Bicomponent Distribution Plate Of A Spinneret Assembly

Abstract

A spinneret distribution plate having a plurality of grooves and associated openings for concentrically distributing separate rings of two different fluids.

Description

This invention resides in an improved spinneret assembly for spinning bicomponent fibers. In another aspect, this invention resides in a distribution plate of a spinneret assembly for spinning bicomponent fibers.

In heretofore utilized spinneret assemblies it has been difficult to uniformly distribute first and second materials into a plurality of bicomponent fibers. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved spinneret assembly for spinning bicomponent fibers. Another object of this invention is to provide a distribution plate of a spinneret assembly for spinning uniform bicomponent fibers. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a distribution plate of the above-described type that is of simple construction easy to manufacture. Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the disclosure, the appended claims, and the drawing.

The drawings are diagrammatic views of portions of a spinneret assembly.

FIG. 1 shows a portion of a spinneret assembly in partial longitudinal section,

FIG. 2 shows a second surface of the distribution plate,

FIG. 3 shows the first surface of the distribution plate,

FIG. 4 shows the first surface of the spinneret element,

FIG. 5 shows the first surface of the distribution plate,

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5,

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 1, a spinneret assembly 2 is comprised of a compartmented sand pack element 4, a distribution plate 6 and a spinneret-element 8. As shown in FIG. 4, the section of FIG. 1 extends through the center of these elements. The sand pack element 4 is divided into first and second chambers 10,12 by a dividing element 14 that extends from one side of the spinneret assembly 2 through the center of the assembly to the other side of the assembly 2. The end 16 of the dividing element 14 is adapted to contact a seating surface 18 formed on a first surface 20 of the distribution plate 6 (better seen in FIG. 3) and form a fluid-tight seal between the chambers 10,12 and separate the distribution plate 6 into first and second portions 22,24. Portions of the second surface 26 of the distribution plate 6 contact portions of the first surface 28 of the spinneret element 8 and are maintained in fluid-tight engagement therewith by holding member 30. The holding member 30 also maintains portions of the first surface 20 of the distribution plate 6 in fluid-tight contact with portions of the sand pack element 4.

The first portion 22 of the distribution plate 6 has a plurality of concentric openings 32 extending from the first surface 20 through the plate 6 to the second surface 26 and a plurality of concentric grooves 34 on the second surface 26 of the distribution plate 6. The second portion 24 of the distribution plate 6 has a plurality of concentric openings 33 extending from the first surface 20 through the plate 6 to the second surface 26 and a plurality of concentric grooves 35 on the second surface 26 of the distribution plate 6. Each concentric groove 34 of the first portion 22 is in fluid communication with its respective opening 33 on the second portion 24 and each concentric groove 35 of the second portion 24 is in fluid communication with its respective opening 32 on the first portion 22 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. By so constructing the distribution plate, a fluid in the first chamber 10 can be passed through the openings 32 of the first portion 22 and then through the grooves 35 of the second portion 24 to contact a first surface 28 of the spinneret element 8 with a continuous first fluid ring and a fluid in the second chamber 12 can be passed through the openings 33 of the second portion 24 and then through the groove 34 of the first portion 22 to contact the first surface 28 of the spinneret element 8 with a continuous second fluid ring.

For providing a spinneret assembly for producing bicomponent fibers, the number of first portion 22, concentric openings 32 and associated grooves 35 should be equal to the number of second portion 24, concentric openings 33 and associated grooves 34 with each first portion 22, concentric opening 32 and associated groove 35 separated one from the other by an intervening second portion concentric opening 33 and associated groove 34.

