Apparatus for the Two-Sided Coating of at Least One Running Flat Material Web

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for the two-sided coating of at least one running flat material web (10),

with a first and a second coating nozzle (2, 3), wherein the first coating nozzle (2) is providable to the first side of the flat material web (10) and the second coating nozzle (3) is providable to the second side of the flat material web (10), in order to coat the respective side of the flat material web (10), and wherein at least one, preferably both, coating nozzles (2, 3) are transferable from a working position into a maintenance position (A, W) and back, as well as

with supply line sections (4, 8) with throughflow channels (4a, 8a) that are embodied therein and that are connected with one another in the working position (A) and that ensure a throughflow for supplying a hot, liquid coating material to the respective coating nozzle (2, 3), wherein, during the transferring of at least one of the said coating nozzles (2, 30) from the working position into the maintenance position (A, W), a first rigid supply line section and a second rigid supply line section (4, 8), which in the working position (A) enable a throughflow of the coating material to the coating nozzle (2, 3), are automatically moved relative to one another in such a manner so that the throughflow channels (4a, 8a) embodied in them are moved relative to one another in order to interrupt the throughflow of the coating material to this coating nozzle (2, 3).

Claims

1. Apparatus for the two-sided coating of at least one running flat material web (10), with a first and a second coating nozzle (2, 3), wherein the first coating nozzle (2) is providable to the first side of the flat material web (10) and the second coating nozzle (3) is providable to the second side of the flat material web (10), in order to coat the respective side of the flat material web (10), and wherein at least one, preferably both, coating nozzles (2, 3) are transferable from a working position into a maintenance position (A, W) and back, as well as with supply line sections (4, 8) with throughflow channels (4a, 8a) that are embodied therein and that are connected with one another in the working position (A) and that ensure a throughflow for supplying a hot, liquid coating material to the respective coating nozzle (2, 3), wherein, during the transferring of at least one of the said coating nozzles (2, 3) from the working position into the maintenance position (A, W), a first rigid supply line section and a second rigid supply line section (4, 8), which in the working position (A) enable a throughflow of the coating material to the coating nozzle (2, 3), are automatically moved relative to one another in such a manner so that the throughflow channels (4a, 8a) embodied in them are moved relative to one another in order to interrupt the throughflow of the coating material to this coating nozzle (2, 3).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the throughflow channel (8a) for the coating material embodied in the second supply line section (8), during the transferring of the associated coating nozzle from the working position into the maintenance position (A, W), is sealed on an end-side by a wall of the first supply line section (4).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the said first supply line section (4) is embodied with an invariable position relative to the associated coating nozzle (2, 3), and is moved along with it during the transferring of this coating nozzle (2, 3) from the working position (A) into the maintenance position (W).

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the said second supply line section (8) is embodied in such a manner so that it is not also moved along during the transferring of one or both coating nozzles (2, 3) from the working position (A) into the maintenance position (W) and back.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that all supply line sections (4, 8, 12) leading from a supply unit for the coating material to the coating nozzles (2, 3) are embodied rigid.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a common supply line section (12) is provided for both coating nozzles (2, 3), from which two supply line sections (8) lead away, whereby respectively one of these supply line sections (8) leads to respectively one coating nozzle (2, 3).

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the common supply line section (12) and at least one second supply line section (8) are at least partially identical.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second supply line section (4, 8) are connected with one another via a rotation joint (30).

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the at least one coating nozzle (2, 3) is transferable by a rotation motion from the working position into the maintenance position (A, W) and is transferable by an opposite rotation motion from the maintenance position into the working position (W, A), wherein also the first supply line section (4) is rotationally moved relative to the second supply line section (8).

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the throughflow channels (4a, 8a) for the coating material embodied in the first and second supply line section (4, 8) are embodied radially aligned with one another in the working position (A) of the at least one coating nozzle (2, 3), and in that during the transferring of the associated coating nozzle (2, 3) from the working position (A) into the maintenance position (W), the first and the second supply line section (4, 8) are moved opposite one another in the circumferential direction of the rotation joint (30).

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the throughflow channel (8a) of the second supply line section (8) is led in the throughflow direction radially from the outside toward the inside to the first supply line section (4).

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the throughflow channel (4a) in the first supply line section (4) is led in the throughflow direction radially with respect to the rotation axis (31) of the rotation joint (30) and then in the axial direction to the coating nozzle (2, 3).

