Patent ID: 7744807
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: D01D,D01F,D04H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A fiber-forming method comprising a) extruding filaments of elastomeric-fiber-forming material; b) directing the filaments through a processing chamber in which a longitudinal stress is applied to the filaments that attenuates and draws the filaments; c) maintaining the filaments at their orienting temperature while the filaments are under attenuating and drawing stress for a sufficient time for molecules within the filaments to become oriented along the length of the filaments; d) cooling the filaments to their orientation-locking temperature after said molecules have been oriented along the length of the filaments and while the filaments are under attenuating and drawing stress; and further cooling the filaments to solidified elastomeric fibers that may be stretched to at least twice their original length and, when released from tension stretching them to twice their original length, will promptly retract to no more than one-and-one-fourth times their original length; e) collecting the solidified elastomeric fibers as a fibrous nonwoven web; and f) annealing the collected fibers by exposing them to a temperature that is above the shrinking temperature of the fibers but less than the relaxation temperature of the fibers.