Apparatus for producing absorbent pads from a flock-air mixture

An apparatus for producing absorbent pads from a flock-air mixture including

• a shaping recess carrier carrying recesses for forming the respective absorbent pads;
• means for displacing the shaping recess carrier in a direction of operation;
• and
• a feed conduit for feeding the flock-air mixture to the shaping recess carrier,
• the feed conduit including a branching affording at least a first and a second conduit, the first conduit being operable to carry a first partial flow of the flock-air mixture and the second conduit being operable to carry a second partial flow of the flock-air mixture,
• the first and second conduits being directed to the shaping depression carrier at locations such that the second partial flow through the second conduit meets the shaping recess carrier substantially downstream of the first partial flow through the first conduit in the direction of operation of the shaping recess carrier;
• in at least one of said conduits a pneumatic dispersing device for dispersing flock lumps within the respective partial flow in the respective conduit, the dispersing device being operable to disperse the flock lumps by accelerating the flock-air mixture of the respective partial flow together with the lumps contained therein to cause the lumps to be broken up;
• wherein the dispersing device includes a nozzle having at least one nozzle passage and arranged substantially in the central region of the cross-section of the at least one conduit and so positioned that the flock-air mixture in operation of the apparatus flows therearound;
• and further including means for feeding pressure fluid from a pressure fluid source to the nozzle passage to accelerate the flock lumps.

An apparatus for producing absorbent pads from a flock-air mixture including

• a shaping recess carrier carrying recesses for forming the respective absorbent pads;
• means for displacing the shaping recess carrier in a direction of operation;
• and
• a feed conduit for feeding the flock-air mixture to the shaping recess carrier,
• the feed conduit including a branching affording at least a first and a second conduit, the first conduit being operable to carry a first partial flow of the flock-air mixture and the second conduit being operable to carry a second partial flow of the flock-air mixture,
• the first and second conduits being directed to the shaping depression carrier at locations such that the second partial flow through the second conduit meets the shaping recess carrier substantially downstream of the first partial flow through the first conduit in the direction of operation of the shaping recess carrier;
• in at least one of said conduits a pneumatic dispersing device for dispersing flock lumps within the respective partial flow in the respective conduit, the dispersing device being operable to disperse the flock lumps by accelerating the flock-air mixture of the respective partial flow together with the lumps contained therein to cause the lumps to be broken up;
• wherein the dispersing device comprises an injector nozzle in the form of a tube portion and having a flow space for the flow therethrough of the flock-air mixture of the respective partial flow, the flow space including an outer peripheral region and comprising at least one feed opening in the outer peripheral region of the flow space for a feed therethrough to the flow space of pressure fluid for accelerating the flock lumps from a source of pressure fluid.