Method and apparatus for fabric treatment processing

Abstract

A method for fabric treatment processing, comprising the following operating steps: printing a fabric (24), chemically finishing the printed fabric (24), and drying / polymerizing the printed fabric (24), the processing steps being carried out on-line with the fabric (24) according to a horizontal advancing direction. The chemical finishing includes applying a chemical solution. The drying / polymerization step occurs between, or consecutive to, or during, the printing step and the drying / polymerization step.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102022000010919 (25.05.22), filed on May 25, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for fabric treatment processing.

[0004] More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for carrying out treatments on printed fabrics, in particular a finishing or finishing process of the chemical type, the purpose of which is to improve the appearance, tactile qualities, color, physical properties, elasticity, breathability and similar other properties of the same fabric, thereby improving the quality of the final product. Background Art

[0005] As is known, the so-called "ennobling" of fabrics involves printing and finishing processes on printed fabrics.

[0006] The purpose of finishing or finishing is to improve the appearance, tactile quality, color, increase mechanical properties such as tear resistance or washing resistance, elasticity and breathability of the fabric. Therefore, finishing or finishing has the function of improving the quality of the final product.

[0007] The finishing process can be of mechanical type (e.g. calendaring, pleating, brushing, etc.), whose function is to increase properties such as friction, resistance to temperature and pressure, tension, etc., or of chemical type, which applies resins, aqueous solutions, silicones in the form of microfilms, plasma or enzyme treatments, etc., to improve properties such as water repellency, softness, resistance to dirt or stains, etc., or the finishing process can be a mechanical-chemical combination.

[0008] Generally, the finishing process is carried out on special finishing machines or equipment, in which the fabric is subjected to thermomechanical or chemical steps which make it possible, among other things, to increase its softness, firmness, strength and colour space.

[0009] Among finishing machines or equipment, the so-called "Rameuse" are known, which are defined as machines that stretch and tension the fabric on rollers, slide it through different zones (a variable number depending on the machine and the properties sought), and which include means for applying the coating or the finish, a system to ensure the correct positioning of the fabric (straightening and spreading units), drying means, a pin system that allows the fabric to slide through a drying chamber and towards an exit zone (ie a special support composed of interchangeable plates with rows of needles or teeth that fix the fabric).

[0010] However, said known devices have some significant disadvantages related to the fact that they are dedicated devices to be installed in a textile processing plant and involve considerable energy consumption.

[0011] Another disadvantage of traditional machines, and in particular of the "flatteners" defined above, is that the fabric coming from the printing machine must be transferred to a finishing device, which requires technical time related to transfer, preparation of the machine, insertion of the fabric into the machine, etc., and all this leads to a related increase in production costs.

[0012] Another disadvantage is related to the problem of managing the physical space required for additional equipment and the problem of surface consumption (meaning storage space for semi-finished products).

[0013] Another disadvantage of the known device is the maintenance costs.

[0014] Another disadvantage is the management costs of the equipment, which also means higher costs for personnel dedicated to the management and control of the equipment.

[0015] Another considerable disadvantage is related to the inefficiency of the production chain between the printing process and the finishing process due to the different processing speeds and different position areas of the dedicated equipment.

[0016] Another disadvantage of the known type of apparatus is that they involve double drying, ie the fabric undergoes a first drying step after the printing step and a second drying step after the finishing step; said operating procedure involves considerable consumption of energy, consumption of chemical products and therefore an increase in the associated costs.

[0017] The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages. Summary of the invention

[0018] More specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a process and a related device for a textile treatment process which is easy to install inside a textile processing plant and which allows reducing the space (and therefore also the surface) required for distributing the same and for storing semi-finished products.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that allows reducing the heat and therefore the energy consumption in the printing and finishing or finishing steps of the fabric.

[0020] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that allows reducing the amount of chemical products used in finishing or finishing.

[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide a finishing device that is easy to maintain.

[0022] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that allows accommodating the number of operators specialized and involved in the work process and therefore allows controlling the related costs.

[0023] Another object of the invention is to provide the user with an apparatus and a process for finishing fabrics which guarantee high resistance and durability over a long period of time and which can be realized easily and cheaply.

[0024] These and other objects are achieved by the method and the device of the invention having the features set out in claim 1 .

[0025] According to the present invention, a method for fabric treatment processing is provided, which comprises the following operating steps: printing the fabric, chemically finishing the printed fabric and drying / polymerizing the printed fabric, wherein the processing steps are performed in alignment with the fabric conveyed according to a horizontal forward direction.

