3D Nonwoven Web Formation Using Cavity Collection Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing intricate and complex three-dimensional nonwoven webs is expensive and complex using current techniques, necessitating a more cost-effective and simpler method.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a rotating collection surface with cavities and land areas to collect filaments, creating regions with varying properties such as basis weight, volumetric density, caliper, air permeability, and opacity, and bonding the intermediate web to form a final three-dimensional web.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional three-dimensional nonwoven making belts are used, then three-dimensional nonwoven webs can be produced, but the manufacturing process becomes expensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of creating three-dimensional structures from the complex traditional making belts by using a simpler rotating collection surface with cavities and land areas. This separates the core function (creating 3D patterns) from the complex traditional belt structure, achieving the same result with reduced complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex belt structure to create three-dimensional webs, the patent inverts the approach by using a rotating collection surface with complementary cavities and land areas. The collection surface rotates to deposit filaments in patterns that form three-dimensional structures, reversing the traditional approach and simplifying the manufacturing process
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional three-dimensional nonwoven making belts are used, then three-dimensional nonwoven webs can be produced, but the manufacturing process becomes expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of creating three-dimensional structures from the expensive traditional making belts by using a simpler rotating collection surface with cavities and land areas. This separates the core function (creating 3D patterns) from the expensive traditional belt structure, achieving the same result with reduced complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating collection surface with cavities and land areas serves as a cost-effective alternative to expensive traditional three-dimensional making belts. The simpler structure reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining the ability to produce three-dimensional nonwoven webs with desirable properties
3Ease of manufacture
If a rotating collection surface with cavities and land areas is used, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but the surface must have specific fluid permeability properties
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating collection surface is designed with different fluid permeability properties in different regions - the cavities have higher fluid permeability than the raised land areas. This local differentiation allows filaments to be selectively collected in cavities while maintaining cost-effectiveness, achieving both reduced manufacturing cost and precise control over web properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the fluid permeability parameter differently across the collection surface - higher permeability in cavities versus lower permeability in raised areas. This parameter variation enables precise control over filament distribution and web formation, achieving manufacturing precision while maintaining cost-effectiveness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Produces high-quality, consumer-desirable three-dimensional nonwoven webs with improved properties and reduced manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
applying a fluid pressure to the collection surface and collecting the filaments on the collection surface to create an intermediate three-dimensional web
Implementation Method 2
bonding the intermediate three-dimensional web using a bonding operation, such as air-through bonded, for example, to form a final three-dimensional web
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a three-dimensional web is provided. The method comprises spinning continuous filaments from a spinneret, moving the spun continuous filaments along a travel path having an end, and rotating a collection surface at or proximate to the end of the travel path. The collection surface comprises cavities and land areas. The land areas are tangentially planar with an outer surface of the collection surface. The cavities are recessed with respect to the outer surface of the collection surface. The method comprises applying a fluid pressure to the collection surface and collecting the filaments on the collection surface to create an intermediate three-dimensional web having first regions formed in the cavities and second regions formed on the land areas. The first and second regions differ in at least one intensive property. The method comprises bonding the intermediate web using a bonding operation to form a final three-dimensional web.