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US 2002/0053390 A1Published application
Apparatus and method for the manufacture of nonwoven webs and laminate
AssigneeNordson Corporation
InventorMartin A. Allen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Nonwoven laminates are made by a multi-station line comprising at least one spunbond die assembly and at least one meltblowing die assembly. Each station includes (a) a melt spinning die which can be selectively equipped with a spunbond die insert or a meltblowing die insert and (b) a moveable support structure for adjusting the proper die-to-collector distance, depending on the spunbond or meltblowing mode of operation. The multi-station line permits the selective manufacture of a variety of spunbond (S) and meltblown (M) laminates, including the S-M-S laminate.
Claims20
A die assembly for manufacturing thermoplastic nonwoven web which comprises
- (a) a melt spinning assembly which includes a die body having formed therein a cavity, an air passage, and a polymer flow passage, said air passage and polymer flow passage each having an inlet in an outer surface of the die body and an outlet discharging into the cavity;
- (b) a meltblowing die insert comprising (i) a die tip having formed therein a polymer flow passage and an air passage, a triangular nosepiece terminating in an outer apex, orifices formed in and spaced along the apex, the orifices being in fluid communication with the die tip polymer flow passage, and (ii) air plates mounted on each side of the nosepiece and therewith defining converging air slits which are in fluid communication with the die tip air passage;
- the meltblowing die insert being mountable in the cavity wherein the air passage of the die body are in fluid communication with the air passage of the die tip, and wherein the polymer flow passage of the die body is in fluid communication with the polymer flow passage of the die tip;
- (c) a spunbond die insert comprising a spinning plate and polymer flow passage formed therein;
- said spunbond insert being mountable in the cavity wherein the air passage in the die body is blocked and wherein the polymer flow passage of the spinning plate is in fluid communication with the polymer flow passage of the die body;
- and
- (d) means for selectively inserting the meltblowing die insert or the spunbond die insert in the cavity of the die body and for securing the selected die insert therein.
4 more elements
An apparatus for the in-line manufacture of a laminate of thermoplastic layers comprising
- (a) first and second side-by-side stations, each station having
- (i) a vertically moveable support structure,
- (ii) an extruder mounted on the moveable support structure,
- (iii) a melt spinning die body mounted on the moveable support structure, said die body having a downwardly facing cavity formed therein, and
- (iv) means for delivering a polymer melt from the extruder to the die body;
- (b) a spunbond die insert mounted in the cavity of the die body of one of the stations and including means for receiving polymer melt from the die extruder and converting the melt into filaments;
- (c) a meltblowing die insert mounted in the cavity of the die body of the other of the stations and including means for receiving polymer melt from the extruder and converting the melt into meltblown filaments, said spunbond die insert and said meltblowing die insert being interchangeable;
- (d) a moveable filament collector positioned under the spunbond die insert and the meltblowing die insert for receiving filaments therefrom to form layers thereon;
- and
- (e) means for selectively moving each support structure to adjust the distance of the die-to-collector for each station.
7 more elements
An in-line method of manufacturing thermoplastic nonwoven components comprising
- (a) mounting a spunbond spinning assembly on a vertically moveable support structure having an upper position and a lower position;
- (b) positioning the support structure to its upper position wherein the spunbond spinning assembly is positioned at least four feet above the lower position;
- (c) positioning a quenching device and filament drawing device under the spinning assembly in vertical alignment therewith;
- (d) extruding filaments from the spinning device;
- (e) passing the filaments through the quenching device and a filament drawing device;
- (f) depositing the filaments onto a conveyor to form a first layer;
- (g) mounting a meltblowing spinning assembly on a vertically moveable support structure;
- (h) positioning the support structure in its lower position wherein the meltblowing spinning assembly is from 6 inches to 3 feet above the conveyor;
- (i) passing the conveyor with the first layer under the meltblowing spinning assembly;
- (j) meltblowing filaments from the meltblowing spinning assembly;
- and
- (k) depositing the meltblown filaments on top of the first layer.
9 more elements
A meltblowing die comprising
- (a) die body;
- (b) a die tip mounted thereon and having a triangular nosepiece terminating in an apex, a row of orifices formed in the apex and a polymer flow passage extending through the die body, the die tip and the nosepiece for conducting a polymer melt to the orifices;
- (c) air plates mounted in flanking relationship to the nosepiece and therewith defining converging air slits;
- (d) a filament drawing device positioned below the row of orifices, and comprising a pair of air conduits extending parallel to the row of orifices and being spaced apart to form a drawing zone, each air conduit having a flow slit directed to discharge air downwardly into contact with the filaments passing through the drawing zone, the angle of contact being from 10 to 80° with respect to the vertical plane.
1 more element
An apparatus for forming thermoplastic filaments comprising
- (a) an elongate melt spinning assembly for discharging a plurality of filaments downwardly therefrom;
- (b) a filament drawing device comprising a pair of air conduits positioned below the melt spinning device and defining a filament drawing zone therebetween, each conduit having formed therein an air slit positioned to deliver air downwardly into the drawing zone and contact the filaments passing therethrough at an angle of 5° to 50°;
- and
- (c) means for delivering air to each air conduit.
1 more element
A method for manufacturing meltblown and spunbond webs which comprises
- (a) positioning an extruder and a melt spinning assembly on a vertically moveable support structure having an upper position and a lower position at least four feet below the upper position, said spinning assembly including a die body and a spunbond die insert, said extruder being connected to the melt spinning assembly;
- (b) positioning the moveable support structure to the upper position;
- (c) extruding filaments from the spunbond die insert;
- (d) collecting the filaments on a collector to form a nonwoven layer, said filaments having an average diameter of 12 to 50 microns;
- (e) discontinuing the extruding step (a) and replacing the spunbond die insert with a meltblowing die insert in the melt spinning assembly;
- (f) positioning the moveable support structure to the lower position wherein the meltblowing insert is less than three feet from the collector;
- (g) meltblowing filaments from the meltblowing die insert;
- and
- (h) collecting the filaments on a collector, the filaments having an average diameter of between 1 to 10 microns.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.