Apparatus and method for manufacturing glass fiber

Abstract

To provide an apparatus for manufacturing a glass fiber, capable of preventing friction in a gathering shoe from increasing.SOLUTION: An apparatus 11 for manufacturing a glass fiber includes: a bushing 12 including a plurality of glass filaments F pulled downward; an applicator 13 for applying a sizing agent to the plurality of glass filaments F; a gathering shoe 14 for converging the plurality of glass filaments F to form a glass strand S; and a water supply device 16 for supplying water to the gathering shoe 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing glass fibers and a method for manufacturing glass fibers.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an apparatus for manufacturing glass fibers, there is one including a bushing from which a plurality of glass filaments are drawn downward, an applicator for applying a sizing agent to the plurality of glass filaments, and a gathering shoe (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The gathering shoe gathers a plurality of glass filaments to form a glass strand. This glass strand is wound around a collet to form a cake.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above-described apparatus for manufacturing glass fibers, when gathering a plurality of glass filaments with a gathering shoe, moisture may be insufficient at the part of the gathering shoe due to the glass filaments being constricted. As a result, there has been a problem that the friction at the gathering shoe increases. This causes, for example, scratches and flyers on the glass strand.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing glass fibers and a method for manufacturing glass fibers capable of suppressing an increase in friction at a gathering shoe.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] [1] The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus for solving the above problems includes a bushing from which a plurality of glass filaments are drawn downward, an applicator for applying a sizing agent to the plurality of glass filaments, and a gathering shoe for gathering the plurality of glass filaments to form a glass strand, and is a glass fiber manufacturing apparatus provided with a water supply device for supplying water to the gathering shoe.

[0007] According to this configuration, since water is supplied to the gathering shoe by the water supply device, water shortage in the gathering shoe is suppressed. Therefore, an increase in friction in the gathering shoe is suppressed. Therefore, the occurrence of scratches and fuzz on the glass strand is suppressed.

[0008] [2] In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to [1] above, it is preferable that the water supply device has an injection nozzle for injecting granular water. According to this configuration, since the water supply device has an injection nozzle for injecting granular water, it is easier to spray water on the target site than when supplying water with a hose or the like.

[0009] [3] In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to [2] above, it is preferable that the injection nozzle is a mixed fluid nozzle that mixes and injects water and gas. According to this configuration, since the injection nozzle is a mixed fluid nozzle that mixes and injects water and gas, small-diameter water can be vigorously injected together with gas from the mixed fluid nozzle. Therefore, water can be supplied well to the target site. In addition, the injected small-diameter water is easy to vaporize, and it is possible to suppress the increase in the ambient temperature around the gathering shoe and, as a result, the temperature of the gathering shoe itself, and as a result, suppress the occurrence of gum-up of the sizing agent in the gathering shoe.

[0010] [4] In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [3] above, it is preferable that the water supply device is installed above the gathering shoe and has a guiding member for collecting water and guiding it to the gathering shoe.

[0011] According to this configuration, water is collected by the guiding member installed above the gathering shoe and guided to the gathering shoe. Therefore, for example, water can be stably supplied to the gathering shoe with less waste.

[0012] [5] A method for manufacturing glass fiber that solves the above problems is a method for manufacturing glass fiber, comprising a converging step of converging a plurality of glass filaments by a gathering shoe to form a glass strand, wherein in the converging step, water is supplied to the gathering shoe.

[0013] According to this method, since water is supplied to the gathering shoe in the converging step, a lack of moisture in the gathering shoe is suppressed. Therefore, an increase in friction in the gathering shoe is suppressed. Therefore, the generation of scratches and flyers on the glass strand is suppressed.

Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus and the glass fiber manufacturing method of the present invention, an increase in friction in the gathering shoe can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a glass fiber manufacturing apparatus and a glass fiber manufacturing method will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, for convenience of explanation, a part of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified. Also, the dimensional ratios of each part may be different from the actual ones.

[0017] (Overall configuration of the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11) As shown in FIG. 1, the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 includes a bushing 12, an applicator 13, a gathering shoe 14, a collet 15, and a water supply device 16.

[0018] The bushing 12 has a plurality of nozzles downward, and is a box-shaped container into which molten glass is supplied, and a plurality of glass filaments F are drawn downward from the nozzles. In FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of glass filaments F are schematically shown together. In other words, in FIGS. 1 and 2, only the outermost sides of the plurality of glass filaments F are shown, and the range through which the glass filaments F pass is shown.

[0019] The applicator 13 is provided below the bushing 12, has drive rollers, and is a device that applies a sizing agent to the glass filaments F. The gathering shoe 14 is provided below the applicator 13, and is a device that forms a glass strand S by gathering and bundling a plurality of glass filaments F to which the sizing agent is applied.

[0020] The collet 15 rotates by the operation of a collet driving device (not shown), and winds up the glass strand S that has passed through, for example, a traverse (not shown). The glass strand S is wound around the collet 15 to form a cake 17.

