METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A PRIMARY BACKING ON A WEB MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a primary backing (19) on a web material (11), in which the web material (11) is fed to an application device (33) with a guide roller (31) and is subsequently discharged from the application device (33) with a guide roller (34) that is mounted downstream thereof, wherein the web material (11) is guided along the application device (33) with a web guide device (36), and the web material (11) is held in a wrap-around angle () with respect to the application device (33) with a transport belt (44) of the web guide device (36) and is guided in a contacting manner within a wrap-around angle () along the application device (33).

Claims

1. Method for producing a primary backing on a web material, the method comprising: the web material is fed to an application device by means of a first guide roller and subsequently discharged from the application device by means of a downstream second guide roller, and, the web material is guided along the application device by a web guide means, and, the web material is guided adjacently to the application device by a conveyor belt of the web guide means, and, the conveyor belt of the web guide means is held in a tensioned manner by at least one first roller and one second roller, and, is driven in a revolving manner while the web material is being guided along the application device, and, the first roller is positioned on an input side and the second roller is positioned on an output side of the application device, and, the conveyor belt is held at a wrap angle () relative to the application device, and the web material is guided along the application device so as to be adjacent thereto, within the wrap angle (), and, the wrap angle () is set in a manner depending on a transport speed or a processing temperature of the web material.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the wrap angle () is set in a manner depending on an immersion depth of the application device between the first roller and the second roller, and, a carriage that receives the web guide means and the application device are moved relative to one another to set the wrap angle ().

3. (canceled)

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein a belt tension of the conveyor belt of the web guide means is set by a tension roller that is assigned to the first and the second roller, or, the belt tension of the conveyor belt of the web guide means is set by the first roller and the second roller, by means of an adjustment movement of the first roller and the second roller relative to one another.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the tension roller is mounted between the first roller and the second roller, and the belt tension of the conveyor belt is set by means of a displacement movement of the tension roller remote from the first roller and the second roller.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the web guide means is displaced relative to the application device, in order to set the wrap angle (), and, a contact force of the web material, via the conveyor belt, on the application device is set by an adjustment movement of the first roller, or, the second roller, or, the tension roller.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the application device further comprises at least one heated sealing head, by means of which a face of the web material that faces the sealing head is melted or fused, and smoothed to form a primer on the web material.

8. Method according to claim 7, the application device further comprises a cooling head downstream of the heated sealing head, and the cooling head cools the primer on the web material.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the conveyor belt of the web guide means is positioned relative to the application device such that a set wrap angle of a portion of the conveyor belt between the first and second roller, relative to the application device, causes the web material to be guided along the sealing head and the cooling head.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first guide roller, is operated as a braking roller, and the second guide roller, is driven as a friction drive roller, and, the friction drive roller is driven at the same rotational speed as, or, at a higher rotational speed, than, the braking roller.

11. A Device for producing a primary backing on a web material, comprising: i) a base frame, and, ii) an application device that is carried by the base frame, and, iii) a first guide roller on an input side of the application device, and iv) a second guide roller on an output side of the application device, and, v) a web guide means comprising: a first roller and a second roller, which drive a conveyor belt in a revolving manner and thereby guide a web material along the application device so as to be adjacent, and at a wrap angle relative thereto, and, vi) wherein the wrap angle is set in a manner dependent on at least one of a transport speed and a processing temperature of the web material.

12. Device according to claim 11, wherein the first roller and the second roller are attached to a carriage, and the carriage and the application device are arranged on the base frame so as to be displaceable, and, the carriage is arranged so as to be displaceable in height, relative to the application device.

13. Device according to claim 11, wherein a belt tension of the conveyor belt is set by at least one of: a) the first roller and the second roller are arranged so as to be at a fixed spacing relative to one another, and, a tension roller is provided so as to set the belt tension of the conveyor belt, and, b) the first roller and the second roller are displaced relative to one another to set the belt tension of the conveyor belt.

