Apparatus with pad having a fabric structure to apply a liquid

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for applying a liquid active substance onto surfaces moving in a circulating manner, including a metering unit with a pipe system and an application unit. The active substance is conducted to the application unit by the metering unit, and the application unit has a pad with an open-pore mesh structure for receiving and storing the active substance and for applying the active substance onto a moving surface as a film as a function of the degree of saturation and the contact pressure of the pad on the moving surface. Brackets fix the pad in a working position when pushed together and are capable of being pulled apart to exchange the pad. Also, the use of the apparatus for keeping the moving surfaces free from deposits, accumulations or contaminants.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying an active substance which is a liquid onto moving surfaces, where said moving surfaces are moving in a circular path, comprising: a metering unit with a pipe system and an application unit; wherein the pipe system comprises at least a feed pipe for the active substance; the application unit including a pad having a front side, a rear side, a length and with an open-pore mesh structure which is capable of receiving and storing the active substance, capable of achieving saturation of the active substance over the length of the pad, and further capable of applying the active substance onto at least one moving surface facing the front side of the pad in dependence on the degree of saturation and a contact pressure of the pad, where said pad is supported on a plate and wherein the application unit consists essentially of: (1) at least one hose connectable to the pipe system such that one end of the hose is connectable to the feed pipe and with openings in the at least one hose distributed over the length of the pad to introduce the active substance to an outer side of the hose over the length of the pad, with said openings aligned toward the rear side of the pad, and (2) a fabric structure arranged around the outer side of the at least one hose, such that the at least one hose is accommodated in the fabric structure and a flow path with openings for the active substance is integrated into the fabric structure, and said fabric structure is capable of achieving saturation of the active substance when the active substance is introduced into the fabric structure through the openings in the at least one hose, wherein the fabric structure consists essentially of at least one of threads, cords, strands, and fibers; and brackets that have a portion which extends longitudinally along the length of and parallel to the pad to fix the pad and the hose in a fixed working position when the brackets are pushed together and the brackets are capable of being pulled apart to exchange the pad, each bracket including a first end and a second end, in said working position said first end of each bracket is secured to the plate, and each second end of each bracket engaging the outer side of the pad to fix the pad and the hose in said working position while each second edge of each bracket extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid active substance is selected from a group consisting of: water or mixed solvent systems with aliphatic and/or aromatic, linear and/or cyclic, polar and/or non-polar solvent fractions, salts of monovalent or multivalent ions, acids and/or alkaline solutions, aqueous and oleiferous liquids, particularly saturated or unsaturated, open-chain or cyclic, normal or isomeric hydrocarbons, polymeric linear and/or cyclic alkyl siloxanes and alkyl aryl siloxanes and/or aryl siloxanes and/or their copolymers and/or cationic or quaternary and/or amphoteric silicone products and/or silicone derivatives, silicone oils, silicone greases, silicone tensides, silicone oil dispersants, silicone fluids, polydimethyl siloxane, polymethyl phenyl siloxane, oleiferous suspensions, oil emulsions, oil-in-water emulsions, water-in-oil emulsions, mineral oil, natural oils and fats, vegetable oil, animal oil, castor oil, coconut oil and/or tall oil and/or their derivatives, primary, secondary and tertiary or linear and/or branched, aliphatic and/or aromatic alcohols and/or ethers and/or esters derived thereof, betaines, lecithins, phospholipids, protein solubilisates and/or modified products thereof, wax emulsions, anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and/or cationic tensides, anionic, nonionic, amphoteric or cationic tenside-like and/or polymeric fluoric compounds, primary, secondary and tertiary alkyl amines and/or alkyl aryl amines, diamines and/or polyamines, alkyl and alkyl aryl amino oxides, imidazolinones and morpholines, quaternary ammonium compounds, ethoxylated, saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids and/or their salts with monovalent and/or multivalent cations, esters, amines and/or amides of saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids and/or fatty alcohols, alkyl and/or alkyl aryl phosphates, phosphonates, sulphates and sulphonates, alkyl ether and/or alkyl aryl ether phosphates and/or sulphates, alkyl and/or alkyl aryl sorbitans and/or polyols and glycerides, alkyl and/or alkyl aryl polyglycol ether and/or ester, wetting agents, antistatic agents, anti-friction agents, lubricants, emulsifiers, lipophilic and hydrophilic cleaning agents, lipophilic and hydrophilic solvents, alcohols, saturated fatty alcohols, unsaturated fatty alcohols, saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, fatty-acid monalkyl esters, fatty-acid amides, fatty-acid monoalkyl amides, monoesters or polyesters of saturated or unsaturated monovalent or multivalent carboxylic acids, wax alcohols, glycols, benzene, isopropanols, toluene, aliphatic compounds, glycerides, anionic, non-ionic, amphoteric and/or cationic synthetic and/or natural polymers in dissolved and/or dispersed form, homo-polymerized and/or co-polymerized polyamines, polyesters, polyacrylates and/or polyalkylene glycols and/or alkyl polyglycols, anticorrosive agents, biocides and activators and/or catalysts and reactive precursors of release products that can be activated with UV-light and electron beams, or combinations thereof.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metering unit is capable of conveying the liquid active substance to the application unit continuously.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pipe system comprises at least a feed pipe and a return pipe for the liquid active substance.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the liquid active substance is circulated in a circuit and tempered and/or mixed in a reservoir.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least individual sections of the metering unit are accommodated in a mounting and these sections are arranged on the rear section of the pad.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged on a support system.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is combined with at least one cleaning system.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the application unit and the cleaning system are arranged on a common cross head by adapter rails.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the application unit and/or the cleaning system are capable of being pivoted relative to the moving surface about at least one respective pivoting axis.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the application unit includes at least one pressing system having a load application hose for pressing the application unit against the moving surface, and a lift-off system having a lift-off spring for lifting the application unit off the moving surface.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the load application hose is inflated with air.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the lift-off spring comprises a sheet metal strip that is folded once or several times.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the application unit and/or the cleaning system are supported relative to the moving surface in a spring-loaded fashion.

15. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a distance between the application unit and the moving surface, in the lifted-off state, is greater than a distance between the cleaning system and the moving surface, in a lifted-off state.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the application unit is arranged on a base plate and is capable of being laterally pulled out.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application unit is segmented over a width of the moving surface in order to realize a differentiated application of the liquid active substance.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fabric structure comprises at least one material that is selected from a group consisting of: woven fabrics, braided fabrics, layered fabrics, compressed fabrics or meshes thereof, or combinations thereof.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pad has a rectangular, polygonal, oval or round cross section.

Description

(1) In these drawings:

(2) FIG. 1a shows a first embodiment of the application unit in combination with a cleaning system in the form of a scraper;

(3) FIG. 1b shows an alternative embodiment of the application unit in combination with a scraper according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the application unit with a cleaning system in the form of a separately arranged scraper;

(5) FIGS. 3a and 3b show detailed illustrations of the application unit in the form of a side view and a top view;

(6) FIG. 3c shows a top view of an alternative application unit of the type illustrated in the form of a side view in FIG. 8a;

(7) FIGS. 4a and 4b show illustrations of the embodiment according to FIG. 1a in the respective states, in which the application unit is placed against and lifted off the moving surface;

(8) FIGS. 4c and 4d show illustrations of the embodiment according to FIG. 1b in the respective states, in which the application unit is placed against and lifted off the moving surface;

(9) FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the application unit in the state, in which it is placed against a fabric cover with roll;

(10) FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the application unit in the state, in which it is placed against a fabric cover with counter element;

(11) FIGS. 7a and 7b respectively show side views of an application unit with a fixed application element and with an exchanging rail for the application element;

(12) FIGS. 8a and 8b respectively show side views of another application unit with a fixed application element and with an exchanging rail for the application element;

(13) FIGS. 9a and 9b respectively show side views of another application unit with a fixed application element and with an exchanging rail for the application element;

(14) FIGS. 10a and 10b respectively show side views of another application unit with a fixed application element and with an exchanging rail for the application element;

(15) FIGS. 11a and 11b respectively show side views of another application unit with a fixed application element and with an exchanging rail for the application element;

(16) FIGS. 12a and 12b respectively show side views of another application unit with a fixed application element and with an exchanging rail for the application element, and

(17) FIGS. 13a and 13b show another alternative embodiment of the application unit with a scraper in the respective positions, in which it is placed against and lifted off the moving surface.

