Patent ID: 7008205

Claim:
An installation for producing a nonwoven web, comprising, from the top down, a means for generating a curtain of filaments having a length in the direction of filament travel through the installation, a width and a thickness, a cooling unit positioned below the filament generating means for impinging cooling air onto the curtain of filaments to lower the temperature of the curtain of filaments, a slot attenuator for drawing the filaments of the curtain, a diffuser that defines, for the attenuated filaments, a passage for receiving the full width of the curtain of filaments and spreading out the curtain entering the passage, the passage having a length and a passage width extending through the thickness of the attenuated curtain of filaments, the passage width never decreasing in size in the direction of filament travel, and a conveyor for collecting the filaments exiting the diffuser, characterized in that the diffuser is disposed a distance from the slot attenuator to form an unobstructed opening to the ambient air and to provide unimpeded and uniform lateral inflow of air on each side of the diffuser by the venturi effect, and there is provided an electrostatic separator for separating the filaments in an electrostatic manner, the electrostatic separator being located at the bottom of the slot attenuator or in the diffuser.