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US 9,540,748 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for separating sewing threads and carbon fibers
AssigneeHubert Hergeth
InventorHubert Hergeth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus for separating sewing threads from pieces of carbon fiber mats or bundles of carbon fibers using rollers covered with card clothing. The mat pieces or fiber agglomerates are broken up and separated using the different mechanical properties of the fibers.
Claims13
A method for separating sewing threads and carbon fibres, the method comprising:
- feeding recycled carbon fibre mat pieces onto a first roller, wherein the recycled carbon fibre mat pieces include carbon fibre mats, pieces of carbon fibre mats, or carbon fibre agglomerates interspersed with sewing threads;
- urging the recycled carbon mat pieces through an interface between the first roller and an second roller, wherein the second roller includes a second roller surface covered with card cloth;
- within the interface, breaking up the recycled carbon fibre mat pieces into carbon fibres and carbon fibre bundles;
- isolating at least some of the carbon fibres and carbon fibre bundles from the sewing threads;
- and
- while moving along the second roller surface, removing at least some of the carbon fibres and carbon fibre bundles from the second roller surface while at least some of the sewing threads remain on at least one of the first or second rollers.
3 more elements
An apparatus for separating sewing threads and carbon fibres, the apparatus comprising:
- a first turning roller covered with card clothing for breaking up carbon fibre mats, carbon fibre mat pieces or carbon fibre agglomerates interspersed with sewing threads into carbon fibres and carbon fibre bundles;
- a plurality of additional turning rollers laterally arranged with respect to the first turning roller, each of the plurality of additional turning rollers covered with card clothing, wherein each successive turning roller of the plurality of additional turning rollers operates at with a higher surface speed as compared to a preceding turning roller of the plurality of additional turning rollers;
- and
- a mechanism operable to remove at least some of the carbon fibres and carbon fibre bundles from at least the first turning roller or one of the successive turning rollers before the carbon fibres and carbon fibre bundles reach a final one of the plurality of turning rollers, wherein at least one of the successive turning rollers are uncovered and exposed during use to the environment to allow for intermediate fibre removal.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.