Patent ID: 6305920
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: D04H

Abstract:
An apparatus for forming a nonwoven web of fibrous material comprising:(a) means for admixing fibers comprising about from 5% to 50% by weight of at least one binder fiber and about from 50 to 95% of at least one support fiber for a period sufficient to disentangle and open the fibers and provide a substantially homogeneous mixture of fibers;(b) means for conveying the resulting mixture of fibers into a shaker chute, with the shaker chute positioned at an angle of about from 90 to 150 degrees with respect to horizontal;(c) means for oscillating the fibers for a period of about from 5 seconds to 1 minute to form a fiber web;(d) means for depositing the fiber web onto a substantially horizontal planar surface at a substantially uniform thickness of about from 1/8 to 6 inches;(e) means for heating the web for a time and at a temperature sufficient to fuse at least some of the fibers; and(f) means for cooling the resulting web to a substantially ambient temperature.