[0026] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed by the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The construction and functional characteristics of the method and apparatus for processing fabrics, in particular for finishing fabrics, of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, and in which:

[0028] Figure 1 Schematically shows a side view of an apparatus for treating fabrics, the apparatus comprising the apparatus for finishing of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 A side view schematically shows an apparatus for finishing fabrics according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 A front view of the apparatus for finishing work of the present invention is schematically shown.

[0031] Reference is made to the drawings cited, and in particular to Figure 1 , shows a preferred and non-limiting embodiment of an apparatus for treating fabrics, comprising a printing device 12, a drying / polymerization device 14 and a finishing device 16 of the invention, wherein said three devices are arranged in series.

[0032] In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the finishing device 16 is arranged at an intermediate position between the printing device 12 and the drying / polymerization device 14.

[0033] However, according to alternative embodiments, the finishing device 16 can be arranged inside or outside the drying / polymerization device 14, but always in alignment with the printing and drying / polymerization devices.

[0034] The printing device 12 which is not described in detail because it is known is of the type with pigment ink printing or of the type with digital printing or of the type with another printing technology suitable for the function.

[0035] The drying / polymerization device (also not described in detail because it is known) comprises a chamber through which the printed and treated fabric passes and in which it is subjected to a thermal management at a temperature ranging from 90°C to 180°C for a period of time ranging from 1 to 4 minutes and this is for the purpose of carrying out a drying / polymerization process of the print on the fabric and therefore ennobling it.

[0036] The finishing device 16 includes a support structure 17 that can be moved (or fixed) on a wheel 18, which is designed to support a base 20, the lateral dimensions of which basically correspond to the lateral development dimensions of the printing device 12 and the drying / polymerization device 14, and the base 20 accommodates a pull-in roller 22, which is rotatably arranged according to the lateral development direction of the base 20 and is used to allow the fabric 24 to slide, as described in more detail below.

[0037] Stabilized on the base 20 are a pair of opposed and parallel shoulders 26 which support a crossbar 28 with respect to which means for applying a chemical solution to the fabric 24 in transit are integral.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment shown in the figure, the device for applying a chemical solution includes a spray element, which includes a plurality of spray nozzles 30 (such as the embodiment shown in the figure), and the plurality of spray nozzles 30 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the crossbar 28, equidistant from each other and arranged at the same height or different heights; in an alternative embodiment, the spray element may include at least one spray blade.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment, the nozzles 30 are all arranged on the same side of the crossbar; however, according to alternative embodiments, the spraying elements may comprise a different arrangement and be arranged partly on one side of the longitudinal development of the crossbar and partly on the opposite side, or they may be arranged in several rows.

[0040] The application of chemical solutions as well as by spraying may also include digital dipping techniques performed with the aid of dedicated heads performed in conjunction with spraying or as an alternative to spraying.

[0041] According to an alternative embodiment, the means for applying the chemical solution may comprise rollers impregnated with said solution and brought into contact (by means of dedicated actuators, or by means of a lowering / raising movement of the crossbar 28) with the surface of the fabric 24 to be treated.

[0042] According to further alternative embodiments, the means for applying the chemical solution to the fabric may be defined by one or more scrapers, or by the passage of the fabric 24 in a bath containing the chemical finishing solution.

[0043] Furthermore, according to an alternative embodiment, the means for applying the chemical finishing solution to the fabric may comprise a coating device having a dip pan.

[0044] The structure of crossbars 28 supported by parallel and opposed shoulders 26 is covered by a protective casing 32 provided with a door 34 which can be opened for inspection or the like.

[0045] The method of processing a fabric by means of the device of the present invention comprises three macroscopic steps defined by a printing step, a chemical finishing step and a drying / polymerization step.

[0046] In the printing unit 12, a printing step of a fabric 24 (for example from a reel not shown) of ink or digital type or produced by another known technique is carried out, and said fabric 24 from the printing unit 12 is drawn onto a draw-in roller 22 of a finishing unit 16 (cf. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The finishing device 12 is arranged downstream of the printing device (in the direction indicated by the arrow "X" in the figure, and is arranged downstream of the printing device) and is pulled by a mat 36 arranged downstream of the finishing device 12 (at a fixed, variable or otherwise modulated speed according to production requirements).

[0047] The fabric 24 drawn onto the roller 22 and pulled by the pad 36 passes under the crossbar 28 of the finishing device 16 and is acted upon by the nozzles 30 which spray the chemical solution (at a variable flow rate) on the surface of said fabric according to the transverse development direction of the fabric; the advancement of the fabric 24 under the nozzles 30 allows the chemical solution to be evenly distributed over the entire surface of the same fabric, while said solution evenly penetrates the fibers of the fabric.

