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US 6,298,538 B1Granted
Nonwoven metal fabric and method of making same
AssigneeGlobal Material Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAlexander Krupnik, Terrence P. Kane, Kurt H. Schild
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nonwoven, metal fabric is formed by providing a mass of loose fibers with sufficient lubricating oil for them to be carded without disintegration of the fiber web. The fiber web is then lapped and needled to form a metal fabric of superior strength, density, and thermal insulation properties.
Claims10
A method of making a nonwoven metal fabric comprising the steps of:
- providing a mass of loose fibers having irregular cross sectional diameters averaging 50 microns varying along the length of the fibers and having rough outer surfaces;
- applying a lubricant to said fibers in sufficient quantities so that said irregular cross sections and rough outer surfaces retain said lubricant, said lubricant substantially coating said fibers;
- carding the lubricated fibers on a garnett to form a fiber web;
- lapping the fiber web to form multiple layers of said web;
- and
- needling the multiple layers to interengage the fibers of respective layers to form the fabric.
3 more elements
A method for making a non-woven metal fabric comprising the steps of:
- (a) carding a mass of lubricated, loose metal fibers having diameters averaging 50 microns or greater to form a metal fiber web, the metal fibers having rough outer surfaces with cross-sections that vary irregularly along their lengths to form barbs said fibers retaining a sufficient amount of lubricant to allow said barbed fibers to be carded and formed into a web without substantial disintegration of the fibers;
- (b) lapping the metal fiber web to form a layered metal fiber web;
- and
- (c) needle-punching the layered metal fiber web to interengage the fibers thereof to form the non-woven metal fabric.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.