METHOD OF FORMING A WEB FROM FIBROUS MATERIAL
Fibrous material webs and methods of making the fibrous material webs. Binderless webs can be formed in a continuous process where fiber material, such as glass is melted and formed into fibers. The fibers are formed into a web of binderless glass fibers or a web with a dry binder. The binderless web or the web with dry binder can be layered and/or the fibers that make up the web can be mechanically entangled, for example, by needling.
1 . A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers comprising:
melting glass;
processing the molten glass to form glass fibers;
accumulating the glass fibers to allow the glass fibers to cool;
forming a binderless web from the cooled glass fibers;
mechanically entangling the fibers of the web to form the pack of glass fibers.
2 . The continuous method of claim 1 wherein the fibers are entangled by needling.
3 . The continuous method of claim 1 wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness of 0.45 inches to 1.375.
4 . The continuous method of claim 1 wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT.
5 . The continuous method of claim 5 wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.
6 . The continuous method of claim 1 wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.
7 . A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers comprising:
melting glass;
processing the molten glass to form glass fibers;
forming a binderless web from a first portion of the glass fibers;
mechanically entangling the fibers of the web to form the pack of glass fibers; and
diverting a second portion the glass fibers for other uses.
8 . The continuous method of claim 7 wherein the fibers are entangled by needling.
9 . The continuous method of claim 7 wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness of 0.45 inches to 1.375.
10 . The continuous method of claim 7 wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT.
11 . The continuous method of claim 10 wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.
12 . The continuous method of claim 7 wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.
13 . A binderless web of glass fibers comprising:
glass fibers that are mechanically entangled to form the web;
wherein the web has an area weight of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot;
wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of from 15 HT to 19 HT;
wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.
14 . The binderless web of glass fibers of claim 13 that comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.
15 . The binderless web of glass fibers of claim 13 wherein the glass fibers used to form the have never been compressed for packaging or shipping.
16 . The binderless web of glass fibers of claim 13 wherein the glass fibers are mechanically entangled by needling.
17 . A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers comprising:
melting glass;
processing the molten glass to form glass fibers;
accumulating the glass fibers to allow the glass fibers to cool;
forming a binderless web of the glass fibers;
layering the binderless web of glass fibers to form the pack.
18 . The continuous method of claim 17 wherein the fibers are entangled by needling.
19 . The continuous method of claim 17 wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness of 0.45 inches to 1.375.
20 . The continuous method of claim 17 wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT.
21 . The continuous method of claim 20 wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.
22 . The continuous method of claim 17 wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.
23 . A layered binderless web of glass fibers comprising:
a first web of glass fibers;
at least one additional web of glass fibers disposed on the first web of glass fibers;
wherein the first web has an area weight of 0.05 to 0.2 pounds per square foot;
wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT;
wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.
24 . The binderless web of glass fibers of claim 23 wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.
25 . The binderless web of glass fibers of claim 23 wherein the glass fibers used to form the have never been compressed for packaging or shipping.
26 . The binderless web of glass fibers of claim 23 wherein the glass fibers are mechanically entangled by needling.
27 . A binderless web of glass fibers comprising:
glass fibers that are mechanically entangled to form the web;
wherein the web has an area weight of about 5 to about 50 grams per square foot;
wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from about 9 HT to about 35 HT;
wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches;
wherein the binderless web of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.
28 . A layered binderless web of glass fibers comprising:
a first web of glass fibers;
at least one additional web of glass fibers disposed on the first web of glass fibers;
wherein the first web has an area weight of about 5 to about 50 grams per square foot;
wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from about 9 HT to about 35 HT;
wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches;
wherein the layered web of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.