U.S. patent application number 14/547150 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-29 for conveyor drive fabric dyeing machine equiped with seam detector.
The applicant listed for this patent is Chi-Lung Chang. Invention is credited to Chi-Lung Chang.
Application Number | 20150308027 14/547150 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52415613 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150308027 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang; Chi-Lung |
October 29, 2015 |
Conveyor Drive Fabric Dyeing Machine Equiped With Seam Detector
Abstract
A conveyor drive dyeing machine includes a fabric seam detection
device arranged in the dyeing machine. The detection device
functions to detect a fabric leading end and detect, display,
record fabric circulation time and the number of cycles of
circulation of fabric 3 and outputting signals. When the detection
device outputs signals, the following effects can be achieved: (1)
automatically searching the fabric leading end and then
automatically shutting down the machine to save the time for
searching the fabric leading end; (2) monitoring and detecting and
recording the time of previous circulation of the fabric 3 and the
time of current progress; (3) counting the number of cycles of
circulation of the fabric 3; (4) providing synchronization and
correction control of the conveyor speed and the fabric circulation
speed; and (5) providing synchronization and correction control of
the speed of a fabric guide roller 4 and the fabric circulation
speed.
Inventors: |
Chang; Chi-Lung; (Taoyuan
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Chang; Chi-Lung |
Taoyuan City |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
52415613 |
Appl. No.: |
14/547150 |
Filed: |
November 19, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/175 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06B 3/24 20130101; D06B
3/28 20130101; D06B 23/00 20130101; D06B 3/36 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D06B 23/12 20060101
D06B023/12; D06B 5/08 20060101 D06B005/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 29, 2014 |
CN |
201420214020.4 |
Claims
1. A fabric seam detection device included conveyor drive fabric
dyeing machine, which comprises a conveyor 2 arranged in a machine
body 1 of a dyeing machine for conveying fabric 3 from a rear end
of the machine body 1 to a front end without being driven by a
driving force induced by liquid or air, a fabric seam detection
device being arranged at a suitable location of the dyeing
machine.
2. The fabric seam detection device included conveyor drive fabric
dyeing machine according to claim 1, wherein the fabric seam
detection device detects, records, displays, and outputs signals
indicating a fabric leading end and the number of cycles of
circulation, whereby the dyeing process is controlled by a computer
or a programmable controller with the number of cycles of
circulation of fabric 3 as a control unit.
Description
(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a conveyor drive
fabric dyeing machine equipped with seam detector that is capable
of monitoring and recording the movement of fabric and detecting
the leading end of fabrics, the cycle time, and the number of
cycles of circulation of the fabric in order to control a dyeing
process.
(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the dyeing
circulation of fabric in a conventional dyeing machine. The
operation principle is that dye liquid F is pressurized by a pump
D2 and passes through a heat exchanger C (for increasing or
decreasing temperature) into a nozzle A4 to generate a jetting or
overflowing liquid flow and then returns to a fabric accumulation
tank A1 of a dyeing machine A. Fabric B is driven by a fabric
roller A3 (or alternatively using no fabric roller) into the nozzle
A4 so that the fabric B is driven by the force induced by the
jetting or overflowing liquid flow from the nozzle AS to circulate.
Dye liquid and chemical agents are supplied from a service tank E
and pressurized by a pump D1 to inject into the dyeing machine A.
During the circulation, the dye liquid F and the fabric B undergoes
a process including heating, temperature-holding, cooling achieved
with the heat exchanger C to have the dye absorbed by the fabric
and achieving the effects of scouring, dyeing, and water washing.
Uniformity of dyeing (levelness) is determined by the number of
cycles of circulation of the fabric during the dyeing process,
namely the number of interactions between the fabric B and the dye
liquid in the nozzle A4 and the dyeing tube A2. A great number of
cycles of circulation indicates a great number of interactions and
thus better uniformity of dyeing, as well as the extent of water
rinsing and dyeing fastness.
