A method for preparing rigid felt and its needle-punching system

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of bristle fabric technology, specifically to a method for preparing bristle felt and its needle-punching system. The specific technical solution is as follows: A method for preparing bristle felt involves using a bristle needle-punching system to curl bristles into a spherical shape 1-2 times, followed by needle-punching to felt the bristles into a felt ball. The bristles are one or more of wool, pig bristles, cow hair, yak hair, horse hair, and camel hair. The weight of the felt ball is 0.1-10g, and its size is 1-5cm. Based on the excellent bending recovery and felting properties of bristles, the felt balls prepared by this invention possess excellent resilience, energy absorption, and cushioning effects. Furthermore, fabrics with bristle arrays and impact-resistant clothing can absorb localized stress through the compression deformation of the felt balls, reducing the impact force on the human body and enhancing protection for critical parts such as joints.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bristle fabric technology, specifically to a method for preparing bristle felt and its needle-punching system. Background Technology

[0002] Wool fiber products can be collectively referred to as keratin-based fibers, derived from a range of ruminant animals such as sheep, goats, camels, rabbits, yaks, and horses. The properties of wool fibers can vary depending on breed, age, and grazing environment. Very coarse wool fibers produced in most parts of the world end up being burned or buried because they have no utility in textiles and other sectors; coarse wool has become an undervalued and underutilized resource. In the manufacturing processes of the wool textile industry (carding, combing, spinning, weaving, etc.), nearly 10%-15% of waste wool fibers are typically discarded or dumped on the ground. Wool waste is bulky, lightweight, and high in protein, causing serious environmental hazards and air pollution. Fine wool particles floating in the air from waste wool fibers can cause severe allergic rhinitis in humans. Therefore, exploring the recycling of wool fibers, especially wool bristles, is a challenge of significant environmental and economic importance. Currently, impact-resistant clothing often uses chemically synthesized materials, and it is difficult to achieve both protective effect and comfort simultaneously, making it unsuitable for everyday wear, costly, and detrimental to environmental protection. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a method for preparing rigid felt and its needle-punching system.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0005] This invention discloses a method for preparing bristle felt, which involves using a bristle needle punching system to curl bristles into a spherical shape 1-2 times, and then performing a needle punching operation to needle punch felt into a wool ball; the bristles are one or more of wool, pig bristles, cow bristles, yak bristles, horse hair, and camel hair, and the wool ball has a mass of 0.1-10g and a size of 1-5cm.

[0006] Preferably, the pom-poms are used to prepare a pom-pom array fabric, which has a sandwich structure. The pom-pom array fabric includes an upper lining, a spherical rigid felt, and a lower lining. The upper lining, the spherical rigid felt, and the lower lining are fixed together. The upper lining and the lower lining are one of woven fabric, plain knitted fabric, 1+1 rib fabric, 2+2 rib fabric, and fusible interlining.

[0007] Accordingly, a bristle needle-punching system used in the above-mentioned preparation method includes a winding device for rolling up bristles and a needle-punching device for felting the bristles into balls. The needle-punching device includes a first robotic arm, a first base is provided on the first robotic arm, a plurality of connecting rods are provided on the first base, a telescopic mechanism is provided at the other end of the connecting rods, an arc-shaped plate is provided at the output end of the telescopic mechanism, and a plurality of first needles are provided on the arc-shaped plate.

[0008] Preferably, the telescopic mechanism is fixed to the convex surface of the arc-shaped plate, the first needle is disposed on the concave surface of the arc-shaped plate, and multiple arc-shaped plates are combined to form a U-shape.

[0009] Preferably, two needle-punching devices are provided, with corresponding arc-shaped plates on the two needle-punching devices to perform needle-punching operations on the wound bristles.

[0010] Preferably, the winding device includes a second robotic arm, on which a motor is mounted, and a reel is coaxially mounted on the output end of the motor. A plurality of second needles are mounted on the side wall of the reel, and a sliding sleeve is fitted on the reel near the motor. A telescopic rod is connected to the motor, and the output end of the telescopic rod is connected to the sliding sleeve.

