Patent ID: 7850899

Claim:
A method of making a filament web, the method comprising the steps of: a) extruding multicomponent filaments consisting of at least two synthetic-resin components from a spinneret with the components side-by-side; b) passing the extruded filaments through a closed process air shaft; c) directing cold air against the filaments in the process air shaft to cool the filaments; d) aerodynamically stretching the cooled filaments in the process air shaft with the cold air used to cool the filaments; e) excluding the entry of air other than the cold air into the process air shaft; f) depositing the cooled and stretched multicomponent filaments in a mat upon a support; g) thereafter consolidating the mat of multicomponent filaments to a web by subjecting the mat to water jets at a pressure of 10 bar to 200 bar such that the multicomponent filaments fuse together at crossover points and the filaments have a free length between crossover points where they are fused of between 25 mm and 0.8 mm; and h) subsequently heat treating the web to crinkle the filaments thereof and bulk the web.