Abstract:
A blow box ( 18 ) for supporting the web run in a paper machine or the like, which blow box comprises members for maintaining a negative pressure at least in one negative pressure region ( 24 ) between the wire ( 20 ) and the blow box. The members comprise a blocking member ( 30, 32 ), which is arranged, regarding the wire&#39;s running direction, at the beginning and/or at the end of said negative pressure region, which extends across the wire and projects towards the wire, and which is movable in relation to the blow box, and blowing members ( 34, 36 ), with which air is ejected with blows between said blocking member and the wire from said negative pressure region and/or with which air is prevented from entering this negative pressure region. The blocking member is connected to the blow box by a hinge member ( 40, 42 ), which allows the blocking member to rotate around the articulation point of the hinge member due to the pressure difference between the pressure acting on the blocking member&#39;s blocking surface ( 30′, 32 ′) directed towards the wire and the pressure acting on the blocking member&#39;s back surface ( 50, 50 ′) directed away from the wire.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
   This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/FI02/00866, filed on 07 Nov. 2002. Priority is claimed on that application and on the following application(s): Country: Finland, Application No.: 20012160, Filed: 08 Nov. 2001. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a blow box for controlling or supporting the web run in a paper machine, particularly in the drying section of a paper machine, or in other corresponding devices, such as in a board machine, in a finishing machine and in coating machines. 
   The web run needs control or support, for instance during running in the area of the pockets formed between the drying cylinders in the drying section of a paper machine, particularly in such locations where the web needs to be released in a controlled manner from a drying cylinder and to run freely together with the wire to a turning roll, suction roll or the like. 
   In order to support the web at the pockets of the drying section it is known to use blow boxes, which eject air away from desired regions in order to create a negative pressure in these regions. Thus the negative pressure created by the blow boxes can be used to support the release of the web from a drying cylinder and to support the web run to a turning roll or the like. 
   It is known to arrange in a blow box, at the beginning and/or at the end of the negative pressure region created by the box, a blocking plate or the like, which projects towards the web and which is flexibly fastened to the blow box. The object of the blocking plate is to seal the negative pressure region from the surrounding space in order to maintain an as effective negative pressure as possible in the negative pressure region. The surface of the blocking plate, which is directed towards the web, can be protrudingly arched towards the web, with respect of the running direction of the web. The arched surface forms a so called Coanda surface, which facilitates the ejection of air away from the negative pressure region and prevents leaking air from entering the negative pressure region. 
   In this way, with the blow boxes in use, it can be created, with reasonable blow effects, intensified negative pressure regions having negative pressures of e.g. 0.1 to 0.4 kPa. However, as the paper machine speeds still rise and as the paper quality requirements increase, the order of the negative pressure level at particularly critical points should be even higher than 5 kPa. 
   However, the intensifying of the negative pressure level from the present, i.e. the maintaining of an even higher negative pressure with the aid of blowers, substantially increases the required blowing effect, in other words the energy costs. The higher the aimed negative pressure level, the larger are also the air leaks and their impacts on the energy costs. It is not possible to completely seal the negative pressure region from the surrounding space in order to reduce the leaks. Blocking members, blow nozzles or other structures of a blow box arranged too close to the wire can easily damage the wire, and they can themselves be easily damaged when the wire touches them. Thus, with the present devices there must be left a certain minimum gap between the blow boxes and the web&#39;s supporting wire in order to avoid damage to these members, to the web and/or to the wire in different running situations. 
   For instance a “paper lump” can push the wire to touch parts of the blow box, particularly the blow nozzles or blocking members, despite the minimum gap. In known blow boxes, a spring or some other mechanical member is used to keep nozzles projected towards the wire. The object is that the spring enables the nozzle to be pushed away from the wire, when required. However, springs are generally relatively stiff, and they are not sufficiently resilient in order to be able to adapt to all situations sufficiently rapidly. In addition, the spring force cannot be adjusted to different requirements. The spring must be subjected to a relatively high minimum pressure before it allows the nozzle to be pushed away from the wire. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is to provide a blow box where the above described problems are minimized. 
   The object is to provide a blow box which can create a high negative pressure level in a desired region, without too high energy costs. 
   An object is also to provide a blow box which can create a high negative pressure level in a desired region, with as small air leaks as possible. 
