SEALING STRIP SYSTEM AND SEALING STRIP

Abstract

A sealing strip for sealing a suction zone of a suctioned roll of a machine for producing and/or processing a fibrous web has wear volume, which is gradually worn away by tribological contact with the roll. The sealing strip system further includes a sensor system for detecting the state of wear of the sealing strip, and an evaluation unit. The sensor system is embedded in a sensor channel extending within the sealing strip in the longitudinal direction at the wear volume across substantially the entire length of a sealing surface of strip, and is connectable to the evaluation unit and/or to a unit for supplying the sensor system with a medium for generating information via a connection provided on the lower side of the sealing strip, and leading out of the strip on the side of the wear volume facing away from the sealing surface.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A sealing strip system for sealing a suction zone of a suctioned roll of a machine for producing and/or processing a web of fibrous material, the sealing strip system comprising: the sealing strip having a sealing face and a wear volume, which is gradually abraded by tribological contact with the roll during use; a sensor system for detecting a state of wear of said sealing strip; an evaluation unit to be connected to said sensor system; said sensor system being embedded in at least one sensor channel extending within said sealing strip or on said sealing strip in a longitudinal direction thereof in a region of said wear volume over substantially an entire length of said sealing face of said sealing strip; at least one connection for connecting said sensor system to said evaluation unit and/or a unit for supplying the sensor system with a medium serving to generate information; said at least one connection of said sensor system leading out of said sealing strip from a longitudinal side of said sealing strip at a lower region of said sealing strip distal from said sealing face.

19. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one connection leads out from the longitudinal side of said sealing strip that faces the suction zone of the suctioned roll.

20. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one sensor channel is a straight-milled groove formed in said sealing strip.

21. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said sensor system is fixed in said at least one sensor channel by at least one of an adhesive, a form fit, a force fit, or a material fit.

22. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one sensor channel is incorporated in said sealing strip from an end side of said sealing strip.

23. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein at least one sensor channel is incorporated in said sealing strip from a longitudinal side.

24. The sealing strip system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one sensor channel is incorporated from a side of said sealing strip which faces the suction zone.

25. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein at least one sensor channel is arranged at a level of a predetermined wear point in said sealing strip.

26. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one sensor channel is one of at least two sensor channels arranged at different spacings from said sealing face and each extending within said sealing strip in the longitudinal direction thereof in the region of the wear volume over at least substantially the entire length of said sealing face of said sealing strip.

27. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said sensor system comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of a wire, a conductor, and a light guide extending in a respective said sensor channel.

28. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein the medium serving to generate information comprises a fluid in liquid and/or gaseous form guided in a respective said sensor channel or in a tube or hose arranged in said sensor channel.

29. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one connection of said sensor system to said evaluation unit and/or said unit for supplying said sensor system with a medium serving to generate information comprises at least one line selected from the group consisting of a gas line, a fluid line, a power line, and a light line and a connection selected from the group consisting of a connection for gas, fluid, power, and light.

30. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one connection comprises a kink protection.

31. The sealing strip system according to claim 30, wherein said kink protection is a pipe elbow.

32. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one connection of said sensor system to said evaluation unit and/or said unit for supplying said sensor system with the medium serving to generate information leads out of said sealing strip in a region which, as seen in a direction of the axis of an expected wear, has a predetermined minimum safety spacing from a maximally worn sealing face of said sealing strip and/or, as seen in the longitudinal direction of said sealing strip from a given end side of said sealing strip, has a spacing which depends on an adjustment path of a format limiter sealing the suction zone in the region of the given end side.

33. The sealing strip system according to claim 32, wherein said at least one connection leads out of said sealing strip in a region which, as seen in the direction of the axis of the expected wear, has the predetermined minimum safety spacing from the maximally worn sealing face of said sealing strip, and also as seen in the longitudinal direction of said sealing strip from a given end side of said sealing strip, has a spacing X which depends on the adjustment path of the format limiter sealing the suction zone in the region of the given end side, wherein the spacing X is at least 5 cm.

34. The sealing strip system according to claim 18, wherein said sealing strip is formed with at least two sensor channels, each incorporated in said sealing strip from a longitudinal side, and wherein each of said at least two sensor channels is arranged at a level of a predetermined wear point in said sealing strip.

35. The sealing strip system according to claim 34, wherein said at least two sensor channels are formed in the same longitudinal side of said sealing strip.

