Suction device

Abstract

A suction device configured to reliably support or transfer a fiber material web made from glass fibers, fleece material or paper, the suction device including a first guide roller and a second guide roller; a suction box arranged between the first guide roller and the second guide roller; and a permeable clothing that runs over the first guide roller, the second guide roller and the suction box, wherein the suction box includes an operating surface configured to impart a vacuum upon the permeable clothing that runs over the operating surface and upon the fiber material web transported on the permeable clothing during operations, wherein the operating surface is arranged and sized so that it essentially bridges an entire path traveled by the clothing between the first guide roller and the second guide roller; an additional guide roller and an additional suction box over which the permeable clothing is run.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A suction device configured to reliably support or transfer a fiber material web, the suction device comprising:
 a first guide roller and a second guide roller;   a suction box arranged between the first guide roller and the second guide roller; and   a permeable clothing that runs over the first guide roller, the second guide roller and the suction box,   wherein the suction box includes an operating surface configured to impart a vacuum upon the permeable clothing that runs over the operating surface and upon the fiber material web transported on the permeable clothing during operations,   wherein the operating surface is arranged and sized so that it essentially bridges an entire path traveled by the clothing between the first guide roller and the second guide roller;   an additional guide roller and an additional suction box over which the permeable clothing is run,   wherein the additional suction box includes an additional operating surface that is configured to impart a vacuum upon the permeable clothing that is run over the additional operating surface and upon the fiber material web transported on the permeable clothing,   wherein the additional operating surface is arranged and sized so that it essentially bridges an entire path traveled by the permeable clothing between the additional guide roller and one of the first guide roller and the second suction roller, and   wherein the additional suction box is arranged between the first guide roller and the additional guide roller.   
     
     
         2 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first guide roller or the second guide roller is not provided with the vacuum. 
     
     
         3 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction box includes a first cambered side wall that is adapted to a diameter of the first guide roller or a second cambered side wall that is adapted to a diameter of the second guide roller. 
     
     
         4 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction box includes a connection at one of two side walls between the first guide roller and the second guide roller so that the suction box is connectable by the connection with a vacuum source. 
     
     
         5 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction box includes at least one format slide configured to adjust a width of the operating surface to a width of the fiber material web. 
     
     
         6 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first guide roller, the second guide roller and the additional guide roller are arranged on an identical side of the permeable clothing. 
     
     
         7 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the additional suction box is configured to apply a different or stronger vacuum upon the permeable clothing and the fiber material web transported thereon compared to the vacuum of the suction box between the first guide roller and the second guide roller during operations. 
     
     
         8 . The suction device according to  claim 6 , wherein a rotation axis of the first guide roller, the second guide roller, and the additional guide roller are not arranged in a common plane but arranged on an enveloping surface of a circular cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support roller arranged on a side of the first guide roller, the second guide roller and the additional guide roller that is oriented away from the permeable clothing,   wherein the support roller is in supporting contact with the first guide roller, the second guide roller and the additional guide roller.   
     
     
         10 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating surface is configured essentially flat so that the permeable clothing and the fiber material web transported thereon are run in a straight line from the first guide roller to the second guide roller during operations. 
     
     
         11 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating surface is cambered convex so that the permeable clothing and the fiber material web transported thereon are not run in a straight line from the first guide roller to the second guide roller during operations. 
     
     
         12 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating surface has an open surface area between 20% and 100% where the vacuum is applied to the permeable clothing and the fiber material web transported thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The suction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber material web is made from glass fibers, fleece material or paper. 
     
     
         14 . A machine for producing or finishing a fiber material web, the machine comprising: at least one suction device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the fiber material web is made from glass fibers, fleece material or paper. 
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 using a suction device according to  claim 1  for transferring a fiber material web between two portions in a machine for producing or finishing the fiber material web or between functional units of the two portions.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the operating surface between the first guide roller and the second guide roller includes a retaining zone,   wherein the additional operating surface includes a pick up zone, and   wherein an open surface area of the retaining zone differs from an open surface area surface of the pickup zone so that a stronger vacuum is applied to the permeable clothing and the fiber material web transported thereon in the retaining zone, than in the pickup zone.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the fiber material web includes long fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the fiber material web is transferred by closed transfer.