Granted Patent B2

US 11,598,028 · App. 16/591,837 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Inventors: John Frederick Steffen (Denver, NC); Ralph A. Moody, III (Mooresville, NC)

Assignee: AVINTIV Specialty Materials Inc.

D02G3/34D01D5/08D01D5/098D01D5/22D01D5/30D01F8/04D01F8/14D02G1/004D04H1/43832D04H1/492D04H1/5414D04H3/018D04H3/11D04H3/147D04H1/43828D04H1/5412

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A method of preparing a crimped fiber, comprising:

(i) forming a continuous bicomponent fiber including a first polymer component and a second polymer component in a side-by-side configuration, wherein

(a) the first component comprises a first polyolefin and the second component comprises a second polyethylene terephthalate;

(b) the first component comprises a first polyolefin and the second component comprises a second polylactic acid (PLA); or

(c) the first component comprises a first polyethylene terephthalate and the second component comprises a second polylactic acid (PLA);

wherein the continuous bicomponent fiber has a ribbon-shaped cross-section; and

(ii) activating the continuous bicomponent fiber to initiate self-crimping of the continuous bicomponent fiber and to form the crimped fiber.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the continuous bicomponent fiber comprises subjecting the continuous bicomponent fiber to thermal energy, a mechanical force, or both.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical force comprises stretching the continuous bicomponent fiber.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing the crimped fiber directly or indirectly onto a collection web.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component has a first melting point and the second component has a second melting point, wherein a melting point difference between the first melting point and the second melting point is at most about 15° C.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component has a first melting point between about 110° C.-130° C., and the second component has a second melting point between about 135° C.-175° C.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component has a shrinkage coefficient and the second component has a second shrinkage coefficient, wherein the first shrinkage coefficient is different than the second shrinkage coefficient.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component comprises the first polyolefin and the second component comprises the second polyethylene terephthalate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component comprises the first polyolefin and the second component comprises the second polylactic acid (PLA).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component comprises the first polyethylene terephthalate and the second component comprises the second polylactic acid (PLA).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the continuous bicomponent fiber comprises an aspect ratio of 3.5:1 or greater.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon-shaped cross-section is a rectangular-shaped cross-section.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crimped fiber has a helix-shaped configuration that rotates around an interface between the first component and the second component.

14. A method of forming a spunbond nonwoven, comprising:

(i) forming a plurality of continuous bicomponent fibers including a first polymer component and a second polymer component in a side-by-side configuration by a spunbond process; wherein the plurality of continuous bicomponent fiber has a ribbon-shaped cross-section;

(ii) activating the plurality of continuous bicomponent fibers to initiate self-crimping of the plurality of continuous bicomponent fibers to provide a plurality of continuous bicomponent crimped fibers prior to a formation of a spunbond web; and

(iii) consolidating the spunbond web of the plurality of continuous bicomponent crimped fibers;

wherein (a) the first component comprises a first polyolefin and the second component comprises a second polyethylene terephthalate;

(b) the first component comprises a first polyolefin and the second component comprises a second polylactic acid (PLA); or

(c) the first component comprises a first polyethylene terephthalate and the second component comprises a second polylactic acid (PLA).

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein activating the plurality of continuous bicomponent fibers comprises subjecting the plurality of continuous bicomponent fibers to thermal energy, a mechanical force, or both.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of continuous bicomponent fibers comprises an aspect ratio of 3.5:1 or greater and the ribbon-shaped cross-section is a rectangular-shaped cross-section; and wherein the continuous crimped fibers have a helix-shaped configuration that rotates around an interface between the first component and the second component.

Assignments (37)

Continuity (3)