36. A sealing strip configured for a sealing strip system according to claim 18.

Description

[0044] The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing, which shows:

[0045] FIG. 1 a schematic end view of a conventional sealing strip system with a sensor groove extending in the direction of the axis of the expected wear,

[0046] FIG. 2 a schematic end view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system with a sealing strip according to an aspect of the invention with groove-shaped sensor channels incorporated in the sealing strip from the front side of the sealing strip and provided with hoses,

[0047] FIG. 3 a schematic end view of part of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system with groove-shaped sensor channels incorporated in the sealing strip from the rear side of the sealing strip and a recess provided in the sealing strip and serving for stroke limitation,

[0048] FIG. 4 an enlarged schematic partial illustration of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system with groove-shaped sensor channels incorporated in the sealing strip from the rear side of the sealing strip,

[0049] FIG. 5 an enlarged schematic partial illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system, which is comparable to the embodiment according to FIG. 4, with groove-shaped sensor channels incorporated in the sealing strip from the rear side of the sealing strip and hoses associated with these sensor channels,

[0050] FIG. 6 a schematic guide-side rear view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system without monitoring of the format limiter region on the guide side,

[0051] FIG. 7 a schematic guide-side rear view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system with monitoring of the format limiter region on the guide side, and

[0052] FIG. 8 a schematic partial illustration of an exemplary spatially optimized course of the sensor channels in the sealing strip according to FIG. 7 as an alternative to the course of the sensor channels of the sealing strip system according to FIG. 7.

[0053] FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic end view, a conventional sealing strip system 10 with a sealing strip 16, arranged in a sealing strip holder 12, which can be acted upon by a pressure hose 14 and has a sensor groove 20 extending in the direction of the axis 18 of the expected wear for receiving a sensor system 22 serving to monitor wear and comprising at least one sensor.

[0054] As already mentioned at the outset, in a conventional sealing strip system of this type, as a result of the sensor groove 20 extending in the direction of the axis of the expected wear 18, there is a risk of fracture, amongst other things, for example in the region 24, due to the friction force 28 exerted on the sealing face of the sealing strip 16 by the respective roll.

[0055] In contrast, FIGS. 2 to 8 show exemplary embodiments of an inventive sealing strip system.

[0056] The different embodiments of the inventive sealing strip system 30 also each again comprise a sealing strip 32, which is arranged in a sealing strip holder (not shown) and can be acted upon by a pressure hose (not shown) or the like for sealing a suction zone of a suctioned roll of a machine for producing and/or processing a web of fibrous material, wherein the sealing strip 32 has a respective wear volume which can be gradually abraded by tribological contact with the roll.

[0057] The different embodiments of the inventive sealing strip system 30 moreover each comprise a sensor system 34 for detecting a respective state of wear of the sealing strip 32 and an evaluation unit 36 which can be connected to the sensor system 34. In this case, the sensor system 34 is in each case embedded in at least one sensor channel 40 extending within the sealing strip 32 in the longitudinal direction L thereof in the region of the wear volume over at least substantially the entire length of the sealing face 38 of the sealing strip 32 and can be connected to the evaluation unit 36 and/or a unit for supplying the sensor system 34 with a medium serving to generate information via at least one connection 42 leading out of the sealing strip 32 via the lower region of the sealing strip 32 provided on the side of the wear volume which faces away from the sealing face 38.

[0058] In this case, a respective sensor channel 40 can be incorporated in the sealing strip 32 by straight milling, in particular in the form of a groove.

[0059] The sensor system 34 can be fixed in the at least one sensor channel 40 by an adhesive and/or with form fit, force fit and/or material fit.

[0060] At least one sensor channel 40 can be incorporated in the sealing strip 32 from an end side of the sealing strip 32.

[0061] However, such embodiments of the inventive sealing strip system 30 are also possible in which at least one sensor channel is incorporated in the sealing strip 32 from a longitudinal side, in particular from the back or rear side (c.f. FIGS. 3 to 7), which faces away from the suction zone, or front side (c.f. FIG. 2) of the sealing strip 32.

[0062] At least one sensor channel 40 can be arranged at the level of a predetermined wear point in the sealing strip 32.

[0063] A respective sealing strip 32 can be provided, in particular, with at least two sensor channels 40 arranged at different spacings from the sealing face 38 and each extending within the sealing strip 32 in the longitudinal direction L thereof in the region of the wear volume over at least substantially the entire length of the sealing face 38 of the sealing strip 32.

[0064] The respective sensor system 34 can comprise, for example, at least one wire, conductor and/or light guide extending in a respective sensor channel 40. In this case, the medium serving to generate information can comprise, in particular, power and/or light.