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, there is provided a toggle lever device (17), preferably manually operable and/or pneumatically or hydraulically assisted, for transferring at least one of the coating nozzles (2, 3) from the working position (A) into the maintenance position (W).

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second supply line section (4, 8) are connected with one another via a thrust joint (35; 40).

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that at least one coating nozzle (2, 3) is transferable by a linear motion from the working position into the maintenance position (A, W) and is transferable by an opposite linear motion from the maintenance position into the working position (W, A), wherein also the first supply line section (4) is linearly slidingly displaced relative B to the second supply line section (8).

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that both coating nozzles (2, 3) are arranged lying opposite one another in their respective working position (A).

17. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that both coating nozzles (2, 3) are transferable opposite one another from their respective working position (A) into their s maintenance position (W) and back.

18. Method of using the apparatus according to claim 1 for producing a prepreg by coating a fiber-containing flat material web (10), especially of glass or carbon filaments, wherein the coating nozzles (2, 3) are transferred from a maintenance position (W) into a working position (A) in order to apply coating material onto the running flat material web (10).

Description

[0026] Further advantages of the invention are described in the following example embodiments. It is shown by:

[0027] FIG. 1 a side view of an apparatus according to the invention with two coating nozzles located in working position, which are pivotable opposite one another by means of a toggle lever device;

[0028] FIG. 2 a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in maintenance position;

[0029] FIG. 3 a side view of the two coating nozzles of FIGS. 1 and 2, in working position (rotated by 90 relative to the illustration in FIG. 1);

[0030] FIG. 4 a top plan view onto the two coating nozzles of FIG. 3, in working position;

[0031] FIG. 5 a side view of the two coating nozzles of FIGS. 3 and 4, in maintenance position;

[0032] FIG. 6 a top plan view onto the two coating nozzles of FIGS. 3 to 5, in maintenance position;

[0033] FIG. 7 a sectioned side view of a coating nozzle of FIGS. 3 to 6, in working position;

[0034] FIG. 8 a sectioned side view of a coating nozzle as in FIG. 7, however in maintenance position;

[0035] FIG. 9 a side view of an apparatus with two coating nozzles (illustrated with dashed lines) that are linearly slidable opposite one another, and that are located in working position;

[0036] FIG. 10 a front view onto the apparatus of FIG. 9 (coating nozzles not illustrated);

[0037] FIG. 11 a side view of the apparatus of FIGS. 8 and 9 with coating nozzles (illustrated with dashed lines) slidingly shifted or displaced into maintenance position;

[0038] FIG. 12 a front view onto the apparatus of FIG. 11 (coating nozzles not illustrated);

[0039] FIG. 13 a rear view of an alternative apparatus with two coating nozzles (illustrated with dashed lines) that are linearly slidable opposite one another, and that are located in working position;

[0040] FIG. 14 a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 13 (coating nozzles not illustrated);

[0041] FIG. 15 a rear view as in FIG. 13, however with supply line sections that are linearly slidingly shifted or displaced opposite one another (coating nozzles illustrated with dashed lines), and

[0042] FIG. 16 a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 15 (coating nozzles not illustrated);

[0043] In the following description, the same reference numbers are used for the same features that are identical and/or at least comparable in their embodiment and/or manner of operation in w various different embodiment forms. Insofar as these are not again explained in detail, then their embodiment and/or manner of operation corresponds to the embodiment and/or manner of operation of the previously already described features.

[0044] In a side view, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an apparatus 1 with two coating nozzles 2, 3, which are reproduced alone in individual illustrations in FIGS. 3 to 6. In FIG. 1, the coating nozzles 2, 3 are illustrated in a working position A, in which their nozzle slits 6 lie opposite one another and a flat material web 10 is guided through between them. The flat material web 10 consists, for example, of parallel extending carbon filaments that are to be adhesively bonded with one another. For this, a molten coating material, for example a polyamide (e.g. PA6) or polyester (PET), with a temperature of approximately 300 C. and higher and a high working or processing pressure (e.g. at 200 bar) is applied by means of the coating nozzles 2, 3 onto the running flat material web 10 from both sides thereof. After leaving the coating nozzles 2, 3, the coating material cools down and thereby solidifies or consolidates the flat material web 10, which can then be further processed for the production of especially three-dimensional workpieces.

