Method and apparatus for forming a fibrous media

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303339-B2
Application number	US-201213361527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2012
Priority date	Jan 28, 2011
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for forming a nonwoven web are described herein. The apparatus includes a mixing partition defining one or more openings therein that permit fluid communication between two fluid flow streams, at least one of which includes a fiber. The apparatus also includes an enclosed region surrounding at least a portion of the mixing partition. The enclosed region is adapted to provide an applied pressure to a fluid flow stream to urge the stream through one or more of the openings in the mixing partition. The apparatus also includes a receiving region designed to receive at least a combined flow stream and form a nonwoven web by collecting fiber from the combined flow stream.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus for making a nonwoven web, the apparatus comprising:
a) one or more sources configured to dispense a first fluid flow stream and a second fluid flow stream, wherein at least the first fluid flow stream comprises a fiber;
b) a mixing partition downstream from the one or more sources, the mixing partition positioned between the first and second flow streams, the mixing partition defining two or more openings in the mixing partition that permit fluid communication between the two flow streams;
c) an enclosed region comprising an enclosure with at least one inlet for dispensing a fluid therein, wherein the enclosed region is situated downstream from the one or more sources, wherein the enclosed region surrounds at least a portion of the mixing partition, wherein the enclosed region is adapted to apply a pressure to the fluid and wherein the apparatus is configured so that the enclosed region is substantially filled with the fluid and no appreciable airspace is present in the enclosure during dispensing of the fluid through the openings; and
d) a receiving region situated downstream from the one or more sources and designed to receive at least a combined flow stream and form a nonwoven web by collecting fiber from the combined flow stream, wherein openings of the mixing partition are above the receiving region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure is applied to urge the second flow stream through one or more openings in the mixing partition.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein pressure is applied to the enclosed region by the second flow stream flowing into the enclosed region.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second flow stream is dispensed under pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein pressure is applied to the enclosed region by a source of hydraulic pressure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein pressure is applied to the enclosed region by a source of pressure not connected to the one or more sources of first and second fluid flow streams.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more valves appended to the enclosed region and adapted to release pressure in excess of a selected value, or release undispensed second flow stream from the enclosed region, or both.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the mixing partition, at least a portion of the enclosed region, or both are adapted to be removable from the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a flow distribution chamber located between the source of the second flow stream and the enclosed region, and in fluid communication with both the source and the enclosed region; wherein the flow distribution chamber is adapted to distribute the second flow stream evenly across the mixing partition in the cross-web direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mixing partition is configured to provide a gradient in the nonwoven web.

11. An apparatus for making a nonwoven web, the apparatus comprising:
a) a first source configured to dispense a first fluid flow stream comprising a first fiber;
b) a second source configured to dispense a second fluid flow stream comprising a second fiber that is different from the first fiber;
c) a mixing partition downstream from the first and second sources, the mixing partition positioned between the first and second flow streams, the mixing partition defining two or more openings in the mixing partition that permit fluid communication between the first and second flow streams;
d) an enclosed region comprising an enclosure with at least one inlet for dispensing a fluid therein, wherein the enclosed region is situated downstream from the first and second sources, wherein the enclosed region surrounds at least a portion of the mixing partition, wherein the enclosed region adapted to apply a pressure to the fluid and wherein the apparatus is configured so that the enclosed region is substantially filled with the fluid and no appreciable airspace is present in the enclosure during dispensing of the fluid through the openings; and
e) a receiving region situated downstream from the first and second sources and designed to receive at least a combined flow stream and form a nonwoven web by collecting the combined flow stream, wherein openings of the mixing partition are above the receiving region.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein pressure is applied to the second flow stream to urge the second flow stream through one or more openings in the mixing partition.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein pressure is applied to the enclosed region by the second flow stream flowing into the enclosed region.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the second flow stream is dispensed under pressure.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein pressure is applied to the enclosed region by a source of hydraulic pressure.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein pressure is applied to the enclosed region by a source of pressure not connected to the one or more sources of first and second fluid flow streams.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising one or more valves appended to the enclosed region and adapted to release pressure in excess of a selected value, or release undispensed second flow stream from the enclosed region, or both.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of the mixing partition, at least a portion of the enclosed region, or both are adapted to be removable from the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a flow distribution chamber located between the source of the second flow stream and the enclosed region, and in fluid communication with both the source and the enclosed region; wherein the flow distribution chamber is adapted to distribute the second flow stream evenly across the mixing partition in the cross-web direction.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the mixing partition is configured to provide a gradient in the nonwoven web.

21. A method of making a nonwoven web, the method comprising:
a) providing a furnish from a source, the furnish comprising at least a first fiber, the step of providing the furnish from the source comprising providing a first fluid flow stream and a second fluid flow stream, wherein the first fluid flow stream comprises the first fiber;
b) dispensing the furnish across a mixing partition downstream from the source, the mixing partition defining two or more openings configured to allow passage of at least a portion of the furnish, the mixing partition further comprising an enclosed region comprising an enclosure with at least one inlet for dispensing a fluid into the enclosed region, the enclosed region surrounding at least a portion of the mixing partition and adapted to apply a pressure therein to the fluid, wherein the mixing partition is positioned between the first and second flow streams, the openings permitting fluid communication between the first and second flow streams, and wherein the enclosed region and source are configured so that the enclosed region is substantially filled with the fluid and no appreciable airspace is present in the enclosure during dispensing of the fluid through the openings;
c) applying a pressure within the enclosed region to the fluid;
d) collecting fiber from the furnish passing through the two or more openings on a receiving region situated downstream from the source to form a wet layer on the receiving region, the receiving region receiving a combined flow stream and forming the nonwoven web b

Assignees

• Gupta Hemant
• Singh Ajay
• Donaldson Co Inc

Inventors

• Gupta Hemant
• Singh Ajay

Classifications

• D04H1/736 Primary

  characterised by the apparatus for arranging fibres (D04H1/728, D04H1/732 take precedence) · CPC title

• D04H18/04

  with water jets · CPC title

• D21F11/00

  Processes for making continuous lengths of paper, or of cardboard, or of wet web for fibre board production, on paper-making machines · CPC title

• D04H1/70 Primary

  characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres · CPC title

• D04H1/732

  by fluid current, e.g. air-lay · CPC title