U.S. patent application number 13/144927 was filed with the patent office on 2011-11-17 for method and apparatus for producing cotton wool products.
Invention is credited to Ullrich Muenstermann.
Application Number | 20110277284 13/144927 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42046405 |
Filed Date | 2011-11-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110277284 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Muenstermann; Ullrich |
November 17, 2011 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COTTON WOOL PRODUCTS
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for producing a wadding
product, in particular for producing wadding pads for cosmetic
purposes, comprising the following steps: preparing a preliminary
non-woven mat which is made at least predominantly of cotton
fibers, compacting said preliminary non-woven mat by using a
plurality of hot high-pressure gas jets. For the apparatus it is
provided that the device for compacting (2, 12', 14, 15, 15', 16,
16') the preliminary non-woven mat (7) comprises a device for
subjecting the preliminary non-woven mat (7) to hot gas at a high
pressure.
Inventors: |
Muenstermann; Ullrich;
(Egelsbach, DE) |
Family ID: |
42046405 |
Appl. No.: |
13/144927 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
January 16, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE2010/000034 |
371 Date: |
July 16, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
28/104 ;
28/167 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D04H 1/02 20130101; D04H
18/04 20130101; D04H 1/74 20130101; D04H 1/435 20130101; D04H 1/46
20130101; D04H 1/54 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
28/104 ;
28/167 |
International
Class: |
D04H 1/02 20060101
D04H001/02; D04H 1/46 20060101 D04H001/46 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 5, 2009 |
DE |
10 2009 007 669.7 |
Claims
1. A method for producing a wadding product for cosmetic purposes,
said method comprising the following steps: preparing a preliminary
nonwoven mat which is made at least predominantly of cotton fibers,
and compacting said preliminary nonwoven mat by using a plurality
of hot high-pressure gas jets.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary nonwoven mat is
made of 100% cotton fibers.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary nonwoven mat is
made largely of cotton fibers and of a portion of further
thermoplastic natural fibers.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein said further natural fibers are
made of polylactides and polylactic acids.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the compacting is performed by
steam needling with superheated steam.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature of the hot steam
is about 220 degrees Celsius.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the application of hot steam is
performed at a pressure of 10-25 bar.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application of hot gas and
hot steam is performed in a pressed, precompacted state of the
preliminary nonwoven mat.
9. A device for producing wadding products for cosmetic purposes,
said device comprising: means for making a preliminary nonwoven mat
which at least for the major part consists of cotton fibers,
downstream of said means, a means for compacting said preliminary
nonwoven mat, for performing the method according to claim 1,
wherein the means for compacting the preliminary nonwoven mat
comprises a means for treating the preliminary nonwoven mat with
high-pressure hot gas.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said means for compacting the
preliminary nonwoven mat is a steam needling device.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said steam needling device has
a means for suctional removal.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein said steam needling device
cooperates with a needling drum.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein said steam needling device has a
steam generator and an superheater.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said steam generator is
connected to a heat exchanger in thermal contact with said means
for suctional removal.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said heat exchanger is coupled
to a line arranged downstream of said means for suctional removal.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing wadding
products and a device for performing said method according to the
precharacterizing part of the device claim and the method claim,
respectively.
[0002] EP 1 310 226 B1 describes the production of a cosmetic
wadding pad from a random-fiber non-woven mat of bleached cotton
fibers by use of water-jet needling. At least one surface of the
pad comprises fine grooves generated by water-jet needling. A
similar article is described in EP 1 106 723 B1.
[0003] By the water-jet needling, a large quantity of humidity is
introduced into the wadding, which will have to be removed again by
a subsequent drying process. Further, the drying process will cause
the properties of the pad to change in a certain extent. In many
applications, a wadding pad having a too firm, hard surface is
perceived as unpleasant.
[0004] From EP 1 553 222 A1, an apparatus is known for subjecting a
non-woven sheet to superheated steam. Application of the steam is
performed by a hollow body extending across the width of the sheet
which is to be treated. On its bottom side, the hollow body which
can be fed with superheated steam is provided with a plurality of
exit nozzles from which hot steam will be directed onto the sheet,
while the sheet is being passed through below the body at a close
distance.
[0005] DE 10 2008 031 278 A1 describes the production of an
absorptive product by use of steam needling. The product which is
to be produced comprises cellulose fibers and/or other natural
fibers which will be laid onto a non-woven of staple fibers that
has been prefabricated by steam needling, or onto a spunbonded
non-woven.
[0006] Further, DE 10 2008 007 804 A1 describes a non-woven with
liquid-absorbing components which is produced with application of
steam needling. Finally, DE 10 2008 007 796 A1 describes the
application of jets of superheated steam for increasing the
fluffiness of a to-be-generated product. There is performed a
compacting of synthetic fibers or filaments.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to improve a method
and a corresponding device for producing a wadding product.
[0008] The above object is achieved by the features defined in the
method claim and the device claim, respectively. Advantageous
variants of the inventions are defined in the respective
subclaims.
[0009] According to the invention, it is provided that the
preliminary non-woven, made substantially of cotton fibers, is
compacted by application of high-pressure hot gas. Herein, the
preliminary non-woven mat can consist of bleached cotton fibers by
100%.
[0010] Preferably, also an admixture of other natural fibers can be
provided. Particularly fibers of polylactides and respectively
polylactic acid can be admixed, wherein these fibers, due to their
thermoplastic properties and the influence of superheated steam,
will result in additional strength in the wadding pad.
[0011] The invention particularly useful for the production of
wadding pads for cosmetic purposes. Use is made of the surprising
recognition that, by application of high-pressure hot steam jets,
even a preliminary non-woven mat made of 100% cotton fibers can be
compacted. By the high-pressure hot steam jets, it is accomplished
that, on the one hand, a slight interlacing or entanglement of the
fibers will be caused by the pulse effect of the steam jets and
that, on the other hand, the hot superheated steam will cause a
slight thermoplastic bonding of the fibers. In this manner, there
is generated a very fluffy product which nonetheless can have
sufficient strength for the intended use. The strength is in any
case higher than the strength of the pure preliminary non-woven
mat. Further, there will not be generated a surface of a rigid
tactile feel but rather a surface feeling like a closed surface, as
is the case in pure calandering and respectively in compacting by
water-jet needling of a preliminary non-woven mat made of
wadding.
[0012] According to a preferred variant of the production method,
there is provided a compacting of a preliminary non-woven mat
provided in a plurality of layers.
[0013] In the invention, it is preferred that the compacting of the
non-woven mat by superheated steam is performed at a temperature of
about 220.degree. (Celsius). For this purpose, the steam-needling
unit comprises steam exit openings having a diameter of 0.03 mm and
arranged at distances of 1.5 mm. The steam-needling unit can be
designed as a tube comprising the steam exit openings in the form
of drilled holes. Preferably, the steam exit openings can be
arranged in two or more rows extending parallel to each other. By
an offset of the steam exit openings in the individual rows,
correspondingly higher needling densities can be reached. Further,
the plural number of steam exit openings will result in a
sufficiently high introduction of heat into the product.
[0014] In the inventive device for performing the production
method, there is included a means for providing a preliminary
non-woven mat in the form of a fiber sheet, the fibers of said
preliminary non-woven mat substantially consisting of cotton
fibers. Preferably, in this regard, use is made of a cotton carding
machine, optionally followed by a means for longitudinal folding
and folding-together of the preliminary non-woven mat into a
plurality of layers.
[0015] Thereafter, the preliminary non-woven mat provided in one or
a plurality of layers will be supplied, via a compacting means, to
a first steam treatment performed by a steam needling unit. The
compacting means preferably comprises two screen belts (endless
belts) converging at an angle, one of said screen belts carrying
the preliminary non-woven mat and the other screen belt pressing
the non-woven mat, while, subsequently, the first application of
steam is performed through the latter screen belt which holds the
non-woven mat in a pressed state.
[0016] Said first application of steam can be followed by further
steam applications whereby steam will be applied to the non-woven
mat and the fiber sheet from one or both sides. Especially by steam
application performed from both sides, a uniform introduction of
heat is guaranteed.
[0017] Preferably, the application of steam onto the fiber sheet is
performed in the area of a needling drum (screen drum, suction
drum) deflecting the sheet, said drum being provided with an
internal suction drain site for the steam.
[0018] An advantageous variant of the invention is obtained if a
heat exchanger recovers the excess energy of the sucked steam and
this energy is fed to a steam processing site. In this regard, it
is preferably provided that the entrance duct to the steam
generator is arranged upstream of a heat exchanger which is in
thermal contact with a conduit downstream of a suction site. By
means of this heat exchanger, the fresh water supplied to the heat
exchanger is preheated. Herein, depending on the machine
configuration, the heat exchanger can be arranged directly in the
suction drum, downstream of the suction drain line of the suction
drum and upstream of the condensate separator, or downstream of the
condensate separator and the suction pump.