[0003] Referring to FIG. 2, which shows a curve of a typical dyeing
process employed in a conventional dyeing machine, theoretically or
empirically, the conventional dyeing machine uses "time" as a
control unit (denominator) to carry out treatments of fabrics
dyeing, including, in sequence, chemicals adding, heating,
temperature holding, heating, temperature holding, cooling, water
rinsing, chemicals adding, heating, temperature holding, cooling,
and hot water rinsing. Control is generally achieved with a
computer or a programmable logic controller (PLC).
[0004] Since the conventional dyeing machine uses "time" as a
control unit, it generally takes the same amount of time to
complete a dyeing process regardless the actual length or weight of
the fabrics being dyed. However, in an actual dyeing process, due
to the fabric that are being dyed having different weights or the
thicknesses of the fabrics being different, the lengths of fabrics
in each batch, each tube may be different. Although the fabrics may
be of the same type, adopting a dyeing process of the same amount
of dyeing time is generally a waste of time. Further, during the
entire dyeing process of fabrics, due to the actual amount (length)
of fabric to be dyed in each batch or each tube of the dyeing
machine being different, the number of cycles of circulation is
different. Consequently, even though the dyeing time is identical,
the extent of dyeing so obtained is different, leading to issues
regarding tube deviation or batch deviation, inconsistent dyeing
fastness, and poor reproductivity. As such, re-dyeing is necessary
and the quality and efficiency of productions are poor. A great
amount of energy and human labor are wasted and additional
environmental pollution may result. Such a reproductivity issue is
a long existing problem of the dyeing workshops and has not yet
been overcome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the present invention is to overcome the
problems occurring in a dyeing process of a conventional dyeing
machine that uses time as a control unit so that the same amount of
time is taken in carrying out the dyeing process regardless the
actual lengths of fabrics that are dyed so that even though the
dyeing time is identical, the results of the dyeing operations are
different thereby leading to the problems of batch deviation or
tube deviation, inconsistent fastness, poor reproductivity, and
waste of time.
[0006] To overcome such problems, the present invention is made to
change the way of control of the conventional dyeing machine by
using the number of cycles of circulation of fabric as a control
unit (denominator). In other words, the horizontal axis of the plot
shown in FIG. 2 is changed from "time" to "number of cycles of
circulation of fabric". As such, regardless the actual length of
fabric introduced, the dyeing process is controlled on the basis of
the number of cycles of circulation of fabric. In other words, for
a rope of fabric having a great length, the time required for the
entire dyeing process is long; for a rope of fabric having a small
length, the time required for the entire dyeing process is short.
Thus, since the number of cycles of circulation for each dyeing
tube or each batch of the dyeing operations of fabric is all the
same, the degree of dyeing and the extent of water rinsing are all
identical. This ensures zero tube deviation or zero batch
deviation, consistent fastness, and one hundred percent of
reproductivity and greatly improves the quality and efficiency of
production and also greatly reduces the dyeing cost and achieves
environmental protection through saving energy and reducing
carbon.
[0007] The technical solution of the present invention is to
arrange a conveyor in a machine body of a dyeing machine to forward
the fabric that is in a circulating process in the machine body of
the dyeing machine from the rear end of the machine body to the
front end so that there is no need to use the floating or push
force of a liquid flow or an air flow that is employed in the
conventional dyeing machine to drive the fabric. The speed of the
conveyor is controlled with a controller, such as a computer or a
programmable logic controller (PLC) to be in synchronization with
the circulation speed of the fabric so that the circulation speed
of the fabric is made stable and constant, making the time of each
cycle of circulation identical. Based on such a constant speed
characteristic, the present invention arranges a fabric seam
detection device (seam detector) at a suitable location in the
dyeing machine, whereby with signals output from the fabric seam
detector by means of the use of the controller for example a
computer or a programmable logic controller (PLC), the number of
cycles of circulation of fabric can be identified and used as a
control unit for the dyeing process. This ensures, as mentioned
above, shortening of dyeing time, no color deviation, no batch
deviation, consistent fastness, and one hundred percent of
reproductivity, and also improve product quality improves
production efficiency lowers down manufacturing cost, saves energy
and reduce carbon, and enhances environmental protection.