   A further object is to provide a blow box, which enables the high negative pressure level created by the box to be maintained at a suitable level in different running situations, without danger to the wire or to the web. 
   A blow box according to the invention is typically used to create a negative pressure region in the pocket between two drying cylinders in the drying section of a paper machine, at the opening nip between a drying cylinder and the wire, in order to support the web run and to improve the machine&#39;s runnability. On the other hand, a blow box according to the invention can be used also in other places of a paper machine or corresponding machines as a component, which supports the web run and improves the runnability. 
   A typical blow box according to the invention, which is arranged for instance in the pocket between two drying cylinders in the drying section of a paper machine, comprises members to maintain the negative pressure in at least one negative pressure region between the wire and the blow box. 
   These members comprise
     a blocking member, which is arranged, regarding the wire&#39;s running direction, at the beginning and/or at the end of said negative pressure region, which blocking member extends across the wire and projects towards the wire, and which is movable in relation to the blow box, in order to make it possible to maintain a pressure difference between said negative pressure region and the region outside this region, and   blowing members, with which air is ejected with blows between said blocking member and the wire from said negative pressure region and/or with which air is prevented from entering this negative pressure region.   

   Said blocking member is connected to the blow box with a hinge member, such as a swing joint. The hinge member allows the blocking member to rotate around the articulation point of the hinge member due to the pressure difference between the pressure acting on the blocking member&#39;s blocking surface directed towards the wire and the pressure acting on the blocking member&#39;s back surface directed away from the wire. 
   Advantageously the blocking member&#39;s blocking surface projecting towards the wire is shaped so that the surface&#39;s distance from the wire supporting the web changes as the blocking member rotates about the articulation point of the hinge. Thus the blocking member is arranged to rotate around the articulation point, due to the pressure acting on its back surface directed away from the wire, so that the blocking member projects towards the wire. Correspondingly, the blocking member is arranged to rotate around the articulation point due to the pressure acting on its blocking surface directed towards the wire, so that the blocking member projects away from the wire. 
   The blocking member used in the solution according to the invention moves substantially more delicately than a blocking member projected by a spring towards the wire. By controlling the pressure acting on the blocking member&#39;s back surface directed away from the wire or on the blocking member&#39;s blocking surface it is easy to adjust the blocking member&#39;s distance from the wire, i.e. the gap between the blow box and the wire. The blocking member&#39;s back surface directed away from the wire can be arranged to border to a separate pressurised space, or to a pressurised space which can be controlled in part independently. By controlling the pressure of this space it is possible to push the blocking member towards the wire with a desired pressure. Already a very small change in the pressure makes the blocking member to move in the desired direction. Thus a blocking member, which can be freely rotated around the hinge&#39;s articulation point, can be easily pushed towards the blow box due to a very small “paper lump” or some other approach of the wire, without damage to the wire or to the actual blocking member. 
   Even a small pressure change on either side of the blocking member causes the blocking member to move towards the wire or away from the wire. The air jets, which are blown along the blocking member&#39;s surface and which eject air from die negative pressure region, will cause a negative pressure between the blocking member and the wire, whereby this negative pressure pushes the blocking member towards the wire and prevents air leaks from entering the negative pressure region. The blocking member can be prevented from extending too close to the wire with the aid of a mechanical limiter, against which the blocking member hits when it rotates to the allowed extreme position, and which thus prevents the blocking member from rotating past this extreme position. Thus a blow box according to the invention can be arranged very close to the web. 
   When using a blow box according to the invention it is possible to advantageously arrange both blocking members and blow nozzles both at the beginning and at the end of the negative pressure region, whereby the nozzles blow/eject air out from the negative pressure region along the blocking member&#39;s surface. Together the ejecting blows and the blocking members prevent effectively air from escaping from the outside of the negative pressure region into the negative pressure region. The nozzles, which can be fixedly joined to the blow box can be arranged at a safe distance from the web. 
