Nonwoven Web Guiding With Stabilizing Plates Against Fluttering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Nonwoven webs made of plastic fibers experience poor running behavior, including fluttering and tears, due to air flows caused by guide and treatment rollers, leading to inhomogeneous properties and reduced strength, which existing solutions like additional rollers or spoiler plates have failed to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

The method involves guiding the nonwoven web with stabilizing plates positioned close to the rollers to minimize air flow disturbances, using at least one stabilizing plate in the conveying direction in front of or behind the roller unit, and optionally a flat deflection element to divert air, ensuring the web is not exposed to gas or steam, thereby reducing fluttering and maintaining web integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If higher web tensions are used to control the fleece web, then the running behavior is improved, but the width of the nonwoven web decreases and the strength properties worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverunning behaviorVSAvoidtensile strength in CD direction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

A stabilizing plate is introduced as an intermediary element between the air flow and the nonwoven web. The plate deflects the air flow caused by guide rollers and treatment rollers, preventing direct air flow contact with the web. This mediator approach allows the web to be guided without requiring excessive tension, thereby maintaining both running behavior and strength properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If additional rollers or spoiler plates are installed to divert air currents, then the air flow disturbances are reduced, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow disturbancesVSAvoidnumber of additional components
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful air flow is extracted and redirected away from the nonwoven web by the stabilizing plate. Instead of adding multiple rollers or complex spoiler plate systems, the invention extracts the air flow path from the web area and redirects it through the space around the stabilizing plate, simplifying the overall device structure while effectively reducing air flow disturbances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the nonwoven web is guided over guide rollers and treatment rollers, then the web processing is enabled, but air flow is generated causing fluttering and inhomogeneous properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweb processing capabilityVSAvoidhomogeneity of nonwoven web
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing plate serves as a mediator that allows guide rollers and treatment rollers to continue performing their web processing functions while simultaneously protecting the nonwoven web from the harmful air flows generated by these same components. The plate is positioned to deflect air flows before they can contact the web, maintaining both processing capability and web homogeneity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This approach significantly improves the running behavior of nonwoven webs by reducing air flow influences, eliminating fluttering, and maintaining web width and strength, achieved through simple and cost-effective measures.

Implementation Method 1

a stabilizing plate is provided in the conveying direction F before or directly before a roller unit (2, 3) for the nonwoven web (1) or behind or directly behind the roller unit (2, 3) in the conveying direction F of the nonwoven web (1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir flow deflection:

Data Source

PatentEP3051013B1Method for guiding a nonwoven web
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 REIFENHAUSER GMBH & CO MASCHFAB
  • EP3051013B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3051013B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3051013B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

Method for guiding a non-woven web made of plastic fibers conveyed in the conveying direction F, wherein a non-woven web with a web thickness d less than 2 mm and with a basis weight less than 30 g/m2 is used. The fleece web is brought into physical contact with at least one guide and/or treatment roller or with at least one roller unit made up of at least two guide and/or treatment rollers. At least one stabilizing plate extending in the conveying direction F and transversely to the conveying direction F of the nonwoven web is provided in the conveying direction F in front of or directly in front of the roller or the roller unit and/or behind or immediately behind the roller or the roller unit. The fleece web is guided along the at least one stabilization plate with the proviso that the distance a between the surface of the stabilization plate facing the fleece web and the fleece web surface is 0 to 20 mm.