[0011] Preferably, the second needles are arranged in a row and along the axial direction of the scroll. The inner wall of the sliding sleeve is provided with a groove for the second needles to pass through, so that the sliding sleeve moves along the scroll under the action of the telescopic rod and removes the bristles wound on the scroll.

[0012] Preferably, a conveying mechanism is provided on the side of the winding device, a camera is provided above the conveying mechanism, and a lighting lamp is provided on the side of the camera.

[0013] Preferably, it also includes a robotic arm, with a raw material bin located below the robotic arm and a weighing device located beside the robotic arm, the weighing device and the robotic arm establishing a communication connection.

[0014] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] 1. The pom-pom material of this invention uses natural wool fibers, which have good moisture absorption and breathability, good warmth retention, are recyclable and biodegradable, and are environmentally friendly, successfully realizing the reuse of waste resources and reducing harmful gases and carbon emissions. The pom-pom array fabric uses a sandwich structure, which significantly improves the stability of pom-pom distribution while maintaining the mechanical properties of the pom-poms, effectively preventing pom-pom aggregation. Warm and impact-resistant clothing made from this pom-pom array fabric is lighter and warmer than other types of impact-resistant clothing, has strong design flexibility, strong structural controllability, is more ergonomic, and has a wide range of applications. The preparation method of this invention is simple and easy to operate, low in cost, and can be used for mass production, which is conducive to large-scale production in the future for use in various fields of impact protection.

[0016] 2. Based on the excellent bending recovery and felting properties of bristles, the present invention produces pom-poms with excellent resilience, energy absorption, and cushioning effects. Furthermore, pom-pom array fabrics and impact-resistant clothing can absorb localized stress through the compression deformation of the pom-poms, reducing impact on the human body and enhancing protection for critical areas such as joints. Simultaneously, bristles are given new functions and significance, enabling waste recycling and contributing to energy conservation and environmental protection.

[0017] 3. In this invention, the pom-poms are formed into elastic pom-poms through rotary needle punching and felting. The lining is used to fix the pom-poms to form a pom-pom array fabric with different functional structures. The garment is used to fix the pom-pom array fabric to key protective positions to achieve effects such as impact resistance. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pom-pom array fabric composite structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a fabric with a pom-pom array.

[0020] Figure 3 Illustration of impact-resistant clothing and accessories (top);

[0021] Figure 4 Illustration of knee pads for impact-resistant clothing;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm structure;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the winding device structure;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a bottom view of the spool on the winding device;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the acupuncture device.

[0026] In the diagram: 1. Outer garment layer; 2. Lining layer; 3. Pom-pom layer; 4. Inner garment layer; 5. Lining; 6. Pom-pom; 7. Sewing thread; 8. Pom-pom array fabric; 9. Top; 10. Pants; 11. Knee pads; 12. Raw material box; 13. Robotic arm; 14. First robotic arm; 15. Base; 16. Linkage; 17. Telescopic mechanism; 18. Arc plate; 19. First needle; 20. Second robotic arm; 21. Motor; 22. Reel; 23. Second needle; 24. Sliding sleeve; 25. Telescopic rod; 26. Slide; 27. Conveying mechanism; 28. Camera; 29. ​​Lighting lamp; 30. Weighing device. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] Unless otherwise specified, the technical means used in the implementation examples are conventional means well known to those skilled in the art.

[0029] This invention discloses a method for preparing bristle felt. The method involves using a bristle needle-punching system to curl bristles into a spherical shape 1-2 times, followed by needle-punching to felt the bristles into a felt ball. The bristles are one or more of wool, pig bristles, cow bristles, yak bristles, horse hair, and camel hair. The aim is to utilize animal bristle fibers in a high-value manner and reduce environmental pollution. The felt ball has a mass of 0.1-10g and a size of 1-5cm.

[0030] Furthermore, the pom-pom structure can be one of hollow pom-poms, solid pom-poms, phase change material pom-poms, or airbag composite pom-poms, and the pom-pom shape can be one of spheres, ellipsoids, disks, or columns, making it suitable for the increasingly developed wearable technology and complex and ever-changing environments.

