APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTING A BALANCED AIR STREAM TO AN EXTRUSION DIE OF A MELTSPINNING APPARATUS

1 . A distribution manifold for transferring an air stream from an air supply to an extrusion die in a meltspinning apparatus, comprising:

a body member having a cavity, an inlet coupling said cavity with the air supply, and a plurality of outlet passages coupling said cavity with the extrusion die, the air stream flowing in said cavity from said inlet to said plurality of outlet passages; and

a plurality of metering elements disposed within said cavity between said inlet and said plurality of outlet passages, each adjacent pair of said plurality of metering elements being separated by a corresponding one of a plurality of gaps, and the air stream flowing through said plurality of gaps before entering said plurality of outlet passages.

2 . The distribution manifold of claim 1 wherein said plurality of metering elements cooperate to balance the air stream such that a mass flow of a portion of the air stream through each of said plurality of gaps is within about ±5% of an average mass flow through said plurality of gaps.

3 . The distribution manifold of claim 1 wherein said plurality of metering elements have a side-by-side arrangement to define an aligned row, and said plurality of gaps between have a substantially equal spacing.

4 . The distribution manifold of claim 1 wherein said body member further comprises:

a plate member including said cavity; and

a cover member mounted to said plate member for closing said cavity, said plurality of metering elements extending across said cavity between said plate member and said cover member.

5 . The distribution manifold of claim 1 wherein said cavity includes a first compartment having a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape with an open base and inclined side surfaces converging toward an apex, said inlet being located proximate to said apex, and said plurality of metering elements being located proximate to said base.

6 . The distribution manifold of claim 5 wherein said cavity includes a second compartment separated from said first compartment by said plurality of metering elements, each of said plurality of outlet passages communicating with said second compartment, and the air stream flowing from said first compartment through said plurality of gaps into said second compartment and recombining for flow into said plurality of outlet passages.

7 . The distribution manifold of claim 6 wherein said plurality of metering elements are linearly arranged between said first and second compartments.

8 . The distribution manifold of claim 6 wherein said plurality of outlet passages are linearly arranged with a substantially uniform spacing between adjacent pairs of said plurality of outlet passages.

9 . The distribution manifold of claim 1 wherein said plurality of outlet passages are linearly arranged with a substantially uniform spacing between adjacent pairs of said plurality of outlet passages.

10 . A meltspinning apparatus for converting a heated liquid into a plurality of filaments and directing an air stream at the plurality of filaments, comprising:

a liquid manifold including a liquid passage for the heated liquid;

an air distribution manifold including a cavity, a plurality of metering elements disposed within said cavity, and a plurality of outlet passages, said cavity having an inlet communicating with said air stream, each adjacent pair of said metering elements being separated by a corresponding one of a plurality of gaps through which the air stream flows through said cavity to said plurality of outlet passages; and

an extrusion die coupled with said liquid manifold and with said air distribution manifold, said extrusion die communicating with said liquid passage for discharging the heated liquid received from said liquid manifold as a plurality of filaments, and said extrusion die communicating with said plurality of outlet passages for discharging the air stream received from said air distribution manifold at the filaments.

11 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality of metering elements cooperate to balance the air stream such that a mass flow of a portion of the air stream through each of said plurality of gaps is within about ±5% of an average mass flow through said plurality of gaps.

12 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of metering elements have a side-by-side arrangement to define an aligned row, and said plurality of gaps have a substantially equal spacing.

13 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality of metering elements are formed integrally with said body member.

14 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 10 wherein said at least one plate member with said cavity includes a cover member mounted thereto to close said cavity, said plurality of metering elements extending across said cavity between said plate member and said cover member to define said plurality of gaps therebetween.

15 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 10 wherein said cavity includes a first compartment having a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape with an open base and inclined side surfaces converging toward an apex, said inlet being located proximate to said apex, and said plurality of metering elements being located proximate to said base.

16 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 15 wherein said cavity includes a second compartment separated from said first compartment by said plurality of metering elements, each of said plurality of outlet passages communicating with said second compartment, and the air stream flowing from said first compartment through said plurality of gaps into said second compartment and recombining for flow into said plurality of outlet passages.

17 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 16 wherein said plurality of outlet passages are linearly arranged with a substantially uniform spacing between adjacent pairs of said plurality of outlet passages.

18 . The meltspinning apparatus of claim 16 wherein said plurality of metering elements are linearly arranged between said first and second compartments.

19 . A method for operating a meltspinning apparatus, the method comprising:

flowing an air stream through a cavity from an inlet to a plurality of outlet passages;

balancing a mass flow of the air stream into the plurality of outlet passages with a plurality of flow constrictions positioned in the cavity between the inlet and the plurality of outlet passages; and

communicating the air stream from the plurality of outlet passages to an extrusion die.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising:

heating the air stream before the air stream exits the plurality of outlet passages.

21 . The method of claim 19 further comprising:

extruding a plurality of filaments from the extrusion die; and

directing the air stream from the extrusion die toward the plurality of filaments.