# US 2016/0355950 A1 · Coforming Processes and Forming Boxes Used Therein > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0355950 A1 - Document ID: US20160355950A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/970,586 - Filed: 2015-12-16 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-03 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company - Inventors: Christopher Michael Young; Fei Wang; Steven Lee Barnholtz; Hasan Eroglu; Edwin Arthur Stewart; John Ferney McKibben; Gustav Andre Mellin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355950A1 ## CPC - D01F 11/00: Chemical after-treatment of artificial filaments or the like during manufacture - D01D 5/00: Formation of filaments, threads, or the like - D04H 1/565: {by melt-blowing} - D04H 1/732: by fluid current, e.g. air-lay - D01D 5/0985: {by means of a flowing gas (e.g. melt-blowing)} - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS - D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS - D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B) ## Abstract Coforming processes for commingling two or more separate materials, for example solid additives, for example fibers and/or particulates, and filaments, and equipment; namely, forming boxes, useful in such coforming processes and more particularly to coforming processes for commingling filaments with one or more fibers, such as pulp fibers, and forming boxes useful therein are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A coform box defined by a housing comprising one or more filament inlets and one or more additive inlets such that at least one of the one or more filament inlets is at an angle of less than 90° to at least one of the additive inlets. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the filament inlets is a polymer filament inlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the filament inlets is in fluid communication with a die. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The coform box according to claim 3 wherein the die is a multi-row capillary die. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the coform box is geometrically symmetric with respect to the coform box's cross machine-direction axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the coform box exhibits symmetric momentum with respect to the coform box's cross machine-direction axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the coform box exhibits symmetric horizontal momentum with respect to the coform box's cross machine-direction axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the at least one filament inlet is at an angle of less than 85° to the at least one additive inlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the at least one filament inlet is positioned between two of the additive inlets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the coform box exhibits a JAR of greater than 0.5 during operation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the coform box exhibits a JAR of less than 15 during operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein one or more of the polymer filament inlets are in fluid communication with a polymer filament source during operation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the polymer filament source comprises a spinnerette. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the additive inlets are in fluid communication with an additive source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein at least two of the additive inlets are independently controllable during operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The coform box according to claim 15 wherein the at least two additive inlets are independently controllable with respect to concentration, type of additive, composition, aspect ratio of additive, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein at least two of the filament inlets are independently controllable during operation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The coform box according to claim 17 wherein the at least two filament inlets are independently controllable with respect to concentration, type of polymer, composition, aspect ratio of additive, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the angle is controllable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The coform box according to claim 1 wherein the angle is adjustable.