[0019] An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained
hereunder with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the
following is shown:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a larger system of a
steam-needling device wherein a deflection roller of the first
endless belt is formed as a needling drum,
[0021] FIG. 2 is a view of the system according to FIG. 1, wherein
the deflection roller of the first endless belt is used for a first
application treatment of the fiber sheet, while further steam
applications will be performed on a following deflection roller,
designed as a takeover roller, of the second endless belt and thus
will compact the fiber sheet from the other side, and
[0022] FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of two embodiments of the heat
recovery according to the invention,
[0023] FIG. 5 is a view of a further embodiment of a system for
application of steam onto a fiber sheet.
[0024] A steam needling unit with a needling drum 2 is shown as
arranged in a frame 1. Said needling drum 2 (screen drum) comprised
a suction means as illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4.
The unit shown in FIG. 1 is normally the first unit of a larger
needling system wherein, thus, there can follow a plurality of
further needling drums which are will be contacted by the fiber
sheet in a meandering manner and by which the fiber sheet will then
be treated on both sides (in this regard, cf. FIG. 2).
[0025] This unit comprises a first endless belt 3 (screen belt)
which is deflected and held tensioned by a plurality of rollers 5
arranged for rotation in a holding rack 4 and by the needling drum
2. On this endless belt 3, there is conveyed, in the direction of
arrow 6, a batt (fiber sheet 7) of bleached cotton fibers that is
supplied by a carding machine. This batt has no substantial
strength and will be laid directly onto the endless belt 3 by the
carding machine (not shown). Depending on the required volume of
the product which is to be generated, one or a plurality of layers
of batt can be supplied for use. This can be performed e.g. by
longitudinally folding the batt supplied by a carding machine.
[0026] The needling drum 2 serves for deflection of endless belt 3
as well as for pretreatment by steam and respectively for needling
by steam. This means that the needling drum is formed as a
permeable drum (screen drum) which in its interior is provided with
a suction drain 2'. The direction of the suctional removal is
indicated by the arrows 8.
[0027] Assigned to the first endless belt 3 is a further endless
belt 9, running in the opposite sense, in such a manner that the
working strand 3' of the first endless belt 3 is arranged opposite
to the working strand 9' of the second endless belt, while, there,
the strands 3',9' rotate in the same direction and in this region,
conically run toward each other (compacting region for the
batt--fiber sheet 7). This in turn is effected by a plurality of
rollers 10-12 of endless belt 9 which are arranged for rotation on
the holding rack 13 fastened to frame 1.
[0028] Two of the rollers of the second endless belt 9, namely
rollers 11 and 12, are directly assigned to the needling drum 2 of
the first endless belt 3. This means that the rollers 11 and 12 are
operative to press the tensioned endless belt 9 against the endless
belt 3 and then against the needling drum 2. For this purpose,
these rollers are arranged closely adjacent to each other and leave
only so much space between them that the steam nozzle unit (the
stream nozzle bar) 14 can be advanced to endless belt 9. In this
manner, the supplied fiber sheet which is advanced by the strand 3'
of endless belt 3, will not only be slowly compacted between the
endless belts 3 and 9 but will also be pressed onto the needling
drum 2. In this state, the fiber sheet 7 is pretreated by the first
steam nozzle unit 14 and then can be further needled.
[0029] In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, this will be
performed directly on this needling drum 2 in that the endless belt
9 is deflected in the upward direction by roller 12 so that the
upper side of the fiber sheet 7 will have been freed from the
endless belt 9. Downstream of said deflection of endless belt 9,
the needling drum 2 has two further steam nozzle units (steam
nozzle bars) 15,16 assigned to it in an axially parallel
arrangement, said further steam nozzle units serving to generate a
slight intertwining of the fibers which is achieved by the pulse
effect of the steam. Then, while supported by endless belt 3, the
fiber sheet will be further transported and passed on to a further
treatment organ 17 and will thus be detached from endless belt
3.
[0030] The same principle is maintained if, in the embodiment
according to FIG. 2, the roller 12 of second endless belt 9 is
designed as a takeover roller 12' and at the same time as a
needling drum. Herein, in correspondence thereto, steam nozzle
units (steam nozzle bars) 15' and 16' are assigned to the takeover
roller 12', formed as a screen roller, of endless belt 9. In this
embodiment, the wetting is performed by said bar 14 and the first
needling by said nozzle bars 15',16' onto different surfaces of the
fiber sheet.
