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US 6,861,025 B2Granted
Attenuating fluid manifold for meltblowing die
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsStanley C. Erickson, James C. Breister
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Melt blown nonwoven webs are formed by supplying attenuating fluid to a meltblowing die through an attenuating fluid distribution passage whose distribution characteristics can be changed while the die and manifold are assembled. By adjusting the distribution characteristics of the passage, the mass flow rate of attenuating fluid to channels in the meltblowing die and the temperature of the attenuating fluid at the die outlets can be made more uniform.
Claims40
A meltblowing apparatus comprising:
- a) a meltblowing die having (i) a plurality of filament outlets and (ii) a plurality of attenuating fluid flow channels in fluid communication with a plurality of attenuating fluid outlets exiting the die near the filament outlets;
- b) a manifold in fluid communication with a plurality of the channels, the manifold having at least one inlet for attenuating fluid;
- and
- c) an attenuating fluid distribution passage between a manifold inlet and corresponding attenuating fluid outlets, wherein the distribution characteristics of the passage can be changed while the die and manifold are assembled in order to make the attenuating fluid temperature in the channels more uniform.
1 more element
A method for forming a fibrous web comprising:
- a) flowing fiber-forming material through a meltblowing die having (i) a plurality of filament outlets and (ii) a plurality of attenuating fluid flow channels in fluid communication with a plurality of attenuating fluid outlets exiting the die near the filament outlets;
- b) flowing attenuating fluid through at least one inlet in a manifold in fluid communication with a plurality of the channels;
- and
- c) changing the distribution characteristics of an attenuating fluid distribution passage between the manifold inlet and corresponding attenuating fluid outlets while the die and manifold are assembled to order to make the attenuating fluid temperature in the channels more uniform.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.