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the first roller and the second roller and the tension roller, are positioned on the carriage in a triangular arrangement relative to one another, and, positioned so as to determine the wrap angle.

15. Device according to claim 11 wherein, at least one of the first guide roller and the second guide roller are driven, and the first guide roller is a braking roller, and the second guide roller is a friction roller.

16. Device according to claim 11, wherein the application device further comprises at least one sealing head.

17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the sealing head is formed as a heated metal sheet or a metal sheet assembly comprising a chamber, having a curved surface, which metal sheet is temperature-controlled, by means of oil or electrically.

18. Device according to any of claim 16, wherein the application device further comprises a cooling head through which a coolant preferably flows.

19. Device according to claim 18, wherein the sealing head and the cooling head are provided in the application device that is formed as a roller having a rotational axis, and the heating surface of the sealing head and a cooling surface of the cooling head extend over a common outer periphery, and, the application device, is controlled by means of a rotation about the rotational axis, with respect to the positioning of the sealing head and of the cooling head, within the wrap angle and relative to the conveyor belt.

20. (canceled)

21. Device according to claim 18, wherein a tear-off edge is formed between the sealing head and the cooling head, at an end of the sealing head.

22. Device according to claim 11, wherein the conveyor belt is formed as a chain-like belt, or a fabric-like belt, or a spiked belt.

Description

[0030] The invention, and further advantageous embodiments and developments thereof, will be described and explained in greater detail in the following, with reference to the examples shown in the drawings. The features in the description and the drawings can be applied according to the invention either individually or in any desired combination. In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1a is a schematic side view of a substrate material tufted with a piling yarn,

[0032] FIG. 1b is a schematic side view of the web material, according to FIG. 1a, that is produced by the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention,

[0033] FIG. 1c is a schematic side view of a web material to be processed, consisting of a non-woven fabric,

[0034] FIG. 1d is a schematic view of a web material, according to FIG. 1c, that is processed by the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention,

[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention,

[0036] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 2, and

[0037] FIG. 4 is a schematically simplified view of an application device comprising a web guide means of the device according to FIG. 2 that is assigned thereto.

[0038] FIG. 1a is a schematic side view of the web material 11 to be processed, which material is for example a tufted substrate material 12 that consists of a woven fabric 13 or a non-woven fabric and in which at least one piling yarn 14 is introduced by tufting, in order to form piling nap 15 in the form of meshes or loops. Said piling nap comprises piling ends 16 which protrude from a rear face 17 of the tufted substrate material 12, relative to the woven fabric 13. Said piling ends 16 are preferably formed as loop-like end portions. The pining nap 15 is often cut towards the front face 18 of the tufted substrate material 12, such that some freely producing ends of the piling yarn 14 can form a surface 18 of a carpet. It may alternatively be possible for the piling nap 15 that is directed towards the front face to be formed by loops, i.e. to be closed.

[0039] The piling yarn 14 consists of polymers, in particular thermoplastic polymers, for example polyester, polypropylene, polyamide or the like. The woven fabric may consist of the same polymer family as the piling yarn 14.

[0040] In the case of a tufted substrate material 12 of this kind, the piling nap 15 is only preliminarily fixed to the woven fabric 13, and a permanent connection between the piling ends 16 and the woven fabric 13 is required in order to form a primary backing 19. FIG. 1b shows a primary backing 19 of this kind which is produced by the method described in greater detail in the following, and in particular the device for carrying out the method. The piling ends 16 have been at least softened, and subsequently smoothed, under the action of temperature, in order to form a preferably closed surface on the rear face 17 of the woven fabric 13, for fixing the piling yarns 14. This layer, on the rear face 17 of the woven fabric 13, that is formed by the material of the piling ends 16, is referred to as a primer 21. A primary backing 19 of this kind can subsequently be provided with a backing coating (not shown in greater detail), referred to as a secondary backing. For example, a foam, in particular consisting of latex, may be applied. Textile sheets, polyurethane foams, other sheets, or coatings are also possible as a secondary backing, depending on the application.

[0041] The tufted substrate material 12 described in FIG. 1a, comprising the piling yarn 14 arranged therein for forming piling nap 15 may be provided as a primary backing 19 for carpets. Furthermore, said tufted substrate material 12 can be used to form artificial grass or further floor coverings, or other coverings.

[0042] FIG. 1c shows a web material 11 consisting of a non-woven fabric, which is formed as a fabric consisting of a plurality of fibers 23. These may be fibers of a restricted length, continuous fibers or filaments, or cut yarns which are combined and interconnected, in any manner, to form a non-woven fabric, i.e. a fiber layer. Alternatively, the web material 11 may also be formed by a felt, i.e. a textile sheet consisting of disordered fiber material that can be separated only with difficulty.

[0043] FIG. 1d shows the web material 11 that is formed as a non-woven fabric layer by means of the method according to the invention, which is described in greater detail in the following, in particular a device for carrying out the method. The primary backing 19 consists of a primer 21 that forms a smooth and preferably completely closed rear face, wherein the untreated surface of the non-woven layer is provided on the front face 18. Similar also applies if a felt layer is used instead of a non-woven layer.

[0044] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a device 25 for producing a primary backing 19 on a web material 11, for example according to FIGS. 1a to 1d. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section along the line II-II in FIG. 2.

[0045] The device 25 comprises a base frame 26, wherein one or more feed rollers 28 and discharge rollers 29 are mounted, in each case, between a left-hand and right-hand portion of the base frame 26. The web material 11 is drawn off a storage roll (not shown in greater detail) and fed to a guide roller 31 via the feed rollers 28, and deflected, in order to feed the web material 11 to and guide said web material along an application device 33 that is preferably formed as a roller, in order to subsequently discharge the processed web material 11 via a guide roller 34 downstream of the application device 33, and to remove said web material from the device 11 via the discharge roller 29.

[0046] A web guide means 36, which cooperates with the application device 33 in order to produce a smooth primer on the rear face 17 of the web material 11, is assigned to the application device 33.

[0047] The web guide means 36 comprises a first and second roller 37, 38 and preferably a tension roller 39, by means of which a conveyor belt 44 is guided in a revolving manner. The first roller 37, second roller 38 and the tension roller 39 are advantageously positioned in a triangular arrangement relative to one another. Said first roller 37, the second roller 38 and preferably the tension roller 39 are mounted together, on a carriage 41, at the relevant end region, as a result of which the web guide means 36 are movable, together, up and down along the Z-axis, by means of a drive 42. In addition, the tension roller 39 is displaceable relative to the first and second roller 37, 38, along the Z-axis, in order to tension the conveyor belt 44. The conveyor belt 44 is guided in a revolving manner by means of the first roller 37, the second roller 38 and the tension roller 39. The first roller 37 and the second roller 38 are preferably driven. The tension roller 39 is merely rotatably mounted. The conveyor belt 44 can be driven in the transport direction of the web material 11, by means of the first roller 37 and second roller 38.

[0048] The application device 33 comprises a sealing head 46, and a cooling head 47 downstream of said sealing head 46. The application device 33 may likewise be mounted so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis 32 thereof, such that different regions of the application device 33 can be set in a manner facing the web guide means 36. The application device 33 is for example formed as a roller.

[0049] The device 25 can be actuated and set, with respect to individual method parameters, by means of a controller 49 and a data processing means.

[0050] The web guide means 36 that is assigned to the application device 33 is shown in a schematically simplified manner in FIG. 4. The mode of operation of the web guide means 36 of the application device 33, in order to achieve a primer 21 on the web material 11, will be discussed in greater detail with reference to FIG. 4.

