Eastman-kodak Company

Gerald P Morie

Cephas H Sloan

Winston J Jackson, Jr

Herbert F Kuhfuss

Jerry A Wright

Thermoplastic materials are converted directly into thermally bonded, coherent fibrous products by melt blowing techniques. The fibrous product is in the form of a rod having a relatively dense, rigid skin in which the fiber portions are oriented primarily in a longitudinal direction with respect to the axis of the product, and a less dense core where the fiber portions are oriented primarily in a transverse direction with respect to the axis of the product. The products are made by melt blowing fibers and intercepting them by a fiber collecting and forming device which permits a relatively heavy build-up of fiber mass in the central portion and a relatively light build-up of fibers in a lip portion surrounding the central portion. As fibers are continuously deposited on the collecting and forming device, the product thus formed is withdrawn at a rate synchronized with collection of fibers such that the aforesaid build-up is maintained, and such that the lip portion is folded back over the central portion by the collecting and forming device to form the rod as described.

Melt blown product

Melt blowing process

This invention concerns fibers of amorphous polyesters of terephthalic acid or an ester forming derivative thereof and from about 60 mole percent to 100 mole percent 1,2-propylene glycol and from 0 to about 40 mole percent ethylene glycol. These fibers are useful for the production of bonded coherent cigarette filters, nonwoven fabrics and the like.

Fibers filter rods and other nonwoven articles made from

Fibers, filter rods and other nonwoven articles made from

Tobacco smoke filter rods made with fibers selected from cellulose acetate, poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(hexamethylene adipamide) bonded with water and glycol bonding dispersions comprising water, high boiling glycols selected from 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-butanediol and 1,3-butanediol; and water and glycol dispersible polyester polymers. The polymer is present in the amount of about 5 to 40% by weight of the dispersion and preferably about 15 to 35% by weight, and is selected from polyesters of combinations of isophthalic acid and the sodium, potassium, or lithium salt of sulfoisophthalic acid reacted with diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol; and from terephthalic acid and the sodium, potassium or lithium salt of sulfoisophthalic acid reacted with diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol. The water and selected glycol(s) serve as a carrier or dispersion medium for the selected water and glycol dispersible polymer. The dispersions contain from about 0.1-20% water by weight.

Tobacco smoke filter rods having fibers bonded with water and glycol

Water and glycol bonding dispersion comprising water, high boiling glycols selected from 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-butanediol and 1,3-butanediol; and water and glycol dispersible polyester polymers. The polymer is present in the amount of about 5 to 40% by weight of the dispersion and preferably about 15 to 35% by weight, and is selected from polyesters of combinations of isophthalic acid and the sodium, potassium, or lithium salt of sulfoisophthalic acid reacted with diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol; and from terephthalic acid and the sodium, potassium or lithium salt of sulfoisophthalic acid reacted with diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol. The water and selected glycol(s) serve as a carrier or dispersion medium for the selected water and glycol dispersible polymer. The dispersions contain from about 0.1-20% water by weight. Also disclosed are tobacco smoke filter rods of cellulose acetate fibers, poly(hexamethylene adipamide) fibers and of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers bonded with the bonding dispersion.

Growing community of inventors

Kingsport, TN, United States of America

Gerald P Morie