[0031] Furthermore, the pom-poms are used to prepare a pom-pom array fabric, which has a sandwich structure. The pom-pom array fabric includes an upper lining, spherical rigid felt, and a lower lining. The upper lining, spherical rigid felt, and lower lining are fixed together by sewing, bonding, or other methods to secure the two linings to the middle spherical rigid felt. The upper and lower linings can be one of the following: woven fabric, plain knit fabric, 1+1 rib fabric, 2+2 rib fabric, or fusible interlining. The appropriate lining can be selected based on the application scenario. For example, 2+2 rib fabric is suitable for areas requiring flexible bending and folding; woven fabric is suitable for areas requiring a lightweight and stable structure; and fusible interlining is suitable for areas requiring one-piece molding. Depending on the application scenario and location, the pom-poms in the pom-pom array fabric can be distributed in one of the following patterns: grid, flower, honeycomb, spider web, fish scale, leaf vein, feather, shell, or human vein pattern. Spherical rigid felt, used as a cushioning layer, can be arranged in a square matrix to optimize the energy absorption and distribution characteristics of the cushioning pad. During the assembly of the cushioning pad, the spherical rigid felt layer is tightly wrapped by two layers of lining fabric to enhance the stability and durability of the overall structure. To ensure the fixation between the cushioning pad layers and the overall consistency, 402 sewing thread can be used for sewing with a flat sewing machine. This sewing process not only ensures a tight bond between the layers of the cushioning pad but also helps maintain the shape and functionality of the cushioning pad, thereby ensuring its performance in application.

[0032] Furthermore, pom-poms can be used to manufacture impact-resistant clothing and apparel. These garments are not limited to clothing but include tops, trousers, shoulder pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, knee pads, ankle guards, insoles, mattresses, cushions, and blankets. This is because pom-pom fibers possess excellent moisture absorption, breathability, bending resistance, and warmth retention, making them applicable to various aspects of life to protect the body from impacts (such as falls). Impact-resistant clothing and apparel can be manufactured by directly cutting pom-pom array fabrics or by integrating pom-pom array fabrics with existing garments using zippers, buttons, or Velcro.

[0033] As one implementation method, the steps and parameters of the impact-resistant clothing and apparel manufacturing process are set as follows:

[0034] (1) Weigh 0.1 to 10 g of animal bristles, needle-punch and felt them into bristle balls with a diameter of 1 to 5 cm; the bristle ball structure is one of hollow bristle balls, solid bristle balls, phase change material bristle balls, or air bladder composite bristle balls, and the bristle ball shape is one of spheres, ellipsoids, discs, or columns.

[0035] (2) Prepare a sandwich structure pom-pom array fabric by sewing pom-poms into the fabric; the pom-pom array fabric is fixed by one of the following methods: sewing the upper and lower double-layer linings together, sewing a single-layer lining together, gluing, or fixing with an elastic band; the pom-pom array fabric is distributed in one of the following patterns: grid, flower, honeycomb, spider web, fish scale, leaf vein, feather, shell, or human meridian pattern.

[0036] (3) Cut the pom-pom fabric into garment pieces and sew them together to form impact-resistant clothing. The pom-pom fabric pieces are integrated with the impact-resistant clothing using one of the following methods: sewing, zippers, buttons, or Velcro.

[0037] Furthermore, the structure of impact-resistant clothing and apparel is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, from the inside out, the layers are: outer garment layer 1, lining layer 2, pom-pom layer 3, lining layer 4, and inner garment layer 4; the pom-pom array fabric has a sandwich structure, as shown... Figure 2 As shown, two layers of lining fabric 5 are sandwiched with pom-poms 6, which are secured by quilting using sewing thread 7; the integration of the pom-pom array fabric with the garment relies on seam allowances. The pom-poms are made of wool bristles, which have high wool yield, are inexpensive, and have better resilience.

[0038] The pom-poms are felted using a needle-punching process, with a diameter of 3cm and a weight of 1.2g. The lining is made of 2+2 rib fabric, which is softer, has a lower elastic modulus, and is less restrictive to the body. The pom-pom array fabric is integrated using a sewing machine. The structure of the pom-pom array fabric is a combination grid structure of 4×4cm, 3×3cm, and 2×2cm. The impact-resistant clothing consists of garments and trousers, with the pom-pom array fabric embedded in the layers of the garments and trousers using a sewing machine.

