IP Library › Granted Patent US 12674273

Granted Patent B2

US 12674273 · App. 18/082,698 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Fabric cleaning systems and methods using synchronized cross-machine direction traversing cleaning heads

Inventors: Werner Michael Raschka (Neuss, DE); Marcelo De Boni (Shrewsbury, MA)

Assignee: Kadant Nordic AB

D06G1/00 B08B3/022 B08B3/024 B08B5/026 B08B5/046 B08B7/04

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12674273
App. No.: 18/082,698
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A fabric cleaning system is disclosed that includes first and second cleaning heads on opposite sides of a fabric that travels along a machine direction, each of the first and second cleaning heads being mounted on first and second beams that extend along a cross-machine direction, and each of the first and second cleaning heads being traversable along the respective first and second beams.

Claims (48)

1 . A fabric cleaning system comprising:

a first cleaning head and a second cleaning head disposed on opposite sides of a fabric that travels along a machine direction partially around a roll, each of the first and second cleaning heads being mounted on first and second beams that extend along a cross-machine direction, and each of the first and second cleaning heads being traversable along the respective first and second beams,

the first cleaning head including a first area and a second area, the first area of the first cleaning head providing a fluid under positive pressure and a vacuum against a sheet side of the fabric, the second area of the first cleaning head providing a further vacuum on the sheet side of the fabric, and

the second cleaning head providing a fluid under pressure against a roll side of the fabric, wherein the second cleaning head applies the fluid under pressure to a same position of the fabric at which the second area of the first cleaning head applies the further vacuum on the sheet side of the fabric, wherein the second cleaning head further includes an air-doctor for applying air under positive pressure that removes any remaining fluid from the roll side of the fabric following the roll away from the first cleaning head.

2 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein movement of the first and second cleaning heads along the first and second beams respectively is synchronized with one another.

3 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second area of the first cleaning head follows the first area of the first cleaning head in the machine direction.

4 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second cleaning head includes a nozzle for providing the fluid under positive pressure to a roll nip.

5 . A method of cleaning fabric comprising:

providing a first cleaning head and a second cleaning head disposed on opposite sides of a fabric;

moving the fabric along a machine direction partially around a roll; and

traversing each of the first cleaning head and the second cleaning head along respective first and second beams during cleaning in a cross-machine direction,

6 . The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein movement of the first and second cleaning heads along the first and second beams respectively is synchronized with one another.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second area of the first cleaning head follows the first area of the first cleaning head in the machine direction.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second cleaning head includes a nozzle for providing the fluid under positive pressure to a roll nip.

9 . A fabric cleaning system comprising for use in a roll processing system, said fabric cleaning system comprising:

a first traversing cleaning head that is directed toward a sheet side of a fabric that travels along a machine direction partially around a roll, said first traversing cleaning head being adapted to traverse a cross-machine direction of the fabric; and

a second traversing cleaning head that is directed toward a roll side of the fabric that is opposite the sheet side of the fabric, said second traversing cleaning head also being adapted to traverse the cross-machine direction of the fabric,

the first traversing cleaning head including a first area and a second area, the first area of the first traversing cleaning head comprising a first plurality of nozzles surrounded by a first vacuum opening that provide a fluid under positive pressure and a vacuum towards a sheet side of the fabric, the first area of the first traversing cleaning head further comprising an air-doctor that provides positive air pressure to the sheet side of the fabric, the second area of the first traversing cleaning head comprising a second vacuum opening that provides a further vacuum on the sheet side of the fabric, and

the second traversing cleaning head comprising a second plurality of nozzles that faces the second vacuum opening of the first cleaning head and provides a fluid under positive pressure towards a roll side of the fabric, wherein the second traversing cleaning head further includes an air-doctor for applying air under positive pressure that removes any remaining fluid from the roll side of the fabric following the roll away from the first traversing cleaning head.

10 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first traversing cleaning head and the second traversing cleaning head are synchronized to traverse in the cross-machine direction together.

11 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fluid under positive pressure provided by the first plurality of nozzles of the first traversing cleaning head against the sheet side of the fabric includes a liquid.

12 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fluid under pressure provided by the second traversing cleaning head against the roll side of the fabric includes a liquid under positive pressure applied to the roll side of the fabric at a same position of the fabric at which the second area of the first traversing cleaning head applies the vacuum on the sheet side of the fabric.

13 . A fabric cleaning system comprising:

the second cleaning head providing a fluid under pressure against a roll side of the fabric, wherein the second cleaning head applies the fluid under pressure to a same position of the fabric at which the second area of the first cleaning head applies the further vacuum on the sheet side of the fabric, wherein the second cleaning head further includes a vacuum box that removes any remaining fluid from the roll side of the fabric following the roll away from the first cleaning head.

14 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein movement of the first and second cleaning heads along the first and second beams respectively is synchronized with one another.

15 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the second area of the first cleaning head follows the first area of the first cleaning head in the machine direction.

16 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the second cleaning head includes a nozzle for providing the fluid under positive pressure to a roll nip.

17 . A method of cleaning fabric comprising:

providing a first cleaning head and a second cleaning head disposed on opposite sides of a fabric;

moving the fabric along a machine direction partially around a roll; and

traversing each of the first cleaning head and the second cleaning head along respective first and second beams during cleaning in a cross-machine direction,

the second cleaning head providing a fluid under pressure against a roll side of the fabric, wherein the second cleaning head applies the fluid under pressure to a same position of the fabric at which the second area of the first cleaning head applies the further vacuum on the sheet side of the fabric, wherein the second cleaning head further includes a vacuum box that removes any remaining fluid from the roll side of the fabric following the roll away from the first cleaning head.

18 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein movement of the first and second cleaning heads along the first and second beams respectively is synchronized with one another.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the second area of the first cleaning head follows the first area of the first cleaning head in the machine direction.

20 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the second cleaning head includes a nozzle for providing the fluid under positive pressure to a roll nip.

21 . A fabric cleaning system comprising for use in a roll processing system, said fabric cleaning system comprising:

the second traversing cleaning head comprising a second plurality of nozzles that faces the second vacuum opening of the first cleaning head and provides a fluid under positive pressure towards a roll side of the fabric, wherein the second traversing cleaning head further includes a vacuum box that removes any remaining fluid from the roll side of the fabric following the roll away from the first traversing cleaning head.

22 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the first traversing cleaning head and the second traversing cleaning head are synchronized to traverse in the cross-machine direction together.

23 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the fluid under positive pressure provided by the first plurality of nozzles of the first traversing cleaning head against the sheet side of the fabric includes a liquid.

24 . The fabric cleaning system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the fluid under pressure provided by the second traversing cleaning head against the roll side of the fabric includes a liquid under positive pressure applied to the roll side of the fabric at a same position of the fabric at which the second area of the first traversing cleaning head applies the vacuum on the sheet side of the fabric.