Vibratory fiber chopper

• US 6,619,173 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Taylor
• Inventors: Bellasalma, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phong H.
• Application Number:
  US09/923,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20030029293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 835/84, 836/02, 834/91, 835/24, 835/35, 835/97, 836/28, 837/01, 836/13, 836/16, 831/65, 831/67, 834/363, 836/58, 839/155, 839/56, 82/73, 82/79, 82/88, 821/58, 829/04, 826/27
• US Class Current: 83/627
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 29/125 Vibratory toolholders
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/086 by vibrating, e.g. ultrasonically
• CPC Class Codes: D01G 1/04 by cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/956 Ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16491 including axial cam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16591 Power driven eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16737 Eccentric periphery rotary tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/2585 Tool rest
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8804 Tool driver movable relative to tool support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8841 Tool driver movable relative to tool support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/97 Miscellaneous

Abstract

This fiber chopper overcomes the disadvantages of the previous cutting rollers for chopping continuous filaments. The apparatus includes a means for feeding continuous fibers to a vibrating cutting blade. The vibrating blades engage the continuous fiber and chops them into discrete fiber lengths. A vibrating head vibrates the cutting blades through a vibrating table.

Claims

1. An apparatus for chopping continuous fibers into discrete fiber lengths comprising:

at least one vibrating table supporting a fixed cutting blade;

at least one vibrator head engaging the vibrating table to cause said table to move in a reciprocating movement;

a flexible means for flexibly supporting the vibrating table;

said blade cutting in the same direction as the movement of said table; and

at least one fixed head having a cutting surface spaced apart from said table in the same direction as said reciprocating movement wherein the continuous fiber to be chopped passes between the cutting blade and the cutting surface.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 including a chute for collecting the discrete fiber lengths.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vibrator head is an eccentric vibrator head.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vibrator head includes an extension arm that engages the vibrating table.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fixed head has a hard plastic cutting surface.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cutting blade has a vibration frequency that is irregular.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cutting blade has a vibration frequency that is uniform.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the vibration frequency has a small amplitude.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the vibration frequency has a large amplitude.