixing cylinder.

[0105] Preferably, the ratio between the total weight (in kilograms) of the mixture of down and primary kapok filaments fed into the mixing chamber and the untangled kapok fibers and the volume of the mixing chamber (in cubic meters) is between 0.2 and 5.

[0106] More preferably, the ratio is between 0.2 and 3.0, even more preferably between 0.3 and 2, for example between 0.5 and 1.5.

[0107] Based on the applicant's experience, this ratio ensures that the mixing chamber has sufficient volume to allow the primary kapok filaments to attach to the down feathers.

[0108] Preferably, down, primary filaments, and untangled kapok fibers are fed into the mixing chamber simultaneously and continuously.

[0109] The applicant has demonstrated that, during the process of feeding compressed gas, it is preferable to confine the kapok fibers within the mixing chamber to maximize the generated turbulence and prevent the kapok fibers from dispersing into the environment.

[0110] Preferably, feeding the plant kapok fiber into the mixing chamber involves continuously feeding multiple portions of plant kapok fiber, each portion being a part of the total amount of plant kapok fiber in packaged form to be processed.

[0111] Preferably, the mass flow rate of the kapok fed into the mixing chamber is between 0.5 kg / min and 1.5 kg / min, more preferably about 1 kg / min.

[0112] In this way, it is advantageous to use small-sized mixing chambers to untangle or even mass-bundled plant kapok fibers and mix the resulting kapok filaments and untangled kapok fibers with down.

[0113] In this way, it is possible to achieve an optimal trade-off between the soft properties of the filling material and reducing the production cost of the latter.

[0114] In a preferred embodiment, the method according to the invention includes partially untangling the plant kapok fibers before feeding them into the mixing chamber.

[0115] This has the advantage of maximizing the efficiency of subsequent steps, which involve separating unbonded primary kapok filaments from the plant kapok fibers and forming untangled kapok fibers weighing 0.05 grams or less from clusters of bonded primary filaments, in the aforementioned mixing chamber with down.

[0116] Preferably, similar to what happens in the mixing chamber, this partial untangling of the plant kapok fibers includes directing a jet of pressurized fluid and / or leaves along the feed path from the plant kapok fibers to the mixing chamber onto the plant kapok fibers.

[0117] Thus, as stated above, the applicant believes that the pressurized fluid jet and / or blades, when in contact with the kapok fiber, generate high-energy, high-turbulence flow, which can exert a dual beneficial effect: i) By initiating the separation process, it can effectively insert itself into the primary filaments between the down feather branches during the subsequent mixing step, penetrating the initially untangled plant cotton fibers; and ii) Untangling the aforementioned starting plant kapok fibers by producing untangled fibers, said untangled fibers being made of clusters of primary filaments that are more loosely bonded to each other than the starting fibers and weigh equal to or less than 0.05 grams.

[0118] In the same case, the feed of the pressurized fluid, such as compressed air, can be continuous or intermittent. Preferably, the blowing of the pressurized fluid is continuous.

[0119] Preferably, the partial detangling of the aforementioned plant kapok fibers includes directing a jet of pressurized fluid and / or leaves into the plant kapok fibers in a pretreatment chamber located upstream of a mixing chamber containing down.

[0120] In this way, it is advantageous to achieve the two technical effects highlighted above, and to confine the plant kapok fibers within the chamber, i.e., the processing chamber, which maximizes the turbulence generated by the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the blades, while preventing the primary filaments and untangled kapok fibers from dispersing into the environment.

[0121] Preferably, directing the pressurized fluid jet and / or blades to the kapok fiber involves feeding compressed gas, preferably compressed air, into the feed path of the kapok fiber to the mixing chamber or into the pretreatment chamber via multiple feed nozzles and / or feed troughs.

[0122] In this way, it is possible to obtain a highly directional pressurized fluid flow, thereby achieving the aforementioned technical effects in the best possible way.

[0123] Preferably, the pressurized fluid feed nozzles and / or feed troughs in the pretreatment chamber are arranged in pairs, substantially opposite each other, and facing the feed path of the plant cotton fibers to the mixing chamber or the internal volume of the pretreatment chamber.

[0124] This has the advantage of enabling highly directional and guiding pressurized fluids, thus achieving optimal partial detangling of the kapok fiber.

[0125] Preferably, partial untangling of the plant kapok fibers is carried out by keeping the plant kapok fibers suspended in the feed path of the plant kapok fibers to the mixing chamber or in the pretreatment chamber.

[0126] This has the advantage of potentially giving the plant-based kapok fiber the highest partial untangling efficiency.

