Device for dewatering or cleaning a fabric in a paper machine, and paper machine comprising such a device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for dewatering or cleaning a fabric in a paper machine, the device ( 1 ) comprising—a contact portion ( 2 ) arranged on a first side of the device ( 1 ) for contacting a fabric in a paper machine,—an air device ( 4 ) for transporting air to or from the fabric, the air device being operatively connected to at least one opening ( 3 ) in the first side for supplying or removing air through the at least one opening, and—a vibration generator ( 5 ) operatively connected to the contact portion and configured to cause a vibration of the contact portion during operation of the device. The invention also relates to a paper machine ( 100, 100′ ) comprising at least one such device.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . Device for dewatering or cleaning a fabric in a paper machine, the device ( 1 ) comprising:
 a contact portion ( 2 ) arranged on a first side (A) of the device ( 1 ) for contacting a fabric in a paper machine,   an air device ( 4 ) for transporting air to or from the fabric, the air device ( 4 ) being operatively connected to at least one opening ( 3 ) in the first side (A) for supplying or removing air through the at least one opening ( 3 ), and   a vibration generator ( 5 ) operatively connected to the contact portion ( 2 ) and configured to cause a vibration of the contact portion ( 2 ) during operation of the device ( 1 ).   
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one opening ( 3 ) is arranged in a downstream end (DS) of the first side (A) and the contact portion ( 2 ) is arranged in an upstream end (US) of the first side (A). 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one opening ( 3 ) is arranged in an upstream end (US) and the contact portion ( 2 ) is arranged in a downstream end (DS) of the first side (A). 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one opening ( 3 ) is arranged in the contact portion ( 2 ) such that air is supplied to or removed from the fabric through the contact portion ( 2 ). 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the air device ( 4 ) is a suction device for sucking air from the fabric into the opening. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the air device is an air knife for blowing air out of the opening to the fabric. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the vibration generator ( 5 ) is configured to operate with a frequency of at least 10 KHz. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the vibration generator ( 5 ) is configured to operate with a frequency of either: at least 15 kHz, or at least 20 kHz. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the vibration generator ( 5 ) is configured to cause an amplitude of at least 10 μm of the contact portion during operation of the device. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the vibration generator ( 5 ) is configured to cause an amplitude of either (a) at least 15 μm, or (b) at least 20 μm, of the contact portion during operation of the device. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 17 , further comprising at least two contact portions ( 2   a,    2   b ), and wherein the vibration generator ( 5 ) is operatively connected to each of the contact portions ( 2   a,    2   b ) and configured to cause them to vibrate independently of each other. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the contact portion ( 2 ) is a cylinder, and wherein a plurality of openings ( 3 ) is distributed in the contact portion ( 2 ) for enabling transport of air through the contact portion ( 2 ). 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the cylinder is a TAD cylinder for a paper machine. 
     
     
         30 . Paper machine comprising at least one device ( 1 ) according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         31 . The paper machine according to  claim 30 , wherein at least one device ( 1 ) is arranged in a forming section ( 10 ,  10 ′) of the paper machine ( 100 ,  100 ′) and configured to dewater a first fabric ( 71 ,  71 ′) carrying a paper web. 
     
     
         32 . The paper machine according to  claim 30 , wherein at least one device ( 1 ) is arranged in a press section ( 20 ,  20 ′) of the paper machine ( 100 ,  100 ′) and configured to dewater a second fabric ( 72 ,  72 ′) carrying a paper web. 
     
     
         33 . The paper machine according to  claim 30 , wherein at least one device ( 1 ) is arranged in a structuring section ( 30 ) of the paper machine ( 100 ,  100 ′) and configured to dewater a third fabric ( 73 ) carrying a paper web, and wherein the structuring section ( 30 ) is a through air drying section, TAD. 
     
     
         34 . The paper machine according to  claim 30 , wherein at least one device ( 1 ) is arranged in a drying section ( 40 ,  40 ′) of the paper machine ( 100 ,  100 ′) and configured to dewater a fabric carrying a paper web. 
     
     
         35 . The paper machine according to  claim 30 , wherein at least one device ( 1 ) is arranged in a cleaning section ( 60 ,  60 ′) for cleaning a fabric.