Nonwoven Fabric for Printer Cylinder Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nonwoven cleaning fabrics for printing machine cylinders face issues with excessive fabric elongation, high paper lint production from recycled paper, and inadequate solvent desorption, leading to surface streaking and reduced cleaning efficiency, while also being costly.
Innovation Solution
A thermally bonded spunlaced nonwoven fabric comprising 5-40% binder fibers with a lower-melting polyester copolymer, 25-65% higher-melting polyester fibers, and 35-55% wood pulp fibers, which are hydroentangled and thermally bonded to enhance tensile modulus and solvent desorption, reducing elongation and improving lint pick-up and retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If recycled paper is used as raw material for printing, then cost is reduced and environmental impact is minimized, but paper lint production increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of increased paper lint from recycled paper into a beneficial cleaning function. The cleaning fabric is designed with specific fiber composition and structure to pick up and retain the lint, transforming it from a contaminant into a removable residue that improves cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning fabric uses a composite fiber structure combining natural fibers (wood pulp, cotton, flax) with synthetic fibers (polyester, polypropylene). This composite material structure enables the fabric to effectively pick up and retain paper lint while maintaining cost-effectiveness and cleaning performance.
2Productivity
If cleaning fabric advances during wash program, then cleaning process continues, but fabric elongation and deformation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the cleaning fabric by selecting specific fiber types and ratios that provide dimensional stability. The fabric composition includes fibers with different elastic properties that work together to prevent excessive elongation while allowing necessary movement during the cleaning process.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric uses a composite material structure where natural fibers provide bulk and stability while synthetic fibers provide elasticity and recovery. This composite structure prevents fabric deformation and necking during the wash program while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
3Reliability
If cleaning fabric has high paper lint pick up and retention, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but fabric strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite fiber system where synthetic fibers (polyester, polypropylene) provide structural strength and integrity, while natural fibers (wood pulp, cotton, flax) provide lint absorption capacity. This balanced composite structure ensures both fabric strength and effective lint retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric structure is designed with local variations in fiber density and composition to optimize both strength and lint retention. The fiber arrangement and composition are tailored to provide high lint pickup capability in contact areas while maintaining overall fabric strength and durability.
4Productivity
If cleaning fabric has high solvent desorption, then cleaning rate increases, but fabric composition becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the physical and chemical parameters of the fiber composition to enhance solvent desorption. Specific fiber types and ratios are selected to provide appropriate porosity, surface area, and chemical affinity for solvent removal, achieving high cleaning rate without excessive compositional 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
The solution provides a high-strength nonwoven fabric with reduced elongation, improved solvent desorption, and enhanced lint retention, ensuring effective cleaning with minimal surface streaking and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the spunlaced fabric is thermally bonded by at least partially softening or melting the sheath component of the binder fibers
Implementation Method 2
spunlaced nonwoven fabric comprising between about 5 and 40 weight percent of binder fibers
Data Source
AI summary
A nonwoven fabric having high tensile modulus suitable for cleaning printer cylinders is formed by hydroentangling a fibrous nonwoven web formed from higher-melting polyester fibers, lower-melting binder fibers and woodpulp fibers and then thermally bonding the fabric.