Patent ID: 7928025
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: D04H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A nonwoven multilayered thermal compression moldable fibrous batt with substantially uniform density comprising: a) needle punched first and second fibrous batt layers, wherein said first fibrous batt layer comprises a first discontinuous fiber and a second discontinuous fiber in a first proportional amount, and wherein said second fibrous batt layer comprises the first discontinuous fiber and the second discontinuous fiber in a second proportional amount that is different from said first proportional amount, and wherein melt point of said first discontinuous fiber is at least 30 degrees Celsius less than melt point of said second discontinuous fiber at same ambient conditions; and wherein said first and second fibrous batt layers are overlaid to define opposite outer surfaces; and b) an intertufted region uniting said first and second fibrous batt layers to form a nonwoven multilayered thermal compression moldable fibrous batt with substantially uniform density, wherein said first fibrous batt layer is an adjoining batt layer for the second fibrous batt layer, and the second fibrous batt layer is an adjoining batt layer for the first fibrous batt layer; and wherein said intertufted region is spaced from the opposite outer surfaces; and wherein (i) the intertufted region comprises fibers from both the first and second fibrous batt layers mutually pushed vertically in opposite directions into the adjoining batt layer to an extent sufficient to attach the first and second fibrous batt layers together, and (ii) the intertufted region having a thickness wherein the intertufted region remains spaced from the opposite outer surfaces of the needle punched first and second fibrous batt layers and leaves adequate first and second fibrous batt layers having different proportions of the first and second discontinuous fibers on either side of the intertufted region for subsequent molding operations used to form a multidensity article; and wherein a significant density difference is producible between the first and second fibrous batt layers of the nonwoven multilayered thermal compression moldable fibrous batt upon thermal compression molding thereof.