(18) According to the present invention, an application unit 1 is claimed that applies a liquid active substance onto a roll or cylinder 3 (FIG. 1a) or onto a moving web (FIGS. 5 and 6) in the form of a film. This application unit 1 wets the circumferential surface of the rotating roll 3 or rotating cylinder or the surface of the moving web 4 in an essentially uniform fashion, wherein the liquid active substance alters the surface in such a way, in particular, that contamination particles or product remnants no longer adhere to the surface.

(19) One preferred embodiment of the application unit 1 is the combination with a scraper system 2 such that mechanical cleaning of the roll surface is additionally realized in order to clean the surface to be maintained clear on the one hand and to keep contaminations away from the application unit on the other hand so as to ensure its function over a long period of time.

(20) According to the present invention, a liquid active substance is fed to the application unit 1 through a hose or a pipe 11 and introduced into a pad 12, for example, through (not-shown) transverse openings. The pad 12 becomes saturated with the supplied liquid active substance and applies this active substance onto the surface, for example, of the roll 3 or the web 4 (FIGS. 1a, 5 and 6).

(21) According to the embodiment shown, the application unit 1 comprises a metering unit, the hoses or pipes 11 of which are accommodated together with the pad 12 in a mount consisting, in particular, of two angle brackets 13 and 14 that can be displaced relative to one another, wherein the pad 12 and the hoses/pipes 11 are fixed in a working position when the angle brackets are pushed together and the two angle brackets 13 and 14 are pulled apart in order to exchange, clean or inspect the hoses or pipes 11 and the pad 12. The two angle brackets are fixed in the respectively desired position by means of screws 15 that are screwed into oblong holes. One limb of one angle bracket is connected to one or more bearings 16 that together with an axle 17 extending parallel to the roll or cylinder axis form a hinge, about which the application unit 1 can be pivoted, such that the pad 12 can be respectively placed against or lifted off the roll or cylinder 3 or the web 4 (FIG. 1a).

(22) According to the embodiment shown, the axle 17 is realized in the form of a rod and mounted on the base plate 18 by means of the bearing 16. Since the axle 17 is realized as part of the base plate 18, the application unit 1 can be laterally pulled out of the apparatus on this axle 17.

(23) According to the embodiment shown, the application unit 1 is placed against the moving surface by means of a load application hose 19 that is acted upon with compressed air or another medium. The application unit is lifted off by means of a lift-off spring 110 or alternatively by means of a lift-off hose. The lift-off spring consists, for example, of a sheet metal strip 110 that is folded once or several times, as well as rigidly clamped in position on one end and in springable contact on the other end (FIG. 1a).

(24) According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1a, the apparatus features a scraper unit 2 upstream of the application unit 1 referred to the moving direction. The scraper unit 2 consists of at least one scraper holder 21 and a scraper blade 22. The scraper holder 21 respectively makes it possible to place and pivot the scraper blade 22 against and away from the rotating roll 3 or rotating cylinder 3.

(25) According to this illustration, the scraping device and the application unit are mounted on a common beam 50, wherein the positions of the application unit and of the scraping device can be shifted relative to one another. The illustration shows that this embodiment is also suitable for being subsequently installed on an already existing scraper beam 50 instead of the old scraper holder. For this purpose, an adapter rail 6 is used in order to hold the application unit 1 in a suitable position relative to the roll or cylinder 3 or to the web 4. A second adapter rail 7 is realized with oblong holes 71, mounting screws and adjusting screws 73 such that it can be displaced in order to adjustably position the scraper holder 21.

(26) FIG. 1b shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus, in which particularly the contact pressure of the scraper is not generated by a spring, but rather by a hose 27. In FIG. 1b, the same reference symbols as in FIG. 1a were used for corresponding components. This also applies accordingly to the figures described below.

(27) FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the application unit, in which the lift-of spring 111 is arranged opposite of the pad 12. According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the scraping device 2 and the application unit 1 are mounted on separate beams 50 and 51 and the position and distance of each beam from the roll or cylinder 3 or from the web 4 can be individually adjusted. However, it should also be noted that particularly the beam 51 that may also be realized in the form of a cross head can in this particular embodiment be turned by 180 and would in this situation the aligned, for example, in the direction of the scraper beam. In this context, however, it basically needs to be taken into consideration that the scraping device 2 and the application unit 1 consist of separate components that are independent of one another with respect to their position relative to the roll.