   In addition the blocking member and the blow nozzle at the corresponding point are advantageously shaped congruently, so that the blocking member&#39;s blocking surface passes along the outer surface of the nozzle when the blocking member is rotating and leaves a gap of a desired size between the nozzle and the blocking surface. The blocking surface and the nozzle are advantageously shaped so that the gap between them grows as the blocking member is pushed away from the wire, whereby more air than in the normal state is allowed to flow out from behind the blocking member, in other words from the space between the blocking member&#39;s back surface and the blow box. Then the pressure in the space behind the blocking member will decrease, and the blocking member can be pushed more easily than before away from the wire. In this manner the blocking member can be rapidly pushed away from the wire, for instance when a “paper lump” pushes the wire towards the blow box. 
   When desired, it is also possible to arrange members in the blow box in order to suck air away from the negative pressure region. In this way the negative pressure can be intensified, even to a level above 5 kpa. In addition, when required it is possible to maintain a lower negative pressure than this intensified negative pressure, such as a negative pressure of 0.1 to 0.4 kPa, in the other parts of the pocket, in other words outside the intensified negative pressure region. 
   In a blow box according to the invention a blocking member arranged at the beginning of the negative pressure region can at its first end, as seen in the running direction of the web, be connected to the blow box e.g. with a swing joint, which allows a frictionless or almost frictionless movement of the blocking member around the articulation point of the swing joint. A counter weight can be connected to the first end of the blocking member in order to keep the blocking member in balance at the desired distance from the web during a normal run. This facilitates keeping the gap between the web and the blocking member at a desired size. Thanks to the counter weight the blocking member is at a particularly mobile state, in other words it can be turned away from the wire or towards the wire in a sensitive manner. 
   A blow nozzle is arranged, as seen in the wire&#39;s running direction, advantageously at the second end of the blocking member (i.e. at the output end of the wire), which blocking member is arranged at the beginning of the negative pressure region in the blow box, and which, as seen in the wire&#39;s running direction, at its first end (i.e. at the input end of the wire) is connected through a swing joint to the blow box. 
   A blocking member, which is arranged in the blow box at the end of the negative pressure region, can be connected at its first or second end, as seen in the wire&#39;s running direction, to the blow box via a swing joint. Advantageously a blow nozzle is arranged in connection with the first end of the blocking member, as seen in the wire&#39;s running direction. 
   A limiter can be arranged in the blow box, typically in the blow nozzle structure, so that the limiter prevents the blocking member from turning closer to the wire than a predetermined minimum distance from the wire. 
   The blocking member can be made as a uniform structure with a width substantially equal to the width of the web. When desired the blocking member can be made of two, three or more parts, for instance of pieces having a length of 0.5 to 1.5 m, typically about 0.8 m, and which are arranged one after the other in the web&#39;s cross direction, so that they form a blocking member with the width of the web. In the latter case the distance of the different blocking member parts from the wire can be controlled separately. In this manner it is for instance possible to separately allow for the movements of the edge portions of the wire and ensure that the negative pressure is kept at the desired level also in these regions. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is described below in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which 
       FIG. 1  shows schematically a blow box according to the invention arranged in the pocket formed between two drying cylinders in the drying section of a paper machine provided with a single wire run; 
       FIG. 2  shows schematically the cross-section of a blocking member and blow nozzle construction, which is suitable for application in a blow box according to the invention; 
       FIG. 3  shows schematically the cross-section of the negative pressure region defined by a blow box according to the invention, its blocking members and the wire; 
       FIG. 4  shows the solution according to  FIG. 3  when a “paper lump” presses the wire against the blow box; and 
       FIG. 5  shows schematically in a top view the blow box according to FIG.  1  and the wire. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  shows a cross section of the drying section of a paper machine provided with a single wire run, a pocket  16  formed between its two drying cylinders  10 ,  12  and a suction roll  14 , where a blow box  18  according to the invention is arranged. The blow box  18  is arranged between the first drying cylinder  10  and the second drying cylinder  12  in the running direction of the wire  20 , which supports the web. 
   The blow box  18  is arranged to cover the wire run  20  at a point where the wire is released from the first drying cylinder  10 , in other words at the opening nip  22  between the wire and the drying cylinder. The blow box creates in this point a intensified negative pressure region, in the space  24  between the wire  20  and the blow box  18 , whereby this space is sealed from the rest of the space of the pocket  16 . 
