Method for finishing a textile in rope form and machine for carrying out said method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for finishing a moving textile in rope form and a machine for carrying out said method. The method of the invention enables a treatment solution to be applied by absorption on a textile in rope form, due to the metered spraying of the treatment solution as a flat sheet that is carried out by spraying nozzles, this method being based on the precise calculation carried out by a controller to determine the treatment solution flow rate, the movement speed of the textile in rope form by mechanical means without water or air, and the treatment time, achieving total absorption in the textile and preventing the generation of spillage.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for finishing a textile in rope form and to a machine for carrying out said method. The method of the invention enables a treatment solution to be applied by absorption for finishing a textile in rope form, such as a preparation with chemicals, a bleaching, a dyeing, a softening, or another type of finishing with chemicals, allowing the treatment solution to be fully utilized and preventing the generation of spillage.

[0002] A machine is used for carrying out the method of the invention, which machine is made up, among other elements, of a chamber, mechanical means for moving the textile in rope form inside the chamber following a closed circuit, without using water or air, one or more spraying nozzles for spraying the treatment solution on the textile, and a controller associated with software for controlling the metering of the treatment solution and the movement speed of the textile in rope form in the machine.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Methods for finishing or treating textiles in rope form based on the presence of a bath containing the treatment solution are known in the current state of the art. This treatment solution can be a preparation with chemicals, a bleaching, a dyeing, a softening, or another type of finishing with chemicals that gives the textile the desired final characteristics. In that sense, in the known processes referred to as 'exhaustion processes', the textile must be immersed in or come into contact with the treatment solution several times and continuously in the bath for treatment, so that the treatment colorant or chemical dissolved in the bath water passes from the bath to the textile fiber due to its chemical affinity for the fiber. It should be noted that in known exhaustion treatment processes, the ratio between the weight of the textile and the volume of the bath solution is quite high, in the order of 1:4 to 1:30.

[0004] For this reason, exhaustion textile treatment methods entail a high consumption of treatment water and chemicals, since the bath must contain an excess amount of solution for textile treatment; and additionally, with certain machinery, the bath contains an additional amount of solution to enable the movement of the textile in the machine. In this way, the known equipment necessarily generates spillage consisting of the excess amount from the bath that does not remain in the textile fiber, with this spillage requiring mandatory and costly management prior to its discharge into the sewage system, given its concentration of treatment chemicals and colorants which are not exhausted in the textile.

[0005] Another drawback associated with exhaustion processes for treating textile in rope form is that certain textiles composed of cellulose fibers require in their dyeing processes the addition of salts to the bath or electrolytes, in order to increase the affinity of the colorant for the fiber and increase its exhaustion.

[0006] The use of salts or electrolytes in the treatment of textile in rope form complicates the management of spillage originating from dye treatment, since the waste concentrated in salts entails a costly and complex purification for disposal given that salt concentrate is considered toxic waste and must be managed as such.

[0007] Likewise, it should be highlighted that known bath or exhaustion textile treatment machines usually require a recirculation circuit to try to exhaust the treatment solution in the textile fiber as much as possible, and this means an additional energy cost for the process.

[0008] Based on the foregoing, the applicant of the present patent has detected the need to develop a process and a machine for the treatment of textile in rope form by absorption, not by exhaustion, preventing the generation of spillage and enabling water, time, energy, and chemical savings, and ensuring a uniform, controlled, and precise application of the treatment solution on the textile in rope form.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The object of the invention relates to a method for the treatment of textile in rope form in which the treatment solution is incorporated into the textile by absorption, due to the controlled spraying on the textile by means of spraying nozzles, such that all the treatment solution sprayed is absorbed by the textile in rope form, preventing the generation of spillage, in contrast to the known methods for the treatment of textile in rope form in which the treatment takes place through exhaustion.

[0010] Depending on the properties or finishing to be provided to the textile in rope form, the treatment solution can be a preparation with chemicals, a bleaching, a dyeing, a softening, or another type of finishing, i.e., those which incorporate chemicals. In the context of the present invention, another type of finishing can be an enzyme treatment, a resin treatment, an antimicrobial treatment, an anti-pilling treatment, or any another type of finishing. On the other hand, the term 'preparation' must be understood as all that treatment solution intended for preparing the textile in order to ensure a correct subsequent treatment. In that sense, examples of preparations can be treatment solutions with chemicals that enhance the hydrophilicity of the textile, such as solutions to remove fats in woolen textiles, to remove gums, to remove oils in polyester textiles, scouring in cotton, wetting agents, detergents, or any another type of preparatory solution required by the textile in question.

