Low fluid pressure dual-sided fiber entanglement method, apparatus and resulting product
First Claim
1. A method of fluid formation of a unitary nonwoven fabric, comprising the steps of:
- providing a fibrous starting material whose individual fibers are capable of movement relatively to one another under the influence of applied fluid forces; and
subjecting said fibrous starting material to coacting first and second opposed fluid streams while supporting the material between an apertured member having a predetermined pattern of fluid passages therethrough and a foraminous fluid permeable member, said first fluid stream acting through said apertured member so as to tend to form a pattern of holes in said fibrous starting material corresponding to said predetermined pattern of fluid passages, said second fluid stream acting through said foraminous member, the force of said second fluid stream relative to said first fluid stream being maintained so that said second fluid stream tends to close said holes formed by said first fluid stream by packing a portion of said fibers into said holes, whereby under the influence of fluid forces applied in opposition, the individual fibers of the material are entangled forming a reticular network of holes at least partially closed by said fiber packings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low fluid pressure dual-sided fiber entangling method and apparatus for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric. A fibrous starting material whose individual fibers are capable of movement relatively to one another under the influence of applied fluid forces is subjected to coacting opposed fluid streams while being confined between a flexible screen belt and a rigid perforated hollow drum. The fibers of the starting material are entagled under the effect of fluid forces applied in opposition, forming a reticular network which defines a pattern of blind holes, each hole extending transversely to the fabric plane and containing a protuberant fiber packing at a closed end thereof.
44 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of fluid formation of a unitary nonwoven fabric, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fibrous starting material whose individual fibers are capable of movement relatively to one another under the influence of applied fluid forces; and subjecting said fibrous starting material to coacting first and second opposed fluid streams while supporting the material between an apertured member having a predetermined pattern of fluid passages therethrough and a foraminous fluid permeable member, said first fluid stream acting through said apertured member so as to tend to form a pattern of holes in said fibrous starting material corresponding to said predetermined pattern of fluid passages, said second fluid stream acting through said foraminous member, the force of said second fluid stream relative to said first fluid stream being maintained so that said second fluid stream tends to close said holes formed by said first fluid stream by packing a portion of said fibers into said holes, whereby under the influence of fluid forces applied in opposition, the individual fibers of the material are entangled forming a reticular network of holes at least partially closed by said fiber packings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of fluid formation of a unitary nonwoven fabric, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fibrous starting material whose individual fibers are capable of movement relatively to one another under the influence of applied fluid forces; subjecting said fibrous starting material to coacting first and second opposed fluid streams while supporting the material between an apertured member having a predetermined pattern of fluid passages therethrough, and a foraminous fluid permeable member, said first fluid stream acting through said apertured member so as to tend to form a pattern of holes in said fibrous starting material corresponding to said predetermined pattern of fluid passages, said second fluid stream acting through said foraminous member, the force of said second fluid stream relative to said first fluid stream being maintained so that said second fluid stream tends to close said holes formed by said first fluid stream by packing a portion of said fibers into said holes, whereby under the influence of fluid forces applied in opposition, the individual fibers of the material are entangled forming a reticular network of holes in which fiber packings are formed; and controlling the intensity of the fluid forces to control the degree to which said fiber packings close said holes. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for forming formation of a tri-dimensional unitary nonwoven fabric, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fibrous starting material whose individual fibers are capable of movement relatively to one another under the influence of applied fluid forces; subjecting said fibrous starting material to coacting first and second opposed fluid streams while confining the material between spaced apart fluid permeable members comprising an apertured member having a predetermined pattern of fluid passages therethrough and a foraminous fluid permeable member, said first fluid stream acting through said apertured member so as to tend to form a pattern of holes in said fibrous starting material corresponding to said predetermined pattern of fluid passages, said second fluid stream acting through said foraminous member, the force of said second fluid stream relative to said first fluid stream being maintained so that said second fluid stream tends to close said holes formed by said first fluid stream by packing a portion of said fibers into said holes, whereby under the influence of fluid forces applied in opposition the individual fibers of the material are entangled forming a reticular network of holes at least partially closed by said fiber packings; and controlling the intensity of said fluid forces to control the fiber distribution profile of said network in a transverse direction to the plane of the nonwoven fabric. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of fluid formation of a unitary nonwoven fabric, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fibrous starting material whose individual fibers are capable of movement under the influence of applied fluid forces; confining said fibrous starting material between first and second fluid permeable members forming a supporting structure, said first member having a plurality of apertures forming a pattern; passing said fibrous starting material confined between said first and second members through a fluid treatment station comprising opposed first and second coacting fluid streams in a staggered relationship producing respective fluid forces which are applied in opposition through said supporting structure, said first fluid stream acting through said apertured member, thereby tending to form a pattern of holes corresponding to said pattern of apertures, said second fluid stream applied in opposition to said first fluid stream, thereby tending to close said holes formed by said first fluid stream by packing a portion of said fibers into said holes, whereby a progressive dual-sided fiber entangling of said fibrous starting material occurs so as to form a nonwoven fabric having a first side in which a pattern of holes are disposed and a second side in which a protuberant fiber packing closes each of said holes.
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30. A method for fluid formation of a tridimensional unitary nonwoven fabric, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fibrous starting material whose individual fibers are capable of movement relatively to one another under the influence of applied fluid forces; subjecting said fibrous starting material to a plurality of coacting first and second opposed fluid streams while confining the material between spaced apart fluid permeable members, whereby under the influence of fluid forces applied in opposition the individual fibers of the material are entangled forming a reticular network defining a predetermined pattern of holes formed by said first fluid stream, each hole extending transversely to the plane of the fabric and containing a protuberant fiber packing formed by said second stream and closing said hole; and controlling the relative intensity of the fluid forces of said first and second fluid streams to control the fiber distribution profile of said network in a tranverse direction to the plane of the nonwoven fabric. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification