Fabric Debris Removal via Pneumatic Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In fabric recycling, lightweight materials like debris, paper, plastic, markers, and dust are difficult to remove from waste fabrics without manual sorting, which is costly and can contaminate products, and existing solutions fail to eliminate physical manipulation entirely.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus involving a tumbling means with perforations and negative pressure, combined with a vertical separation chamber using forced air and negative pressure to separate lightweight materials from fabric pieces, ensuring efficient removal without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If hand sorting is used to remove lightweight materials, then removal effectiveness is improved, but cost increases and microbial contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical sorting with an automated pneumatic system. A pneumatic tube conveyor system uses air pressure to transport fabric pieces through a processing chamber where lightweight materials are removed, eliminating the need for human hands to physically handle and sort the materials while maintaining effective removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic principles throughout the system. Air pressure is used to move fabric pieces through the processing chamber, and a pneumatic tube conveyor system transports materials. The system uses air flow to separate lightweight materials from heavier fabric pieces, providing automated removal without manual intervention.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional recycling processes are used, then processing simplicity is maintained, but product quality deteriorates due to debris contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary removal of lightweight materials before the main recycling processing. The pneumatic processing chamber is positioned early in the workflow to extract debris, paper, plastic, and other lightweight contaminants from fabric pieces before they enter subsequent processing stages, ensuring quality is maintained without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes lightweight materials from the fabric recycling stream using a pneumatic tube conveyor system and processing chamber. This extraction occurs at a specific point in the workflow where air pressure is applied to separate and remove lightweight contaminants, allowing the main fabric recycling process to continue with improved quality.
3Productivity
If lightweight materials are not removed, then processing speed is maintained, but equipment damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic processing chamber is positioned early in the workflow to remove lightweight materials before they reach downstream equipment. This preliminary removal action prevents debris, paper, plastic, and other lightweight contaminants from damaging subsequent processing equipment, maintaining both speed and reliability.
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
Effectively removes lightweight materials, improving product quality and reducing equipment damage, while maintaining a microbial-free environment by automating the separation process.
Implementation Method 1
applying negative pressure from the first source of negative pressure to the tumbling means for removing lightweight particles detached from the tumbling fabric pieces from the tumbling means
Implementation Method 2
applying forced air to the fabric pieces as the fabric pieces drop from the top to bottom of the vertical separation chamber by gravity for separating the lightweight materials from the fabric pieces
Implementation Method 3
as the fabric pieces drop from the top to bottom of the vertical separation chamber by gravity
Implementation Method 4
applying negative pressure from a second source of negative pressure to the vertical separation chamber to remove the lightweight materials separated from the fabric pieces from the vertical separation chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method and corresponding apparatus for separating lightweight materials from fabric pieces. The method comprises the steps of (a) introducing fabric pieces into a tumbling means having perforations for lightweight materials in the fabric pieces to be removed therethrough and coupled to a first source of negative pressure; (b) tumbling the fabric pieces in the tumbling means and simultaneously applying negative pressure from the first source of negative pressure to the tumbling means for removing lightweight particles detached from the tumbling fabric pieces from the tumbling means; (c) transporting the fabric pieces from the tumbling means to a top of a vertical separation chamber; and (d) applying forced air to the fabric pieces as the fabric pieces drop from the top to bottom of the vertical separation chamber by gravity for separating the lightweight materials from the fabric pieces, and simultaneously applying negative pressure from a second source of negative pressure to the vertical separation chamber to remove the lightweight materials separated from the fabric pieces from the vertical separation chamber; repeating this step until the fabric pieces are substantially cleared of any lightweight materials. The apparatus comprises a tumbling means and a vertical separation chamber.