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US3940216A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for forming a nonwoven fibrous web

Assignee: Fibertech Group Inc
•
Filing: 1975-01-30
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Granted: 1976-02-24
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Expires: 1995-01-30
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Abstract

Abstract This invention relates to an apparatus for forming a nonwoven fibrous web from multiple laps of staple fibers. The apparatus includes lap forming means for forming the laps of staple fibers and for generating air currents. A lap-confining channel is defined in part by an upper horizontal run of a substantially air-impervious conveyor belt, and the horizontal run directs the laps through an open downstream end of the channel. A shield encloses the downstream end of each lap forming means for defining an enclosed flow path from each lap forming means to the lap-confining channel. This enclosed flow path aids in establishing laminar flow of the air currents to form air barriers between adjacent laps, and between the upper horizontal run of the conveyor belt and its adjacent lap. A fiber spreading and reorienting section is positioned adjacent the downstream open end of the lap-confining channel and includes a plurality of bowed rolls spaced from each other in the machine-direction of web formation with their axles extending in the cross-machine-direction of web formation. The axles are disposed along a generally upwardly inclined path from the horizontal run of the conveyor belt in the machine-direction of web formation, and this generally upwardly inclined path is at an acute angle to the direction of movement of said horizontal run. The most upstream roll of the fiber spreading and reorienting section, that is, the roll closest to the upper horizontal run of the conveyor belt, is in adjacent, noncontacting relationship with the horizontal run of the conveyor belt for receiving the overlying laps without compressing them against the conveyor belt. A calendering section is disposed downstream of the fiber spreading and reorienting section for pressing the fibrous laps together into a unitary nonwoven fibrous web after the fibers in the laps have been spread and reoriented, and a bonding section is disposed downstream of the calendering section for bonding together the fibers of the unitary nonwoven fibrous web to enhance the integrity of the web.

Inventors

  • 👤 Thomas L. Hinckley

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 17:07
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/70; D04H1/72; D04H1/732

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 262 words
In an apparatus for forming a unitary nonwoven fibrous web from multiple laps of staple fibers: A. lap forming means for forming said laps of staple fibers and for generating air currents; B. a lap-confining channel defined in part by an upper, substantially horizontal delivery run of an air-impervious conveyor, said channel having an open down-stream end; C. shield means for defining a flow path between the lap forming means and the lap-confining channel for directing said laps and air currents into said lap-confining channel with said laps in overlying relationship with each other and with the upper delivery run of the air-impervious conveyor; D. drive means for moving said air-impervious conveyor to convey said overlying laps in a downstream direction through the open downstream end of said lap-confining channel; the improvement comprising: E. a fiber spreading and reorienting section adjacent the upper delivery run of the conveyor downstream of the lap-confining channel, said fiber spreading and reorienting section including a plurality of bowed rolls spaced from each other in the machine direction of web formation with their axles extending in the cross-machine-direction of web formation, said axles being disposed along a generally upwardly inclined path from the horizontal delivery run of the conveyor, said generally upwardly inclined path being at an acute angle to the direction of movement of said delivery run, and the most upstream bowed roll of the fiber spreading and reorienting section being in adjacent, noncontacting relationship with the horizontal delivery run for receiving the overlying laps of staple fibers without compressing said laps against said delivery run.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 262 words
In an apparatus for forming a unitary nonwoven fibrous web from multiple laps of staple fibers: A. lap forming means for forming said laps of staple fibers and for generating air currents; B. a lap-confining channel defined in part by an upper, substantially horizontal delivery run of an air-impervious conveyor, said channel having an open down-stream end; C. shield means for defining a flow path between the lap forming means and the lap-confining channel for directing said laps and air currents into said lap-confining channel with said laps in overlying relationship with each other and with the upper delivery run of the air-impervious conveyor; D. drive means for moving said air-impervious conveyor to convey said overlying laps in a downstream direction through the open downstream end of said lap-confining channel; the improvement comprising: E. a fiber spreading and reorienting section adjacent the upper delivery run of the conveyor downstream of the lap-confining channel, said fiber spreading and reorienting section including a plurality of bowed rolls spaced from each other in the machine direction of web formation with their axles extending in the cross-machine-direction of web formation, said axles being disposed along a generally upwardly inclined path from the horizontal delivery run of the conveyor, said generally upwardly inclined path being at an acute angle to the direction of movement of said delivery run, and the most upstream bowed roll of the fiber spreading and reorienting section being in adjacent, noncontacting relationship with the horizontal delivery run for receiving the overlying laps of staple fibers without compressing said laps against said delivery run.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 61 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the axles of adjacent bowed rolls are offset from each other so that a line connecting successive axles follows an undulating path, the straight path approximation of said undulating path being upwardly inclined from the horizontal delivery run of the conveyor at an acute angle to the direction of movement of said delivery run.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 67 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the outer surfaces of successive rolls overlap to define an undulating fiber spreading and reorienting path between said rolls through which the laps of staple fibers are directed, the straight path approximation of the undulating path being upwardly inclined from the upper delivery run of the conveyor at an acute angle to the direction of movement of said delivery run.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 54 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a calendering section disposed downstream of the fiber spreading and reorienting section for pressing the adjacent overlying laps together to form a unitary nonwoven fibrous web and a bonding section disposed downstream of the calendering section for bonding together fibers of said unitary nonwoven fibrous web.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3772107A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-02-23 1979-08-25 1980-02-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-02-23 1983-08-25 1984-02-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-02-23 1987-08-25 1988-02-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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