EP0223614A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Process and apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric
Assignee: Unicharm Corp
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Filing: 1986-11-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-11-20
Abstract
Abstract Here are disclosed process and apparatus for producing apertured or non-apertured nonwoven fabric wherein fibrous web is introduced onto support means and treated with high velocity water streams jetted from above. The non-apertured nonwoven fabric may be produced by fiber entangling treatment on a smooth surfaced plate including a plurality of drainage holes as first support means or by further fiber entangling treatment performed on water impermeable second support means after the fiber entangling treatment performed on the first support means. The apertured nonwoven fabric may be produced by, after the fiber entangling treatment on the first support means, using, instead of the second support means, another second support means consisting of a smooth surfaced plate provided with a plurality of projections and drainage holes so that individual fibers of the fibrous web are deflected by water streams jetted from above the fibrous web aside towards zones of the surface defined by each pair of adjacent projections while entangling these individual fibers with each other.
Inventors
- 👤 Migaku Suzuki
- 👤 Satoshi Nozaki
- 👤 Shigeo Imai
- 👤 Makoto Ishigami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:27
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H17/00; D04H18/00; D04H18/04; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/44
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A process for producing nonwoven fabric characterised by the steps of introducing fibrous web onto support means consisting of a smooth surfaced plate having a plurality of drainage holes each having a diameter of 0.2 to 1.0mm regularly distributed on the smooth surface at an occupying area ratio of 2.5 to 30% relative to an effective area of said surface, jetting water streams from a plurality of orifices arranged at a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web on said support means so as to entangle individual fibres in said fibrous web with each other at random and simultaneously draining said water streams which have completed their function under suction through said drainage holes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
A process for producing nonwoven fabric characterised by the steps of introducing fibrous web onto support means consisting of a smooth surfaced plate having a plurality of drainage holes each having a diameter of 0.2 to 1.0mm regularly distributed on the smooth surface at an occupying area ratio of 2.5 to 30% relative to an effective area of said surface, jetting water streams from a plurality of orifices arranged at a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web on said support means so as to entangle individual fibres in said fibrous web with each other at random and simultaneously draining said water streams which have completed their function under suction through said drainage holes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process for producing nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, characterised in that said water streams are supplied at a jetting pressure of 20 to 100kg/cm2 and a water delivery of 0.5 to 20 ℓ/m2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A process for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised by further comprising the steps of introducing said fibrous web onto a water impermeable second support means, and jetting water streams from a plurality of orifices arranged at a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web on said second support means so as to entangle individual fibres in said fibrous web with each other at random.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
125 words
A process for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised by further comprising the steps of introducing said fibrous web onto second support means consisting of a smooth surfaced plate on which a plurality of projections and drainage holes are regularly distributed, jetting water streams from a plurality of orifices arranged a` a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web on said second support means so.. as to deflect individual fibres in said fibrous web aside towards zones of the surface defined between each pair of adjacent said projections and thereby to form apertures while entangling said individual fibres with each other at random, and simultaneously draining said water streams which have completed their function under suction through said drainage holes.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric characterised by comprising: support means consisting of a smooth surfaced plate having a plurality of drainage holes each having a diameter of 0.2 to 1.0mm regularly distributed thereon at an occupying area ratio of 2.5 to 30% relative to an effective area of said surface and adapted to support thereon fibrous web; jetting means adapted to jet water streams through a plurality of orifices arranged at a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web introduced onto said support means onto said web so as to entangle individual fibres in said fibrous web with each.other at random; and suction means disposed back said support means to drain said water streams which have completed their function through said drainage holes.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric characterised by comprising: support means consisting of a smooth surfaced plate having a plurality of drainage holes each having a diameter of 0.2 to 1.0mm regularly distributed thereon at an occupying area ratio of 2.5 to 30% relative to an effective area of said surface and adapted to support thereon fibrous web; jetting means adapted to jet water streams through a plurality of orifices arranged at a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web introduced onto said support means onto said web so as to entangle individual fibres in said fibrous web with each.other at random; and suction means disposed back said support means to drain said water streams which have completed their function through said drainage holes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said support means comprises a cylinder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that each adjacent four of said drainage holes formed in said support means are disposed in a diamond pattern as viewed in the travelling direction of said fibrous web.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, characterised by further comprising water impermeable second support means adapted to support said fibre entangled fibrous web; and jetting means-adapted to jet water streams through a plurality of orifices arranged at a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web introduced onto said second support means onto said fibrous web so as to entangle said individual fibres in said fibrous web with each other at random.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that said second support means comprises a plurality of rollers arranged at a predetermined interval in the travelling direction of said fibrous web.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
144 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, characterised by further comprising second support means adapted to support thereon said preliminarily fibre entangled fibrous web and having a plurality of projections and drainage holes regularly distributed thereon; jetting means adapted to jet water streams through a plurality of orifices arranged at a predetermined pitch transversely of said fibrous web on said second support means so as to deflect said individual fibres in said fibrous web aside towards zones of the surface defined between each pair of adjacent said projections and thereby-to form apertures while entangling said individual fibres in said fibrous web with each other at random; and suction means disposed back each of said second support means to drain the water streams which have completed their function through said drainage holes of said second support means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said first support means and said second support means comprise cylinders.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterised in that each of said projections diverges from its apex gradually 'to its base.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
22 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, wherein each of said projections is semi-spherical.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
43 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13, wherein each of said projections includes a drainage hole opening in a direction opposite to that in which said fibrous web supported on said second support means travels.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
29 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14, characterised in that said projections are arranged at a pitch of 1 to 15mm.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
35 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15, characterised in that drainage holes are formed in zones of the surface defined by each pair of adjacent said projections.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
35 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15, characterised in that said drainage holes formed in said second support means are of 0.1 to 2.0mm in each diameter.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
37 words
An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 10 to 16, characterised in that said drainage holes of said second support means are distributed throughout said second support means inclusive of said projections.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
66 words
1Q. An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that said drainage hole formed in each said projection of said second support means and facing in a direction opposite to that in which said fibrous web supported on said second support means travels open at an angle of 75 to 105° with respect to the plane of said second support means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
68 words
20 An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that each of said drainage holes formed in each of said projections of said second support means and facing in a direction opposite to that in which said fibrous web supported on said second support means travels opens at an angle of substantially 90° with respect to the plane of said second support means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
21- An apparatus for producing nonwoven fabric as claimed in any of claims 10 to 19, characterised in that the occupying area ratio of said drainage holes relative to an effective area of said second support means is 2 to 30%.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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