(28) According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b, one or both angle brackets 13 and 14 are segmented by means of slots 130 and 140 or in the form of individual sections, in particular, so as to achieve an increased flexibility in the direction of the roll or cylinder axis and/or transverse to the web.

(29) The figures furthermore show the circulating arrangement of the metering device, in which a feed pipe 112 and a return pipe 113 are arranged and connected on the right side in accordance with the illustration in FIG. 3b.

(30) FIG. 3c shows a top view of an alternative application unit of the type illustrated, among other things, in the form of a side view in FIG. 8a. The needle-shaped discharge lines 81, the feed line 82, the screw fitting of the feed line 83 and the pad 12 are also illustrated in this figure.

(31) FIGS. 4a and 4b show the arrangement of the apparatus according to FIG. 1a in the respective states, in which it is placed against and lifted off the moving surface. The adjusting options in the lifted-off position 4b make it possible to adjust the distance A1 of the scraper blade 22 from the roll or cylinder 3 or from the web 4 (FIG. 5 or 6) smaller than the distance A2 of the pad 12 from the roll or cylinder 3 or from the web (not illustrated in this figure). Consequently, particularly large foreign bodies that pass the scraper blade 22 on the surface to be cleaned in its moving direction while the scraper blade is lifted off can also pass the pad 12 without causing damages thereof. Foreign bodies with such a size that they cannot pass the lifted-off scraper blade 22 are kept away from the scraper blade and consequently also from the pad 12 such that the scraper system 2 protects the pad from contaminations and foreign bodies in the position, in which it is placed against the moving surface, as well as in the lifted-off position.

(32) FIGS. 4c and 4d show the arrangement of the apparatus of FIG. 1b in the respective states according to FIGS. 4a and 4b, in which it is placed against and lifted off the moving surface.

(33) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary application unit 1 that does not feature an additional cleaning device such as a scraper and wets a moving web 4, wherein the web is wrapped around a roll 31. The pad 12 contacts the web 4 while it is situated on the roll 31. For example, the moving web 4 consists of a screen that supports and guides a web-shaped product 41 such as, for example, a paper web while it passes through a plurality of cylinders 3. In this case, the application unit 1 wets the side of the web 4 that is in contact with the product.

(34) FIG. 6 also shows an application unit 1 that wets a moving web 4, but the moving web 4 is not supported on a roll 31, but rather on a special supporting shoe 8. In this embodiment, the application unit is also illustrated by itself, i.e., without an additional cleaning device.

(35) FIG. 7a shows a side view of the embodiment of the application unit used in FIG. 1b, wherein the pad 12 is supplied with the application fluid via the pipes 11 and the pad 12 is accommodated in a double clamp that is fixed with the aid of a screw 15. The application unit can be pivoted with the aid of the bearing and the axle arranged thereon, wherein the application unit is placed against the moving surface by means of the load application hose 19 and lifted off by means of the spring 111. The base plate is identified by the reference symbol 18.

(36) FIG. 7b shows an alternative embodiment, in which the application unit can be accommodated in an exchanging and fixing rail 74 with the plate 75, wherein the exchanging and fixing rail 74 is arranged on the counter plate 76. This arrangement provides the advantage of the embodiment according to FIG. 7a, namely that the application unit can be laterally pulled out of the mounting, such that a simple arrangement for carrying out maintenance or an exchange is realized. After the insertion of the application unit, it is at least non-positively connected to the exchanging and fixing rail 74 by means of corresponding fixing elements. Furthermore, other safety devices may be provided in order to prevent the connection from unintentionally separating. Elements with identical designs are identified by the same reference symbols.

(37) FIGS. 8a and 8b show another embodiment of the application unit in the form of illustrations that correspond to FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIGS. 8a and 8b can essentially be distinguished by the exchanging and fixing rail 74. In the application unit illustrated in these figures, the pad 12 is supplied with the fluid conveyed through the feed line 82 in the direction of the arrow 86 by means of a feed system that is arranged in an offset fashion. The lines are connected to one another by means of connecting elements 83 and to the application unit on the underside shown with the aid of clamping jaws 84 and 85. The fluid is introduced into the pad through connecting lines 81 that extend into the pad 12 in the form of needles. The clamping device of the pad can be fixed and, according to another preferred embodiment, the position of the pad can be determined with the aid of the screw 87.

