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, the continuous method comprising:
melting glass into molten glass;
forming glass fibers from the molten glass;
forming a binderless web of glass fibers from the glass fibers;
lapping the binderless web of glass fibers to form a layered pack of glass fibers, said layered pack of glass fibers consisting essentially of glass fibers, the layered pack of glass fibers is free of any material that may bind the glass fibers together; and
mechanically entangling the glass fibers of the layered pack of glass fibers, wherein the mechanically entangling comprises needling;
wherein the glass fibers have a diameter within the range of 15 to 19 hundred-thousandths of an inch;
wherein the glass fibers have a length within the range of 0.25 to 10.0 inches; and
wherein the layered pack of glass fibers has a density between 0.9 and 4.2 lb/ft 3 .
2. The continuous method of claim 1 wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight within the range of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness within the range of 0.45 to 1.375 inches.
3. The continuous method of claim 1 wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert content that does not bind the glass fibers together.
4. The continuous method of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the binderless web is disposed at a top surface of the pack, and a second portion of the binderless web is disposed at a bottom surface of the pack.
5. The continuous method of claim 1 wherein the step of lapping the binderless web of glass fibers comprises cross-lapping.
6. The continuous method of claim 1 , wherein said layered pack of glass fibers has a width of 98.0 inches to 236.0 inches.
7. A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers, the continuous method comprising:
melting glass into molten glass;
forming glass fibers from the molten glass;
cooling said glass fibers in an accumulator;
forming a binderless web of glass fibers from the glass fibers; and
lapping the binderless web of glass fibers to form a layered pack of glass fibers, said layered pack of glass fibers comprising 99% to 100% of glass fibers, the layered pack of glass fibers is free of any material that may bind the glass fibers together;
wherein the glass fibers have a diameter within the range of 15 to 19 hundred-thousandths of an inch;
wherein the glass fibers have a length within the range of about 0.25 to about 10.0 inches; and
wherein the layered pack of glass fibers has a density between 0.9 lb/ft 3 and 4.2 lb/ft 3 .
8. The continuous method of claim 7 wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight within the range of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness within the range of 0.45 to 1.375 inches.
9. The continuous method of claim 7 wherein a first portion of the binderless web is disposed at a top surface of the pack, and a second portion of the binderless web is disposed at a bottom surface of the pack.
10. The continuous method of claim 7 wherein the step of lapping the binderless web of glass fibers comprises cross-lapping.
11. The continuous method of claim 7 wherein said layered pack of glass fibers has a width of 98.0 inches to 236.0 inches.