초록 ▼

A non-woven sheet or web of fibers, containing at least some thermoplastic fibers, is fused to consolidate the fibers, bond another sheet of material thereto, perforate the sheet or bind tufting fibers therein by heating the sheet to a temperature and for a time sufficient to fuse at least some of t

A non-woven sheet or web of fibers, containing at least some thermoplastic fibers, is fused to consolidate the fibers, bond another sheet of material thereto, perforate the sheet or bind tufting fibers therein by heating the sheet to a temperature and for a time sufficient to fuse at least some of the fibers in preselected areas of the sheet while simultaneously blocking heat transmission to the non-selected areas, or by pretreating patterned areas of the sheet to increase or decrease the heat-absorptivity of the patterned areas relative to the remainder of the sheet and thereafter heating the sheet. Improved non-woven fabrics, consolidated in preselected areas, non-woven fabrics bonded to another sheet material in preselected areas, non-woven fabrics perforated in predetermined areas and non-woven fabric substrates firmly holding tufting materials in preselected areas, are also produced.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for physically fusing preselected areas by the application of heat while leaving unfused adjacent, nonselected areas of an extended, flat body of nonwoven, fibrous material, containing at least some thermoplastic fibers; comprising, exposing said fibrous material to heat, from a source of r

A method for physically fusing preselected areas by the application of heat while leaving unfused adjacent, nonselected areas of an extended, flat body of nonwoven, fibrous material, containing at least some thermoplastic fibers; comprising, exposing said fibrous material to heat, from a source of radiant energy adapted to produce heat in said body of fibrous material, spaced from said body of fibrous material and radiating over an area of said body of fibrous material including both said preselected and said nonselected areas, at a temperature and for a time at least sufficient to fuse at least some of said thermoplastic fibers and concentrating the heat from said source of energy in said preselected areas by (a) modifying the heat absorptivity of said preselected areas of said body of fibrous material, (b) modifying the heat absorptivity of said nonselected areas of said body of fibrous material, (c) interposing between said body of fibrous material and said source of energy a mask having areas of increased radiant energy transmission corresponding to said preselected areas of said body of fibrous material, (d) interposing between said body of fibrous material and said source of energy a mask having areas of decreased radiant energy transmission corresponding to said nonselected areas of said body of fibrous material or (e) any combination of at least two of (a), (b), (c) and (d). An extended, flat body of nonwoven, fibrous material, containing at least some thermoplastic fibers and having tufting materials combined in at least some preselected areas of said body of fibrous material, by exposing said fibrous material to heat, from a source of radiant energy adapted to produce heat in said body of fibrous material, spaced from said body of fibrous material and radiating over an area of said body of fibrous material including both said preselected areas and adjacent, nonselected areas of said body of fibrous material, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to fuse at least some of said thermoplastic fibers and concentrating the heat from said source of energy in said preselected areas of said body of fibrous material, to fuse at least some of said thermoplastic fibers in said preselected areas where said tufting materials contact said body of fibrous material.