[0021] (Configuration of the water supply device 16) The water supply device 16 is a device that supplies water W to the gathering shoe 14. The water supply device 16 has a mixed fluid nozzle 18 as an injection nozzle, a water supply unit 19, an air supply unit 20, and a guide member 21.

[0022] The mixed-fluid nozzle 18 is a type of injection nozzle that injects granular water W, and it mixes and injects water W and air which is a gas. Specifically, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 has a water inlet 18a, an air inlet 18b, and a single injection port 18c. A water supply section 19 is connected to the water inlet 18a via a hose or the like, and an air supply section 20 is connected to the air inlet 18b via a hose or the like. When water W is supplied from the water supply section 19 to the water inlet 18a and air is supplied from the air supply section 20 to the air inlet 18b, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 injects a fluid in which water W and air are mixed from the injection port 18c. Note that the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 is configured to inject water W having a particle size of less than an average of 20 μm. The mixed-fluid nozzle 18 may be configured to inject water W having a particle size of an average of 18 μm or less, an average of 15 μm or less, or even an average of 12 μm or less. The mixed-fluid nozzle 18 of the present embodiment is configured to inject water W having a particle size of an average of 10 μm or less.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide member 21 is installed above the gathering shoe 14, and collects the water W injected from the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 and guides it to the gathering shoe 14. Specifically, the guide member 21 of the present embodiment has a plate-shaped main body portion 21a that becomes narrower toward the bottom, and a frame portion 21b erected from both sides of the main body portion 21a. The guide member 21 is arranged such that the main body portion 21a is inclined with respect to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction so that the water W reaching the main body portion 21a flows from the lower end toward the gathering shoe 14. The inclination angle of the main body portion 21a with respect to the horizontal direction is preferably, for example, 10° to less than 90°, more preferably 20° to 70°, and even more preferably 30° to 60°. In this way, the water W reaching the main body portion 21a can be stably supplied to the gathering shoe 14 from the lower end. Note that the main body portion 21a may be provided at 90° (i.e., the vertical direction) with respect to the horizontal direction, or may be provided at an angle greater than 90°.

[0024] The mixed-fluid nozzle 18 is arranged to inject water W toward the guide member 21 while applying water W to a plurality of glass filaments F below the applicator 13. In other words, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 and the guide member 21 are arranged to face each other at positions sandwiching the glass filament F. In FIG. 1, the injection axis A of the water W injected by the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 is schematically illustrated. Also, in FIG. 1, only the outermost side of the water W injected by the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 is schematically illustrated. Further, in FIG. 2, the injection axis A reaching the guide member 21 and the range of the water W reaching the guide member 21 are schematically illustrated. Also, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the injection axis A and the water W are schematically illustrated in an ideally approximate form without considering gravity and the like. In the present embodiment, the guide member 21 and the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 are arranged such that substantially all of the water W injected by the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 reaches the main body portion 21a of the guide member 21.

[0025] (Method for manufacturing glass fiber and its operation) The method for manufacturing glass fiber according to the present embodiment is executed using the above-described glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11.

[0026] The method for manufacturing glass fiber includes a "converging step". In this converging step, a plurality of glass filaments F are converged by the gathering shoe 14 to form a glass strand S.

[0027] Then, in the method for manufacturing glass fiber according to the present embodiment, in the converging step, water W is supplied to the gathering shoe 14. Specifically, water W is mixed with air and injected from the mixed-fluid nozzle 18. Then, part of the water W hits the glass filament F and reaches and is collected by the main body portion 21a of the guide member 21, and then flows down from the lower end of the guide member 21 toward the gathering shoe 14 while being prevented from leaking laterally by the frame portion 21b. Thereby, water W is supplied to the gathering shoe 14. Therefore, it is suppressed that moisture is insufficient at the portion of the gathering shoe 14. In the present embodiment, through such a converging step, a cake 17 made of the glass strand S wound around the collet 15 is manufactured.

[0028] Next, the effects of the above embodiment will be described below. (1) Since water W is supplied to the gathering shoe 14 by the water supply device 16, water shortage in the gathering shoe 14 is suppressed. Therefore, an increase in friction in the gathering shoe 14 is suppressed. Therefore, generation of scratches and fuzz on the glass strand S is suppressed.

[0029] (2) Since the water supply device 16 has the mixing fluid nozzle 18 as an injection nozzle for injecting granular water W, it is easier to spray water W onto a targeted site than in the case of supplying water W with a hose or the like.

[0030] (3) Since the injection nozzle is the mixing fluid nozzle 18 that mixes and injects water W and gas, water W with a small particle size can be vigorously injected together with gas from the mixing fluid nozzle 18. Therefore, water W can be satisfactorily supplied to the targeted site. In addition, the injected water W with a small particle size is likely to vaporize, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the ambient temperature around the gathering shoe 14 and, consequently, the temperature of the gathering shoe 14 itself. As a result, generation of gum-up of the sizing agent in the gathering shoe 14 can be suppressed.

