Apparatus for forming a nonwoven fibrous web

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for forming a nonwoven fibrous web from multiple laps of staple fibers. The apparatus includes lap forming means for forming the laps of staple fibers and for generating air currents. A lap-confining channel is defined in part by an upper horizontal run of a substantially air-impervious conveyor belt, and the horizontal run directs the laps through an open downstream end of the channel. A shield encloses the downstream end of each lap forming means for defining an enclosed flow path from each lap forming means to the lap-confining channel. This enclosed flow path aids in establishing laminar flow of the air currents to form air barriers between adjacent laps, and between the upper horizontal run of the conveyor belt and its adjacent lap. A fiber spreading and reorienting section is positioned adjacent the downstream open end of the lap-confining channel and includes a plurality of bowed rolls spaced from each other in the machine-direction of web formation with their axles extending in the cross-machine-direction of web formation. The axles are disposed along a generally upwardly inclined path from the horizontal run of the conveyor belt in the machine-direction of web formation, and this generally upwardly inclined path is at an acute angle to the direction of movement of said horizontal run. The most upstream roll of the fiber spreading and reorienting section, that is, the roll closest to the upper horizontal run of the conveyor belt, is in adjacent, noncontacting relationship with the horizontal run of the conveyor belt for receiving the overlying laps without compressing them against the conveyor belt. A calendering section is disposed downstream of the fiber spreading and reorienting section for pressing the fibrous laps together into a unitary nonwoven fibrous web after the fibers in the laps have been spread and reoriented, and a bonding section is disposed downstream of the calendering section for bonding together the fibers of the unitary nonwoven fibrous web to enhance the integrity of the web.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.