High loft nonwoven with balanced properties

Abstract

The present invention relates to process for making a light-weight, high loft nonwoven fabric. The process adds a drafter to a conventional nonwoven process in order to increase the production rate. Additionally, the invented process improves the quality of the manufactured fabric by increasing the tensile strength in the machine direction, providing balanced strength in the machine and cross directions, and enhancing resiliency. The process blends polyester fiber with a low melt fiber or low melt bicomponent fiber to form a web. The web is optionally carded and cross lapped before being drafted. Thereafter, the web is heated in an oven having sufficient heat to melt the low melt fiber then cooled to set the properties.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b) is a continuation of U.S. Ser. Number 10 / 449,279 filed on May 30, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1) Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a high loft having balanced properties and a method of making the same for the production of nonwoven fabric. In particular, the present invention relates to a lightweight, high loft nonwoven fabric in which properties in the machine direction and cross direction such as resiliency (measured in terms of improved loft), and improved tensile strength are more uniform. Additionally, a process for making the high loft nonwoven is unique in that a drafter machine is employed, thereby increasing the efficiency of the production process. [0004] 2) Prior Art [0005] High loft nonwoven fabrics are used in a wide variety of applications, for example, in indoor and outdoor furniture, bedding such as mattresses, and quilting. As such, the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0024] The present invention relates to a product and process for making a lightweight, high loft nonwoven fabric. The process adds a drafter to a conventional nonwoven process in order to increase the production rate. Additionally, the invented process improves the quality of the manufactured fabric by increasing the tensile strength in the machine direction, providing balanced strength in the machine and cross directions, and enhancing resiliency of the fabric.

Problems solved by technology

For example, a fabric with false loft will have a high initial loft due to excessive voids within the fabric.

This conventional process is limited in that tensile strength of the web in the cross direction is higher than the tensile strength in the machine direction.

Another drawback of the conventional process is that the low melt fibers typically constitute twenty percent (20%) or more of the web, by weight.

These low melt fibers are more expensive than the polyester fibers, adding cost to the product.

A further limitation of the conventional process is that the production rate is limited by the cross-lapper.

That is, the faster the production rate, the more inconsistent the fibers are laid when cross lapped.

Moreover, the cross lapper is incapable of cycling back and forth at a speed sufficient to keep up with the speed of the other production components.

This is particularly a problem for lightweight, nonwoven fabrics wherein inconsistently laid fibers reduce the fabrics' quality and diminishes physical properties of the product.

Disadvantageously, the step of applying resin is also quite slow in comparison to the process speed of the remaining equipment, causing another process restriction point.

Moreover, the latex resin causes the fabric to have a stiff feel.

However, their use in producing lightweight, high loft nonwoven fabric, is not known.

Conventionally formed high loft nonwoven fabrics have limited use since their tensile strength in the machine direction is significantly less than that in cross direction.

Conventional processes for forming high loft nonwoven fabrics also have process components that limit production rate well below that of the remaining equipment.

The cross lapper typically limits the rate of production in that it is incapable of obtaining the production speeds of the remaining equipment.

Conventional processes that spray resin as a binder onto the web have a production rate much slower than those that utilize low melt fibers because the step of applying resin causes a process restriction point.

Also the oven cure residence time to dry and cure the sprayed binder resin impedes the production process compared with using low melt fibers.

Using low melt fibers, on the other hand, is often more expensive than spraying a binder resin.

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