[0127] Preferably, the suspension of the plant kapok fibers in the feed path to the mixing chamber or in the pretreatment chamber is achieved at least partially by the jet and / or blades of the pressurized fluid.

[0128] This has the advantage of potentially giving the plant-based kapok fiber the highest partial untangling efficiency.

[0129] Preferably, the plant kapok fibers are suspended and held in a pretreatment chamber at least partially by a comb rotating within the pretreatment chamber.

[0130] In this way, it is advantageous that the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the leaves may help keep the kapok fibers to be partially untangled suspended, while the simultaneous presence of the jet of pressurized fluid and / or the leaves minimizes any unwanted mechanical degradation of the kapok.

[0131] Preferably, directing the jet and / or blades of pressurized fluid to the kapok fiber involves feeding the pressurized fluid into the feed path of the kapok fiber to the mixing chamber or into the pretreatment chamber at a pressure equal to or greater than 0.1 MPa.

[0132] More preferably, the jet and / or blades of pressurized fluid are directed to the plant kapok fibers at a pressure between 0.2 MPa and 2 MPa, or even more preferably between 0.3 MPa and 1.0 MPa, for example at a pressure of about 0.7 MPa, by feeding the pressurized fluid into the feed path of the plant kapok fibers to the mixing chamber or into the pretreatment chamber.

[0133] In this way, it is advantageous to achieve the above-mentioned technical effects in an appropriate manner, and attributable to the jet and / or blades of pressurized fluid acting on the feed path of the plant kapok fiber to the mixing chamber or pretreatment chamber.

[0134] In fact, the applicant believes that the pressurized fluid, such as compressed air, fed into the feed path of the plant kapok fiber to the mixing chamber or into the pretreatment chamber generates a high-energy, highly turbulent airflow that promotes the vortex motion of the plant kapok fiber, which is beneficial to both the partial untangling of the plant kapok fiber and the separation of the primary filaments.

[0135] Preferably, the residence time of the plant kapok fiber in the feed path from the plant kapok fiber to the mixing chamber or in the pretreatment chamber is between 1 second and 1 minute.

[0136] The feeding of pressurized fluid in the feed path from the kapok fiber to the mixing chamber or in the pretreatment chamber can be continuous or intermittent. Preferably, the feeding of pressurized fluid is continuous.

[0137] Preferably, the ratio of the weight (in kilograms) of the plant kapok fibers present in the pretreatment chamber to the volume (in cubic meters) of the pretreatment chamber is between 0.5 and 10.0, more preferably between 0.5 and 8.0, and even more preferably between 1.0 and 6.0, for example between 2.0 and 5.0.

[0138] Based on the applicant's experience, this ratio ensures that the pretreatment chamber has sufficient volume to allow the starting plant kapok fibers to be untangled (e.g., in bale form) to be effectively untangled into primary filaments and untangled fibers.

[0139] Preferably, depending on the size of the pretreatment chamber, the initial kapok fibers in bales can be introduced into the pretreatment chamber entirely, or they can be introduced into the pretreatment chamber in consecutive portions.

[0140] Preferably, the starting kapok fibers in package form are loaded in consecutive portions to optimize the jetting of pressurized fluid and / or the untangling effect of the blades.

[0141] Preferably, the mass flow rate of the kapok fed into the pretreatment chamber is between 0.5 kg / min and 1.5 kg / min, more preferably about 1 kg / min.

[0142] The weight of the plant cotton fiber bales present in the pretreatment chamber is at least within the above-mentioned preferred range relative to the volume of the pretreatment chamber.

[0143] Preferably, the mixture of primary filaments and untangled fibers obtained by partially untangling the plant cotton fiber bundles in the pretreatment chamber is immediately sent to the mixing chamber to be mixed with down.

[0144] Preferably, the mixture of primary filaments and untangled kapok fibers is continuously fed into the mixing chamber, for example, in the mixing cylinder described above.

[0145] When the starting kapok fibers in bales are fed into the pretreatment chamber in consecutive portions, it is preferable to remove the mixture of primary filaments and untangled fibers from the pretreatment chamber during each untangling of the kapok fiber bale and send the mixture to the mixing chamber.

[0146] In this way, continuously packaged portions of plant-based kapok fibers can be fed into the pretreatment chamber.

[0147] Preferably, the mixture of primary filaments and untangled fibers is conveyed via a pneumatic conveyor that connects the outlet of the pretreatment chamber to the inlet of a mixing chamber containing down.