[0045] For supplying the fluid or liquid coating material, the example embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8 comprises a common or joint supply line section 12, which is connected by means of a flange 14 onto a supply line section that is arranged upstream or before it and that leads to a reservoir or supply unit for the coating material (not illustrated). Downstream, two second supply line sections 8 branch off from the common supply line section 12, wherein the two second supply line sections 8 are embodied T-shaped together with the common supply line section 12. At the downstream end of each second supply line section 8, a first supply line section 4 is provided, whereby the respective first and second supply line section 4, 8 are connected with one another respectively by means of a rotation joint 30, which will be described further below. The respective first supply line section 4 leads to the coating nozzle 2 or respectively the coating nozzle 3, which respectively comprise a nozzle slit 6, which can be delivered or provided to the flat material web 10 in the working position A.

[0046] The first and second supply line sections 4, 8 as well as also the common supply line section 12 are embodied as rigid, that is to say not flexible, preferably of a metal and especially of stainless steel. They comprise throughflow channels 4a, 8a and 12a, which, in the position pivoted into the working position A, enable a throughgoing flow of coating material from the supply unit to the nozzle slits 6. For this, at least a few or some of the supply line sections 4, 8, 12 are surrounded at least section-wise with heating devices, for example heating wires (not illustrated). The supply line sections preferably of stainless steel provide excellent conduction of the heat, so that the coating material flowing through them can be maintained in the molten state without problems. It is noted that corresponding heating devices are also provided in the apparatuses of the remaining example embodiments (FIGS. 9 to 12 and FIGS. 13 to 16).

[0047] Furthermore, each one of the two first supply line sections 4 is connected rigidly with the respective coating nozzle 2 or 3, for example through welding or a screwed connection, so that only a common motion of the respective first supply line section 4 and coating nozzle 2 or 3 is possible. On the other hand, the second supply line sections 8 always remain in their position; during the transferring, only the respective first supply line section 4 and the associated coating nozzle 2 or 3 are moved from the working position A into the maintenance position W and back.

[0048] In the working position A, the respective first and second supply line section 4, 8 are oriented to one another in such a manner so that their throughflow channels 4a, 8a adjoin on one another in order to enable the throughflow of the coating material to the respective coating nozzle 2, 3. For this, according to the present example embodiment, the throughflow channel 8a of the second supply line section 8 is guided or led in the throughflow direction radially from the outside toward the inside to the first supply line section 4. Next subsequentlyseen in the throughflow directionthe throughflow channel 4a comprises a 90 bend or curve and runs in the axial direction of the throughflow channel 4a, in order to then open and transition into the nozzle slit 6again after a 90 bend or curve. This subject matter is illustrated more exactly in a side sectional view in FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIG. 7, the throughflow channel 8a of the second supply line section 8 leads from the bottom in the radial direction of the first supply line section 4 and transitions in a throughgoing or continuous manner into its throughflow channel 4a. Connected thereto (perpendicularly to the image plane of FIG. 4), the throughflow channel 4a extends in the axial direction of the first supply line section 4. The flow of the coating material is identified with arrows F (FIG. 7).

[0049] In FIG. 8, the first supply line section 4 and the coating nozzle 2 are illustrated pivoted by 90 relative to the working position A into the maintenance position W, see arrow S in FIG. 8. During this pivoting, the convex wall 5 of the first supply line section 4 seals the free or open end of the throughflow channel 8a of the second supply line section 8. Thereby the convex wall 5 of the first supply line section 4 slides along the open end of the throughflow channel 8a, until it is closed by the said convex wall 5. Thereby the flow of the coating material is stopped by the transferring of the coating nozzle 2 or 3 from the working position A into the maintenance position Wand is again released or permitted by the corresponding reverse motion.

[0050] As indicated above, the two coating nozzles 2, 3 are respectively embodied to be pivotable by means of a rotation joint 30 about respectively a pivot axis 31 (see FIGS. 4 and 6), so that the coating nozzles 2, 3 are pivotable from a working position A (FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 7) into a maintenance position W (FIGS. 2, 5, 6, 8) and back. For this, the first supply line sections 4 are rotatably supported in respectively one stationary bearing element 11 (see FIGS. 4, 6, 7, 8). The pivot angle for each coating nozzle 2, 3 amounts to preferably 90, so that the entire angle between the two coating nozzles 2, 3 in the pivoted-open state (see FIG. 5) amounts to 180. As can be seen especially in FIGS. 2 and 5, the two nozzle slits 6 are comfortably accessible without problems when the coating nozzles 2, 3 are pivoted into the maintenance position W, in order to remove, for example, compacted or upset fibers or broken filament pieces from them.

