Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of forwarding and charging filaments, comprising a. forwarding a plurality of filament groups along parallel paths into impingement with a target electrode at spaced locations thereon, said filament groups each being forwarded in bundle configuration, b. directing a plurality of electric fields to said locations to charge the filaments, said filaments being forwarded in such a manner that the filament configurations are transformed from a bundle configuration to a fan configuration under the influence of said impingement and said electric fields, c. a portion of said filament groups being forwarded into impingement with one side of the target electrode and the remainder of said filament groups being forwarded into impingement with the opposite side of said target electrode in such a manner that the groups of said portion are adjacent to each other, the filament groups of said portion being positioned along the target electrode in staggered relationship to the filament groups of said remainder.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of forwarding and charging filaments, comprising a. forwarding a plurality of filament groups along parallel paths into impingement with a target electrode at spaced locations thereon, said filament groups each being forwarded in bundle configuration, b. directing a plurality of electric fields to said locations to charge the filaments, said filaments being forwarded in such a manner that the filament configurations are transformed from a bundle configuration to a fan configuration under the influence of said impingement and said electric fields, c. a portion of said filament groups being forwarded into impingement with one side of the target electrode and the remainder of said filament groups being forwarded into impingement with the opposite side of said target electrode in such a manner that the groups of said portion are adjacent to each other, the filament groups of said portion being positioned along the target electrode in staggered relationship to the filament groups of said remainder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the filament groups are sufficiently close to each other that the filaments in the edges of each group intermingle with filaments in the edges of adjacent groups downstream of the target electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
104 words
In the method for forming a non-woven web by feeding plural filaments as a bundle through attenuating means and thereafter spreading said filaments on a moving foraminous collector, thereby forming a web, the improvement comprising: causing said bundle upon leaving said attenuating means to impinge only upon a target electrode in a region thereof to spread said bundle of filaments into a fan configuration as they are being charged, said target electrode being supplied with electrostatic energy from a source positioned so that a perpendicular from the target electrode in said region passes through said source and thereafter depositing said filaments upon said collector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
104 words
In the method for forming a non-woven web by feeding plural filaments as a bundle through attenuating means and thereafter spreading said filaments on a moving foraminous collector, thereby forming a web, the improvement comprising: causing said bundle upon leaving said attenuating means to impinge only upon a target electrode in a region thereof to spread said bundle of filaments into a fan configuration as they are being charged, said target electrode being supplied with electrostatic energy from a source positioned so that a perpendicular from the target electrode in said region passes through said source and thereafter depositing said filaments upon said collector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the filaments impinge the target electrode in such a manner that the direction of travel of the filaments is changed by said impingement.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the electric field is created at locations positioned along a line extending parallel to the direction of filament travel through the electric field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the electric field is created by a plurality of pins positioned in a row parallel to the direction of filament travel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the filament bundle impinges the target electrode at an angle of 0° to 60°.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the filament bundle impinges the target electrode at an angle of 0° to 20°.