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(11) | EP 1 818 433 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Yarn processing nozzle |
| (57) A yarn processing nozzle which reduces deposits on the nozzle to provide high productivity
is disclosed. The nozzle is provided with a core having an inlet end, an outlet end,
a yarn channel penetrating the core from the inlet end to the outlet end, which is
capable of having the yarns running therein, and an injection duct opening into the
yarn channel for supplying the jet around the yarns; a coating consisting essentially
of an inorganic solid matter of carbon or carbon compounds, the coating being coated
on the inlet end, the outlet end, and an internal surface of the yarn channel of the
core; and a nozzle housing air-tightly supporting the core.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a yarn processing nozzle for processing one or more yarns into a textured yarn with utilizing a jet of air.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0002] In known processes for producing a yarn, a plurality of raw yarns are bundled or threaded with each other, and in certain cases further texturized into a twisted or loosened yarn. The texturizing process frequently utilizes a nozzle configured to make a jet of air in a swirling stream therein. The raw yarns with the swirling air are made to run through the nozzle and are then twisted or loosened to have a specific texture. As friction occurs between the running yarns and the nozzle, liquid for reducing friction, such as water, is applied on any or all of the yarns prior to running into the nozzle. However, some substances contained in the water, such as calcium or magnesium salt, as well as oil adhered to the yarns and monomers which are a raw of the yarns, tend to be deposited on an internal surface of the nozzle. Such deposits severely deteriorate quality of the produced yarn. To prevent deterioration of quality, process operators must frequently stop their process to clean up the deposits from the nozzle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a yarn processing nozzle for production of a textured yarn with utilizing a jet of air, by which deposits on the nozzle are reduced and hence labor of removal of the deposits is reduced.
[0004] An aspect of the present invention is a yarn processing nozzle for supplying a jet of air around one or more yarns to bundle and texturize the yarns. The nozzle is provided with a core having an inlet end, an outlet end, a yarn channel penetrating the core from the inlet end to the outlet end, which is capable of having the yarns running therein, and an injection duct opening into the yarn channel for supplying the jet around the yarns; a coating consisting essentially of an inorganic solid matter of carbon or carbon compounds, the coating being coated on the inlet end, the outlet end, and an internal surface of the yarn channel of the core; and a nozzle housing air-tightly supporting the core.
[0005] Preferably in the nozzle, the inorganic solid matter of carbon or carbon compounds is one selected from the group of diamond, diamond-like carbon, titanium carbide and titanium carbonitride. More preferably, the yarn processing nozzle further has an intermediate layer intervening between the coating and the core. Further preferably, a thickness of the coating is from 0.05 µm to 50 µm. Further more preferably, the core and the nozzle housing are formed in a unitary body. Still preferably, the internal surface of the yarn channel includes a conical surface opening to the inlet end and a rounded periphery opening to the outlet end. Still more preferably, the nozzle housing further comprises an air supply tube and a hollow communicating with the air supply tube, where the hollow and the core defines an air chamber for temporarily reserving air supplied from the air supply tube and discharging the air to the injection duct.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006]
Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a yarn processing nozzle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figs. 2A and 2B are partial side views of the yarn processing nozzle respectively taken from arrows IIA and IIB illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 2C is a sectional view taken from a line IIC-IIC of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a yarn processor to which the nozzle of the present embodiment is applied;
Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of a yarn processing nozzle of a comparative example, in which a coating is omitted from the nozzle of the present embodiment;
Figs. 5A and 5B are partial side views of the yarn processing nozzle respectively taken from arrows VA and VB illustrated in Fig. 4; and
Fig. 5C is a sectional view taken from a line VC-VC of Fig. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to appended drawings.
[0008] Referring to Fig. 3, a yarn processor 1 is provided with a casing 3 for housing and supporting a yarn processing nozzle 5. Further referring to Fig. 1 in combination with Fig. 3, from one side to another of the yarn processing nozzle 5, a core filament yarn C1 and a sheath filament yarn E1 run through the yarn processing nozzle 5 and are therein processed to be a processed yarn Y1.
