Reinforced nonwoven material and method of use for furniture

• US 10,508,369 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novum Microfiber Corp.
• Original Assignee: Novum Microfiber Corp.
• Inventors: Shokar, Bobby
• Primary Examiner(s): Tucker, Philip C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Vicki
• Application Number:
  US16/056,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20180363181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 15624411
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/04 Clamps for attaching flat elastic strips or flat meandering springs to frames
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/10 Loose or removable furniture covers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/105 for mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/04 using rollers or endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/38 Meshes, lattices or nets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/54 Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/72 Density
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4374 using different kinds of webs, e.g. by layering webs
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/021 polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/022 polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/08 Upholstery, mattresses

Abstract

A novel nonwoven material for use as a cover of bedding and furniture is disclosed. The inventive method comprises creating a layered nonwoven material, cutting one or more desired shapes from a portion of said layered nonwoven material; securely attaching a first portion of said one or more desired shapes to a second portion of said one or more desired shapes to create a cover containing an internal cavity; and placing a furniture item within said internal cavity of said cover. The furniture item is selected from a group comprising a pillow, a cushion, a mattress, and a duvet.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a nonwoven material comprising

a) creating a layered nonwoven material, comprising the steps

i) creating a material mixture of a polymer;

ii) heating said material mixture;

iii) extruding said material mixture;

iv) creating a first layer of nonwoven material formed from said material mixture after said material mixture is heated and extruded;

v) placing a layer of woven mesh on top of said first layer;

vi) depositing a second layer of nonwoven material formed from said material mixture, after said material mixture is heated and extruded, on top of said layer of woven mesh such that said layer of woven mesh is disposed between said first layer of nonwoven material and said second layer of nonwoven material;

b) calendaring said layered nonwoven material;

c) cutting one or more desired shapes from a portion of said layered nonwoven material after said layered nonwoven material is calendared;

d) securely attaching a first portion of said one or more desired shapes to a second portion of said one or more desired shapes to create a cover containing an internal cavity; and

e) placing a furniture item within said internal cavity of said cover

i) wherein said furniture item is selected from a group consisting of a pillow, a cushion, a mattress, and a duvet.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of creating a material mixture of a polymer further comprises adding from seventy percent to one hundred percent by weight of polypropylene.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of creating a material mixture of a polymer further comprises adding from seventy-five percent to ninety-five percent by weight of polypropylene.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of creating a material mixture of a polymer further comprises adding from eighty percent to ninety percent by weight of polyethylene.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of creating a material mixture of a polymer further comprises adding from seventy percent to one hundred percent by weight of polyethylene.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of creating a material mixture of a polymer further comprises adding from seventy-five percent to ninety-five percent by weight of polyethylene.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of creating a material mixture of a polymer further comprises adding up to three percent by weight of ethyl methyl acetate.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of creating a material mixture of a polymer further comprises adding up to two percent by weight of a UV stabilizer.

9. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of securely attaching a first portion of said one or more desired shapes to a second portion of said one or more desired shapes is completed by a means of selected from a group consisting of:

sewing, melting, and ultrasonic welding.

10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising attaching a securing component to a portion of said cover, wherein said securing component is selected from a group consisting of a zipper, one or more hooks, or one or more buttons.

11. The method as in claim 1 further comprising ensuring said furniture item is disposed in a desired orientation within said cover.

12. The method as in claim 1 further comprising placing an embossing pattern on a top surface of said layered nonwoven material with an embossing roll.

13. The method as in claim 1 further comprising confirming that one or more markings on a surface of said cover are undistorted or in a desired position relative to said furniture item.

14. The method as in claim 1 further comprising

a) heating a portion of said layered nonwoven material;

and

b) stretching a portion of said layered nonwoven material over a mold.

15. The method as in claim 1 further comprising

a) testing a plurality of physical properties of a portion of said layered nonwoven material;

and

b) verifying that each of said plurality of physical properties are within a variance of ten percent of a set of preferred values

i) wherein said set of preferred values comprise

(1) a density of 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter;

(2) a product weight of 55 grams per square meter;

(3) a machine direction tensile strength of 41 pounds;

(4) a cross direction tensile strength of 33 pounds;

(5) a machine direction elongation of 65%;

(6) a cross direction elongation of 75%;

(7) a machine direction trapezoid tear of 14 pounds;

(8) a cross direction trapezoid tear of 14 pounds;

(9) a water permeability of 52 liters per square meter per second; and

(10) a permittivity of 1.04 per second.

16. The method as in claim 1 further comprising

a) testing a plurality of physical properties of a portion of said layered nonwoven material;

and

b) verifying that each of said plurality of physical properties are within a variance of ten percent of a set of preferred values

i) wherein said set of preferred values comprise

(1) a density of 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter;

(2) a product weight of 85 grams per square meter;

(3) a machine direction tensile strength of 72 pounds;

(4) a cross direction tensile strength of 51 pounds;

(5) a machine direction elongation of 65%;

(6) a cross direction elongation of 75%;

(7) a machine direction trapezoid tear of 17 pounds;

(8) a cross direction trapezoid tear of 22 pounds;

(9) a water permeability of at least 40 liters per square meter per second; and

(10) a permittivity of 0.8 per second.