[0148] In this way, once the primary filaments and untangled fibers are formed, they are directly transferred to the mixing chamber without settling at the bottom of the pretreatment chamber.

[0149] Preferably, the pneumatic conveyor line is started almost simultaneously with the introduction of the kapok fibers into the pretreatment chamber.

[0150] Preferably, in order to prevent the kapok fibers that have not yet been untangled from being carried away by the pneumatic conveyor line, it is envisioned that at least one, preferably two, pressurized fluid feed nozzles be arranged at the inlet of the pneumatic line in the pretreatment chamber.

[0151] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device may further include: - Plant cotton fiber pretreatment chamber located upstream of the mixing chamber; - A plurality of feed nozzles and / or feed channels for pressurized fluid in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source, wherein each feed nozzle and / or feed channel faces the internal volume of the pretreatment chamber and is oriented to direct the jet and / or blades of pressurized fluid into the internal volume.

[0152] Preferably, the feed nozzles and / or feed troughs are arranged in one or more pairs in substantially opposite parts of the pretreatment chamber.

[0153] In this way, it is advantageous to achieve the technical effects described in the preferred embodiment of the method for producing filling materials, which involves the step of partially untangling the initiating plant kapok fibers.

[0154] Preferably, directing the jet of pressurized fluid and / or blades to the kapok fiber includes arranging feed nozzles and / or feed troughs to direct the jet of compressed air and / or blades to the center of the pretreatment chamber.

[0155] Feed nozzles and / or feed troughs can be arranged on the side wall of the pretreatment chamber to direct the jet of pressurized fluid and / or blades to the center of the pretreatment chamber to intercept the kapok fibers contained therein.

[0156] For example, a generally prismatic container with dimensions of approximately 1.4 m × 0.7 m × 0.4 m can be provided with 4 to 18 feed nozzles and / or feed troughs, preferably 8 feed nozzles and / or feed troughs.

[0157] Preferably, the pretreatment chamber for the plant kapok fiber is defined in a container of the plant kapok fiber pretreatment device located upstream of the mixing chamber, or in a feed conduit for the plant kapok fiber to the mixing chamber.

[0158] Finally, in a preferred embodiment, the device may further include a comb rotating in a mixing chamber and / or pretreatment chamber for the plant kapok fibers. Attached Figure Description

[0159] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a possible preferred embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out a method for producing filler materials according to the present invention; Figure 2 and Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Detailed schematic diagram of the equipment; Figure 4 and 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing further details of the equipment; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of down sheets; Figure 7 This is a 20x magnified image of primary kapok fiber; Figure 8 This is a view of untangled kapok fibers according to the present invention; and Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a mixed down sheet containing primary kapok fibers. Detailed Implementation

[0160] Figure 1 A preferred embodiment of an apparatus 10 according to the invention for producing a filling material comprising unbonded primary kapok filaments incorporated into sheets of goose down and / or duck down is illustrated.

[0161] For simplicity, the apparatus 10 will now be described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, which is used to produce a filling material comprising unbonded primary kapok filaments incorporated into goose down and / or duck down sheets to form a mixed sheet.

[0162] Preferably, the method for producing the filling material includes introducing a certain amount of down 100 into the collection device 11.

[0163] The amount of down introduced into the collection device 11 is not necessarily predetermined, but may be, for example, the amount of down 100 contained in one or more bags that are typically used for selling down 100.

[0164] Down 100 is goose down and / or duck down, and is primarily in the form of sheet 101.

[0165] Figure 6 The typical, but not unique, structure of this blade 101 is schematically shown. The blade 101 lacks a tuft and rachis and comprises multiple generally independent barbs or barbules 102 that do not form a uniform vane. The barbules 102 of the blade 101 have a generally elongated shape to form an open, umbrella-like structure.

[0166] The down 100 introduced into the collection device 11 is transferred to the hopper 13 by the pneumatic loading line 12. A weighing device 14, such as a load cell, is located at the bottom of the hopper 13.

[0167] The pneumatic loading line 12 forms a pressurized airflow conveying line for transporting down from the collection device 11 to the hopper 13. The pneumatic loading line 12 may be a duct with a diameter preferably between 10 cm and 30 cm, for example, 20 cm, wherein a pressure difference is generated between an inlet 12a and an outlet 12b, for example, by using a blower such as a fan. The inlet 12a is located at the collection device 11, and the outlet 12b is located at the hopper 13. The pressure difference causes the pressure at the inlet 12a to be lower than the ambient pressure and the pressure at the outlet 12b, thereby generating an airflow that transports the down 100 into the hopper 13.