[0009] Yarn guides 17 and 19 are provided on an upper wall 3U of the casing 3, through which the yarns C1 and E1 are introduced into the casing 3. The casing 3 is further provided with yarn guides 23 and 25 on a right wall 3R thereof so as to guide the introduced yarns C1 and E1 to the yarn processing nozzle 5. The casing 3 is further provided with a water nozzle 13 obliquely upward from the yarn processing nozzle 5. The water nozzle 13 is provided with a water application portion 15 configured to apply proper liquid, namely hot water in the present embodiment, on the core filament yarn C1. The yarn guides 17 and 23 and the water application portion 15 are so dimensioned that the core filament yarn C1 runs through the water application portion 15. A front wall 3F of the casing 3 is provided with a yarn guide 21 to lead a processed yarn Y1 out of the yarn processing nozzle 5 to the exterior of the casing 3.
[0010] A tube 27 links a water supply tank (not shown) with the water nozzle 13 so as to supply the water contained in the tank to the water nozzle 13. An air supply tube 33 links an air supply (not shown) with the yarn processing nozzle 5 so as to supply the air pressurized by the air supply to the yarn processing nozzle 5.
[0011] Above the casing 3, feed rollers 35 and 37 respectively substantially aligned with the yarn guides 17 and 19 are provided for feeding the core filament yarn C1 and the sheath filament yarn E1 into the casing 3. Further, below the casing 3, drawer rollers 39 substantially aligned with the yarn guide 21 are provided for drawing the processed yarn Y1 out of the casing 3.
[0012] Referring to Fig. 1, the yarn processing nozzle 5 is provided with a nozzle housing 7 detachably supporting a nozzle core 9. Intervening between the nozzle housing 7 and the nozzle core 9, O-rings 8 ensure air-tightness. The nozzle housing 7 has a hollow 31 disposed between grooves for the 0-ring 8 and linked with the air supply tube 33. The hollow 31 and an outer periphery of the nozzle core 9 are so dimensioned as to define an air chamber for temporarily reserving air supplied from the air supply tube 33. The air chamber contributes to stabilization of pressure of the air.
[0013] The nozzle core 9 has a yarn channel 11 penetrating the nozzle core 9 from an end 11C to another end 11B to enable the core filament yarn C1 and the sheath filament yarn E1 to run through the yarn channel 11 in this direction. To facilitate introduction of the yarns into the yarn channel 11, an inlet opening at the end 11C is formed in a cone shape. Further, to prevent the yarn from being caught, a periphery of an outlet opening at the end 11B is rounded. The nozzle core 9 is provided with a plurality of injection ducts 29, which link with the air chamber and open into the yarn channel 11 so as to supply air from the air chamber around the yarns C1 and E1 running in the yarn channel 11. The injection ducts 29 are so arranged and configured to make the air into a jet and also make the jet of air in a swirling stream in the yarn channel 11.
[0014] As the yarn processor 1 is thus configured, the core filament yarn C1 and the sheath filament yarn E1 supplied from a supplier package (not shown) are conducted by the feed rollers 35 and 37 to the yarn guides 17 and 19. Subsequently, the core filament yarn C1 is given hot water in the course of running through the water nozzle 13. Next, the core filament yarn C1 with the hot water goes through the yarn guide 23, and the sheath filament yarn E1 goes through the yarn guide 25. Then both the yarns C1 and E1 are led into the yarn channel 11 of the nozzle core 9.
[0015] The yarns C1 and E1 are subject to the swirling stream of the air jet in the yarn channel 11. Thereby the yarns C1 and E1 are bundled and twisted or loosened to have a specific texture. Then a processed yarn Y1, referred to as an air processed yarn, a bulky yarn or a fluid processed yarn, is continuously obtained and led out of the yarn processing nozzle 5. The processed yarn Y1 is drawn by the drawer rollers 39 and further drawn by a winder roller (not shown) at the exterior.
[0016] Referring to Figs. 2A-2C in combination with Fig. 1, the nozzle core 9 is further provided with a coating 41 (or 43, 45) for reducing friction of the yarns and standing up to continuous wear by the running yarns. For such the purpose, any materials having a low coefficient of friction and high wear-resistance, and being capable of smooth coating formation are preferable as the coating. More specifically, any inorganic solid matters of carbon or carbon compounds are preferable, whereas graphite and soot may be less preferable as lack of hardness though they are included in inorganic solid matters of carbon. Further in concrete, diamond, diamond-like carbon, titanium carbide and titanium carbonitride can be exemplified as such matters. The coating of any of these materials contributes to prevention of deposition of substances drifted from the yarns on the yarn channel 11.
