Filter apparatus and method of operating same

Claim 2

A filter apparatus for removing fiber fragments from air drawn from a region of a textile machine, comprising: a filter housing; a fixed filter collector in said housing formed with a plurality of active filter portions permeable to air and having generally extended surfaces upon which textile fragments collect, each surface having a recess defined by two side walls inclined to one another; an inlet on said housing through which air entraining filter fragments is drawn into said housing and an outlet on said housing through which air freed from said fragments is discharged from said housing after passing through said fixed filter collector and depositing said filter fragments on said surfaces; and pneumatic cleaning means in said housing for separately cleaning said surfaces of said active filter portions, said pneumatic cleaning means including: a plurality of suction devices juxtaposed with said surfaces of said portions on a side thereof upon which said fiber fragments collect, said suction devices with adjoining walls forming a suction nose projecting into said recess, said suction nose capable of cleaning across a full width and movable vertically along a full length of said recess, guide means in said housing forming a straight linear guide path extending generally parallel to a longitudinal dimension of said one of said portions, means for displacing said suction device along said straight guide path, said suction device extending along said one of said portions in a direction transverse to the direction of displacement of said suction device along said guide path, means for applying suction to said device so that fiber fragments accumulated on said surface of said one of said portions are evacuated therefrom through said suction device and said one of said portions is cleaned in a single movement of said suction device in a straight line, and means for selectively applying suction and automatically operating said suction devices individually in succession and in a predetermined sequence during a cleaning cycle.

Claim 3

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pneumatic cleaning means comprises a common hollow movable carrier bearing all of said suction devices, forming said means for applying suction to said suction devices, and provided with means for selectively communicating suction to said devices.

Claim 4

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein each of said portions and the respective filter surface is linearly elongated, and said pneumatic cleaning means comprises a plurality of movable carriers each bearing at least one of said suction devices and independently movable only in linear reciprocation along longitudinal dimensions of respective ones of said portions for pneumatically cleaning the respective surfaces.

Claim 5

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said portions and the respective said surfaces are paired and each of said surfaces is cleaned with a respective one of said suction devices, the suction devices of each pair of said surfaces being joined in a common structural unit.

Claim 6

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means for shifting said suction device into juxtaposition with at least one other of said surfaces following the cleaning of a surface with which said suction device was previously juxtaposed.

Claim 7

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein only two of said portions form each said recess and the two portions forming each recess are inclined to one another to define a V-shape cross section.

Claim 8

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein only two of said portions form each said recess and the two portions forming each recess are inclined to one another to define a generally trapezoidal cross section.

Claim 9

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said collecting device has an air-permeable region formed by said surfaces which is generally accordion shaped.

Claim 10

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said suction devices are provided, each juxtaposed with at least one of said surfaces, said filter apparatus further comprising means for switching said suction devices on and off selectively and independently of one another.

Claim 11

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said suction device has a single slot-shaped suction opening.

Claim 12

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means on said suction device including at least one suction opening formed in a side wall or proximal to an end thereof, for sucking away fragments which can have accumulated on a base of the suction device.

Claim 13

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pneumatic cleaning means comprises a plurality of hollow movable bearers each carrying a respective suction nose, said hollow bearers each independently movable of the other bearers thereby allowing each suction nose to be individually movable independently of the other noses, and that when a suction nose applies suction to said filter portion surfaces then the other noses remain inoperative during such time.

Claim 14

The filter apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pneumatic cleaning means comprises a single suction nose, said suction nose being sequentially movable into a plurality of said recesses such that said filter portion surfaces of said recesses are sequentially cleaned one after another.

Claim 15

The filter apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said single suction nose is horizontally movable out of one recess and thereafter horizontally movable into a subsequent recess.

Claim 16

The filter apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said single suction nose is vertically movable upwards out of said one recess and subsequently horizontally movable into another recess and thereafter vertically movable within said another recess.

Claim 17

In a method of operating a filter apparatus which comprises: a filter housing; a fixed filter collector in said housing formed with a plurality of active filter portions permeable to air and having generally extended surfaces upon which textile fragments collect, each surface having a recess defined by two side walls inclined to one another; an inlet on said housing through which air entraining filter fragments is drawn into said housing and an outlet on said housing through which air freed from said fragments is discharged from said housing after passing through said fixed filter collector and depositing said filter fragments on said surfaces; and pneumatic cleaning means in said housing for separately cleaning said surfaces of said active filter portions, said pneumatic cleaning means including: a plurality of suction devices juxtaposed with said surfaces of said portions on a side thereof upon which said fiber fragments collect, said suction devices with adjoining walls forming a suction nose projecting into said recess, said suction nose capable of cleaning across a full width and movable vertically along a full length of said recess. guide means in said housing forming a straight linear guide path extending generally parallel to a longitudinal dimension of said one of said portions, means for displacing said suction device along said straight guide path, said suction device extending along said one of said portions in a direction transverse to the direction of displacement of said suction device along said guide path, means for applying suction to said device so that fiber fragments accumulated on said surface of said one of said portions are evacuated therefrom through said suction device and said one of said portions is cleaned in a single movement of said suction device in a straight line, and means for selectively applying suction and automatically operating said suction devices individually in succession and in a predetermined sequence during a cleaning cycle, the improvement which comprises: automatically operating said suction device to suck fiber fragments from and clean said surfaces individually, in succession and in a predetermined sequence during a cleaning cycle.

Claim 18

In a method of operating a filter apparatus which comprises: a filter housing; a fixed filter collector in said housing formed with a plurality of active filter portions permeable to air and having generally extended surfaces upon which textile fragments collect, each surface having a recess defined by two side walls inclined to one another; an inlet on said housing through which air entraining filter fragments is drawn into said housing and an outlet on said housing through which air freed from said fragments is discharged from said housing after passing through said fixed filter collector and depositing said filter fragments on said surfaces; and pneumatic cleaning means in said housing for separately cleaning said surfaces of said active filter portions, said pneumatic cleaning means including: a plurality of suction devices juxtaposed with said surfaces of said portions on a side thereof upon which said fiber fragments collect, said suction devices with adjoining walls forming a suction nose projecting into said recess, said suction nose capable of cleaning across a full width and movable vertically along a full length of said recess. guide means in said housing forming a straight linear guide path extending generally parallel to a longitudinal dimension of said one of said portions, means for displacing said suction device along said straight guide path, said suction device extending along said one of said portions in a direction transverse to the direction of displacement of said suction device along said guide path, means for applying suction to said device so that fiber fragments accumulated on said surface of said one of said portions are evacuated therefrom through said suction device and said one of said portions is cleaned in a single movement of said suction device in a straight line, and means for selectively applying suction and automatically operating said suction devices individually in succession and in a predetermined sequence during a cleaning cycle, the improvement which comprises: automatically operating said suction device to suck fiber fragments from and clean said surfaces individually, in succession and in a predetermined sequence during a cleaning cycle.

Claim 19

The method defined in claim 16 wherein said surfaces are cleaned in the sequence that they are disposed in the cleaning device but skipping a surface between each two surfaces in each sequence.

Claim 20

The method defined in claim 16 wherein each cleaning cycle interval is followed by an interval between successive cleaning cycles and at least one of said intervals is time programmed.

Claim 21

The method defined in claim 16, further comprising the steps of: sensing a pressure differential across said collecting device between air to be cleaned and cleaned air; comparing the sensed pressure differential with a predetermined adjustable set-point pressure difference; and initiating said cleaning cycle when said pressure differential reaches said pressure difference.

Claim 22

The method defined in claim 16 wherein each of said portions of the collecting device is cleaned during a single stroke of a respective said suction device.