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US 4,287,139 AGranted
Device for forming a nonwoven product from a fluid dielectric substance and process
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorClaude Guignard
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AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorClaude Guignard
Estimating the term…
A device for the production of a non-woven product from a fluid dielectric substance, comprising a first electrode, means for leading this electrode along a closed path, driving means to move this electrode along this path, coating means for coating this electrode with the said substance opposite a first portion of the said path, a second electrode whose surface is relatively extensive with regard to the first electrode, located opposite a second portion of the said path, an electrostatic generator connected to one of the said electrodes to establish a potential difference between them so as to create an electrostatic field capable of acting on the said substance to form a plurality of fibers in the direction of the said second electrode, characterized in that it comprises two endless transport bands mounted respectively around guide means defining two closed parallel trajectories passing near the coating means and the said second electrode, these bands being connected to the said driving means so as to move synchronously around their respective guide means, and a plurality of electrical conductive wires stretching transversely between these bands, each of these wires constituting the said first electrode as and when they pass opposite the said second electrode.
In a device for electrostatically forming filaments of a dielectric material and collecting said filaments as a nonwoven product comprising first and second spaced electrodes defining an elongated fiber-forming zone therebetween, an electrostatic generator operatively connected to one of said electrodes to establish an electrostatic field within said zone, means for supplying said dielectric material to one of said electrodes for conveyance into said zone to permit the electrostatic field within said zone to form filaments therefrom and means for collecting said electrostatically formed filaments as a nonwoven product and for continuously removing said nonwoven product from said zone, the combination wherein said first electrode comprises a plurality of discrete individual wire electrode segments extending transversely of said zone, said segments being aligned for successive movement longitudinally of said zone, said device including electrode transporting means for sequentially moving said first electrode segments longitudinally of said zone, said transporting means being electrically insulated from said electrode segments.
A process for the production of a non-woven product from a fluid dielectric substance, comprising forming a coating of the substance on a plurality of electrical conductive wires forming first electrodes stretching transversely between two endless transport bands, driving the bands synchronously to move the coated wires successively past a second electrode whose surface is relatively extensive with regard to the wires and establishing a potential difference between each wire while it passes the second electrode and the second electrode so as to create an electrostatic field which acts on the dielectric substance to form a plurality of fibers which are deposited as a non-woven web on a fiber collecting surface adjacent the second electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.