Deformable Seal for Spunbond Filament Gap Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spunbond apparatuses face challenges in achieving high filament speeds and fine filament production while maintaining web quality, particularly in terms of homogeneity and strength, due to issues with filament deposition at high production rates.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates deformable seals between key components to manage aerodynamic conditions, allowing for adjustable sealing pressures and surfaces to compensate for gap irregularities, ensuring effective sealing even at high internal pressures and maintaining uniform air flow for optimal filament deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high filament speeds and high throughputs are used, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a deformable seal that can dynamically adjust its shape and sealing pressure in response to varying operational conditions. The seal's ability to deform allows it to maintain effective sealing contact with the spinneret end face even when gap dimensions change due to thermal expansion, vibration, or wear during high-speed operation, thereby preserving deposition homogeneity at high productivity levels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes variable pressing force or pressing pressure applied to the deformable seal to optimize sealing performance under different operating conditions. By adjusting these parameters, the seal can compensate for gap irregularities and maintain consistent aerodynamic conditions in the filament formation space, ensuring high manufacturing precision even at elevated production rates
2Productivity
If high filament speeds are used, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable seal dynamically adapts to maintain optimal sealing at high filament speeds, preventing air leaks that would disrupt the aerodynamic support of filaments. This ensures consistent filament deposition and web strength even when operating at high speeds that maximize productivity
Solution Approach 2:
By variable pressing force or pressure on the deformable seal, the system compensates for speed-induced vibrations and thermal effects, maintaining stable aerodynamic conditions in the filament formation space and ensuring consistent web strength at high production rates
3Reliability
If a rigid seal is used to seal the gap, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a deformable seal that can flex and conform to the actual geometry of the gap between components. This flexibility allows the seal to adapt to manufacturing tolerances, thermal expansion, and wear, maintaining reliable sealing without requiring perfect rigid alignment, thus providing both sealing effectiveness and adaptability
4Adaptability or versatility
If variable pressing force or pressure is applied to the deformable seal, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable seal is designed to automatically adjust its sealing characteristics in response to operational conditions such as temperature changes, vibration, and wear. The seal's inherent deformability allows it to self-compensate for gap variations without requiring complex external control systems, thereby providing adaptability while minimizing added device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the production of high-quality, homogeneous nonwoven spunbond webs even at high production rates and filament speeds, ensuring consistent quality and uniformity across all directions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one deformable seal for sealing a first gap formed between the spinneret and the monomer extractor is provided between the spinneret and the monomer extractor
Implementation Method 2
the installation properties, in particular the pressing force and/or the pressing pressure and/or the contact surface of the first seal are variable or adjustable in relation to the end faces of the respective gap
Implementation Method 3
With the monomer extractor, gas is extracted from the filament forming space underneath the spinneret. As a result, the gases such as monomers, oligomers, decomposition products and the like which occur along with the endless filaments can be removed from the apparatus
Implementation Method 4
at least one cooler for cooling the filaments
Implementation Method 5
at least one stretcher for stretching the filaments
Implementation Method 6
at least one web former, in particular in the form of a foraminous belt, for receiving and carrying off the filaments as a nonwoven web
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for making a nonwoven spunbond web has a spinneret for making endless filaments moving in a predetermined direction. A monomer extractor downstream from the spinneret has an upstream extractor end face directed upstream and forming a gap with a downstream spinneret end face. A cooler downstream of the extractor for the filaments has an upstream cooler end face forming with a downstream extractor end face a second gap. A stretcher downstream of the cooler for the cooled filaments has an upstream stretcher end face forming a third gap with the downstream cooler end face. The filaments are deposited on a web former by the stretcher to form the nonwoven spunbond web. A deformable seal for seals one of the gaps, and means connected to the deformable seal press the seal against the end faces forming the one gap with a variable pressure or contact face.