[0031] The steam nozzle units (steam nozzle bars) 14,15,15',16,16'
comprise, on their underside facing toward the needling drum 2 and
respectively the takeover roller 12', a plurality of steam exit
orifices extending across the width of the fiber sheet. Said steam
exit orifices can be arranged in one or a plurality of mutually
parallel rows.
[0032] FIG. 3 depicts one of the steam nozzle units
14,15,15',16,16' according to FIG. 1 and respectively 2 which via a
conduit is supplied with superheated steam from a superheater 20.
The steam is provided by a steam generator 30 arranged upstream of
said superheater unit.
[0033] By means of the steam nozzle unit 14,15,15',16,16',
application of steam onto the fiber sheet is performed as described
in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. During the steam
application/steam needling, the fiber sheet is carried by a
steam-permeable needling drum 2,12' (screen drum) (FIGS. 3 and 4).
In the interior of the rotatably supported drum 2,12', a suction
drain (suction chamber) 50 is arranged which is connected to a
suction line 60 and a condensate separator 70. The liquid
components of the components of the sucked steam which are captured
in said condensate separator 70 (suction chamber 50) will be
discharged via a drain 80. Via a suction line 90, the gaseous phase
of the contents of condensate separator 70 is connected to a
suction pump 100. The steam removed by suction will be discharged
via a venting line 110.
[0034] The feed line 120 (fresh water) for the steam generator 30
is arranged upstream of a heat exchanger 130 which is tightly
thermally coupled to the venting line 110 of suction pump 100.
Thus, by means of the thermal energy of the steam suctionally
removed by pump 100, the fresh water of feed line 120 will be
preheated and be fed, with corresponding temperature, to the steam
generator 30. The energy demand of the steam generator is thus
reduced corresponding to the preheating of the supplied fresh
water.
[0035] In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the components
bearing the reference numerals 2, 12', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16', 20-110
have the same designations and functions as in the example
according to FIG. 3. In difference thereto, the heat exchanger 130A
with the feed line 120A for fresh water is thermally coupled to
suction line 60 between suction chamber 50 and condensate separator
70. Thereby, the fresh water of feed line 120A can be brought to a
higher temperature--the energy saving of the steam generator will
be correspondingly higher.
[0036] According to a non-illustrated embodiment of the invention,
the heat exchanger for heating the fresh water is directly
integrated into drum 2,12'. By the high temperatures prevailing
therein, the degree of energy recovery will be correspondingly
higher.
[0037] In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the fiber sheet 7
will be laid onto the working strand 3' of a first endless belt 3
formed as a screen belt. The endless belt 3 is tensioned about
deflection rollers 5. The second endless belt 9, again formed as a
screen band, rotates in the opposite sense to endless belt 3 and is
tensioned about deflection rollers 10. The fiber sheet 7
transported in the direction of arrow 6 will first be compacted
between the conically converging working strands 3',9' of the
endless belts 3,9 and then be held pressed in the region of the
parallel endless belts 3,9.
[0038] In this region where the compacting takes place, two steam
nozzle units 14,15 formed as tubes are arranged below the endless
belt 3, said steam nozzle units comprising steam exit openings in
the form of bores. Assigned to each steam nozzle unit 14,15 is a
suction chamber 50 above endless belt 3. In this region, the fiber
sheet 7 held pressed between the endless belts will be subjected to
hot steam from below. Downstream of the region of the compacting,
i.e. where the fiber sheet 7 is only resting on the endless belt 3,
two further tubular steam nozzle units 14',15' are arranged above
fiber sheet 7. The appertaining suction chambers are arranged below
the endless belt 3 supporting the fiber sheet 7. In this manner,
the fiber sheet 7 is subjected to an introduction of heat occurring
in a uniform manner from both sides.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0039] 1 frame [0040] 2, 12' drum, needling drum, screen drum
[0041] 3 endless belt [0042] 3' working strand [0043] 4 holding
rack [0044] 5 roller, deflection roller [0045] 6 arrow [0046] 7
fiber sheet, fibrous non-woven, wadding [0047] 9 endless belt
[0048] 9' working strand [0049] 10 roller [0050] 11 roller [0051]
12 roller [0052] 13 holding rack [0053] 14, 15, 15', 16, 16' steam
nozzle unit [0054] 20 superheater [0055] 30 steam generator [0056]
50 suctional removal (suction chamber) [0057] 60 suction line
[0058] 70 condensate separator [0059] 80 drain [0060] 90 suction
line [0061] 100 suction pump [0062] 110 venting line [0063] 120A
feed line (fresh water) [0064] 120A feed line (fresh water) [0065]
130 heat exchanger [0066] 130A heat exchanger
* * * * *