Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for enhanced fiber bundle dispersion with a divergent fiber draw unit

US8246898B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by

62References

19Claims

0Family size

Inventors

John H. Conrad · Alpharetta, US
Eric E. Lennon · Roswell, US
Douglas J. Hulslander · Stone Mountain, US
Joerg Hendrix · Alpharetta, US
Detlef Frey · Niederkassel, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 19, 2007
Grant date	Aug 21, 2012
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Mar 28, 2028

Classification

Technology area (CPC D)Textiles; Paper
CPC primaryD04H3/03
WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus for melt extruding a nonwoven web includes providing a plurality of fibers from an extrusion device. The fibers are conveyed through a diverging profile portion of a fiber drawing unit (FDU) that causes the fibers to spread and expand in the machine direction within the FDU. The fibers are then conveyed through a diverging diffusion chamber spaced from the outlet of the FDU to reduce the velocity of the fibers and further spread the fibers in the machine direction. The fibers may be subjected to an applied electrostatic charge in either the diffusion chamber or the FDU. From the outlet of the diffusion chamber, the fibers are laid onto a forming surface as a nonwoven web.

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