Particulate filter structure
First Claim
1. A particulate filter structure comprising a thermally bonded, three dimensional, fibrous framework comprising composite structural fibers having a denier of at least 30 dpf and comprising a structural component and a first lower melting component, said first lower melting component bonding said fibrous framework together at the cross over points;
- composite filtration fibers of relatively smaller denier than said structural fibers distributed within and bonded to said fibrous framework and comprising a higher melting component and a second lower melting component, wherein said filtration fibers have a denier of from about 1 to 30 dpf; and
functional particulate distributed within said fibrous framework and entrapped in interstices formed by said filtration fibers and bonded by said second lower melting component to said filtration fibers;
wherein said structural fibers comprise up to about 10 percent of the total weight of said particulate filter structure.
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Abstract
A particulate filter structure and method for making the structure are disclosed. The structure includes a stable framework of relatively large denier fibers having a lower melting component and a higher melting component. The larger denier fibers have a denier of from about 30 dpf or more and are bonded by the lower melting component at the crossover points. Smaller denier fibers, which preferably are of the same composition as the larger denier fibers are immobilized onto the framework formed by the larger denier fibers by applying heat. Functional particulate such as activated carbon is immobilized primarily onto the smaller denier fibers, also by application of heat.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A particulate filter structure comprising a thermally bonded, three dimensional, fibrous framework comprising composite structural fibers having a denier of at least 30 dpf and comprising a structural component and a first lower melting component, said first lower melting component bonding said fibrous framework together at the cross over points;
- composite filtration fibers of relatively smaller denier than said structural fibers distributed within and bonded to said fibrous framework and comprising a higher melting component and a second lower melting component, wherein said filtration fibers have a denier of from about 1 to 30 dpf; and
functional particulate distributed within said fibrous framework and entrapped in interstices formed by said filtration fibers and bonded by said second lower melting component to said filtration fibers;
wherein said structural fibers comprise up to about 10 percent of the total weight of said particulate filter structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15)
- composite filtration fibers of relatively smaller denier than said structural fibers distributed within and bonded to said fibrous framework and comprising a higher melting component and a second lower melting component, wherein said filtration fibers have a denier of from about 1 to 30 dpf; and
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11. A particulate filter structure comprising a thermally bonded, three dimensional, fibrous framework comprising crimped composite structural fibers having a denier of from about 30 to 10,000 dpf and comprising a structural component and a first lower melting component, said first lower melting component bonding said fibrous framework together at the cross over points;
- crimped composite filtration fibers of relatively smaller denier than said structural fibers distributed within and bonded to said fibrous framework and comprising a higher melting component and a second lower melting component, wherein said filtration fibers have a denier of from about 1 to 30 dpf, and said first lower melting component and said second lower melting component are the same polymer and have similar melting points; and
functional particulate distributed within said fibrous framework and entrapped in interstices formed by said filtration fibers, and bonded to said fibrous framework by said first lower melting component and to said filtration fibers by said second lower melting component;
wherein said structural fibers comprise up to about 10 percent of the total weight of said filter structure and said filter structure substantially is formed of said filtration fibers and said functional particulate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 16)
- crimped composite filtration fibers of relatively smaller denier than said structural fibers distributed within and bonded to said fibrous framework and comprising a higher melting component and a second lower melting component, wherein said filtration fibers have a denier of from about 1 to 30 dpf, and said first lower melting component and said second lower melting component are the same polymer and have similar melting points; and
Specification