[0051] The application device 33 comprises the sealing head 46 that is formed by a heatable metal sheet. Said sealing head 46 comprises a curved guide surface, for example consisting of sheet metal, along which the piling ends 16 of the web material 11 are guided. The sealing head 46 may comprise channels for guiding heated oil. Said oil may be heated to 285 C. for example, in order to also allow for rapid melting of the piling ends 16 or of the fibers of the web material 11. Alternatively, it is also possible for different electrical heating elements to be provided on or in the sealing head 46. The cooling head 47 preferably likewise comprises a metal sheet having a smooth outer face. The cooling temperature may be below 60 C. for example. The curvatures of the metal sheet of the sealing head 46 and of the cooling head 47 are preferably located on a common outer diameter. A tear-off edge 51 is formed between the sealing head 46 and the cooling head 47, such that the melted or fused material on the rear face 17 of the web material 11 separates from the sealing head 46 in a defined manner.

[0052] The first and second roller 37, 38 of the web guide means 36 are mutually spaced, such that a portion of the conveyor belt 44 extending therebetween can be positioned at a wrap angle relative to the application device 33. The size of the wrap angle of the conveyor belt 44 with respect to the application device 33 is dependent on the spacing of the axes of rotation of the first and second roller 37, 38 from the rotational axis 32 of the application device 33. The immersion depth of the application device 33 between the first and second roller 37, 38 this determines the wrap angle . In the case of a spacing between the first and second roller 37, 38 that is greater than the diameter of the application device 33, a wrap angle of up to 180 can be achieved. Said wrap angle is preferably smaller.

[0053] A working gap 54, in which the web-like material 11 is guided along the application device 33, is formed between the conveyor belt 44 that extends between the first roller 37 and the second roller 38. The length of the working gap 54 is determined by the wrap angle of the conveyor belt 44 with respect to the application device 33. The application device 33 is stationary.

[0054] The size or thickness of the working gap 54 can also be achieved by a displacement movement of the tension roll 39 in the Z-direction. This increases the tension of the conveyor belt 44, as a result of which the working gap 54 becomes smaller. In the case of a low tension of the conveyor belt 44, the web material 11 is guided through the working gap 54 only slightly compressed.

[0055] In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the conveyor belt 44 is formed as a spiked belt for example. As a result, the web material 11 can be guided through the working gap 54 in a warpage-free manner. Warpage of the web material 11, which may be promoted by the heating, is prevented as a result. Alternatively, further materials may also be used to form the conveyor belt 44, such as a woven fabric belt or a rubberized woven fabric belt.

[0056] The second roller 38, which is preferably formed as a friction drive roller, is driven at the same drive speed as or at a higher drive speed than the first roller 37 or braking roller. As a result, the web material 11 can be guided through the working gap 54, formed in a region of the wrap angle , under traction.

[0057] Further segments for heating and cooling may be provided within the application device 33, which segments can be used according to the positioning of the application device 33 relative to the wrap angle .

[0058] The arrangement and orientation of the web guide means 36 shown in FIG. 4 can also be arranged so as to be offset by 180 relative to the application device 33. This likewise allows for the mode of operation described above.

[0059] In the case of a constant spacing of the first and second roller 37, 38, the wrap angle can be set by the immersion depth of the application device 33 between the first and second roller 37, 38. The spacing between the web guide means 36 or the carriage 41, and the application device 33, is reduced or increased. If the first and second roller 37, 38 are also mounted on the base frame 26 so as to be movable towards one another, the wrap angle can additionally also be set by the spacing of the two rollers 37, 38.

[0060] According to an embodiment that is not shown in greater detail, the web guide means 36 can additionally also comprise a counterpressure roller which is provided for example opposite the sealing head 46, in particular opposite the tear-off edge 51 on the sealing head 46. As a result, said counterpressure roller can also be positioned within the conveyor belt 44, as can the further rollers 37, 38 and the tension roller 39.

[0061] The size of the wrap angle is preferably dependent on the speed of the conveyor belt, in order to guide the web material through the working gap. The softening temperature of a layer or a ply of the web material to be processed is a further parameter for determining the wrap angle and/or the transport speed. The method described above and the device allow for individual adaptation to the web material to be processed, and high productivity.