Method of and apparatus for manufacturing bloomed fiber material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9968492-B2
Application number	US-201415110353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2014
Priority date	Jan 8, 2014
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A bloomed fiber material (bloomed tow) is manufactured through a process including: spreading a crimped tow in its width direction by a preliminary blooming device; performing primary blooming to bloom the tow by a primary blooming device; dividing the tow into at least two divided tows by a dividing device; cutting a parting between the divided tows by a cutting device; and performing secondary blooming to bloom the divided tows by a secondary blooming device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material, the method comprising:
spreading a crimped tow in a width direction of the tow;
performing primary blooming to bloom the tow that has been spread in the width direction;
dividing the tow that has undergone the primary blooming into at least two divided tows;
cutting a parting between the divided tows; and
performing secondary blooming to bloom the divided tows.

2. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 1 , wherein
performing the secondary blooming includes:
separating filaments of each of the divided tows from one another;
forming each of the divided tows into an intended shape; and
reducing tensile strength of each of the divided tows.

3. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 1 , wherein
performing the secondary blooming includes separating filaments of each of the divided tows from one another by a blooming jet.

4. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 1 , wherein
performing the primary blooming includes separating filaments of the tow from one another by a pair of blooming rollers.

5. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 1 , wherein
cutting the parting includes cutting filaments of the parting between the divided tows by a rotating disc cutter.

6. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 1 , wherein
dividing the tow includes separating the divided tows apart from each other in the width direction by a guide member that guides movement of the divided tows.

7. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 2 , wherein
cutting the parting includes cutting filaments of the parting between the divided tows by a rotating disc cutter.

8. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 3 , wherein
cutting the parting includes cutting filaments of the parting between the divided tows by a rotating disc cutter.

9. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 4 , wherein
cutting the parting includes cutting filaments of the parting between the divided tows by a rotating disc cutter.

10. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 2 , wherein
dividing the tow includes separating the divided tows apart from each other in the width direction by a guide member that guides movement of the divided tows.

11. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 3 , wherein
dividing the tow includes separating the divided tows apart from each other in the width direction by a guide member that guides movement of the divided tows.

12. The method of manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 4 , wherein
dividing the tow includes separating the divided tows apart from each other in the width direction by a guide member that guides movement of the divided tows.

13. An apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material, comprising:
a preliminary blooming device configured to spread a crimped tow in a width direction of the tow;
a primary blooming device configured to perform primary blooming to bloom the tow that has been spread in the width direction;
a dividing device configured to divide the tow that has undergone the primary blooming into at least two divided tows;
a cutting device configured to cut a parting between the divided tows; and
a secondary blooming device configured to perform secondary blooming to bloom the divided tows.

14. The apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 13 , wherein
the secondary blooming device includes a blooming jet.

15. The apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 14 , wherein
a nozzle of the blooming jet is cylindrical.

16. The apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 13 , wherein
the primary blooming device includes a pair of blooming rollers.

17. The apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 13 , wherein
the cutting device includes a rotating disc cutter.

18. The apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 13 , wherein
the dividing device includes a guide member that guides movement of the divided tows, such that the divided tows are separated apart from each other in the width direction.

19. The apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 14 , wherein
the cutting device includes a rotating disc cutter.

20. The apparatus for manufacturing a bloomed fiber material according to claim 15 , wherein
the cutting device includes a rotating disc cutter.

Assignees

• Daicel Corp

Inventors

• Nagata Shingo
• Shigematsu Masato
• Morioka Toshiyuki

Classifications

• D02J1/18

  Separating or spreading · CPC title

• A61F13/15723 Primary

  Partitioning batts; Cutting · CPC title

• D02G1/161

  yarn crimping air jets · CPC title

• A61F13/15666

  Wrapping formed fibrous webs or pads, e.g. the pads being formed by uniting pad pieces cut from fibrous webs · CPC title