[0168] The weighing device 14 has the function of weighing a predetermined amount of down 100 according to the type of filling to be produced.

[0169] In the referenced working embodiment, the amount of down 100 used is equal to 70 by weight relative to the total weight of the filling material.

[0170] In the described embodiment, the total weight of the filling material is 5 kg. Therefore, the weighing device 14 is set to weigh 3.5 kg of down 100.

[0171] The weighed down 100 is then fed to a conveying device (not shown), such as a conveyor belt, to be conveyed to a homogenizing container 15.

[0172] The function of the homogenizing container 15 is to agitate the down 100 so that the flakes 101 are separated from each other (at least partially separated) to prevent the formation of clumps of the flakes 101 and to separate any clumps of the flakes 101 into individual flakes 101 or at least into smaller clumps of the flakes 101.

[0173] One embodiment of the homogenizing container 15 can be a container in which multiple paddles or combs rotate to intercept down 100, agitate the latter, and separate the down flakes from each other.

[0174] The churned down 100 is sent to the mixing chamber 16.

[0175] For this purpose, the homogenizing container 15 includes an outlet 17 for agitating the down. The outlet 17 is connected to the inlet 18 of the mixing chamber 16 via a pneumatic feed line 19. The pneumatic feed line 19 can be a conduit with a diameter between 10 and 30 cm, for example, 20 cm, wherein a pressure difference is generated between the outlet 17 of the homogenizing container 15 and the inlet 18 of the mixing chamber 16, for example, by using a blower such as a fan. This pressure difference causes the pressure at the outlet 17 to be lower than the pressure at the inlet 18, thereby generating an airflow that delivers the agitated down 100 into the mixing chamber 16.

[0176] Alternatively, the down 100 can be directly fed into the mixing chamber 16 without being introduced into the homogenizing container 15. In this case, the down 100 weighed in the weighing device 14 is introduced directly into the mixing chamber 16, for example, through a conduit in which the delivery airflow passes through the weighing device 14 or moves by falling from the weighing device 14.

[0177] The method for producing the filling material also envisions introducing a certain amount of plant kapok fiber into the collecting device 20. The amount of plant kapok fiber introduced into the collecting device 20 is not necessarily predetermined, but may be, for example, the amount of plant kapok fiber contained in one or more bags that are typically used to sell plant kapok fiber.

[0178] The kapok fibers introduced into the collector device 20 are conveyed into the hopper 22 via the pneumatic kapok loading line 21. A weighing device 23, such as a weighing sensor, is disposed at the bottom of the hopper 22.

[0179] The pneumatic kapok loading line 21 forms a pressurized airflow conveying line that transports kapok fibers from the collection device 20 to the hopper 22. The pneumatic kapok loading line 21 can be a conduit with a diameter between 10 cm and 30 cm, for example, 20 cm, wherein a pressure difference is created between an inlet 21a and an outlet 21b, for example, by using a blower such as a fan. The inlet 21a is located at the dedicated kapok collector device 20, and the outlet 21b is located at the dedicated kapok hopper 22. The pressure difference causes the pressure at the inlet 21a to be lower than the ambient pressure and the pressure at the outlet 21b, thereby generating an airflow that transports the kapok fibers into the hopper 22.

[0180] The weighing device 23 has the function of weighing a predetermined amount of plant cotton fibers according to the type of filler to be produced.

[0181] In the referenced embodiment, the amount of plant-based kapok fiber used is equal to 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the filling material.

[0182] Therefore, the weighing device 23 is set to weigh 1.5 kg of plant cotton fiber.

[0183] In a preferred embodiment, the weighed plant cotton fibers are fed to a conveying device (not shown), such as a conveyor belt, to be conveyed into the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0184] In the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, the pretreatment chamber for the plant kapok fiber 24 is defined in a container of the plant kapok fiber pretreatment apparatus, which is located upstream of the mixing chamber 16, and includes a hopper 22 and a weighing device 23 in this exemplary embodiment.

[0185] In this preferred embodiment, the kapok fibers are partially detangled in a pretreatment chamber 24 to obtain primary kapok filaments 210 and detangled kapok fibers 220, which are made of clusters of primary filaments bonded together and weigh equal to or less than 0.05 grams.

[0186] Primary filament 210 and untangled plant cotton fiber 220 are respectively shown in Figure 7 and 8 middle.

