Patent ID: 6017834
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: A61C,A61F,A61L,B29C,B29K,B29L,D04H,F41H,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A homogeneous polymeric product produced from molecularly oriented melt spun or gel spun fibers of thermoplastic polymer, said product being produced by a process comprising the steps of:forming an assembly of molecularly oriented thermoplastic melt spun or gel spun fibers of thermoplastic polymer;applying a contact pressure to said assembly sufficient to ensure intimate contact by the polymer fibers with each other;heating said assembly of polymer fibers to an elevated temperature sufficient to selectively melt between 5 and 50% by weight of the polymer fibers while in intimate contact with each other, the molten polymer on cooling recrystallizing to form a melt phase which has a melting point less than the melting point of the fibers and which binds said fibers together; andsubsequently compressing said bound fibers at a compaction pressure higher than said contact pressure while still maintaining said assembly at an elevated temperature to produce said product, said product having higher strength in a direction transverse to said fibers as compared to a product produced without application of a contact pressure.