Patent · US Expired

Method for the production of fibers and materials having enhanced characteristics

US5667749A · kind A · utility

17Cited by
76References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 2, 1995
Grant dateSep 16, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 2, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T442/627
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming artificial fibers and a non-woven web therefrom includes generating a substantially continuous fluid stream along a primary axis, at least one extrusion die located adjacent to the continuous fluid stream for extruding a liquified resin into fibers, injecting the fibers into the primary fluid stream, and selectively perturbing the flow of fluid in the fluid stream by varying the fluid pressure on either side of the primary axis to produce crimped fibers for forming the non-woven web. The inventive manufacturing method finely tunes non-woven web material characteristics such as tensile strength, porosity, barrier properties, absorbance, and softness by varying the fluid stream perturbation frequency and amplitude. Finally, the inventive method and apparatus may be implemented in combination with melt-blown, spunbond and coform techniques for producing non-woven webs.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.