Patent · US Expired

Methods of forming ultra-fine fibers and non-woven webs

US7431869B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
25References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 4, 2004
Grant dateOct 7, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 25, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T442/614
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A nonwoven web product including ultra-fine fibers is formed utilizing a spunbond apparatus that forms multicomponent fibers by delivering first and second polymer components in a molten state from a spin pack to a spinneret, extruding multicomponent fibers including the first and second polymer components from the spinneret, attenuating the mulicomponent fibers in an aspirator, laying down the multicomponent fibers on an elongated forming surface disposed downstream from the aspirator to form a nonwoven web, and bonding portions of at least some of the fibers in the nonwoven web together to form a bonded, nonwoven web product. The multicomponent fibers can include separable segments such as islands-in-the-sea fibers, where certain separated segments become the ultra-fine fibers in the web product. In addition, carbon tubular fibers can be formed by extruding island-in-the-sea fibers including polyacrylonitrile or pitch sheath segments in the fibers, separating the segments of the fiber, and converting the polyacrylonitrile of pitch to carbon by a carbonization process.

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