[0031] (4) The water W injected from the mixing fluid nozzle 18 is collected by the guide member 21 installed above the gathering shoe 14 and guided to the gathering shoe 14. Therefore, for example, water W can be stably supplied to the gathering shoe 14 with less waste.

[0032] (5) The water W injected from the mixing fluid nozzle 18 is supplied to the guide member 21 while being applied to a plurality of glass filaments F below the applicator 13. Therefore, for example, it becomes possible to attach more moisture to the glass filaments F.

[0033] This embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modification examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically non - conflicting range. ·In the above-described embodiment, the injection nozzle is the mixing fluid nozzle 18 that mixes and injects water W and gas, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be changed to another injection nozzle that injects granular water W.

[0034] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, it may be changed. The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 in this example includes a water supply device 31. The water supply device 31 has a liquid injection nozzle 32 as an injection nozzle that injects granular water W at high pressure, and a water supply section 33. Note that the water supply device 31 does not have a guide member 21. The liquid injection nozzle 32 is an injection nozzle that injects water W without mixing it with gas. Specifically, the liquid injection nozzle 32 has a water inlet 32a and an injection port 32b. A water supply section 33 is connected to the water inlet 32a via a hose or the like. When water W is supplied from the water supply section 33 to the water inlet 32a, the liquid injection nozzle 32 injects granular water W from the injection port 32b.

[0035] And the liquid injection nozzle 32 in this example (see FIG. 3) is arranged to directly inject water W toward the gathering shoe 14. In FIG. 3, the injection axis A of the water W injected by the liquid injection nozzle 32 is schematically shown. Also, in FIG. 3, only the outermost side of the water W injected by the liquid injection nozzle 32 is schematically shown. In this example, the liquid injection nozzle 32 is arranged so that substantially all of the water W injected by the liquid injection nozzle 32 reaches the gathering shoe 14.

[0036] Even in this way, since the water supply device 31 supplies water W to the gathering shoe 14, a shortage of moisture in the gathering shoe 14 is suppressed. Therefore, an increase in friction in the gathering shoe 14 is suppressed. Therefore, the occurrence of scratches and flyers on the glass strand S is suppressed.

[0037] · In the above embodiment, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 was configured to inject water W having a particle size of 10 μm or less on average, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and it may be configured to inject water W having a particle size greater than 10 μm on average. For example, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 may be configured to inject water W having a particle size greater than 10 μm and less than 20 μm on average. Further, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 may be configured to inject water W having a particle size of 20 μm or more on average.

[0038] · In the above embodiment and the alternative example, the water supply devices 16, 31 were described as having the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 or the liquid injection nozzle 32 as an injection nozzle for injecting particulate water W, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the water supply device may be configured to have a hose, a pipe, or the like for supplying water to the gathering shoe 14. That is, the water supply device may be changed to another configuration as long as it can supply water W to the gathering shoe 14.

[0039] · In the above embodiment, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 was arranged to inject water W toward the guide member 21 while applying water W to the plurality of glass filaments F below the applicator 13, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the mixed-fluid nozzle 18 may be arranged to inject water W toward the guide member 21 without intentionally applying water W to the glass filaments F.

[0040] · In the above embodiment, the guide member 21 was configured to have a plate-shaped main body portion 21a that becomes narrower toward the bottom and a frame portion 21b erected from both sides of the main body portion 21a, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the guide member 21 may be changed to another configuration as long as it can collect water W and guide it to the gathering shoe 14.

[0041] · In the above embodiment and the alternative example, the water supply devices 16, 31 were described as having a single mixed-fluid nozzle 18 or a liquid injection nozzle 32, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a configuration having a plurality of mixed-fluid nozzles 18 or a plurality of liquid injection nozzles 32 may also be used.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0042] 11… Manufacturing apparatus for glass fibers, 12… Bushing, 13… Applicator, 14… Gathering shoe, 16… Water supply device, 18… Mixed fluid nozzle (injection nozzle), 21… Guide member, 31… Water supply device, 32… Liquid injection nozzle (injection nozzle), F… Glass filament, S… Glass strand, W… Water.

Claims

1. a bushing through which a plurality of glass filaments extend downward; an applicator for applying a sizing agent to the plurality of glass filaments; a gathering shoe that gathers the plurality of glass filaments to form a glass strand; A glass fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising: A glass fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising a water supplying device that supplies water to the gathering shoe.

2. 2. The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water supply device has a spray nozzle for spraying granular water.

3. 3. The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the injection nozzle is a mixed fluid nozzle which mixes water and gas and injects the mixed fluid.

4. 2. The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water supply device is installed above the gathering shoe and has a guide member that collects water and guides it to the gathering shoe.

5. A method for producing glass fibers, comprising a bundling step of bundling a plurality of glass filaments by a gathering shoe to form a glass strand, The method for producing glass fibers, wherein water is supplied to the gathering shoe in the bundling step.

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