[0048] The fabric 24 impregnated with the chemical solution in the finishing device 16 moves through the pad 36 to the drying / polymerization device 14, where, as previously described, the fabric is subjected to heat in the temperature range of 90° C. to 180° C. for a period of 1 to 4 minutes, in order to carry out the drying / polymerization process of printing on the same fabric.

[0049] The finishing step can be carried out after the drying / polymerization step and, in this case, the finishing device 16 is arranged downstream of the drying / polymerization device 14 and in the region of the outlet.

[0050] Alternatively, the finishing step can also be carried out during the drying / polymerization step, wherein the finishing device 16 is arranged inside the drying / polymerization device.

[0051] From the foregoing it can be seen that the advantages achieved by the method and the corresponding apparatus for treating fabrics are evident.

[0052] The apparatus of the present invention advantageously allows simplifying the printing, finishing and drying / polymerization processes of the fabric and this is due to the fact that the fabric treatment processes are carried out in-line and therefore no special devices (e.g. Rameuse type devices) are required to transport the printed fabric.

[0053] Another advantage of the device of the invention is that it allows to carry out a process characterized by reduced energy consumption per square meter of fabric treated; in fact, there is only one drying step of the fabric and this involves a considerable energy saving and an associated cost reduction.

[0054] Another advantage is that the device of the invention allows an improved and optimal management of the physical space used for the layout configuration and solves the problem of surface consumption implying storage space for semi-finished products.

[0055] More advantageously, due to the aligned configuration, the dead time associated with the transfer of the fabric to other devices and the subsequent tooling time for that device is eliminated, thus ensuring an increase in process efficiency.

[0056] Further advantages derive from the fact that the process of the invention allows improving the quality of the fabric processed in printing by improving textile properties, such as color, solidity, tactile quality, brightness, etc.

[0057] Another advantage of the apparatus and method of the invention in connection with the in-line arrangement of processing devices is represented by the fact that it ensures a reduction in the number of operators involved in the method and therefore leads to a saving in personnel costs and related production costs.

[0058] Although the present invention has been described above with particular reference to embodiments of the invention given only as non-limiting examples, many modifications and substitutions will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the above description. Therefore, the present invention is intended to include all modifications and substitutions falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for fabric processing, characterized in that: The method comprises the steps of printing a fabric (24), chemically finishing a printed fabric (24) and drying / polymerizing a printed fabric (24), the processing steps being carried out in register with the fabric (24) being conveyed at a fixed or variable or otherwise adjustable speed according to a horizontal advance direction.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The chemical finishing step is carried out in the following manner: a chemical solution is applied on the printed fabric (24) according to the transverse development direction of the same printed fabric (24), and the application of the chemical solution is carried out during the advancement of the fabric so that the chemical solution is evenly distributed on the entire surface of the fabric.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The chemical finishing step is carried out between the printing step and the drying / polymerization step, or after the drying / polymerization step, or during said drying / polymerization step.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The application of the chemical solution to the fabric (24) is carried out by spraying and / or digital dipping with the aid of a head.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The application of the chemical solution to the fabric (24) is carried out by roller coating or knife coating or by dipping the coating.

6. The apparatus (10) for fabric treatment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The apparatus (10) comprises a printing device (12), a finishing device (16) and a drying / polymerizing device (14) arranged in register with a fabric (24) conveyed between the devices according to a horizontal advance direction.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that The finishing device comprises a supporting structure (17) supporting a base (20), the lateral dimensions of the base (20) corresponding to the lateral expansion dimensions of the printing device (12) and the drying / polymerization device (14), the base (20) accommodating a drawing-in roller (22), the drawing-in roller (22) being rotatably arranged according to the lateral expansion direction of the base (20) and used for sliding of the fabric (24), the base being stabilized with a pair of opposite and parallel shoulders (26), the shoulders (26) supporting a cross bar (28), the cross bar (28) supporting a device for applying a chemical solution to the fabric (24) in transport.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that The means for applying a chemical solution to the fabric (24) comprise spraying elements and / or heads for digital impregnation, arranged in one or more rows along the longitudinal development of the crossbar (28).

9. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that The means for applying the chemical solution to the fabric (24) comprises a roller or a doctor blade or a coating device having a dip pan.

10. The device according to claims 6 to 9, characterized in that The finishing device (16) is movable or fixed so that it is arranged at an intermediate position between the printing device (12) and the drying / polymerization device (14), or inside the drying / polymerization device (14), or downstream of the drying / polymerization device (14).

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