Non-woven composite

• US 20070066176A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Flack, LeAnne, Thompson, Gregory, Wenstrup, David, Godfrey, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,709,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/415
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/20 All layers being fibrous or filamentary
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0276 Polyester fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0284 Polyethylene terephthalate [PET] or polybutylene terephthalate [PBT]
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/14 Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/538 Roughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/54 Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/558 Impact strength, toughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/72 Density
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/04 Tiles for floors or walls tiles for roofs B32B2419/06
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/06 Roofs, roof membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/08 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/00 Walls, panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/026 Knitted fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/08 the fibres or filaments of a layer being of different substances , e.g. conjugate fibres, mixture of different fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/145 Variation across the thickness of the layer
• 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: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/083 for fire walls or floors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0838 : for engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/54 : by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving in combination with needling D04H1/485
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/559 : the fibres being within layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/732 : by fluid current, e.g. air-lay
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/14 : with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/7687 : Crumble resistant fibrous blankets or panels using adhesives or meltable fibres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24992 : Density or compression of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3707 : Woven fabric including a nonwoven fabric layer other than paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3756 : Nonwoven fabric layer comprises at least two chemically different fibers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/378 : Coated, impregnated, or autogenously bonded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/69 : Autogenously bonded nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/692 : Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/696 : Including strand or fiber material which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous compositions, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/697 : Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials

Abstract

A non-woven material including first effect fibers, first binder fibers, second binder fibers, and optionally second effect fibers. The non-woven material has a first planar zone and a second planar zone. The first planar zone includes a greater concentration of first effect fibers and first binder fibers. The second planar zone includes a greater concentration of second effect fibers and second binder fibers. The first planar zone can include a first surface skin associated with the first planar zone on the exterior of the non-woven material, and a second surface skin associated with the second planar zone on the exterior of the non-woven material. The non-woven material has a woven, knitted, or non-woven layer added on either one or both sides of the non-woven material.

Claims

1. A non-woven composite, comprising:

a non-woven material comprising;

first binder fibers,

first effect fibers, and,

second binder fibers,

wherein the non-woven material being a unitary material having;

a first planar zone defined by a first boundary plane and a first zone inner boundary plane, the first planar zone including a portion of the first binder fibers, the first effect fibers, and the second binder fibers;

a second planar zone defined by a second boundary plane and a second zone inner boundary plane, the second planar zone including a portion of the first binder fibers, the first effect fibers, and the second binder fibers;

a first skin at the first boundary plane, the first skin comprising the first binder fibers;

a second skin at the second boundary plane, the second skin comprising the second binder fibers;

wherein concentrations of said first binder fibers in said first planar zone being greater than concentrations of the first binder fibers in said second planar zone, and the concentration of the first binder fibers decreases in a gradient from the first boundary plane to the first zone inner boundary plane;

wherein concentrations of said second binder fibers being greater in said second planar zone than the concentration of the second binder fibers in second planar zone, and the concentration of the second binder fibers decreases in a gradient from the second boundary plane to the second zone inner boundary plane; and

,

wherein the non-woven composite has a density of between about 0.03 and 0.5 g/cm³.

2. The non-woven composite of claim 1, wherein the non-woven material further comprises second effect fibers.

3. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising

a first adhesive layer on the first boundary plane of the first planar zone, and

a first stiffening non-woven layer on the first adhesive layer on the side opposite the first boundary plane,

4. The non-woven composite of claim 3, further comprising

a second adhesive layer on the first stiffening non-woven layer on the side opposite the first adhesive layer, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the second adhesive layer on the side opposite the first stiffening layer.

5. The non-woven composite of claim 3, further comprising

a second adhesive layer on the second boundary plane of the second planar zone, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the second adhesive layer on the side opposite the second boundary plane.

6. The non-woven composite of claim 3, further comprising

a second adhesive layer on the second boundary plane of the second planar zone, and

a second stiffening non-woven layer on the second adhesive layer on the side opposite the second boundary plane.

7. The non-woven composite of claim 6, further comprising

a third adhesive layer on the second stiffening non-woven layer on the side opposite the second adhesive layer, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the third adhesive layer on the side opposite the second stiffening layer.

8. The non-woven composite of claim 6, further comprising

a third adhesive layer on the first stiffening non-woven layer on the side opposite the first adhesive layer, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the third adhesive layer on the side opposite the first stiffening layer.

9. The non-woven composite of claim 7, further comprising

a forth adhesive layer on the first stiffening non-woven layer on the side opposite the first adhesive layer, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the forth adhesive layer on the side opposite the first stiffening layer.

10. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising

a first adhesive layer on the second boundary plane of the second planar zone, and

a first stiffening non-woven layer on the second adhesive layer on the side opposite the second boundary plane.

11. The non-woven composite of claim 10, further comprising

a second adhesive layer on the first boundary plane of the first planar zone, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the second adhesive layer on the side opposite the first boundary plane.

12. The non-woven composite of claim 10, further comprising

a second adhesive layer on the first stiffening non-woven layer on the side opposite the first adhesive layer, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the second adhesive layer on the side opposite the first stiffening layer.

13. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising

a first adhesive layer on the first boundary plane of the first planar zone, and

a knit or woven layer on the first adhesive layer on the side opposite the first boundary plane.

14. The non-woven composite of claim 13, further comprising

a second adhesive layer on the second boundary plane of the second planar zone, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the second adhesive layer on the side opposite the second boundary plane.

15. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising

a first adhesive layer on the second boundary plane of the second planar zone, and

a knit or woven fabric layer on the first adhesive layer on the side opposite the second boundary plane.

16. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising a first stiffening non-woven layer on the first boundary plane.

17. The non-woven composite of claim 16, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the first stiffening layer on the side opposite the first boundary plane.

18. The non-woven composite of claim 16, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the second boundary plane.

19. The non-woven composite of claim 16, further comprising a second stiffening non-woven layer on the second boundary plane.

20. The non-woven composite of claim 19, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the second stiffening layer on the side opposite the second boundary plane.

21. The non-woven composite of claim 19, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the first stiffening layer on the side opposite the first boundary plane.

22. The non-woven composite of claim 20, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the first stiffening layer on the side opposite the first boundary plane.

23. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising a first stiffening non-woven layer on the second boundary plane.

24. The non-woven composite of claim 23, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the first boundary plane.

25. The non-woven composite of claim 23, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the first stiffening layer on the side opposite to the second boundary plane.

26. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising a knit or woven layer on the first adhesive layer on the first boundary plane.

27. The non-woven composite of claim 26, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the second boundary plane.

28. The non-woven composite of claim 1, further comprising a knit or woven fabric layer on the second boundary plane.

29. The non-woven composite of claim 1, wherein the non-woven composite has a density of between about 0.05 and 0.4 g/cm³.