Suction Pipe Guide Face Geometry for Fiber Bundling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing suction tubes for compressing drafted slivers in spinning machines require additional rollers for operation, are cumbersome to maintain, and often result in fiber structure compression loss due to complex designs and misalignment with drafting system rollers.

Innovation Solution

A suction tube with a longitudinally oriented intake manifold and a guide surface featuring a flat or curved shape, such as polygon, oval, or triangular cross-section, allowing deep insertion between exit rollers, minimizing fiber bundling zone length and eliminating the need for additional rollers, with a suction opening designed as a slit to maximize fiber bundling and reduce air consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional suction tube design is used, then fiber compaction can be achieved, but additional rollers are required for driving the air-permeable transport medium, increasing device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber compactionVSAvoidadditional rollers
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the suction function from a complex tubular structure and concentrates it into a simplified shoe-like component with an integrated suction slot. This extraction eliminates the need for additional rollers while maintaining the compaction function, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The air-permeable conveyor belt serves as an intermediary between the suction shoe and the fiber sliver, transferring the suction force without requiring mechanical rollers. This mediator enables the suction function to be achieved through aerodynamic forces rather than mechanical contact, reducing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If a suction shoe is used instead of a suction tube, then additional rollers for driving the conveyor belt can be eliminated, but the suction shoe introduces an additional element that makes it more difficult to guide the conveyor belt parallel to the drafting rollers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller eliminationVSAvoidconveyor belt guidance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The suction slot is positioned in a specific spatial dimension within the suction shoe, oriented to work in conjunction with the conveyor belt's movement plane. This dimensional positioning allows the suction function to be achieved without interfering with the conveyor belt's parallel guidance, resolving the contradiction between complexity reduction and operational ease

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the suction tube extends over almost the entire space between two pairs of rollers, then fiber compaction coverage is improved, but the design requires a split output lower roller that significantly increases cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber compaction coverageVSAvoidsplit output roller cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The suction function is segmented into a localized suction shoe with a suction slot positioned at a specific location, rather than requiring a continuous suction tube extending over the entire roller space. This segmentation allows effective compaction coverage to be achieved at a specific critical point without the need for complex split rollers, resolving the contradiction between compaction coverage and manufacturing cost

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Device complexity

If a hollow shaft suction element is used, then the design is simplified, but the compaction of the fiber composite takes place on the highly curved surface which may affect compaction quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuction element designVSAvoidcompaction uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a highly curved hollow shaft surface for compaction, the invention employs a suction shoe with a suction slot that creates a localized quality zone directly at the fiber-conveyor belt interface. This local quality approach ensures uniform compaction at the critical interaction point without the geometric distortions introduced by highly curved surfaces, resolving the contradiction between design simplicity and compaction precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 enables efficient fiber bundling with reduced fiber structure loss and lateral displacement, allowing for simpler attachment and maintenance without additional components, while maintaining effective compression and bundling efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

A suction flow generated by the suction opening acts on the fiber ends, with the result that the fiber ends are bundled together and guided into the fiber bundle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction flow: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP3724384B1Suction pipe for a fibre-condensing guide of a spinning machine
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 MASCHINENFABRIK RIETER AG
  • EP3724384B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3724384B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a suction tube (1) for a compacting device in a drafting unit of a spinning machine, having a longitudinal axis (2) and a length (A), and an interior (5) connected to a suction opening (3) and a suction port (4), and having a fastening portion (6). The length (A) of the suction tube (1) is 20 mm to 50 mm. The suction tube (1) has a cross section, arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (2), with a planar and/or curved guide face (7). The extent (B) of the width of the suction tube (1), starting from the guide face (7), is designed in the form of a polygon or a circle or an oval or a triangle or a kidney. The suction opening (3) is arranged in the guide face (7) of the suction tube (1), wherein the curvature of the guide face (7) is less than 0.04 (1/mm) and the extent (C) of the guide face (7) perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (2) is 5 mm to 15 mm.