Patent ID: 7244322

Claim:
A method for forming a fire combustion modified high-loft fiber batt suitable for use as a fire barrier layer in products requiring loft, compressibility and/or resilience, comprising: forming a generally homogeneous blend consisting of about 42.5 volume percent to about 45 volume percent oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers, about 42.5 volume percent to about 45 volume percent polyester carrier fibers and about 10 volume percent to about 15 volume percent polyester binder fibers, said polyester binder fibers having a relatively low melting temperature and said polyester carrier fibers having a relatively high melting temperature; forming said blend of fibers into a web; compressing said web to form a batt; heating said batt at a temperature at or above the melting temperature of said polyester binder fibers and below the melting temperature of said polyester carrier fibers; and forming a fire combustion modified high-loft fiber batt having a ratio of weight in ounces per square foot to thickness in inches of less than about 2:1 while cooling said batt while compressed to fuse said polyester binder fibers to each other and to said polyester carrier fibers and said oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers; said fire combustion modified high-loft fiber batt suitable for use as a fire barrier layer in products requiring loft, compressibility and/or resilience.