[0187] like Figure 2 As better illustrated, in order to carry out the step of partially untangling the kapok fiber, the pretreatment chamber 24 includes a plurality of nozzles 25, such as eight nozzles 25, which are configured to deliver a suitable pressurized fluid, such as and preferably compressed air, within the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0188] Preferably, each nozzle 25 faces the internal volume 26 of the pretreatment chamber 24 and is oriented to direct a straight jet of pressurized fluid into the internal volume 26.

[0189] Preferably, the feed nozzles 25 are arranged in multiple pairs, in this exemplary case four pairs, located in substantially opposite portions of the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0190] Preferably, the feed nozzles 25 are arranged in an array, located in a portion that is laterally opposite to the longitudinal axis of the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0191] Nozzle 25 is connected to a pressurized fluid source in a manner known per se, for example, in this case, to a compressed air source, and is configured to feed compressed air into the pretreatment chamber 24 at a pressure greater than 0.1 MPa, for example, between 0.6 MPa and 0.7 MPa.

[0192] Preferably, during the transfer of plant kapok fibers within the pretreatment chamber 24, the feed nozzle 25 feeds compressed air into the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0193] Conveniently, the pretreatment chamber 24 is not airtight, but fluidly connected to the external environment to prevent the internal pressure from balancing with the feed pressure of the feed nozzle 25.

[0194] Preferably, the conveying device for the plant kapok fibers weighed by the weighing device 23 introduces a continuous number of portions of plant kapok fibers into the pretreatment chamber 24, such that the feed nozzle 25 acts on a limited number of portions of the total amount of plant kapok fibers, which must then be mixed with down in the mixing chamber 16.

[0195] Specifically, the conveying device and the pretreatment chamber 24 are preferably configured such that the ratio between the weight (in kilograms) of the plant cotton fibers present in the pretreatment chamber 24 and the container volume measured in cubic meters is between 0.5 and 10, and more preferably between 1.0 and 6.0. In a particularly preferred embodiment, this ratio is between about 2.0 and 4.8.

[0196] For example, in a preferred embodiment, the pretreatment chamber 24 has a length of about 1.4 meters, a width of about 0.35 meters, and a height of about 0.65 meters.

[0197] Preferably, the weight of each portion of plant cotton fiber introduced into the pretreatment chamber 24 is between 0.5 and 0.8 kg.

[0198] Preferably, the plant cotton fibers are fed into the pretreatment chamber 24 in continuous portions, so that they pass through the pretreatment chamber 24 before reaching the mixing chamber 16.

[0199] For example, about 1.5 kg of plant cotton fiber is continuously fed into the pretreatment chamber 24 in consecutive portions, and it takes about 3 minutes to pass through the pretreatment chamber 24 completely and continuously.

[0200] In the preferred embodiment shown, the pretreatment chamber 24 includes a rotating comb 27 arranged within the chamber and rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis that preferably extends along the entire length of the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0201] Advantageously, the rotating comb 27 operates within the internal volume 26 of the pretreatment chamber 24 and acts on the plant cotton fibers to help keep the fibers suspended within the pretreatment chamber 24 and to expose them more effectively to the compressed air jet delivered by the nozzle 25.

[0202] In the context of this preferred embodiment of the invention, the act of keeping the plant cotton fibers suspended in the pretreatment chamber 24 is primarily carried out by the compressed air itself, assisted by the rotating comb 27.

[0203] Preferably, the rotating comb 27 includes a plurality of blades 28 extending radially from the central axis 29.

[0204] Within the framework of this preferred embodiment, the central shaft 29 rotates about a horizontal rotation axis, driving the blades 28 to rotate.

[0205] Therefore, within the framework of this preferred embodiment, during the feeding compressed air process, the rotating comb 27 keeps the plant cotton fibers in a constant motion within the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0206] Preferably, such as Figure 3 Most notably, the pretreatment chamber 24 includes a bottom curved wall 24a that defines a concave surface facing the internal volume 26 of the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0207] Preferably, the bottom curved wall 24a has an unfolding that is at least partially parallel to the trajectory followed by the blades 28 of the rotating comb 27.

[0208] Preferably, the pretreatment chamber 24 has an outlet 30 at its axial end for obtaining primary filaments 210 and untangled kapok fibers 220 from the step of partially untangling the kapok fibers in the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0209] Preferably, the outlet 30 is under a lower pressure relative to the internal volume 26 of the pretreatment chamber 24, so that the primary kapok filaments 210 and the untangled plant kapok fibers 220 are drawn into the outlet 30.

[0210] In this preferred embodiment, primary kapok filaments 210 and untangled plant kapok fibers 220 are fed into the mixing chamber 16.