[0008] The advantages of the present invention includes:
[0009] (1) The dyeing time can be shortened according to the length
of a rope of fabric that is dyed.
[0010] (2) Regardless the actual lengths of the fabrics dyed, the
number of cycles of circulation is made same so that the
interaction degree of dyeing is identical and the reproductivity of
dyeing is one hundred percent and there is no tube deviation and no
batch deviation, and no concern about fastness difference.
[0011] (3) Regardless the actual lengths of the fabrics dyed, the
number of cycles of circulation is the same and the number of
contacts between a fabric and the dyeing machine (friction and
stretching) is the same, so that the quality of the fabric is
consistent.
[0012] The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0013] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a cycle of
circulation of dyeing fabric in a conventional dyeing machine.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a plot showing a dyeing process of the
conventional dyeing machine.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a conveyor drive fabric
dyeing machine equipped with seam detector according to the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a plot showing a dyeing process of the dyeing
machine according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only,
and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the present invention provides a fabric
dyeing machine equipped with seam detector, which comprises a
machine body 1 in which a conveyor 2 is arranged for conveying a
rope of fabric 3 from a rear end of the machine body 1 to a front
end. The fabric 3 is then driven by a fabric guide roller 4 into a
nozzle 5. Dye liquid 6 is pressurized by a pump 7 and subjected to
temperature control by a heat exchanger 8 to be then sprayed from
the nozzle 5 onto the fabric to induce a dyeing effect and also to
drive the fabric 3 to enter a fabric guide tube to subsequently
fall down to the conveyor 2 for being further conveyed to the front
end of the machine body and the seam detector 10 is equipped to
detect the seam or leading end of the fabric rope and count the
cycles of the fabric circulation. The effectiveness of dyeing is
determined by the number of interactions between the fabric and the
dye liquid in the nozzle and a dyeing tube A2.
[0020] The operation speed of the conveyor 2 is controlled by a
control box 9 in order to be in synchronization with the
circulation speed of the fabric and the speed can be adjusted as
desired, but becomes a constant and fixed speed after being set. In
other words, the circulation speed of the fabric is fixed and the
time required to go through a cycle of circulation is constant for
each cycle. The dyeing process is carried out in such a way that
the number of cycles of circulation of the fabric is used as a
control unit and control is carried out with a controller, such as
a computer or a programmable logic controller (PLC) of the control
box 9 in order to carry out the dyeing process illustrated in FIG.
4.
[0021] It can be appreciated from the above description that the
actual dyeing effect obtained with the fabric seam detection device
included conveyor drive fabric dyeing machine is primarily and
directly detemined by the number of interactions between the fabric
and the dye liquid in the nozzle and dyeing tube. In other words,
the essential factor is the number of cycles of circulation of the
fabric, not the length of time (namely an absolute relationship
being had with respect to the number of cycles of circulation,
while a relative relationship is had with respect to time). Thus,
when the fabric speed in each tube or each batch of the dyeing
machine is the same, if the time used is the same, then the number
of cycles of circulation is less for fabric to be dyed having a
greater length and the number of cycles of circulation is greater
for fabric to be dyed having a shorter length. Thus, even though
time is the same, the degree of dyeing is different and the result
of dyeing is also different, leading to issues of tube deviation,
batch deviation, inconsistent fastness, and inconsistent
reproductivity. Thus, to have consistent result of dyeing, the
number of cycles of circulation must be the same regardless the
actual length of fabric dyed. In other words, for fabric that is
short, the time can be shortened correspondingly. This can shorten
the time for the entire dyeing operation and since the number of
cycles of circulation is the same regardless the length of the
fabric, the degree of dyeing is the same and one hundred percent of
reproductivity of dyeing can be achieved. Thus, there will be no
need for re-dyeing due to tube deviation or batch deviation and
inconsistency of fastness.
[0022] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together may also find a useful application
in other types of methods differing from the type described
above.
[0023] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *