Rotating Vacuum Roll for Composite Imprinting Fabric Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

The use of a stationary uhle box for cleaning composite laminated imprinting fabrics can cause delamination and damage, leading to productivity losses and poor paper quality due to frictional force and heat generated during the drying process.

Innovation Solution

Replacing the stationary uhle box with a rotating vacuum roll on the sheet side of the fabric to prevent delamination and damage, allowing for effective cleaning without the use of a uhle box on the sheet side, which includes a vacuum roll with a vacuum box that extends between 1 to 90 degrees along the circumference and operates at specific vacuum pressures and airflow rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a stationary uhle box is used to clean composite laminated imprinting fabrics, then water and contaminants are removed from the fabric, but frictional force and heat are generated causing delamination and damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabric integrityVSAvoidfrictional force and heat damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional cleaning approach by replacing the stationary uhle box with a rotating vacuum roll. This inversion changes the relative motion dynamics - instead of the fabric moving rapidly over a stationary surface (generating friction and heat), the vacuum roll rotates with the fabric, eliminating harmful friction while maintaining water removal effectiveness through vacuum suction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical friction-based water removal system (stationary uhle box) with a vacuum-based system (rotating vacuum roll). This substitution eliminates the harmful mechanical friction and heat generation while achieving the same water removal function through vacuum pressure differential

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If a stationary uhle box is used for fabric cleaning, then cleaning function is provided, but productivity is reduced due to fabric damage and replacement needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction continuityVSAvoidfabric durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rotating vacuum roll provides self-adjusting contact with the moving fabric, automatically adapting to fabric tension and speed variations without causing damage. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for fabric replacement due to cleaning-induced damage, maintaining continuous production

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Quantity of substance

If a stationary uhle box is used on the sheet side of the fabric, then water removal is achieved, but delamination occurs at splices and seams

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater removal efficiencyVSAvoidlaminated structure stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The rotating vacuum roll acts as an intermediary between the fabric and the vacuum source, distributing the water removal function across the rotating surface. This intermediary approach allows water removal without concentrating frictional forces at specific weak points like splices and seams, preventing delamination while maintaining water removal efficiency

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

Prevents delamination and damage to composite laminated imprinting fabrics, maintaining fabric integrity and improving productivity by effectively removing water and contaminants without the need for a uhle box, ensuring consistent paper quality.

Implementation Method 1

a vacuum roll with a vacuum box that extends between 1 to 90 degrees along the circumference and operates at specific vacuum pressures and airflow rates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS12163286B2Systems and methods for cleaning composite laminated imprinting fabrics

Publication Date: 2024.12.10 FIRST QUALITY TISSUE LLC

AI summary

A system and method of cleaning an imprinting fabric used to make bath tissue, paper towel, or facial tissue, in which the imprinting fabric is washed with water from high pressure impact showers and flooding showers, and water remaining on the imprinting fabric after the step of washing is removed with a vacuum roll on a sheet side of the imprinting fabric. The system and method does not involve removing water from the fabric with a uhle box on the sheet side of the imprinting fabric.