[0211] The transfer operation is preferably carried out via a pneumatic conveyor line 31, which connects the outlet 30 of the pretreatment chamber 24 to the inlet 32 ​​of the mixing chamber 16.

[0212] The pneumatic conveyor line 31 can be a conduit with a diameter between 10 and 30 cm, such as 20 cm, in which a pressure difference is generated between the outlet 30 of the pretreatment chamber 24 and the inlet 32 ​​of the mixing chamber 16. The pressure difference causes the pressure at the outlet 30 to be lower than the pressure at the inlet 32, thereby generating an airflow that conveys the primary filaments 210 and the untangled kapok fibers 220 into the mixing chamber 16.

[0213] Alternatively, the kapok fibers are fed directly into the mixing chamber 16 without passing through the pretreatment chamber 24, or through the pretreatment chamber 24 but without any compressed air jets being directed onto the plant kapok fibers.

[0214] When the primary filaments 210 and the untangled kapok fibers 220 enter the mixing chamber 16, this preferred embodiment of the method includes further separating the unbound primary kapok filaments 210 from each other in the mixing chamber 16 by directing a jet of pressurized fluid (e.g., compressed air in this case) onto the whole kapok fibers, particularly onto the untangled kapok fibers 220.

[0215] Therefore, such as Figure 4 As schematically shown, the mixing chamber 16 includes a plurality of feed nozzles 33, such as eight nozzles 33, which are configured to deliver a directional jet of a suitable pressurized fluid, such as and preferably compressed air, within the mixing chamber 16.

[0216] Preferably, each nozzle 33 faces the internal volume 34 of the mixing chamber 16 and is oriented to direct a straight jet of pressurized fluid into the internal volume 34.

[0217] Preferably, the nozzles 33 are arranged in multiple pairs, in this exemplary case four pairs, positioned in substantially opposite portions of the mixing chamber 16.

[0218] Preferably, the nozzles 33 are arranged in an array relative to the longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber 16 in a longitudinally opposite portion.

[0219] Nozzle 33 is connected to a pressurized fluid source in a manner known per se, for example, in this case, to a compressed air source, and is configured to deliver compressed air at a pressure greater than 0.1 MPa, for example, between 0.6 MPa and 0.7 MPa, to the kapok fibers present in the mixing chamber 16.

[0220] In this preferred embodiment, the plant cotton fibers present in the mixing chamber 16 are essentially composed of primary filaments 210 and detangled plant cotton fibers 220 obtained in the previous step of partially detangling the cotton fibers from the pretreatment chamber 24.

[0221] Advantageously, by directing the compressed air jet delivered by nozzle 33 toward the plant kapok fibers, it is possible to further separate the unbound primary kapok filaments 210 from the untangled plant kapok fibers 220 in the mixing chamber 16.

[0222] Furthermore, it is advantageous that the compressed air jet delivered by the nozzle 33 prevents the primary filaments 210 from re-aggregating with each other or with the untangled kapok fibers 220.

[0223] After or while introducing kapok into the mixing chamber 16, the method of the present invention includes feeding goose down and / or duck down 100 into the mixing chamber 16.

[0224] After the down 100 is fed in this way, the step of incorporating the unbonded primary kapok filaments 210 into the sheet 101 of the down 100 in the mixing chamber 16 is carried out by mixing the primary kapok filaments 210 and the down 100 by a compressed air jet delivered by the nozzle 33.

[0225] Specifically, within the mixing chamber 16, the primary kapok filaments 210 combine with the down 100 in such a way that they themselves are attached to the barbs 102 of the sheet 101 and inserted into the sheet 101 itself.

[0226] To carry out this incorporation process, the feed nozzle 33 introduces compressed air into the mixing chamber 16 for the entire duration of the mixing process, which may, for example, last for about 5 minutes.

[0227] At the same time, similar to what happens in the pretreatment chamber 24, a directional jet delivered by a nozzle 33 facing the internal volume 34 of the mixing chamber 16 also performs additional untangling on the plant kapok fibers to obtain untangled plant kapok fibers 220, which are made of clusters of primary filaments bonded together and have a weight equal to or less than 0.05 grams.

[0228] In one exemplary embodiment, and as better shown below, the detangling step of the plant kapok fibers performed in the mixing chamber 16 results in approximately 66% by weight of the plant kapok fibers producing primary filaments 210, and approximately 34% by weight of the plant kapok fibers producing detangled plant kapok fibers 220, which are made of clusters of primary filaments bonded together and have a weight equal to or less than 0.05 grams.

