Nonwoven Carrier Material Thickness Variation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Nonwoven carrier materials with thermoplastic fiber layers often suffer from defects like holes or bundles during manufacturing, leading to rejected products due to thickness and property variations in the connecting areas when parts are joined, which is undesirable for applications like bitumen roofing membranes and vinyl flooring.

Innovation Solution

A method to create a form-fit connection between two parts of a nonwoven carrier material by reducing the thickness of a single starting thermoplastic fiber layer into two independent layers using abrasive techniques like skiving, ensuring minimal thickness variation and improved bonding through mechanical needling and thermal bonding, with optional use of a scrim for enhanced strength and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If parts of nonwoven carrier material are laid together butt joint wise or on top of each other and connected, then continuous material is created to replace defective areas, but the connecting area has higher material thickness or textile seams causing locally other properties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuity of materialVSAvoidthickness uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The nonwoven carrier material is divided into two independent fiber layers that are separated during the connecting process. This segmentation allows each layer to be positioned independently, enabling the layers to interlock and bond without creating a thick seam, thus maintaining thickness uniformity while achieving continuous material structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution transitions from a single-plane butt joint connection to a multi-layer spatial arrangement where fiber layers are separated and bonded in different dimensions. The first and second fiber layers are positioned at different heights during bonding, then compressed together to form an integrated structure without surface seams.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If a single starting thermoplastic fiber layer is used, then material structure is simple, but thickness variation occurs when connecting parts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber layer structureVSAvoidthickness consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The single fiber layer is segmented into two independent layers through separation during the connecting process. This segmentation enables better thickness control at connection points by allowing independent positioning and bonding of each layer, reducing overall thickness variation while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If abrasive methods like skiving are used to reduce thickness, then thickness variation is minimized in connecting areas, but additional processing steps are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethickness uniformityVSAvoidprocessing steps

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber layers are separated and positioned in advance during the web-forming process, before the connecting operation. This preliminary separation eliminates the need for post-connection thickness reduction steps like skiving, as the correct thickness configuration is achieved during the primary manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical abrasion process (skiving) is replaced by a thermal bonding process that bonds the separated fiber layers directly. The thermoplastic fibers are melted and bonded together without requiring mechanical removal of material, eliminating the need for additional abrasive processing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This approach results in a nonwoven carrier material with reduced thickness variation and improved bonding strength in the connecting area, allowing for seamless integration and impregnation without visible seams, enhancing the material's performance and reducing defects in applications like bitumen roofing and vinyl flooring.

Implementation Method 1

using abrasive techniques like skiving

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

improved bonding through mechanical needling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical interlocking: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 3

thermal bonding

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal bonding: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS11858247B2Nonwoven carrier material comprising a first part and a second part

Publication Date: 2024.01.02 FREUDENBERG PERFORMANCE MATERIALS BV

AI summary

A nonwoven carrier material including at least a first part and a second part whereby the first and the second part including at least two layers of thermoplastic fibers. The first part and the second part are connected with each other in a connecting area to form the nonwoven carrier material whiteout thickness and weight variations in the connecting area. Further, a method for connecting a first and a second part of a nonwoven carrier material to form a connected nonwoven carrier material.