摘要 |
A method and device for conveying a ribbon of crimped material includes an air mover, a plenum connected to the air mover to receive air from the air mover, a series of directional slits and side walls. The directional slits air in fluid communication with the plenum so that air from the plenum exits through the directional slits in a predetermined direction. The directional slits are arranged in a generally planar configuration to form a conveyance track. The sides walls are provided on either side of the conveyance track to extend above the conveyance track. The crimped material may be a planar band of crimped fiber, such as a planar band of crimped acetate fiber. The crimps may extend in an up-and-down direction or in a back-and-forth direction. The plenum may be formed of a pair of elongated support pieces with cutout portions in the elongated support pieces. In this case, the directional slits are formed by air knives fitting into the cutout portions of the elongated support pieces, and the elongated support pieces define the side walls. With the cutout portions, the position of the air knives within the cutout portions can be adjusted to vary the spacing between the air knives. Alternatively, the plenum may be formed from a tubular material having a hollow interior. In this case, the directional slits are cuts formed partially through the tubular material such that the cuts penetrate into the hollow interior of the tubular material.
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