[0229] The applicant has observed that by altering the residence time of the kapok fibers in the pretreatment chamber 24 and the mixing chamber 16, the percentage of the obtainable primary filaments 210 and the aforementioned percentage of the untangled kapok fibers 220 change in opposite ways. Specifically, when the residence time increases, the percentage of the obtainable primary filaments 210 increases, while the percentage of the aforementioned untangled kapok fibers 220 decreases, and vice versa when the residence time decreases.

[0230] Preferably, and similar to the description above regarding the pretreatment chamber 24, the mixing chamber 16 is not airtight, but is in fluid communication with the external environment to prevent the internal pressure from balancing with the feed pressure of the feed nozzle 33.

[0231] Preferably, the ratio between the sum of the weight of the introduced kapok and the weight of the introduced down 100 and the volume (in cubic meters) of the mixing chamber 16 is between 0.5 and 2. More preferably, the ratio is approximately 1.

[0232] For example, in the preferred embodiment shown, the mixing chamber 16 is defined in a fixed mixing cylinder 35 having a horizontal axis of symmetry.

[0233] The mixing cylinder 35 is provided with perforated sidewalls 37 and longitudinally opposed circular bottom walls 36. Preferably, the perforated sidewalls 37 of the mixing cylinder 35 include a plurality of holes, preferably having a diameter of a few millimeters (e.g., 0.9 to 1.2 mm).

[0234] Preferably, the mixing cylinder 35 has a length of about 1.7 meters and a diameter of about 1.7 meters.

[0235] As described above, the number of feed nozzles 33 is preferably eight, facing each other in pairs, and placed on the bottom wall 36 and side wall 37. Figure 4 ).

[0236] Preferably, the mixing chamber 16 includes a rotating comb 38 that is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis that extends along the entire length of the mixing chamber 16 defined in the cylinder 35.

[0237] The rotating comb 38 operates within the internal volume 34 of the mixing chamber 16 and is designed to help keep the mixture contained in the mixing chamber 16 suspended.

[0238] Advantageously, this behavior of keeping the mixture suspended is coordinated with the compressed air jet delivered to the mixing chamber 16 through nozzle 33.

[0239] Preferably, throughout the mixing process, the rotating comb 38 acts on the mixture of primary filaments 210, untangled plant cotton fibers 220, and down 100.

[0240] Preferably, the rotating comb 38 includes a plurality of blades 39 extending radially from the central axis 40.

[0241] Preferably, the central shaft 40 rotates around the axis of symmetry of the mixing chamber 16, driving the blades 39 to rotate.

[0242] Preferably, the mixing cylinder 35 is contained within the prismatic outer shell 41.

[0243] Preferably, the step of mixing down 100, primary filaments 210 and untangled plant cotton fibers 220 in the mixing chamber 16 can have a time span between about 2 minutes and about 12 minutes, for example about 5 minutes, at the end of which the filling product is ready to be discharged from the mixing chamber 16 and stored in a manner known per se.

[0244] Figure 9 This diagram illustrates what a sample composed of a down sheet 101 and primary kapok filaments 210 inserted into the sheet 101 of down 100 might look like. The primary kapok filaments 210 have been inserted between the barbs 102 of the down sheet 101 of down 100, creating a mixed sheet that retains almost the same original properties as the natural down sheet 101.

[0245] The invention will now be further illustrated by the following examples, which are intended for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, to prepare and test filling materials comprising goose down and / or duck down and plant fiber kapok, according to the invention and prior art.

[0246] Example 1 - Preparation and Analysis of the Filler Material According to the Invention By implementing the preparation method described in the preceding paragraphs, a filling material comprising goose down and / or duck down and plant-based kapok fibers is obtained, starting from about 70 parts by weight of down and about 30 parts by weight of kapok fiber.

[0247] The filling material produced in this manner was analyzed in accordance with the requirements of the IDFB (International Down and Feather Bureau) test rules scheme (June 2020 edition) regarding cellulose-based fibers. In fact, the applicant has found that this scheme can also be effectively used to analyze the composition of down blended with primary filaments and kapok fibers, which are precisely cellulose-based fibers.

[0248] Specifically, the protocol explains how to prepare samples for analyzing the composition of down containing cellulose-based fibers, based on the definitions, tools, and procedures in Part 3 of the IDFB Test Rules (June 2020 edition) entitled "Composition (Content Analysis)".

[0249] The composition of the filler material is analyzed by performing the first separation required in paragraphs a) to c) of Part 15-B.2 of the IDFB Test Rules, without performing the requirements in paragraphs d) to g) of Part 15-B.2 (Second Separation) (June 2013 Edition).