[0017] Diamond has the lowest coefficient of friction and highest wear-resistance among known materials. Diamond-like carbon (referred to as "DLC" hereinafter) is a material having characteristics similar to diamond. In DLC, each carbon atoms has four chemical bonds with adjacent four carbon atoms so as to partially form a diamond crystalline structure, whereas some carbon atoms are bonded with hydrogen atoms and its structure lacks crystalline periodicity to be amorphous. This feature contrasts with those of graphite and soot, in which each carbon atom has only three chemical bonds and they do have no diamond crystalline structure.
[0018] Titanium carbide and titanium carbonitride are respectively represented by chemical formulas TiC and TiCN and hence both inorganic carbon compounds. These matters also have low coefficient of friction and high wear-resistance.
[0019] More specifically, any of a DLC coating 41, a diamond coating 43 and a titanium carbide or carbonitride coating 45 is coated on the ends 11B and 11C of the nozzle core 9 and the internal surface 11A of the yarn channel 11. The DLC coating 41, the diamond coating 43 and the titanium carbide or carbonitride coating 45 can be formed by any of various known vapor deposition methods, such as ion evaporation, thermal filament CVD, RF discharge plasma CVD, arc ion plating, and sputtering. An internal diameter of the yarn channel 11 should be 0.3 mm or more and 3 mm or less in view of ease of movement of the yarns and such. This diameter range gives no difficulty in forming a coating on the internal surface 11A even at the deepest cites from both ends of the yarn channel 11 by means of any of the vapor deposition methods. Therefore, it is unnecessary to configure the nozzle core 9 splittable into two or more for ease of coating. The nozzle core 9 can be formed in a unitary body and coating can be carried out even in this state.
[0020] The thickness of the DLC coating 41, the diamond coating 43 and the titanium carbide or carbonitride coating 45 is preferably 0.05-50 µm. The reason is that an extremely small thickness gives rise to imperfect continuity and poor adhesion of the coating and an extremely large thickness leads to high production cost and crack generation in the coating.
[0021] The nozzle core 9 is preferably composed of a specific material, as possibility of formation of a coating often depends on combination of materials of a coating and its base.
[0022] In a case of the DLC coating 41, alumina and hard metals are preferable as the material for the nozzle core 9, where "hard metal" is a general technical term referring to any of cemented carbides of heavy metals such as C-Co, WC-TiC-Co and WC-TiC-TaC-Co series carbides preferably applied to cutting tools or such. Prior to formation of the coating, an intermediate layer of titanium or silicon may be formed on outstanding portions of the nozzle core 9. If the intermediate layer intervenes between the nozzle core 9 and the DLC coating 41, the nozzle core 9 may be composed of any stainless steels as well as alumina and hard metals. The same applies to a case of the diamond coating 43.
[0023] In a case of the titanium carbide or carbonitride coating 45, alumina, hard metals and stainless steels are preferable as the material for the nozzle core 9 regardless whether the intermediate layer is formed or not.
[0024] The nozzle housing 7 and the nozzle core 9 may be modified to be formed in a unitary body. This configuration leads to reduction in production cost.
[0026] Alumina applied to the nozzle core 9 has a hardness of 1400-1900 Hv in Vickers hardness, a surface roughness of 0.1-0.17 µm in average surface roughness and of 2.05-3.2 µm in maximum surface roughness, and a coefficient of friction of 0.2-0.7. Hard metals representatively have a hardness of 1650 Hv in Vickers hardness, a surface roughness of 0.15-0.22 µm in average surface roughness and of 1.7-6.3 µm in maximum surface roughness, and a coefficient of friction of 0.9-1.0. Stainless steels representatively have a hardness of 500-1000 Hv in Vickers hardness and a coefficient of friction of 0.12-0.31.
[0027] In contrast, the DLC coating 41 has a hardness of 2500-8000 Hv in Vickers hardness, a surface roughness of 0.0073 µm in average surface roughness, and a coefficient of friction of 0.05-0.2. DLC is excellent in capability of being demolded, chemical resistance, corrosion resistance and adhesiveness. The diamond coating 43 has a hardness of 8000-11000 Hv in Vickers hardness, a surface roughness and a coefficient of friction both similar to or smaller than that of the DLC coating 41. Further, diamond is also excellent in capability of being demolded, chemical resistance, corrosion resistance and adhesiveness. The titanium carbide or carbonitride coating 45 has a hardness of 3000 Hv in Vickers hardness, an adhesiveness of 60 N, a oxidation-start temperature of 500 degrees C, and a coefficient of friction of 0.3.
