Bicomponent fibers and webs made therefrom
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsDennis L. Krueger, Daniel E. Meyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Biocomponent fibers, and webs made therefrom, are taught in which one component of the fibers is a crystallizable material. When a web of the fibers is heated in a mold above the temperature at which crystallization occurs, the fibers tend to be set in the position they are held in the mold. A preferred fiber comprises blown fibers comprising as one component amorphous, crystallizable polyethylene terephthalate, and as the other component polypropylene. A web of such fibers not only becomes formed into a shape-retaining form by crystallization during the molding process, but also can be further established in its shape-retaining character by heating the web above the softening point of the polypropylene, whereupon the fibers become bonded at their points of intersection.
Claims17
A fibrous web having a non-planar shape and comprising blown bicomponent fibers that individually comprise a first polymeric material extending longitudinally along the fiber through a first portion of the cross-sectional area of the fiber and a second polymeric material extending longitudinally along the fiber through a second portion of the cross-sectional area of the fiber;
- the web being given its non-planar shape by first preparing the web with the first polymeric material in an amorphous form from which it undergoes a crystallization at a temperature less than the melting temperature of the second polymeric material;
- placing the web in a mold which conforms the web to the stated non-planar shape;
- and subjecting the web to an elevated temperature at which the first polymeric material undergoes crystallization and holds the web in the non-planar shape but which is below the melting temperature of the second polymeric material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.