[0039] In this embodiment, the upper garment 9 integrates a 4×4cm 8-pom-pom array fabric on the front, back, outer upper arm, outer forearm, and hood, and a 3×3cm pom-pom array fabric 8 in flexible joint areas such as the shoulders and elbows. Figure 3 As shown.

[0040] In this embodiment, the trousers 10 integrate knee pads 11 at the knees and calves. The knee pads are made of a 2×2cm pom-pom fabric array 8, such as... Figure 4 As shown.

[0041] refer to Figures 5-8 This invention discloses a bristle needle punching system, including a robotic arm 13, with a raw material bin 12 located below the robotic arm 13. Wool is gripped and weighed by the grippers on the robotic arm, and then placed onto a conveying mechanism (such as a conveyor belt) for the next process. A weighing device 30 is located beside the robotic arm 13, and the weighing device 30 and the robotic arm 13 establish a communication connection to form a weighing feedback system. The robotic arm picks up the raw material and places it on the weighing device 30. The weighing device and the robotic arm communicate with each other, and the picking stops when a set weight range (error range) is reached. The material is then placed on the conveying mechanism for the winding process.

[0042] After being identified by the camera, the bristle needle-punching system is activated. This system also includes a winding device for rolling up the bristles and a needle-punching device for forming the bristles into balls. A conveying mechanism 27 is located beside the winding device, and a camera 28 is positioned above the conveying mechanism 27. A lighting lamp 22 is located beside the camera 28. The weighed bristles are placed on the conveying mechanism. After being identified by the camera, the winding device is activated to wind the bristles. Once completed, the bristle roll is removed from the winding device and placed on the conveying mechanism. The camera identifies the bristles again, and the roll is wound again. After being removed and placed, the bristles are placed on the needle-punching device, where the first needle forms the balls.

[0043] Specifically, the acupuncture device includes a first robotic arm 14, a base 15 on the first robotic arm 14, and multiple connecting rods 16 on the base 15. A telescopic mechanism 17 is located at the other end of each connecting rod 16, and an arc-shaped plate 18 is located at the output end of the telescopic mechanism 17. A plurality of first needles 19 are mounted on the arc-shaped plate 18. It should be noted that the telescopic mechanism includes, but is not limited to, electric push rods, hydraulic rods, and cylinders. The telescopic mechanism 17 is fixed to the convex surface of the arc-shaped plate 18, and the first needles 19 are located on the concave surface of the arc-shaped plate 18. Multiple arc-shaped plates 18 are combined to form a U-shape to better restrict the bristle curl and perform the acupuncture operation.

[0044] Furthermore, two needle-punching devices are provided, with corresponding arc-shaped plates 18 on the two needle-punching devices to perform needle-punching operations on the wound bristle rolls, while preventing the bristle rolls from falling off and increasing efficiency.

[0045] Furthermore, the winding device includes a second robotic arm 20, on which a motor 21 is mounted. A scroll 22 is coaxially mounted on the output end of the motor 21. Several second needles 23 are mounted on the side wall of the scroll 22. The motor drives the scroll to rotate, thereby winding up the bristles. A sliding sleeve 24 is fitted onto the scroll 22 near the motor 21. A telescopic rod 25 is connected to the motor 21, and the output end of the telescopic rod 25 is connected to the sliding sleeve 24. The sliding sleeve facilitates the removal of the bristles from the scroll. The telescopic rod includes, but is not limited to, an electric push rod, a hydraulic rod, and a cylinder.

[0046] Furthermore, the second needles 23 are arranged in a row and along the axial direction of the scroll 22. The inner wall of the sliding sleeve 24 is provided with a groove 26 for the second needles 23 to pass through, so that the sliding sleeve 24 moves along the scroll 22 under the action of the telescopic rod 25, thereby removing the bristles wound on the scroll 22.