[0028] Because specific portions of the yarn channel 11 where the yarns run are coated with the DLC coating 41, the diamond coating 43 or the titanium carbide or carbonitride coating 45 having much harder than any of materials of the nozzle core 9 as described above, the nozzle core 9 with the coating stands up to wear even though the yarns keep running thereon for a very long time. More specifically, the nozzle core 9 of the present embodiment stands long use. Further, because any of the coatings 41, 43 and 45 has such low roughness and low coefficient of friction and also can be formed without micro steps and micro gaps on the surface, substances such as calcium or magnesium salt contained in water applied on the yarn, oil adhered to the yarns and monomers as a raw of the yarns, are uneasy to adhere on the coated area of the nozzle core 9.
[0029] As being understood from the above description, the coating consisting essentially of an inorganic solid matter of carbon or carbon compounds, which is coated on the end 11C, the opposite end 11B, and the internal surface 11A of the yarn channel 11 of the nozzle core 9 prevents adhesion of depositions thereon. Thereby reduction in tension of the yarns under running is prevented and therefore fluctuation in twisting or loosening is suppressed. Thus the nozzle core 9 of the present embodiment ensures stability of quality of the processed yarn. Further, the nozzle core 9 enables reduction in number of cleaning and lengthening a cleaning cycle. Moreover, life time of the nozzle core 9 in itself is prominently lengthened because of reduced friction.
[0030] In demonstration of the effects and the advantages, yarn processing test was carried out. Yarn processing nozzles respectively having a DLC coating, a diamond coating, a titanium carbide coating and a titanium carbonitride coating respectively configured in accordance with the aforementioned embodiment of the present invention are provided as examples for the test. Further, a nozzle having the same configuration but without a coating as shown in Fig. 4 was provided as a comparative example. The test was carried out with using the yarn processor 1 shown in Fig. 3 under a condition in which a yarn speed was 400 min/min, the core filament yarn C1 was fed with overfeed by +3 %, and the sheath filament yarn E1 was fed with overfeed by +35%.
[0031] In a case of the comparative example, after operation of several days, a certain amount of deposit F was adhered on the internal surface of the yarn channel as shown in Figs. 5A-5C. The nozzle core of the comparative example requires cleaning once per one day or one and half a day. In contrast, in the examples in accordance with the present embodiment, almost no deposit was adhered on the internal surface 11A and the ends 11B and 11C as shown in Figs. 2A-2C. The nozzle cores of the present examples require cleaning merely once per from eight days to ten days. More specifically, the yarn processing nozzle of the present invention provides prominently high productivity. Further, the yarn processing nozzle of the present invention provides the processed yarn with high quality and quality stability.
[0032] The yarn processing nozzle may be applied to production of a single core yarn though the aforementioned description is given to a case where two yarns are bundled.
[0033] Although the invention has been described above by reference to certain embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings.
1. A yarn processing nozzle for supplying a jet of air around one or more yarns (C1;
E1) to bundle and texturize the yarns (C1; E1), the nozzle comprising:
a core (9) having an inlet end (11C), an outlet end (11B), a yarn channel (11) penetrating the core (9) from the inlet end (11C) to the outlet end (11B), the yarn channel (11) capable of having the yarns (C1; E1) running therein, and an injection duct (29) opening into the yarn channel (11) for supplying the jet around the yarns (C1; E1);
a coating (41, 43, 45) consisting essentially of an inorganic solid matter of carbon or carbon compounds, the coating being coated on the inlet end (11C), the outlet end (11B), and an internal surface (11A) of the yarn channel (11) of the core (9); and
a nozzle housing (7) air-tightly supporting the core (9).
2. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the inorganic solid matter of carbon or carbon compounds
is one selected from the group of diamond, diamond-like carbon, titanium carbide and
titanium carbonitride.
3. The nozzle of claim 1 or 2, further comprising an intermediate layer intervening between
the coating (41, 43, 45) and the core (9).
4. The nozzle of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a thickness of the coating (41, 43, 45)
is from 0.05 µm to 50 µm.
5. The nozzle of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the core (9) and the nozzle housing (7)
are formed in a unitary body.
6. The nozzle of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the internal surface (11A) of the yarn
channel (11) includes a conical surface opening to the inlet end (11C) and a rounded
periphery opening to the outlet end (11B).
7. The nozzle of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the nozzle housing (7) further comprises
an air supply tube (33) and a hollow (31) communicating with the air supply tube (33),
the hollow (31) and the core (9) defining an air chamber for temporarily reserving
air supplied from the air supply tube (33) and discharging the air to the injection
duct (29).