Abstract This invention deals with nonwoven articles made from continuous filaments, including garments and porous sheet materials. In the past, nonwoven products have suffered the handicap of a stiff and ''''boardy'''' feel. We eject continuous yarn or filaments in an air space and contact them with binder droplets while still suspended in air, so that the droplets dry sufficiently to become nonmigrating before they are deposited on the screen or mold on which the fibers are brought into contact with each other and bonding takes place. This method is particularly suitable for making garments of elastomeric fibers, not easily handled in ordinary production machinery. Another generally applicable advantage is that the resultant products are exceptionally flexible and that the articles produced do not split into stratified binder-rich and -poor areas, but are uniformly bonded throughout.
The process of claim 1, in which the droplets of said fog have a viscosity in excess of 103 centipoise, and below 105 centipoise.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process of clai m 1, in which the droplets of said fog comprise 10-50 percent of solid, 5-15 percent of a liquid solvent therefore which has a boiling range substantially between 75* C. and 120* C., and 75-55 percent of a solvent having a boiling range substantially between 37* C. and 48* C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of projecting further comprises the step of suspending the filaments in the gaseous ambient.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the gaseous ambient is a moving gaseous medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent of the binder droplets on said filaments is substantially removed by evaporation leaving a residue being highly resistant to capillary forces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving means is a revolving hollow perforated mold having a reduced atmospheric pressure therein.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
115 words
The method of producing an elastic article, which comprises the steps of projecting a continuous strand of a fiber having elastic recovery in excess of 100 percent onto a revolving hollow perforated mold, applying a binder to said fiber prior to the fiber contacting said mold, stiffening said binder while the fiber is suspended in air to preclude movement of the binder relative to the fiber at a point prior to the fiber contacting said mold, attracting said fiber to the surface of the revolving perforated mold by means of a reduced aTmospheric pressure therein, causing the fiber to be bonded to itself at points of contact, and removing the resultant article from the mold.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8, in which the said binder is spread over the said fibers as a uniform kinetically stable film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 8 in which the said binder is distributed over said filaments as discrete droplets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 8 in which the binder is distributed over said fiber as discrete droplets.