[0065] The medium serving to obtain information can, however, also comprise a gas and/or fluid guided in a respective sensor channel 40 or a tube, hose 44 (c.f. FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) or the like arranged therein.

[0066] The at least one connection 42 of the sensor system 34 to the evaluation unit 36 and/or the unit for supplying the sensor system 34 with a medium serving to generate information can, in particular, lead out of the sealing strip 32 via the lower region of the sealing strip 32 provided on the side of the wear volume which faces away from the sealing face 38 (c.f. in particular FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0067] In this case, the at least one connection 42 of the sensor system 34 to the evaluation unit 36 and/or the unit for supplying the sensor system 34 with a medium serving to generate information can lead out of the sealing strip 32 from a longitudinal side, for example, in particular from the back or rear side 46 of the sealing strip 32 which faces away from the suction zone, via the lower region of the sealing strip 32 provided on the side of the wear volume which faces away from the sealing face 38 (again, c.f. in particular FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0068] The respective connection 42 of the sensor system 34 to the evaluation unit 36 and/or the unit for supplying the sensor system 34 with a medium serving to generate information can comprise, for example, at least one gas, fluid, power and/or light line and/or, for example, at least one gas, fluid, power and/or light connection.

[0069] As can again be seen in particular in FIGS. 6 and 7, the respective connection 42 of the sensor system 34 to the evaluation unit 36 and/or the unit for supplying the sensor system 34 with a medium serving to generate information can comprise at least one kink protection 48 such as, for example, at least one elbow or the like.

[0070] As can again be seen in particular in FIGS. 6 and 7, a respective connection 42 of the sensor system 34 to the evaluation unit 36 and/or the unit for supplying the sensor system 34 with a medium serving to generate information leads out of the sealing strip 32 in a region which, as seen in the direction of the axis 50 of the expected wear, has a predetermined minimum safety spacing d from the maximally worn sealing face 38 of the sealing strip 32 and/or, as seen in the longitudinal direction L of the sealing strip 32 from a respective end side 52 of the sealing strip 32, has a spacing X which depends on the adjustment path of a format limiter sealing the suction zone in the region of this end side 52.

[0071] Such a spacing X is normally more than 5 cm, in particular more than 10 cm, preferably 20 cm or more.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows, in a schematic end view, an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system 30 having two groove-shaped sensor channels 40 incorporated in the sealing strip 32 from the front side 54 of the sealing strip 32 and receiving the sensor system 34. In this case, in a purely exemplary schematic illustration, a sealing strip holder 56 receiving the sealing strip 32 and a pressure hose 58 provided for acting on the sealing strip 32 can also be seen in this illustration. In a modification of the sealing strip 32 shown in FIG. 2, it can also be provided that the groove-shaped sensor channels 40 are constructed so that at least one sensor channel 40 receives only part of the sensor system 34, whilst part of the sensor system 34 projects out of the sealing strip 32. A sensor channel 40 which is configured in this way can be advantageous since only a relatively small recess has to be created in the sealing strip 32 for this purpose. In particular, if the sensor system 40 is relatively large, this can be advantageous for the stability of the strip 32. In an extreme case, it can even be envisaged that at least one sensor system 34 is provided in the form of a hose, which is provided externally on the sealing strip, without a groove.

[0073] FIG. 3 shows, in a schematic end view, part of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system 30 having two groove-shaped sensor channels 40, which are incorporated in the sealing strip 32 from the rear side 46 of the sealing strip 32 and in which a hose associated with the sensor system 34 is incorporated in each case, which hose is, for example, glued in the respective sensor channel 40 in each case. Moreover, the sealing strip 32 is provided with a recess 60 serving for stroke limitation. In this case, the recess 60 can have a predeterminable spacing 62 from the hose 44 adjacent to the sealing face 38, which is, for example, at least 5 mm in the present case. However, another minimum value can essentially also be selected for the spacing 62.

[0074] FIG. 4 shows, in an enlarged partial illustration, an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system 30 having two groove-shaped sensor channels 40, which are incorporated in the sealing strip 32 from the rear side 46 of the sealing strip 32 and, as seen in the direction of the axis 50 of the expected wear, are arranged at different spacings d.sub.1 and d.sub.2 from the sealing face 38. In this case, the spacing d.sub.1 in the present case is in the range of 3 mm, for example, and the spacing d.sub.2 is in the range of 5.6 mm, for example. In the present case, the width b of the respective sensor channel 40 in the direction of the axis 50 of the expected wear is, for example, in the range of 1.6 mm in each case. However, the given values are purely exemplary. The relevant measurements can therefore also deviate from the given values.