   In the solution presented in  FIG. 1  the blow box does not cover the wire run  20  on the later part  26  after the opening nip between the first drying cylinder  10  and the suction roll  14 , and no separate negative pressure is directed at this later part  26  from the side of the pocket, in the case shown in FIG.  1 . In this way a bending of the central part of the wire run is avoided, which in some cases could be the result of using a too high negative pressure. Advantageously the blow box covers less than half, typically about a fifth of the wire run  20  between the drying cylinder  10  and the suction roll  14 . Of course it is also possible to apply the invention in such blow box solutions, in which the blow box covers a larger part of the wire run than that mentioned above. 
   When desired, it is also possible to direct against this later wire run  26  or a portion of it, a negative pressure which is weaker than that described above. It is for instance possible to arrange one or more suction openings  19 ′, which are connected to a suction pipe or the like on the side  19  of the blow box directed towards the suction roll. On the other hand the negative pressure can be created also by ejecting air away from the space between the blow box  18  and the suction roll  14  with the aid of blows  21 . 
   In the case of  FIG. 1  the blow box  18  covers the main part of the wire run  28  between the second drying cylinder  12  and the suction roll  14 . 
   In order to seal the space  24  from the rest of the pocket space the blow box  19  is provided with two blocking members  30 ,  32 . Thus the blow box has a first blocking member  30  at the input side of the negative pressure region  24 , as seen in the wire&#39;s  20  running direction, and a blocking member  32  at the output side of the negative pressure region  24 , as seen in the wire&#39;s  20  running direction. In the case of  FIG. 1  both blocking members are provided with Coanda surfaces  30 ′ and  32 ′, which extend from the blow box towards the wire  20 . 
   Blow nozzles are arranged in connection with the Coanda surfaces  30 ′,  32 ′, so that the first nozzle  34  blows air over the first Coanda surface  30 ′ against the running direction of the wire  20  and ejects air out from the negative pressure region  24  defined by the blow box  18 , the wire  20  and the blocking members  30 ,  32 . 
   The second blow nozzle  36  blows air over the second Coanda surface  32 ′ downstream with respect of the running direction of the wire  26 , and thereby it intensifies the negative pressure in the space  24 . 
   In addition, in the case shown in  FIG. 1 , members  38  are arranged in the blow box between the blocking members  30  and  32  in order to remove air from the negative pressure region  24  with the aid of suction. When desired the negative pressure can be created only by blows. 
   The blocking members  30  and  32  are connected with swing joints  40 ,  42  to the other structures of the blow box, so that each blockng member freely can be turned around the articulation point of the swing joint. Thus the blocking members  30 ,  32  can rotate around the articulation points of the hinges, so that the Coanda surfaces  30 ′,  32  of the blocking members move closer to the wire  20  or away from the wire. 
   In the case of  FIG. 1  both blocking members  30  and  32  are basically identical. However, the solution according to the invention can be also applied so that the blow box has only one blocking member provided with a swing joint or the like. The second blocking member can be some other solution, which has been found adequate. The surface of the blocking members directed towards the wire may also have a form, which is different from the smoothly arched Coanda surfaces shown in FIG.  1 . The blocking surfaces of the blocking member can for instance be formed by a plate, which is bent  2 ,  3  or more times into a partly arched form. Thus the blocking surfaces can be formed by linear plate sections. 
     FIG. 2  shows in an enlarged view a blocking member, which is of the same type as the blocking member  30  shown in  FIG. 1 , whereby a blow nozzle  34  is connected to the blocking member. The blocking member  30  is connected via a swing joint  40  to the structures  44  of the blow box  18 . In addition a counter weight  48  is arranged in the blocking member  30 , so that this counter weight keeps the blocking member in a suitable position regarding the wire run  20 , in other words at a suitable distance from the wire during a normal run and/or during shutdown. The counter weight keeps the blocking surface  30 ′ of the blocking member at the desired distance from the wire run. An adjustable limiter  54  is arranged at that end of the blocking member which is away from the hinge, which limiter hits the limiting wall  34 ′ when the blocking member rotates towards the wire, and prevents the blocking member from turning closer to the wire than a predetermined distance. When desired the limiter can be arranged at other parts of the blocking member. The back surface  50  of the blocking member  30 , which is directed away from the wire, borders to the partial space  52  of the blow box  53 . 
