Method and plant for producing a filling material and filling material
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-cost down feathers from farmed anatidae and existing methods for mixing kapok fibers with down result in fillings with inadequate softness and homogeneity, leading to 'lumps' and poor thermal insulation properties.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of jets and/or blades of a pressurized fluid to separate and incorporate elementary kapok filaments into goose and/or duck down flakes, creating a hybrid filling material with improved softness and thermal insulation properties, while minimizing mechanical disentanglement and fiber degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If mechanical action (paddles, screens, tines) is used to disentangle kapok fibres, then the fibres are partially disentangled and can be mixed with down, but the fibres remain bound in clusters creating lumps and poor homogeneity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical disentangling systems (paddles, screens, tines) with a fluid jet system. High-velocity fluid jets penetrate the kapok fibre clusters and separate individual fibres through fluid dynamic forces rather than mechanical contact, achieving complete disentangling without leaving bound clusters that cause lumps in the final product.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses fluid jets (pneumatic or hydraulic) to disentangle kapok fibres. The pressurized fluid penetrates deep into fibre clusters, separating individual fibres through drag and impact forces. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach achieves superior disentangling compared to mechanical systems while maintaining fibre integrity and producing homogeneous mixtures with down.
2Manufacturing precision
If strong mechanical action is used to disentangle kapok fibres, then the fibres are more thoroughly separated, but the fibres suffer degradation and loss of quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes harsh mechanical action with gentle fluid jet action. The fluid jets penetrate fibre clusters and separate individual fibres through non-contact fluid dynamic forces, achieving complete disentangling without the crushing, breaking, and fraying that occur with mechanical paddles, screens, and tines. This preserves fibre length, strength, and softness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs pressurized fluid jets to disentangle fibres without mechanical contact. The fluid forces separate fibres through drag and impact while the fibres remain suspended in the fluid stream, preventing the compression and friction-induced degradation that occurs in mechanical systems. This maintains fibre quality while achieving thorough separation.
3Reliability
If down is used as filling material, then excellent thermal insulation and softness are achieved, but production costs become very high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite filling material by thoroughly mixing disentangled kapok fibres with down feathers. The complete disentangling of kapok fibres allows them to distribute uniformly throughout the down, creating a homogeneous composite that maintains the excellent thermal insulation and softness of down while incorporating the cost-effective kapok fibres, thereby reducing overall production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention achieves complete homogeneity in the mixture of kapok fibres and down through thorough fluid jet disentangling and mixing. The individual kapok fibres are completely separated and uniformly distributed among the down feathers, creating a consistent composite material that performs like pure down but at lower cost. This homogeneous distribution eliminates lumps and ensures uniform thermal insulation throughout the product.
4Quantity of substance
If kapok fibres are mixed with down using traditional methods, then production costs are reduced, but the filling material develops lumps and poor softness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical mixing systems with fluid jet-based disentangling and mixing. The fluid jets completely separate kapok fibres into individual filaments and uniformly distribute them throughout the down, creating a homogeneous mixture that is soft and lump-free. This fluid dynamic approach superior to mechanical mixing while maintaining cost effectiveness through kapok fibre incorporation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pressurized fluid jets to both disentangle kapok fibres and mix them with down in a single integrated process. The fluid stream carries individual kapok fibres and down feathers together, ensuring uniform distribution and complete integration. This pneumatic/hydraulic mixing achieves superior softness and homogeneity compared to traditional mechanical methods while keeping production costs low through kapok fibre usage.
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
The resulting filling material achieves softness and homogeneity comparable to down-only fillings at reduced production costs, with enhanced thermal insulation and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
jets and/or blades of a pressurized fluid to separate and incorporate elementary kapok filaments into goose and/or duck down flakes
Implementation Method 2
jets and/or blades of a pressurized fluid to separate and incorporate elementary kapok filaments into goose and/or duck down flakes
Implementation Method 3
The structure of the mantle comprises feathers and down, which form tiny thermoregulatory air cells that prevent the dispersion of body heat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A method for producing a filling material comprising goose and/or duck down and vegetable kapok fibres comprises feeding vegetable kapok fibre to a mixing chamber (16), separating elementary kapok filaments (210) unbound from each other from the vegetable kapok fibre in the mixing chamber (16) by directing jets and/or blades of a pressurized fluid against the vegetable kapok fibre, feeding goose and/or duck down to the mixing chamber (16) and incorporating elementary kapok filaments (210) unbound from each other into the flakes (101) of goose and/or duck down (100) by mixing the elementary kapok filaments (210) and the goose and/or duck down in the mixing chamber (16) by means of said jets and/or blades of pressurized fluid fed for example by suitably oriented nozzles (33).