Needling Machine Supporting Beam Elliptical Needle Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing needling machines for nonwoven fibrous webs face challenges in efficiently inserting and removing needles without causing disturbances, leading to suboptimal quality and increased wear due to the lack of flexibility in needle motion and support structure.
Innovation Solution
The needling machine incorporates a supporting beam connected to the needles, allowing for an additional degree of freedom in motion, enabling oscillating and phase-shifted needle movement that aligns with the direction of the nonwoven web, reducing collisions and enhancing the quality of the strengthened web by allowing needles to follow an elliptical path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If needles are moved in a straight vertical lifting motion, then the needling process is simple, but needle collisions and disturbances increase leading to lower quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by transitioning from a simple vertical linear motion to an elliptical motion path that incorporates both vertical and horizontal components. The supporting beam enables the needles to move not only up and down but also forward and backward in sync with the web transport, creating a two-dimensional elliptical trajectory that reduces collisions and improves quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the supporting beam movable rather than fixed. The beam is connected to the driving rods through articulated beam bearings that allow relative motion, enabling the needle motion to dynamically adapt to the web transport speed and phase shifts, thereby optimizing the needling process.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the supporting beam is rigidly connected to driving rods, then the structure is stable, but the beam cannot change orientation leading to increased wear and disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by replacing the rigid fixed connection with articulated beam bearings that allow relative motion between the supporting beam and driving rods. This dynamic connection enables the beam to pivot and adjust its orientation while maintaining structural integrity, reducing wear and disturbances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the motion parameters by allowing the supporting beam to undergo phase shifts relative to the driving rods. The beam bearings enable the beam to change its positional and orientational parameters dynamically, accommodating variations in web transport and reducing mechanical stress.
3Productivity
If driving rods are moved with mutual phase shift, then needle motion in direction of passage is achieved, but additional horizontal drive complexity is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the vertical lifting function and horizontal transport function into a single integrated mechanism. The phase-shifted driving rods, supporting beam, and beam bearings work together as a unified system that simultaneously achieves vertical needle insertion and horizontal motion in sync with web transport, eliminating the need for separate horizontal drives.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting beam serves multiple functions: it supports the needles, transmits the phase-shifted motion from the driving rods, enables elliptical motion through articulated connections, and synchronizes with web transport. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional specialized horizontal drive mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If needles are inserted at right angles to the web, then insertion is effective, but removal causes disturbances and moiré effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by adding a horizontal motion component to the vertical insertion motion. The elliptical path created by the supporting beam and beam bearings allows needles to approach the web at an angle and withdraw in sync with web transport, preventing the moiré effects and disturbances caused by perpendicular withdrawal.
Data Source
AI summary
An needling machine and process needle a nonwoven fibrous web (2) fed in a direction of passage (3). A needling unit (5) with oscillatingly moved needles (11) is configured to needle and strengthen the nonwoven fibrous web (2). The needling unit (5) has a lifting drive (6) and parallel, linearly guided driving rods (15, 16) driven reversably thereby. The needling unit (5) has a supporting beam (8) connected to the needles (11) and extending in the direction of passage (3). Driving rods (15), arranged one after another in the direction of passage (3), are each connected to the supporting beam (8) via a respective beam bearing (18, 19) in an articulated manner. One of the beam bearings (18, 19), arranged one after another in the direction of passage (3), has an additional degree of freedom of motion.