Apparatus and method for hydrodynamic entanglement of non-wovens, wovens and knits

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for hydrodynamic entanglement of non-wovens, wovens and knits, comprising an entanglement system having at least one water bar and a drum or endless belt, between which a fibre web is transported and entangled. The invention is characterised in that before the water bar, seen in the running direction of the fibre web, there is arranged a compacting device, which compresses the fibre web on the drum or endless belt.

1 . Apparatus for hydrodynamic entanglement of non-wovens, wovens and knits, comprising an entanglement system having at least one water bar and a drum or endless belt, between which a fibre web is transported and entangled, characterised in that before the water bar, seen in the running direction of the fibre web, there is arranged a compacting device, which is integrated on or into the entanglement system and which compresses the fibre web on the drum or endless belt, the compacting device having at least one compacting plate, which presses the fibre web onto the drum endless belt. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the compacting plate is arranged to be fixed to the water bar. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the compacting plate is arranged to be fixed to a carrier. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , characterised in that the carrier is arranged to be pivotable. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the compacting plate compresses the fibre web with biasing. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , characterised in that the biasing is produced by means of the resilience of the compacting plate and/or by a contact pressure application apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that a forward edge or trailing edge of the compacting plate is positioned directly at the water jet. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the trailing edge of the compacting plate covers over at least part of the suction regions of an aperture and/or run-in regions arranged in the drum. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the spacing of the trailing edge to the water jet is arranged to be reduced to 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the trailing edge of the compacting plate is constructed to slide over the fibre web. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the trailing edge of the compacting plate is constructed to roll over the fibre web. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the compacting plate is made of metal, plastics or a composite material. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the compacting plate has a thickness of from 0.1 to 3 mm, preferably of from 0.15 to 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the compacting plate is provided with teflon or a nano-coating. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the trailing edge of the compacting plate has a wavy shape or toothed arrangement. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the trailing edge of the compacting plate has apertures or a perforated arrangement. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the spacing of the compacting plate to the drum or endless belt is adjustable. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the pressure of the water bar is between 10 and 100 bar, preferably between 20 and 40 bar. 
     
     
         20 . Method for hydrodynamic entanglement of non-wovens, wovens and knits, wherein a fibre web is transported between a water bar and a drum or endless belt and entangled, characterised in that the fibre web is, directly before the water bar, compressed on the drum or endless belt by means of a compacting device so that floating of the fibres is prevented. 
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 20 , characterised in that compressing is brought about by a compacting device sliding or rolling on the fibre web 
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 20 , characterised in that, as a result of the compaction, the strength of the fibre web in the longitudinal direction is arranged to be increased