Textile Coating with Electric-Field Binder Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing textile coverings, such as those for vehicle compartments, face challenges including high equipment and maintenance costs, pollution from latex solutions, and unsatisfactory mechanical properties due to the use of latex or thermofusible coatings.
Innovation Solution
A process utilizing an alternating electric field to concentrate a powdered hot-melt binder within a cohesion zone of a fibrous web, eliminating the need for solution treatment and drying, and allowing for flexible binder distribution and location, using a thermoplastic binder that can be remelted for reshaping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a latex solution is used to impregnate the back of the velvety web, then the fibers are bound together, but significant equipment and purification installations are required, increasing cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the latex solution from the process, replacing it with a powdered binder that does not require water-based solutions, drying equipment, or purification installations, thereby removing the harmful factors and complex equipment while maintaining fiber binding functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the binder from liquid (latex solution) to solid (powdered form), and changes the application method from wet impregnation to dry coating followed by melting, thereby eliminating the need for drying and purification equipment
2Strength
If a latex solution is used for coating, then fiber binding is achieved, but large quantities of water are polluted, requiring dedicated purification installation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful wet impregnation process into a beneficial dry process by using powdered binder that melts and binds fibers without water, thereby eliminating water pollution while maintaining effective fiber binding
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple powdered binder that can be applied and melted without requiring expensive purification installations, effectively replacing the costly latex solution system with a simpler, cleaner alternative
3Ease of manufacture
If thermofusible coating is deposited on the underside of the sheet, then the coating solidifies by cooling, but satisfactory mechanical properties including dimensional stability and abrasion resistance cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies binder locally to the cohesion zone where fibers interpenetrate, rather than coating the entire underside surface, thereby achieving effective fiber binding and mechanical properties while maintaining ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary needling to create the cohesion zone structure before applying the binder, ensuring that the binder is concentrated where it is most needed for mechanical strength, thereby achieving satisfactory dimensional stability and abrasion resistance
4Manufacturing precision
If powdered binder is dispersed over the entire thickness of the textile coating, then homogeneous distribution is achieved, but the upper part of the coating contains excessive binder that should be minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The invention concentrates the binder locally in the cohesion zone through controlled deposition and melting, rather than dispersing it homogeneously throughout the entire thickness, thereby minimizing binder quantity in the surface area while maintaining effective fiber binding in the cohesion zone
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses an alternating electric field to control binder distribution in the thickness dimension, concentrating binder in the cohesion zone while keeping the surface area free of excessive binder, thereby achieving precise spatial control of binder quantity
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 simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs and environmental impact, maintains mechanical quality, and enables recycling of the textile covering by concentrating the binder in a cohesion zone while minimizing its presence in the surface area, resulting in robust and cost-effective textile coverings.
Implementation Method 1
by subjecting the sheet to an alternating electric field, of which at least one of the back and front faces bears a powdered hot-melt binder, this powdered binder is introduced into the sheet of fibers, so as to concentrate the said binder at the level of the first region
Implementation Method 2
c) the binder is melted by adding heat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a textile coating (2) made from a web (3) of fibres including a first area (5) and a second area (7). The first area is a cohesion area were the fibres (4) of the web (3) are integrated into a tight entanglement (5) holding said fibres (4) and located only on a portion of the thickness (3) of the web. The invention also relates to a method for making a textile coating that comprises: a) while applying an alternating electric field to the web (3) having at least one face (8A, 8B) bearing a heat-fusible powdery binder (12), introducing the powdery binder (12) into the web (3) so as to concentrate the binder (12) at the first area (5); c) melting the binder (12) by supplying heat; and d) leaving or making the binder (12) to cure.