Method for manufacturing a strip-shaped composite body

• US 4,311,542 A
• Filed: 02/04/1980
• Issued: 01/19/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Breveteam SA
• Original Assignee: Breveteam SA
• Inventors: Mueller, Jean-Pierre, Raemy, Marius
• Primary Examiner(s): Weston, Caleb
• Application Number:
  US06/118,093
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 156/84, 156/85, 156/200, 156/201, 156/229, 156/290, 156/494, 156/495, 156/496, 156/322, 156/324, 264/230, 264/342 R, 264/342 RE, 428/136, 428/195, 428/198, 428/200, 428/201, 428/209, 428/347
• US Class Current: 156/84
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 61/02 Thermal shrinking
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/38 Meshes, lattices or nets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/516 mono-axially
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/736 Shrinkable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/065 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1292 selectively, e.g. in stripes, in patterns B32B37/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/146 whereby one or more of the layers is a honeycomb structure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1875 Tensioning
• 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: D06N 2205/04 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2213/04 Perforated layer
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/04 with macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/12 with macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds , e.g. gelatine proteins
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential

Abstract

The perforated web and a carrier web are passed through a heated zone while moving through a curved path in which the perforated web is tensioned. Upon heating of the perforated web, the thermoplastic material of the web shrinks so that a net structure with opened perforations is formed. Inward shrinking of the peripheral zones of the perforated web is prevented by the tensioning of the perforated web in the curved path.

Claims

1. A method of making a non-woven fabric comprising the steps of

guiding a perforated web of an at least mono-axially oriented heat-shrinkable thermoplastic material through a heating zone along a guide path continuously curved in one direction;

heating the perforated web in said heating zone to a thermoplastic condition to shrink the thermoplastic material and to form a net structure with opened perforations;

bringing at least one web of material into contact with the heated net structure, said web of material being substantially stable at the plastifying temperature of the perforated web;

feeding the contacting web of material and net structure to a pressure zone with the net structure in a thermoplastic condition; and

heat sealing the net structure to the web of material in said pressure zone while employing the heat of the net structure therefore.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web is heated on a convex side of said curved guide path.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web is heated on a concave side of said curved guide path.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide path is of constant curvature.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web is guided through said heating zone at a predetermined angle relative to a tangent to a vertex of said curved guide path.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the perforated web is guided through said heating zone in a direction towards said tangent.

7. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the perforated web is guided through said heating zone in a direction away from the tangent.

8. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the perforated web is guided into said heating zone in a direction towards said tangent and out of said heating zone in a direction away from said tangent.

9. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the perforated web is guided at an angle of at least 2°

with respect to said tangent.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web and the web of material are fed together in continuously curved manner in one direction through said heating zone.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein a second web of material is contacted with the net structure on a side opposite the one web of material, is fed into said pressure zone with the net structure and one web of material and bonded to the net structure and one web of material in said pressure zone.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the second web of material is contacted with the net structure immediately ahead of said pressure zone.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web is guided onto the web of material up and into said pressure zone on said continuously curved guide path.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure zone immediately follows said heating zone.

15. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web and web of material are guided through an unheated zone between said heated zone and said pressure zone.

16. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web is guided under tension along said curved guide path.

17. A method as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises the step of guiding the perforated web from a delivery means into said heating zone and wherein said curved guide path diverts from a straight line path extending from said delivery means to said pressure zone.

18. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the perforated web is a slit film.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the slit film comprises a plastics foil with substantially parallel rows of slits arranged substantially transverse to the direction of shrinkage of the plastics foil corresponding to the direction of stretch.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the slits are mutually offset.

21. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the slit film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, polypropylene, polyamide, polyurethane, and polyethylene.

22. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the web of material is selected from the group consisting of textile material, a plastics foil, and a plastics foam.