Rotating Aperture Blocking Member for Patterned Hydroentanglement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydroentanglement processes for producing nonwovens struggle to create clearly visible patterns without compromising the bulkiness of the material, and are costly due to the need for expensive patterned supports.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a fibrous web subjected to hydroentanglement with water jets, where a rotating blocking member with apertures is used to discontinuously block water jets, creating discrete areas of fiber entanglement in the machine direction, allowing for the formation of various patterns without altering the bulkiness of the nonwoven.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional hydroentanglement process is used with patterned supports, then patterns can be formed on nonwoven, but the production cost increases due to expensive patterned supports
Solution Approach 1:
The water jet stream is segmented into discrete water jets by the blocking member with apertures, allowing selective application of hydroentanglement force to specific areas. This segmentation enables pattern formation without requiring expensive patterned supports, as the blocking member can be a simple structure with openings arranged in desired patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
A blocking member is introduced as an intermediary element between the water injection means and the fibrous web. This blocking member selectively blocks water jets based on its aperture configuration, serving as a cost-effective mediator to transfer the pattern design to the nonwoven material without requiring expensive patterned drums or belts.
2Strength
If water flow is applied to the entire surface of nonwoven for hydroentanglement, then fiber bonding is achieved, but clearly visible patterns cannot be formed due to insufficient thickness or density difference
Solution Approach 1:
The hydroentanglement process is applied with local quality by directing discrete water jets only to specific areas of the fibrous web through the blocking member's apertures. This creates areas of high fiber entanglement density (where water jets strike) and areas of low entanglement density (where water jets are blocked), producing visible patterns with sufficient thickness and density contrast.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member rotates to periodically expose different aperture configurations to the water jets, creating periodic patterns on the nonwoven material. This periodic action allows various patterns to be formed by simply changing the rotation speed or aperture configuration, maintaining fiber bonding while achieving clear pattern visibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If patterned supports are used for hydroentanglement, then patterns are transferred to nonwoven, but switching to different patterns becomes costly due to expensive support replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member is designed to be rotatable, allowing dynamic switching between different aperture configurations or rotation speeds to create various patterns. This dynamic capability enables pattern variety without requiring physical replacement of expensive patterned supports, as the same blocking member can generate multiple patterns through rotational movement.
Solution Approach 2:
Pattern variety is achieved by changing operational parameters such as rotation speed of the blocking member, water jet pressure, or aperture configuration rather than replacing the support structure. This parameter-based approach to pattern switching significantly reduces costs compared to replacing expensive patterned drums or belts.
4Shape
If discrete areas of fiber entanglement are created by blocking water jets, then visible patterns are formed, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex pattern-forming function is extracted from the water injection system itself and placed in a separate, simple blocking member. This blocking member can be a basic structure with apertures arranged in patterns, removing the need for complex patterned supports while achieving the desired pattern visibility on the nonwoven material.
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 method enables the cost-effective production of nonwovens with visible patterns by controlling fiber entanglement density, maintaining the bulkiness and breathability of the material, and allowing for efficient energy use in the hydroentanglement process.
Implementation Method 1
hydroentanglement process directing water jets from a water injection means on to the fibrous web
Implementation Method 2
hydroentanglement (sometimes referred to as spunlacing, jet entanglement, water entanglement, hydroentanglement or hydraulic needling), is a mechanical bonding process whereby fibers of a fibrous web are entangled by means of high pressure water jets
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 3C
AI summary
A process and an apparatus for making a fibrous web. The fibrous web comprises a plurality of first areas comprising hydroentangled fibers. The first areas are discrete in a machine direction and/or a counter-machine direction. The process comprises the steps of : subjecting a fibrous web (30) to a hydroentanglement process directing water jets from a water injection means (32) on to the fibrous web (30), and blocking at least one of the water jets from the water injection means (32) discontinuously using a first blocking member (50) positioned between the water injection means (32) and the fibrous web (30), wherein the first blocking member (50) comprises at least one aperture (52) or recess on its surface and rotates about an axis perpendicular to a z-direction.