[0075] FIG. 5 shows a further enlarged schematic partial illustration of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system 30, which is comparable to the embodiment according to FIG. 4, having groove-shaped sensor channels 40 incorporated in the sealing strip 32 from the rear side 46 of the sealing strip 32 and hoses 44 of the sensor system 34 which are associated with these sensor channels. In this case, the sensor channels 40 are, for example, incorporated in the sealing strip 32, and the hoses 4 incorporated therein are, for example, selected, such that the hose 44 inserted into the sensor channel 40 situated closest to the sealing face 38 responds, for example, to wear in the range of 40% of the maximum wear and, for example, when the wear is in the range of 3.2 mm, whilst the hose 44 inserted into the sensor system channel 40 having the largest spacing from the sealing face 38 responds, for example, in the range of 15% above the maximally worn sealing face or when the wear is in the range of 6.8 mm. However, the given ranges and values are also purely exemplary in the present case. Ranges and values which deviate therefrom are essentially also conceivable.

[0076] FIG. 6 shows, in a schematic guide-side rear view, an exemplary embodiment of an inventive sealing strip system 30 without monitoring of the format limiter region on the guide side, whilst, in FIG. 7, a corresponding view of an inventive sealing strip system 30 with monitoring of the format limiter region on the guide side is shown. In this case, the connection 42 of the sensor system 34 to the evaluation unit 36 and/or the unit for supplying the sensor system 34 with a medium serving to generate information leads out of the sealing strip 32 in each case in a region which, as seen in the direction of the axis 50 of the expected wear, has a predetermined minimum safety spacing d from the maximally worn sealing face 38 of the sealing strip 32, and/or as seen in the longitudinal direction L of the sealing strip 32 from a respective end side 52 of the sealing strip 32, has a spacing X which depends on the adjustment path of a format limiter sealing the suction zone in the region of this end side 52.

[0077] In this case, in the embodiment according to FIG. 6 without the monitoring of the format limiter region on the guide side, the spacing X between the end side 52 and the region in which the connection 42 leads out of the sealing strip 32 is greater than in the embodiment according to FIG. 7 with the monitoring of the format limiter region on the guide side. The minimum safety spacing d between the maximally worn sealing face 38 and the region in which the connection 42 leads out of the sealing strip 32 is, for example, at least 8 mm in both cases. However, another minimum value is essentially also conceivable. The minimum radius of curvature R.sub.min of the sensor channels 40 provided, for example, as hose channels in the embodiments according to FIGS. 6 and 7 is, for example, in the range of 6 mm, wherein other values are again also essentially conceivable here. The maximum wear is, for example, 8 mm. However, other values are again also conceivable here.

[0078] Whilst, in the embodiment according to FIG. 7, the sensor channels 40 are bent twice in the downward direction in the region of the end side 52 for crossing over into the exit region, FIG. 8 shows, in a schematic partial illustration, an exemplary spatially optimized course of the sensor channels 40 in the sealing strip 32 according to FIG. 7 as an alternative to the course of the sensor channels 40 of the sealing strip system 30 according to FIG. 7, in which the sensor channels 40 are firstly bent downwards in the region of the end side 52 and are bent upwards again after a section extending in the longitudinal direction L of the sealing trip 32.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0079] 1 Conventional sealing strip system [0080] 2 Sealing strip holder [0081] 14 Pressure hose [0082] 16 Sealing strip [0083] 18 Axis of the expected wear [0084] 20 Sensor groove [0085] 22 Sensor system [0086] 24 Region [0087] 26 Sealing face [0088] 28 Friction force [0089] 30 Inventive sealing strip system [0090] 32 Sealing strip [0091] 34 Sensor system [0092] 36 Evaluation unit [0093] 38 Sealing face [0094] 38 Maximally worn sealing face [0095] 40 Sensor channel [0096] 42 Connection [0097] 44 Hose [0098] 46 Rear side [0099] 48 Kink protection [0100] 50 Axis of the expected wear [0101] 52 End side [0102] 54 Front side [0103] 56 Sealing strip holder [0104] 58 Pressure hose [0105] 60 Recess [0106] 62 Spacing [0107] 64 Maximum wear [0108] L Longitudinal direction of the sealing strip [0109] X Spacing depending on the adjustment path of a format limiter [0110] R.sub.min Minimum radius of curvature [0111] b Width of a respective sensor channel [0112] d Minimum safety spacing from the maximally worn sealing face [0113] d.sub.1 Spacing from the sealing face [0114] d.sub.2 Spacing from the sealing face