For increasing the number of fluid streams that discharge from the second surface 26 of the distribution plate 6, the walls 38 of the openings 32 and 33 and grooves 34 and 35 of the distribution plate 6 are angled for receiving dividing element 60 of the associated spinneret element 8 within at least a portion of the openings 32 and 33 and grooves 34 and 35 for dividing each of said portion of openings 32 and 33 and grooves 34 and 35 into two fluid pathways and directing adjacent different fluid pathways toward one another. As seen in FIG. 1, feed within groove 40, for example, is divided by the dividing element 60 positioned therein into a first and second fluid stream 42,44 originating from the second chamber 12. The first stream 42 is directed toward and into contact with opening 46 and the second stream 44 into contact with opening 48 for passing fluid originating from the first chamber 10 into contact with said first and second streams 42,44. The resultant bicomponent streams 50 are passed through the spinneret element 8 for forming bicomponent fibers. FIG. 4 shows the first surface 28 of the spinneret element 8 with the fluid pathways 52 for passage of the bicomponent fluid streams 50 therethrough to form bicomponent fibers. To provide a sharp intersection of adjacent different fluid streams from the first and second chambers 10,12, thereby avoiding zero flow areas where fluid can collect and disrupt adjacent flow streams, it is preferred that each wall 38 of each groove 34 on the first portion 22 of the plate 6 intersect one of the walls 38 of one of the openings 32 of the first portion 22 of the plate 6 and each wall 38 of each groove 35 on the second portion 24 of the plate 6 intersect one of the walls of one of the openings 33 of the second portion 24 of the plate 6. For clarity, these intersecting portions are designated by the numeral 54 on FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

In order to provide for a constant flow rate of each fluid through each fluid pathway 52 of the spinneret element 8, each of the grooves 34 and 35 are tapered so that the cross-sectional area becomes progressively smaller as the length of each of the grooves 34 and 35, as measured from the adjacent seating surface 18, increases. For example, referring to FIG. 3, each groove 34 and 35 tapers to a substantially zero area at locations indicated by numeral 70, by the depth of each groove 34 and 35 tapering to substantially a zero depth. Unless the cross-sectional area of each groove 34 and 35 decreases, flow of fluid through the fluid pathways 52 will vary and the resultant fibers will not be uniform one to the other. As known in the hydraulics art the degree of taper varies in response to the operating conditions and the type of material used and can be easily calculated by one skilled in the art. The construction of the distribution plate of this invention does, however, permit the formation of fibers having one portion forming greater than 50 percent of the total fiber. Such a fiber is formed by having the flow rate from one chamber greater than the flow rate from the other chamber by, for example, increasing the pressure on the fluid in one of the chambers 10 or 12.

Other modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawing, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited thereto.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A spinneret assembly having a sand pack element with at least two separate chambers, comprising: a distribution plate being attached to the sand pack element of the spinneret assembly and forming chamber ends of said sand pack element, said distribution plate having first and second surfaces, said first surface having a seating surface extending from one edge of the plate through the center of the plate to an adjacent edge of said plate dividing said first surface of the plate into first and second portions, said first portion having a plurality of concentric openings extending from the first surface through the plate to the second surface and a plurality of concentric grooves on the second surface of the first portion, said second portion having a plurality of concentric openings extending from the first surface through the plate to the second surface and a plurality of concentric grooves on the second surface of the second portion, each concentric groove of the first portion communicating with its respective opening on the second portion and each concentric groove of the second portion communicating with its respective opening on the first portion for passing a first fluid from the first surface of the first portion of the plate defining the end of the first sand pack chamber, through the plate and distributing said first fluid in the form of a plurality of concentric rings at the second surface of the plate and passing a second fluid from the first surface of the second portion of the plate defining the end of the second sand pack chamber, through the plate and distributing said second fluid in the form of a plurality of concentric rings at the second surface of the plate; and a spinneret element having concentric dividing elements extending within the concentric grooves and openings of the second surface of the distribution plate for dividing the concentric streams discharging from the second surface of the distribution plate.

2. A distribution plate, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the number of first portion concentric openings and associated grooves are equal to the number of second portion concentric openings and associated grooves and each first portion concentric opening and associated groove is separated one from the other by an intervening second portion concentric opening and associated groove.

3. A distribution plate, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the walls of the grooves adjacent the second surface of the plate are angled for receiving dividing elements of an associated spinneret assembly element within at least a portion of the openings and grooves for dividing each of said portion of openings and grooves into two fluid pathways and directing adjacent different fluid pathways toward one another.

4. A distribution plate, as set forth in claim 2, wherein each wall of each groove on the first portion of the plate intersects one of the walls of one of the openings of the first portion of the plate and each wall of each groove on the second portion of the plate intersects one of the walls of one of the openings of the second portion of the plate.

5. A distribution plate, as set forth in claim 2, wherein each groove is tapered and has a cross-sectional area that becomes progressively smaller as the length of the groove as measured from its associated chamber adjacent the seating surface increases.