Device and method for thermosetting a knitted fabric

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11931948-B2
Application number	US-201916526619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2019
Priority date	Jul 31, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

A device for thermosetting a knitted fabric includes a first tool half and a second tool half. The first tool half and the second tool half in a closed position enclose a cavity in which the knitted fabric is receivable. Each of the first tool half and the second tool half have a respective shape-imparting effective surface by way of which an external form of the knitted fabric is determinable. The device further includes a heating installation where thermal energy is introducible into the knitted fabric via the heating installation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for thermosetting and calibrating a knitted fabric, comprising the steps of:
disposing the knitted fabric on an effective surface of a first tool half of a calibration tool that has a second tool half and thermosetting the knitted fabric by impinging the knitted fabric via temperature when the knitted fabric is disposed on the effective surface of the first tool half of the calibration tool that has the second tool half;
after the thermosetting, closing the calibration tool such that a cavity in which the knitted fabric is disposed is generated between the first tool half and the second tool half of the calibration tool and calibrating the knitted fabric between the closed first tool half and second tool half of the calibration tool;
opening the calibration tool; and
demolding the knitted fabric from the first tool half.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of impinging comprises flowing a temperature-controlled medium by the knitted fabric.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the temperature-controlled medium is air or steam.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the temperature-controlled medium has a temperature in a range from 90° C. to 170° C.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of actively cooling the knitted fabric once the knitted fabric has reached a predetermined temperature.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of cooling the knitted fabric by introducing a temperature-controlled medium into the cavity via an infeed duct in at least one of the first tool half and the second tool half.

7. A method for producing a knitted fabric, comprising the steps of:
generating a knitted fabric;
cleaning the knitted fabric; and
thermosetting and calibrating the knitted fabric by the method according to claim 1 .

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the knitted fabric is a 3D knitted fabric.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the step of cleaning comprises cleaning by washing in a liquid.

10. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of introducing a compressible intermediate tier between an effective surface of the first tool half or the second tool half and a surface of the knitted fabric.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the knitted fabric includes eyelets knitted into the knitted fabric.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Aumann Thomas
• Dechant Florian
• Gasslhuber Johann

Classifications

• B29C51/004 Primary

  Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics fibres (combined with plastic layers B29C51/145; compression moulding of reinforced plastic articles in matched moulds B29C70/46; using pressure difference B29C70/44) · CPC title

• B29C70/46

  using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs · CPC title

• D06C7/02 Primary

  Setting · CPC title