   The blow nozzle  34 , which ejects air out from the negative pressure region  24  between the wire and the blow box, is arranged in the blow box structures so that only a very small gap  56  is left between the blocking surface  30 ′ of the blocking member  30  and the outer surface  34 ′ of the blow nozzle  34 . The blow nozzle  34 , particularly its outer surface, and the blocking member  30 , particularly its blocking surface, can be shaped so that the gap  56  is very small, at least in the so called rest position of the blocking member, whereby the amount of air escaping from the air space  52  through this gap  56  into the negative pressure region  24  is minimised 
   However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention the outer surface  34 ′ of the blow nozzle and the blocking surface  30 ′ of the blocking member are shaped so that the size of the gap  56  depends on the position of the blocking member. The gap  56  is increased or reduced when the blocking member is rotated, as shown in the following  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
   The  FIGS. 3  to  5  show the function of the blocking members in a blow box according to the invention in different running situations. The reference numerals used in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are also used in the description of  FIGS. 3  to  5 . 
     FIG. 3  shows the negative pressure region  24  created by the blow box  18 , whereby the negative pressure region is formed in the space defined by the wire  20 , the blow box  18  and the first blocking member  30  and the second blocking member  32  according to FIG.  2 . Both blocking members are connected at their first ends, as seen in the running direction of the wire run  20 , through swing joints  40 ,  42  to the structures  44 ,  44 ′ of the blow box. A first blow nozzle  34  and a second blow nozzle  36  are arranged between the negative pressure region and the blocking members  30  and  32 . 
   The first blow nozzle  34  is arranged to eject air from the negative pressure region  24  over the Coanda surface  30 ′ of the blocking member  30 , upstream with respect of the running direction of the wire run. The second blow nozzle  36  is arranged to eject air from the space  24  over the Coanda surface  32 ′ of the blocking member  32 , downstream with respect of the running direction of the wire run. Both blocking members  30 ,  32  are kept at a suitable distance a, a′ from the wire  20  with the aid of a low positive pressure acting in the spaces  52 ,  52 ′ on the back surfaces  50 ,  50 ′ of the blocking members. 
   The first space  52  is defined by the back surface  50  of the first blocking member  30 , the structures  45  of the blow box, and the outer surface  34 ′ of the first blow nozzle  34 . A small gap  56  is left between the blocking member  30  and the outer surface  34 ′ of the nozzle, and this gap allows the blocking surface to rotate around the articulation point of the hinge  40 . This gap  56  is very small during normal run, whereby it minimises the amount of air escaping from the space  52  to the space  24 . 
   In a corresponding way the second space  52 ′ is defined by the back surface  50 ′ of the second blocking member  32  and the structures  45 ′ of the blow box. The structures  45 ′ bordering to the space  52 ′ comprise a partition  47 , which projects towards the wire. The partition  47  is shaped to form a relatively tight seam together with the blocking member  32 , mainly with that end of the blocking member, which points away from the negative pressure region  24 . The blocking member  32  and the partition  47  are shaped so that the very small gap  56 ′ left between them still allows the blocking member  32  to rotate around the articulation point of the swing joint  42 . During a normal run the gap  56 ′ is so small that it minimises the amount of air flowing out from the space  52 ′. 
   The gap between the second blocking member  32  and the second blow nozzle  36  does not border directly to the space  52 ′, and thus this gap does not have any direct effect on the pressure in the space  52 ′. 
     FIG. 4  shows a blow box according to  FIG. 3  in a situation where a “paper lump”  27  or the like presses the wire  20  towards the blocking members  30  and  32 , however without the wire touching these members. The distances b, b′ between the wire  20  and the blocking surfaces  30 ′,  32 ′ of the blocking members  30 ,  32  are shorter than the distances a, a′ in the case shown in FIG.  3 . The broken lines in  FIG. 4  show the wire run in the situation shown in FIG.  3 . The ejection blows of the nozzles  34 ,  36  prevent the wire from touching the blocking surface. In a solution according to the invention, which utilises very mobile blocking members  30 ,  32 , a rising pressure on the blocking surface side of the blocking members will cause the blocking members to project inward into the blow box, in other words towards the spaces  52 ,  52 ′. 