[0011] As described in detail above, the method of the invention is based on spraying a treatment solution, carried out by spraying nozzles, on a moving textile in rope form, with the textile absorbing all the treatment solution without generating any spillage. To that end, the proposed method comprises the following steps: Introducing data relating to the weight, length, and typology of the textile in rope form into a controller provided with software. Specifying in the controller the typology of the treatment solution to be sprayed on the textile in rope form. The software calculating the flow rate of the treatment solution to be sprayed by spraying nozzles on the textile in rope form such that all the treatment solution is absorbed by the textile in rope form. The treatment solution flow rate is the quotient between the volume of the treatment solution and the spraying time. The software calculating the movement speed of the textile in rope form, the ratio between the weight of the textile in rope form and the volume of the treatment solution being at most 1:1 when the treatment solution is a preparation with chemicals, a bleaching, a dyeing, a softening, and / or a finishing with chemicals. In that sense, the ratio between the weight of the textile and the volume of the treatment solution will be determined specifically by the absorption capacity of each textile subjected to the method of the invention, such that all the treatment solution applied on the textile in rope form is absorbed completely by same. Advantageously, this ratio between the weight of the textile and the volume of the solution is much lower than the weight / volume ratio of other exhaustion processes, which translates into a drastic decrease in the consumption of water, energy, and chemicals, as well as a simpler wastewater treatment, with respect to other known methods. On the other hand, the movement speed of the textile in rope form is equal to or a multiple of the quotient between the length of the textile and the spraying time. The controller actuating mechanical means including a motor linked to a drive roller or winder on which the textile in rope form rests, generating the continuous movement of the textile in rope form and defining a closed circuit, such that the textile in rope form completes at least one turn in the closed circuit. The number of turns that must be completed by the textile in rope form will depend on the type of treatment, the characteristics of the textile, and the treatment solution to be applied, and will preferably be an integer number of turns. Actuating a pump for feeding the treatment solution from an auxiliary container to the spraying nozzles. The spraying nozzles carrying out the metered spraying of the treatment solution on the textile in rope form, with the textile in rope form being in motion, running along the closed circuit. The textile in rope form absorbing all the treatment solution sprayed.

[0012] In order to ensure the absorption of all the treatment solution sprayed and prevent the generation of spillage, the spraying nozzles spray the treatment solution as a flat sheet the length of which coincides with the width of the textile in rope form in the area of contact between the sheet and the textile in rope form. This way of spraying the treatment solution, as well as the steps of calculating the flow rate and the movement speed of the textile in rope form at a given time, carried out by the software the controller, are key to ensure that all the treatment solution is absorbed by the textile in rope form, therefore preventing the generation of spillage.

[0013] Advantageously, the method of the invention enables obtaining ratios of the weight of the textile in rope form / volume of the treatment solution of up to 1 :0.2, and never above the absorption capacity of each fabric which will generally be 1:1 when the treatment solution is a preparation with chemicals, a bleaching, a dyeing, a softening, or another type of finishing with chemicals, which translates into water, energy, and chemical savings in the treatment solution, as well as a wastewater treatment amounting to 75% or higher.

[0014] Water savings also automatically entail energy savings given that the amount of water to be heated during the different steps of treatments for finishing the textile in rope form will be much lower.

[0015] Likewise, it should be mentioned that the proposed method reduces the duration for treating or finishing the textile in rope form by up to 40% with respect to the known treatments.

[0016] The method described in detail above can be carried out in a machine which is made up of a chamber inside which the finishing of the textile in rope form is performed. The chamber is provided with mechanical means including at least one motor which is arranged outside the chamber and linked to a drive roller or winder inside the chamber, such that the motor transmits its movement to the drive roller for moving the textile in rope form. In other words, the textile in rope form is introduced into the chamber and arranged resting on the drive roller, such that the textile in rope form is moved continuously through the movement of the drive roller, defining a closed circuit. Optionally, the machine comprises a secondary roller associated with a movement sensor, the secondary roller being operated by the movement of the drive roller as the textile in rope form is made to pass between them.

[0017] Alternatively, the mechanical means which allow the movement of the textile in rope form have, among other options, a rotary base, a conveyor belt, or a plurality of rotary cylinders operated by a second motor, in order to facilitate the correct movement of the textile in rope form and prevent textile accumulations which slow down the method.