[0250] The results of this analysis of the filling materials are shown in Table 1 below.

[0251] Table 1

[0252] To determine the actual total amount of down and kapok fibers present in the filling material, the filling material was analyzed according to Part 15-D of the IDFB Test Rules Protocol (June 2019 edition), entitled "Chemical Separation of Down and Feathers Mixed with Cellulose." This protocol explains how to separate down from cellulose. The applicant has found that this protocol can also be effectively used to separate down from kapok.

[0253] The results of this further analysis are shown in Table 2 below.

[0254] Table 2

[0255] To calculate the weight percentage of manually separable kapok (less than 0.05 g), the formula is: cellulose% < 0.05 g manually separated / cellulose% determined by chemical separation according to Part 15-D of the IDFB Test Rules. In this case: 9.2% / 27.2% = 33.7%.

[0256] To calculate the weight percentage of manually separable kapok exceeding 0.05 g, the following formula was applied: cellulose% > 0.05 g manually separated / cellulose% discovered by chemical separation according to Part 15-D of the IDFB Test Rules. In this case: 0% / 27.2% = 0%.

[0257] The weight percentage of fully blended kapok (i.e., the weight percentage of primary kapok filaments that are retained by the barbs and therefore cannot be mechanically separated from the flakes) is calculated using the following formula: 100% - (total percentage of unblended kapok).

[0258] In this case: 100% - (33.7% + 0%) = 66.3%.

[0259] Example 2 - Preparation and Analysis of Comparative Filler Materials Starting with approximately 70 parts by weight of down and approximately 30 parts by weight of plant-based kapok fibers, a contrast filling material comprising goose down and / or duck down and plant-based kapok fibers was prepared using the same equipment described in the preceding paragraphs, without any pressurized fluid jet feeding, but only by driving combs 27 and 38.

[0260] This is to simulate the purely mechanical process provided by existing technologies, which involves untangling plant fibers and mixing them with down.

[0261] The filling material has a highly heterogeneous structure, with partially untangled kapok fibers agglomerated to form clumps weighing over 0.05 g. This makes it impossible to obtain significant and reproducible results in experiments conducted according to the aforementioned IDFB protocol. This is due to the significant compositional differences between samples.

[0262] Therefore, under these circumstances, it is impossible to determine the presence and relative amount of primary kapok filaments embedded in the down flakes. Nevertheless, the applicant has observed that the average weight percentage of partially untangled kapok fibers exceeding 0.05 g is higher than 30%.

[0263] Example 3 - Evaluation of the water resistance of the filler material according to Example 1 The filling material obtained from this example was also analyzed in accordance with the provisions of Part 18-A of the IDFB Test Rules (June 2015 edition), entitled "Hydrophobic Shaking Test".

[0264] This scheme explains how to assess the water resistance of the composition and allows for information on the degree of mixing between kapok fibers (which tend to float on liquids) and down (which tend to soak and sink in liquids).

[0265] According to Example 1 (the present invention), the filling material reached level 3 (most of the down was half underwater) after 100 minutes of shaking test, while the reference filling material containing only down reached level 5 (down was completely submerged underwater - fully saturated) after 100 minutes.

[0266] The results confirm that kapok and down were optimally mixed in the filling material obtained according to Example 1 of the present invention. In this case, the kapok was indeed able to exert its buoyancy effect on the filling material under vibration test conditions.

[0267] Conversely, filling materials containing only down were fully soaked and submerged under vibration test conditions.

Claims

1. A filling material comprising goose down and / or duck down (100) and plant fiber kapok, said filling material comprising: a) A blend of goose down and / or duck down (100), comprising unbonded primary kapok filaments (210) incorporated into sheets (101) of goose down and / or duck down (100) in an amount equal to or greater than 10% by weight of the total weight of the plant kapok fibers, and b) Untangled kapok fibers (220) are made of clusters of primary kapok filaments (210) that are not bonded to each other and not bonded to goose down and / or duck down, and have a weight equal to or greater than 0.05 g, and an amount equal to or less than 20% of the total weight of the plant kapok fibers.

2. The filling material according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the untangled kapok fiber (220) is equal to or less than 15% of the total weight of the plant kapok fiber.

3. The filling material according to claim 1, comprising 5% to 80% by weight of total plant cotton fiber.

4. The filling material according to claim 3, comprising 10% to 75% by weight of total plant cotton fiber.

5. The filling material according to claim 4, comprising 10% to 50% by weight of total plant cotton fiber.

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