   The first blocking member  30  and the blow nozzle  34  are shaped so that the gap  56  between the blocking surface  30 ‘and the nozzle’s outer surface  34 ′ increases and air can leak out from the space  52  as the blocking member is pushed towards the blow box. As air is leaking out from the space  52 , the pressure or force contained in it, which normally pushes the blocking member towards the wire, will be reduced, and the blocking member allows the “paper lump” to be pushed towards the blow box, in other words, the blocking member is withdrawn from the path of the “paper lump” and the wire. In this way unnecessary damages to the wire or blow box components are avoided. 
   The pressurised space  52 ′ on the backside of the second blocking member  32  is defined by the backside  50 ′ of the blocking member and also by the blow box structures  45 ′, from which a partition  47  projects towards the second blocking member  32 . When a “paper lump”  27  presses the wire  20  and thus indirectly also the blocking member  32 , the very mobile blocking member rotates around the articulation point of the hinge  42  and is pushed towards the blow box. The motion of the blocking member results in that the gap  56 ′ between the blocking member and the partition  47  increases, whereby air can leak out from the space  52 ′. Therefore the pressure in the space  52 ′ is reduced, and the blocking member can be pushed away from the path of the “paper lump” and the wire more easily than previously, and without any damages. 
   The blocking member  30  shown in the  FIGS. 1  to  4  can be formed of, in the cross direction of the wire, two or more separately rotating blocking member components  30   a ,  30   b , . . .  30   k , which components are connected one after the other so that they form an entity extending across the web.  FIG. 5  shows in a top view a blow box  18 , which is arranged in front of the wire  20  and which contains a blocking member formed by several separate blocking member components  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c ,  30   d , . . .  30   k . Each blocking member component takes its place according to the invention at a suitable distance from the wire. In the case shown in  FIG. 5  the wire&#39;s edges bent away from the blow box, and therefore the blocking member components  30   a  and  30   a ′ at the edge regions project farther out from the blow box than the other blocking member components. The next blocking member components  30   b ,  30   b ′ project also slightly more outwards than the blocking member components  30   k  in the central part of the blow box. 
   A fault in the shape of the wire and/or the blow box can be compensated for by dividing the blocking member into components, by imitating the arched form with a broken line. The distance of the blocking member to the wire can be controlled individually for each blocking member component, when required. 
   Now it has been realised that the blocking surface of a “floating” blocking member arranged in the blow box, similar to the blocking surface shown in the  FIGS. 1  to  4 , will automatically find the correct distance to the adjacent wire. Now it is possible to eliminate springs and other mechanical obstacles, which previously were used to restrict the movements of the blocking member, and the blocking member is allowed to move freely or almost freely as close to the wire as it wants to go. 
   The blocking member supported to be mobile according to the invention finds the correct distance to the wire, also as the wire bends. With the aid of the blocking member it is thus possible to maintain with the blow box a negative pressure level, which is as effective as possible with as small air leaks as possible, in other words, without too high energy costs. This will also at least partly compensate for a bending wire at high negative pressures. 
   When desired it is possible to supply blow air on the backside of a blocking member according to the invention, i.e. into the space defined by the blocking member&#39;s surface, which is directed away from the wire. Depending on in which way the blow air is supplied, and depending on the shaping of the components, the pressure difference will press the blocking member in the desired manner towards the wire or away from the wire. On the other hand the gap or slit between the blocking member and the blow nozzle or some other limiting partition can be designed so that the gap or slit will leak air and change the pressure in a controlled way on the backside of the blocking member, when required. This gap can be shaped so that the pressure acting on the blocking member&#39;s backside is a function of the distance between the blocking member&#39;s surface and the wire. Then the pressure will change in a controlled manner in the space on the backside of the blocking member, for instance when a “paper lump” presses the blocking member inwards into the blow box, and the pressure acting on the blocking member will be reduced. Or, in this way the force towards the wire, caused by the negative pressure, can be reduced at short distances, i.e. when the distance to the wire is short. 
   A blocking member according to the invention, which “floats” in the air flow, and a blow nozzle connected to it provide a safe structure, which is self-controlled. The jet from the blow nozzle acts as a “bed” between the wire and the blocking member&#39;s blocking surface. The distance between the blocking member&#39;s blocking surface and the wire can be kept very short in a safe manner.