[0018] The chamber is additionally provided with one or more folding elements for correctly distributing the textile in rope form therein, preventing the disorganized accumulation of the textile at the base of the chamber, and therefore favoring its movement.

[0019] Optionally, the chamber is pressurized and leak-tight, enabling treatment processes to be carried out at the required pressure according to the typology of the textile.

[0020] Once the textile in rope form is being moved following a closed circuit due to the drive roller, one or more spraying nozzles spray the treatment solution on the textile, such that almost all the treatment solution is absorbed by the textile in rope form. Preferably, the spraying nozzles spray a treatment solution flow rate of between 30 ml / min for a machine with samples or laboratory samples and up to 20 l / min for different industrial machines.

[0021] Moreover, the machine for carrying out the method of the invention comprises at least one auxiliary container which contains the treatment solution linked to the spraying nozzles; and at least one pump for feeding the treatment solution from the auxiliary container to the spraying nozzles. In that sense, the presence of the auxiliary container and the pump enable getting rid of the bath present in conventional exhaustion equipment.

[0022] Lastly, the machine has a controller associated with novel software for determining the speed of the motor which moves the drive roller and determining the flow rate of the treatment solution to be sprayed, based on the typology of the textile in rope form, weight, length, and type of treatment to be applied, where the treatment can be a preparation with chemicals, a bleaching, a dyeing, a softening, and / or a finishing with chemicals, etc. In that sense, based on these calculations performed by the software, the controller emits the corresponding operating commands to the different components of the machine, ensuring a correct and uniform metered spraying and absorption of the treatment solution in the textile in rope form.

[0023] The configuration of the machine described enables a treatment, in which the ratio between the weight of the textile in rope form and the volume of the treatment solution is at most 1:1, to be carried out when the treatment solution is a preparation, a bleaching, a dyeing, a softening, or another type of finishing, where this ratio of the weight of the textile / volume of solution can be varied depending on the specific textile to be finished, and where the spraying nozzles preferably spray a flat sheet of treatment solution the length of which coincides with the width of the textile in rope form in the area of contact between the sheet and the textile in rope form, with all the treatment solution sprayed being absorbed, without any spillage.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] To complement the description that will be made below and in order to help better understand the features of the invention according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description in which the following is depicted in an illustrative and non-limiting manner: Figure 1 shows a diagram of the machine for carrying out the method for the treatment of a textile in rope form according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 shows a detail of the flat sheet of treatment solution in a triangle shape sprayed by a spraying nozzle on the textile in rope form. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Figure 1 illustrates a diagram of the machine for carrying out the method for finishing a textile in rope form according to a first preferred non-limiting embodiment of the invention, where the machine has a chamber (1) provided with mechanical means for moving the textile in rope form (11) and for defining a closed circuit.

[0026] As can be seen in Figure 1, in this first embodiment of the invention, the mechanical means are made up of a motor (not depicted in Figure 1 and arranged outside the chamber (1) linked to a drive roller (2), or winder on which the textile in rope form (11) rests), and of a secondary roller (10) associated with a movement sensor, such that the secondary roller (10) is operated by the movement of the drive roller (2) as the textile in rope form (11) is made to pass between them.

[0027] Additionally, the mechanical means which allow the continuous movement of the textile in rope form (11) are provided with a rotary base (8) which defines the bottom of the chamber (1) in this preferred embodiment. The rotary base (8) is operated by a second motor (9), and its rotary movement facilitates the correct movement of the textile in rope form (11), preventing textile accumulations which may slow down the method.

[0028] Alternatively, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the mechanical means are provided with a conveyor belt, rotary cylinders, or other means, operated by a second motor, which likewise fulfill the function of facilitating the movement of the textile in rope form (11) in the machine to complete the closed circuit.

[0029] On the other hand, the machine of the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 has an inverted cone (3) as a folding element. In that sense, the textile in rope form (11) is introduced in the inverted cone (3), such that the movement thereof contributes to the formation of ordered folds in the textile in rope form (11), ensuring a correct distribution of the textile in rope form (11) in the chamber (1). In an alternative preferred embodiment, the folding element is a cylinder, performing the function described above for the inverted cone (3).

[0030] Figure 1 likewise shows three spraying nozzles (4) which spray the treatment solution on the textile in rope form (11), as well as the auxiliary container (5) linked to the spraying nozzles (4) which contains the treatment solution. The machine is complemented with a pump (6) for feeding the treatment solution from the auxiliary container (5) to the spraying nozzles (4), and a controller (7) associated with software to determine the speed of the motor and to determine the flow rate of the treatment solution to be sprayed at a given time.