[0047] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0048] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a rigid felt, characterized in that: The bristles are curled into a spherical shape 1-2 times using a bristle needle punching system, and then needle punched to felt the bristles into a hair ball; the bristles are one or more of wool, pig bristles, cow bristles, yak bristles, horse hair, and camel hair, and the hair ball has a mass of 0.1-10g and a size of 1-5cm. The pom-poms are used to prepare a pom-pom array fabric, which has a sandwich structure. The pom-pom array fabric includes an upper lining, a spherical rigid felt, and a lower lining. The upper lining, the spherical rigid felt, and the lower lining are fixed. The upper lining and the lower lining are one of the following: woven fabric, plain knitted fabric, 1+1 rib fabric, 2+2 rib fabric, and fusible interlining. The bristle needle punching system includes a winding device for rolling up bristles and a needle punching device for punching bristles into balls. The needle punching device includes a first robotic arm (14), a base (15) is provided on the first robotic arm (14), a plurality of connecting rods (16) are provided on the base (15), a telescopic mechanism (17) is provided at the other end of the connecting rods (16), an arc plate (18) is provided at the output end of the telescopic mechanism (17), and a plurality of first needles (19) are provided on the arc plate (18). Two needle-punching devices are provided, and the arc-shaped plates (18) on the two needle-punching devices are correspondingly arranged to perform needle-punching operations on the wound bristle roll; The winding device includes a second robotic arm (20), on which a motor (21) is mounted. A reel (22) is coaxially mounted on the output end of the motor (21). A plurality of second needles (23) are mounted on the side wall of the reel (22). A sliding sleeve (24) is fitted on the reel (22) near the motor (21). A telescopic rod (25) is connected to the motor (21). The output end of the telescopic rod (25) is connected to the sliding sleeve (24). The second needles (23) are arranged in a row and along the axial direction of the scroll (22). The inner wall of the sliding sleeve (24) is provided with a groove (26) for the second needles (23) to pass through, so that the sliding sleeve (24) moves along the scroll (22) under the action of the telescopic rod (25) and removes the bristles wound on the scroll (22).

2. A bristle needle-punching system used in the preparation method of claim 1, characterized in that: The device includes a winding device for rolling up bristles and a needle punching device for turning bristles into balls. The needle punching device includes a first robotic arm (14), a base (15) is provided on the first robotic arm (14), a plurality of connecting rods (16) are provided on the base (15), a telescopic mechanism (17) is provided at the other end of the connecting rods (16), an arc plate (18) is provided at the output end of the telescopic mechanism (17), and a plurality of first needles (19) are provided on the arc plate (18). Two needle-punching devices are provided, and the arc-shaped plates (18) on the two needle-punching devices are correspondingly arranged to perform needle-punching operations on the wound bristle roll; The winding device includes a second robotic arm (20), on which a motor (21) is mounted. A reel (22) is coaxially mounted on the output end of the motor (21). A plurality of second needles (23) are mounted on the side wall of the reel (22). A sliding sleeve (24) is fitted on the reel (22) near the motor (21). A telescopic rod (25) is connected to the motor (21). The output end of the telescopic rod (25) is connected to the sliding sleeve (24). The second needles (23) are arranged in a row and along the axial direction of the scroll (22). The inner wall of the sliding sleeve (24) is provided with a groove (26) for the second needles (23) to pass through, so that the sliding sleeve (24) moves along the scroll (22) under the action of the telescopic rod (25) and removes the bristles wound on the scroll (22).

3. The bristle needle-punching system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The telescopic mechanism (17) is fixed to the convex surface of the arc plate (18), the first needle (19) is disposed on the concave surface of the arc plate (18), and multiple arc plates (18) are combined to form a U-shape.

4. The bristle needle-punching system according to claim 2, characterized in that: A conveying mechanism (27) is provided on the side of the winding device, a camera (28) is provided above the conveying mechanism (27), and a lighting lamp (29) is provided on the side of the camera (28).

5. The bristle needle-punching system according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a robotic arm (13), with a raw material box (12) below the robotic arm (13) and a weighing device (30) on the side of the robotic arm (13). The weighing device (30) and the robotic arm (13) establish a communication connection.

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