[0051] In order to realize the mentioned pivoting motion, a toggle lever device 17 is provided, which presently provides one toggle lever mechanism per coating nozzle 2 or 3. For this, respectively a telescopic spring 18 is pivotably jointed by a joint 19 on a base frame 16. The telescopic spring 18 can be actuated manually and/or pneumatically or hydraulically. The other end of the telescopic spring 18 is pivotably jointed onto a connecting piece 21 by means of a joint 20. The connecting piece 21 is connected with a rod 22, of which one end is similarly pivotably jointed on the base frame 16 by means of a joint 23 and of which the other end is pivotably jointed onto a further rod 25 by means of a joint 24. In turn, this rod 25 is pivotably jointed onto the coating nozzle 3 by means of a joint 26 (an analogous arrangement pertains for the coating nozzle 2). In FIG. 1, the telescopic spring 18 is located in the extended state or condition, whereby the toggle lever presses the coating nozzle 3 (or 2) into the working position A. If the telescopic spring 18 is transferred into the retracted position (FIG. 2), then the associated coating nozzle 3 or 2 including the respective first supply line section 4 pivots into the maintenance position W due to the kinking or toggling of the rod 25 relative to the rod 22. This motion is reversible by extending the telescopic spring 18.

[0052] As can additionally be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the two toggle lever mechanisms can operate independently of one another, so that also only one of the two coating nozzles 2 or 3 is pivoted (for example into the maintenance position W for cleaning the nozzle slit 6), while the other coating nozzle 3 or 2 remains in its current momentary position.

[0053] An alternative embodiment for realizing a relative motion of the first and second supply line section 4, 8 is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12. Instead of a rotation joint 30 (FIGS. 1 to 8), a thrust joint 35 is provided, with which the first supply line section 4 and therewith also the coating nozzle 2 or 3 connected to it by means of respectively a flange 27 (which is shown only in FIGS. 9, 11, 13 and 15 with dashed lines for better overview clarity), can be linearly shifted or displaced in order to transfer them from a working position A (FIGS. 9 and 10) into a maintenance position W (FIGS. 11 and 12). For this, respectively one of the two supply line sections 4, 8 is embodied section-wise in respectively one of two slide bearing elements 11, which respectively comprise two bores or bored holes that are perpendicular to one another. The one bore forms a part of the throughflow channel 4a of the first supply line section 4, while the other extends perpendicularly to the first mentioned one and embodies a part of the throughflow channel 8a of the second supply line section 8. The two bearing elements 11 are thus also a part of the respective first supply line sections 4 and a part of the respective second supply line sections 8.

[0054] In the maintenance position W, the two coating nozzles 2, 3 are spaced apart relatively far from one another, so that they are relatively easily accessible from the bottom side or the side of the nozzle slits 6. In the working position A, the two coating nozzles 2, 3 form a thin gap between them, between which the flat material web 10 is guided through (not shown in FIGS. 9 to 10; the through-running direction of the flat material web extends into the drawing plane of FIGS. 9 and 11).

[0055] In the side view of FIG. 9 and the front view of FIG. 10, a common or joint supply line section 12 is reproduced, which is connectable by means of a flange 14 with a reservoir or supply unit (again not illustrated). The common supply line section 12 has this name because it supplies coating material to both coating nozzles 2, 3. In the illustrated example embodiment, the common supply line section 12 is also a part of the second supply line section 8, relative to which the second coating nozzle 3 (which is the upper one in FIGS. 9 to 12) is slidably arranged. In the further extension of this common supply line section 12, it transitions into a single second supply line section 8 after passing the upper thrust joint 35 for the second coating nozzle 3, whereby this second supply line section 8 leads to the lower thrust joint 35 for the first coating nozzle 2. The entire second supply line section 8 from the flange 14 until its free end that also passes the lower thrust joint 35 is embodied as a rigid pipe 15, along which the two rigid first supply line sections 4 and the coating nozzles 2, 3 connected with it are linearly slidably arranged.

