Apparatus for Bonding a Fiber Structure

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for bonding a fiber structure (2) by means of a fluid (3), comprising a fluid jet head (9) having a nozzle (20) for discharging the fluid (3), a manipulator (4), and a fiber receptacle (25) for arranging the fiber structure (2), wherein the fluid jet head (9) is arranged as an effector (8) on the manipulator (4), and wherein the manipulator (4) is provided in such a way that the fluid jet head (9) arranged thereon can be moved in at least two spatial directions (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) relative to the fiber receptacle (25).

1 . An apparatus for bonding a fiber structure by means of a fluid, comprising:
 a fluid jet fiber entanglement head having a plurality of nozzles for emitting the fluid,   a manipulator, and   a fiber receptacle for arranging the fiber structure,   wherein the fluid jet head is arranged as an effector on the manipulator,   and wherein the manipulator is provided in such a way that the fluid jet head arranged thereon is movable therewith relative to the fiber receptacle,   wherein the fluid jet head comprises at most 500 nozzles for emitting the fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the manipulator is provided in such a way that the fluid jet head arranged thereon can be moved in three spatial directions relative to the fiber receptacle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the manipulator is provided in such a way that, in a respective relative position of the fluid jet head to the fiber receptacle, an angle of incidence which has a main emission direction of the nozzle with respect to the fiber receptacle can be varied. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which a surface of the fiber receptacle, which is provided for a contact against the fiber structure, is bulged at least in regions. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the fiber receptacle provided for a contact against the fiber structure has a plurality of openings for discharging the fluid emitted from the nozzle after exposure to the fiber structure. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which at least a surface part of the fiber receptacle, which forms a surface intended for a contact against the fiber structure, is an additively manufactured component. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a further manipulator, wherein the fiber receptacle is arranged as an effector on the further manipulator. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a fiber emission unit with which fibers can be applied to the fiber receptacle or the fiber structure. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid jet head comprises at most 10 nozzles for emitting the fluid. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for bonding a fiber structure by means of a fluid, comprising:
 a fluid jet fiber entanglement head having a plurality of nozzles for emitting the fluid,   a manipulator, and   a fiber receptacle for arranging the fiber structure,   wherein the fluid jet head is arranged as an effector on the manipulator,   and wherein the manipulator is provided in such a way that the fluid jet head arranged thereon is movable therewith relative to the fiber receptacle,   wherein the nozzles on the fluid jet head occupy a total area of at most 5 cm 2 .   
     
     
         11 . A method for bonding a fiber structure, by means of an apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 in which method a fluid jet head, which has a plurality of nozzles, and a fiber receptacle, in which a fiber structure is arranged, are moved relative to one another by means of a manipulator,   wherein during this relative movement a fluid is emitted at least temporarily from the nozzles of the fluid jet head in order to bond the fiber structure,   wherein the fluid is emitted from at most 500 nozzles.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , in which the readily bonded fiber structure has different properties in different areas. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , in which the different properties of the fiber structure in different areas are at least also due to fibers which differ in the different areas of the fiber structure in at least one of their lengths, their thickness, their material and their color. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , in which the fiber structure already has a three-dimensional shape before solidification. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , in which the fiber structure is assembled of a plurality of three-dimensional fiber web components before bonding. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , in which, in another operating mode, the fluid emitted from the nozzle of the fluid jet head is used to open or separate a part of the fiber structure. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a part for a body part, a housing part, a garment, a seat or backrest cushion, a packaging cushion or an insulating component by solidifying a fiber structure in a method according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the fluid is emitted from at most 10 nozzles. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the nozzles on the fluid jet head occupy a total area of at most 5 cm 2 . 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the fluid jet head comprises at most 10 nozzles.