Bi-layer nonwoven fire resistant batt and an associated method for manufacturing the same

1. A bi-layer fire resistant (FR) nonwoven fiber batt, comprising:

a first FR nonwoven fiber batt having a first side surface; and

a second FR nonwoven fiber batt having first and second side surfaces, said first side surface of said first FR nonwoven fiber batt being disposed in a conforming relations with said second side surface of said second FR nonwoven fiber batt; wherein

said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed from a blend of black oxidized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, white carrier fibers and white binder fibers; and

said second FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed from a blend of white FR rayon fibers, white carrier fibers and white binder fibers.

2. The bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 1 , wherein said first FR nonwaven fiber batt is darker than said second FR nonwoven fiber batt.

3. The bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 1 wherein said blend from which said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed is between about 5 percent, by volume, and about 50 percent, by volume, of white binder fibers, the remaining volume of said blend being between about 15 percent, by volume, and about 85 percent, by volume, of black oxidized PAN fibers and between abcut 85 percent, by volume, and about 15 percent, by volume, of white carrier fibers.

4. The bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 3 , wherein said blend from which said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed is between about 10 percent, by volume, and about 15 percent, by volume, of white binder fibers and wherein said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is a high loft batt.

5. The bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 3 , wherein said blend from which said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed is between about 15 percent, by volume, and about 40 percent, by volume, of white binder fibers and wherein said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is a densified batt.

6. Products using the bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 1 , wherein said products are selected from the group consisting of bedding, upholstery, furniture, seats, apparel, fire safety gear, air filter and insulation for appliances and building, aircraft and vehicle walls.

7. Mattresses using the bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 1 .

8. A bi-layer fire resistant (FR) nonwoven fiber batt, comprising:

a first FR nonwoven fiber batt having first and second side surfaces, said first FR nonwoven fiber batt formed from a blend of black oxidized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, white carrier fibers and white binder fibers; and

a second FR nonwoven fiber batt having first and second side surfaces, said first side surface of said first FR nonwoven fiber batt being disposed in a conforming relationship with a second side surface of said second FR nonwoven fiber batt, said second FR nonwoven fiber batt formed from a blend of white FR rayon fibers, white carrier fibers and white binder fibers;

wherein the color of said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is darker than the color of said second FR nonwoven fiber batt.

9. Products using the bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 8 , wherein said products are selected from the group consisting of bedding, upholstery, furniture, seats, apparel, fire safety gear, air filter and insulation for appliances and building, aircraft and vehicle walls.

10. Mattresses using the bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 8 .

11. The bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 8 , wherein said blend from which said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed is between about 5 percent, by volume, and about 50 percent, by volume, of white binder fibers, the remaining volume of said blend being between about 15 percent, by volume, and about 85 percent, by volume, of black oxidized PAN fibers and between about 85 percent, by volume, and about 15 percent, by volume, of white carrier fibers.

12. The bi-layer ER nonwoven fiber batt of claim 11 , wherein said blend from which said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed is between about 10 percent, by volume, and about 15 percent, by volume, of white binder fibers and wherein said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is a high loft batt.

13. The bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt of claim 11 , wherein said blend from which said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is formed is between about 15 percent, by volume, and about 40 percent, by volume, of white binder fibers and wherein said first FR nonwoven fiber batt is a densified batt.

14. A method for forming a bi-layer fire resistant (FR) nonwoven fiber batt, comprising:

forming a first blend of black oxidized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, white carrier fibers and white binder fibers;

forming a first web of indeterminate length from said first blend of fibers;

forming a second blend of white FR rayon, white carrier fibers and white binder fibers;

forming a second web of indeterminate length from said second blend of fibers;

disposing a surface of said first web in a conforming relationship with a surface of said second web:

forming, from said disposed first and second webs, a hi-layered FR nonwoven fiber batt comprised of a first, gray, FR nonwoven layer and a second, white, FR nonwoven layer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said first blend is comprised of between about 5 and about 50 percent, by volume, of binder fibers.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said first blend is comprised of between about 15 and 85 percent oxidized PAN fibers and between about 15 and 85 percent polyester carrier fibers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said first blend is comprised of about 45 percent, by volume, of oxidized PAN fibers and about 45 percent, by volume of polyester carrier fibers.

18. The bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt produced by the method of claim 17 .