[0056] The free end of the respective first supply line sections 4 seals respectively one opening in the second supply line sections 8, in order to enable a throughflow through the throughflow channels 4a, 8a thereof to the respective coating nozzle 2, 3 in the working position A (FIGS. 9 and 10). Upon the sliding displacement of the coating nozzles 2, 3 toward the bottom or toward the top, the two openings of the second supply line sections 8 are sealed by the walls of the bored hole running parallel to the pipe 15 in the bearing elements 11. The open ends of the throughflow channels 4a facing toward the pipe 15, on the other hand, are sealed by the wall of the pipe 15, so that a return flow of the coating material is prevented.

[0057] FIGS. 13 to 16 illustrate a further variant of a linearly slidable arrangement of the first supply line sections 4, as well as of the coating nozzles 2 or 3 rigidly connected therewith (only reproduced in FIGS. 13 and 15 and there also shown only in dashed lines) on the one hand, and of the second supply line sections 8 on the other hand. The corresponding thrust joints 40 of this embodiment are embodied similarly to the thrust joints 35 according to FIGS. 9 to 12.

[0058] Corresponding to the example embodiment of FIGS. 13 to 16, there is provided a common supply line section 12, which is connected by means of a flange 14 to a reservoir or supply unit (not illustrated) arranged upstreamif applicable via further intermediately connected supply line sectionsand two short second supply line sections 8 branch off in opposite directions from the common supply line section 12. At their ends, these short second supply line sections 8in the working position A of the coating nozzles 2, 4abut on the free ends of first supply line sections 4, which run at an angle of 90 in opposite directions to the coating nozzles 2, 3. The first supply line sections 4 and the coating nozzles 2, 3 are again in turn connected with one another by flanges 27.

[0059] The two first supply line sections 4 are again in turn led or formed in a block-like bearing element 11, whereby each first supply line section 4 comprises a cylindrical extension piece 41 without a bored hole, which extension piece 41 is connected integrally as one piece with the respective supply line section 4 and extends in the direction away from the respective flange 27. In the maintenance position W (FIGS. 15 and 16), these extension pieces 41 seal the free open ends of the second supply line sections 8. In the working position A (FIGS. 13 and 14), on the other hand, the throughflow channels 4a, 8a again in turn enable a through-going flow of the coating material to the two coating nozzles 2, 3. For this, each throughflow channel 4a is first formed by a bored hole extending parallel to the throughflow channel 8a in the bearing element 11, which bored hole transitions into a supply line section 4a that extends perpendicularly thereto and that is once again bent by 90 on its path to the coating nozzle 2 or 3, until it ends in the respective flange 27.

[0060] All of the fit tolerances in the area of the parts that rotate or slide relative to one another are embodied so tight and with such a smooth surface quality, so that a sealing is ensured due to the tight gap at the given viscosity of the melt.

[0061] Regarding the example embodiment of FIGS. 13 to 16, it is to be mentioned that parts of the supply line sections 4, 8 and 12 are embodied in the bearing element 11.

[0062] The invention makes it possible to produce prepregs through coating a fiber-containing flat material web 10, especially of glass or carbon filaments, by means of one of the above described apparatuses, wherein the coating nozzles are transferred from the maintenance position W into a working position A in order to apply coating material onto the running flat material web 10.

[0063] The present invention is not limited to the illustrated and described example embodiments. Derivations or modifications within the scope of the patent claims are also possible just like a combination of the features, even when these are illustrated and described in different example embodiments. For example it is possible to coat two or more flat material webs simultaneously, in that two or more such flat material webs run next to one another through the apparatus according to the invention.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

[0064] 1 apparatus

[0065] 2 first coating nozzle

[0066] 3 second coating nozzle

[0067] 4 first supply line section

[0068] 4a throughflow channel

[0069] 5 convex wall

[0070] 6 nozzle slit

[0071] 8 second supply line section

[0072] 8a throughflow channel

[0073] 10 flat material web

[0074] 11 bearing element

[0075] 12 common or joint supply line section

[0076] 12a common or joint throughflow channel

[0077] 14 flange

[0078] 15 pipe

[0079] 16 base frame

[0080] 17 toggle lever device

[0081] 18 telescopic spring

[0082] 19 joint

[0083] 20 joint

[0084] 21 connecting piece

[0085] 22 rod

[0086] 23 joint

[0087] 24 joint

[0088] 25 rod

[0089] 26 joint

[0090] 27 flange

[0091] 30 rotation joint

[0092] 31 pivot axis

[0093] 35 thrust joint

[0094] 40 thrust joint

[0095] 41 extension piece

[0096] A working position

[0097] W maintenance position

[0098] F flow of the coating material

[0099] S pivoting motion