(38) FIGS. 9a and 9b show another embodiment of the application unit in the form of illustrations that correspond to FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIGS. 9a and 9b can essentially be distinguished by the exchanging and fixing rail 74. According to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9a and 9b, the fluid is introduced into the pad 96 through a channel 91 that is arranged in a core region 92 of the pad 96 and features connecting channels 95 leading to the outer region 93 of the pad 96. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the pad may consist of two parts, wherein the core 92 may also be realized elastically and is covered with a fabric 93. Among other things, such a fabric may be particularly resistant to wear caused by the mechanical load and consist of a material, in particular, of the type used, among other things, for fabric bushing seals in pumps or the like. The shape of such a pad is furthermore not restricted to a square cross-sectional shape, but naturally also be realized round, rectangular or polygonal. The clamping device of the pad can be fixed and, according to another preferred embodiment, the position of the pad can be determined with the aid of the screw 94.

(39) FIGS. 10a and 10b show another embodiment of the application unit in the form of illustrations that correspond to FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIGS. 10a and 10b can essentially be distinguished by the exchanging and fixing rail 74. The embodiment illustrated in these figures features a pad 96 that corresponds to the basic design according to FIGS. 9a and 9b, wherein the fabric has a round cross section in this case.

(40) FIGS. 11a and 11b show another embodiment of the application unit in the form of illustrations that correspond to FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIGS. 11a and 11b can essentially be distinguished by the exchanging and fixing rail 74. The application unit illustrated in FIGS. 11a and 11b features a pad 60 that also consists of two parts. In this case, a hose 62 with openings 63 is accommodated in a fabric 61, wherein the hose is manufactured, in particular, of polyhalogen olefins such as, for example, PTFE material. It would naturally also be possible to utilize other plastics such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate and the like. In this case, it also needs to be taken into consideration that the pad 60 may in this embodiment be once again realized with a square cross sectionas shownor a rectangular or even round cross section. The reference symbol 64 once again identifies a fixing screw for the clamp that can also be used, in particular, for positioning the pad. The scope of the present invention generally also includes embodiments, in which other suitable mounting options such as positive, integral and/or non-positive connections are used for the pad instead of the clamping device.

(41) FIGS. 12a and 12b show another embodiment of the application unit in the form of illustrations that correspond to FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIGS. 12a and 12b can essentially be distinguished by the exchanging and fixing rail 74. The embodiment illustrated in these figures features a pad 65 that corresponds to the basic design according to FIGS. 11a and 11b, wherein the fabric has a round cross section in this case.

(42) FIGS. 13a and 13b show another embodiment of the present invention, in which the application unit that includes the pad 96 is combined with a scraper 202 in a very compact fashion. In this case, FIG. 13a shows the position of the apparatus, in which it is placed against a roll surface, and FIG. 13b shows the lifted-off position of the apparatus.

(43) According to the embodiment illustrated in these figures, the application unit is once again connected to the pivotable cross head with the aid of an exchanging and fixing rail 74, wherein said cross head can be actively raised, as well as pressed on, by means of the hoses 19. The application unit is connected to the exchanging and fixing rail 74 by means of the plate 75, wherein the screw 203 is not only used for fixing the clamping device for the pad 96, but also for fixing the scraper holder with the plate 200 and the exchanging and fixing rail 201 thereon. In the embodiment illustrated in these figures, the problem of the scraper shortening over its service life such that the pad is pressed against the surface with a greater force is also solved. In order to solve this problem, the pad 96 is prestressed by means of a spring 204, wherein the prestress can be adjusted by means of the set screw 205. This is illustrated particularly well in FIG. 13b because the unit is lifted off the roll surface and the pad 96 therefore is extended to the outermost position. The scope of the present invention naturally also includes embodiments, in which this spring is realized, in particular, in the form of a coil spring, a rubber element or a diaphragm.

(44) The utilization and the application of such a system for readjusting an application element, particularly a pad, are not limited to the arrangement illustrated in the figures, particularly with respect to the combination with a scraper.