Elliptic Needle Loom Sealed Housing Tilted Guide Pot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing needling machines for consolidating fibers have complex structures that require phase shifts between eccentric shafts for elliptical movement, which complicates the mechanical design and reduces longevity due to exposed drive components.
Innovation Solution
A needling device with a compact, less complex structure that integrates all drive means within a sealed casing, using a control device with a drive link, eccentric shaft, connecting rod, and intermediate lever to provide back-and-forth movement without the need for phase shifts, ensuring lubrication and longevity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealed casing is used to house drive means for column movement, then lubrication and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases due to phase shift requirements between eccentric shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the longitudinal drive means and transverse drive means into a single integrated mechanism. The guide pot serves dual functions: it guides the column's longitudinal movement while also housing the transverse drive means (eccentric shaft and connecting rod). This integration eliminates the need for separate phase shift mechanisms between two eccentric shafts, reducing device complexity while maintaining the sealed casing's lubrication benefits and reliability improvements.
2Device complexity
If transverse drive means are placed outside the casing, then device complexity is reduced, but lubrication and longevity are compromised due to exposed mechanical parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by placing the transverse drive means (eccentric shaft and connecting rod) inside the guide pot, which itself is nested within the sealed casing. This nested arrangement allows all drive means to be housed within the sealed environment, ensuring continuous lubrication and protection from contamination, thereby extending the longevity of mechanical parts while maintaining a compact structure.
3Device complexity
If a compact structure is implemented with integrated drive means, then device complexity is reduced, but space for sealed casing integration becomes constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by allowing the guide pot to tilt relative to the casing wall. This tilting capability enables the transverse drive means to operate in a different spatial orientation, effectively using three-dimensional space more efficiently. The column passes through the tilted guide pot, and the connecting rod transmits movement in the transverse direction, creating a compact integrated structure that reduces overall device complexity while maintaining adequate sealing volume.
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 solution results in a more reliable and long-lasting needling machine with a simplified mechanical design, maintaining effective lubrication and reducing complexity while ensuring the longevity of mechanical parts.
Implementation Method 1
a guide pot (4) in which the column (3) slides, the guide pot (4) being mounted to pivot relative to a fixed axis (5) in the casing (7)
Implementation Method 2
a connecting rod (27), and a drive link (13), the connecting rod (27) driving the drive link (13) in reciprocating movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the MD direction
Implementation Method 3
an intermediate lever (52), in a single piece or made up of several pieces which are not articulated together, pivoting relative to a pivot axis
Implementation Method 4
the interface of which with the casing (7) is made sealed by means of a seal (50), which according to one possible embodiment can take the form of a bellows seal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 2
AI summary
Needle-punching device for consolidating by needle-punching a web or sheet of fibers, in particular non-woven fabric, comprising: - at least one needle board having a field of needles; - at least one column with a longitudinal axis fixed to at least one needle board; - drive means configured to impart to at least one column a reciprocating motion so that the needles have an elliptical trajectory to cross in one direction, then in the other, the web or sheet of fibers which pass in front of it in a machine or feed direction MD to consolidate it; - a sealed housing in which part of the column and its drive means are received;and - at least one guide pot disposed in an opening of the sealed casing by being mounted to tilt about a tilting axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and to the MD direction, at least one column passing through the casing via at least one guide pot by sliding thereon and the drive means comprising first longitudinal drive means configured to impart to at least one column a reciprocating motion in a direction mainly parallel to the longitudinal axis, in particular a purely vertical reciprocating motion.;