[0031] As described in detail above, the spraying nozzles (4) spray a treatment solution as a flat sheet the length of which coincides with the width of the textile in rope form (11). In that sense, Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the flat sheet of treatment solution has a triangle shape, such that the length (12) of the flat sheet resembles the base of the triangle, this length (12) coinciding with the width of the textile in rope form (11) in the area of contact between the sheet and the textile in rope form (11), with all the treatment solution sprayed being absorbed by the textile in rope form, therefore preventing the generation of spillage.

Claims

1. A method for finishing a textile in rope form based on spraying a treatment solution on the moving textile in rope form using exclusively mechanical means, characterized in that the method is by absorption and comprises the steps of: - introducing data relating to the weight, length, and typology of the textile in rope form (11) into a controller (7) provided with software, - specifying in the controller (7) the typology of the treatment solution to be sprayed on the textile in rope form (11), - the software calculating the flow rate of the treatment solution to be sprayed by spraying nozzles (4) on the textile in rope form (11) such that all the treatment solution is absorbed by the textile in rope form (11), - the software calculating the movement speed of the textile in rope form (11), the ratio between the weight of the textile in rope form (11) and the volume of the treatment solution being at most 1:1 when the treatment solution is a preparation with chemicals, a dyeing, a bleaching, a softening, and / or a finishing with chemicals, - the controller (7) actuating mechanical means including a motor linked to a drive roller (2) on which the textile in rope form (11) rests, generating the continuous movement of the textile in rope form (11) and defining a closed circuit, such that the textile in rope form (11) completes at least one turn in the closed circuit, - actuating a pump (6) and feeding the treatment solution from an auxiliary container (5) to the spraying nozzles (4), - the spraying nozzles (4) carrying out the metered spraying of the treatment solution on the textile in rope form (11), with the textile in rope form (11) being in motion, running along the closed circuit, - the textile in rope form (11) absorbing all the treatment solution sprayed, such that the spraying nozzles (4) spray the treatment solution as a flat sheet the length (12) of which coincides with the width of the textile in rope form (11) in the area of contact between the sheet and the textile in rope form (11), with all the treatment solution sprayed being absorbed, without any spillage.

2. The method for finishing a textile in rope form based on spraying a treatment solution on the moving textile in rope form according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile in rope form (11) completes an integer number of turns in the closed circuit.

3. The machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to the method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises: - a chamber (1) provided with mechanical means including at least one motor which is arranged outside the chamber (1) linked to a drive roller (2) inside the chamber (1) for moving the textile in rope form (11); one or more folding elements for correctly distributing the textile in rope form (11) in the chamber (1); one or more spraying nozzles (4) for spraying the treatment solution on the textile in rope form (11), such that all the treatment solution is absorbed by the textile in rope form (11), - at least one auxiliary container (5) linked to the spraying nozzles (4) containing the treatment solution for spraying on the textile in rope form (11), - at least one pump (6) for feeding the treatment solution from the auxiliary container (5) to the spraying nozzles (4), - a controller (7) associated with software to determine the speed of the motor and to determine the flow rate of the treatment solution to be sprayed at a given time, such that the ratio between the weight of the textile in rope form (11) and the volume of the treatment solution is at most 1:1 when the treatment solution is a preparation with chemicals, a dyeing, a softening, or another type of finishing with chemicals, and wherein the spraying nozzles (4) spray a flat sheet of treatment solution the length of which coincides with the width of the textile in rope form (11) in the area of contact between the sheet and the textile in rope form (11), with all the treatment solution sprayed being absorbed, without any spillage.

4. A machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to claim 3, characterized in that the mechanical means are provided with a rotary base (8) operated by a second motor (9).

5. The machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to claim 3, characterized in that the mechanical means are provided with a conveyor belt operated by a second motor or a plurality of rotary cylinders operated by a second motor.

6. The machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to claim 3, characterized in that the mechanical means are provided with a secondary roller (10) associated with a movement sensor, the secondary roller (10) being operated by the movement of the drive roller (2) as the textile in rope form (11) is made to pass between them.

7. The machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to claim 3, characterized in that the folding element is an inverted cone (3).

8. The machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to claim 3, characterized in that the folding element is a cylinder.

9. The machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to claim 3, characterized in that the spraying nozzle sprays a treatment solution flow rate of between 30 ml / min and 20 l / min.

10. The machine for finishing a textile in rope form according to claim 3, characterized in that the chamber (1) is pressurized and leak-tight.

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