3m Innovative Properties Company

Warren D Eaton

James C Breister

David C Raithel

William P Klinzing

Joseph A Dunbar

Joshua D Tibbits

Cristobal Martin Bernia

Blake R Griffith

Kyle J Baumgartner

Jon A Lindberg

Jesse R Seifert

James P Endle

John Russell Mlinar

Gary William Schukar

Sylvain M Lalonde

Methods apparatuses and systems of forming a random fiber web using pneumatic fiber feeding system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method can optionally comprise: providing a plurality of moveable apparatuses including a lickerin and a feeder, the lickerin configured to remove a plurality of fibers from a fibrous mat delivered to adjacent the lickerin by the feeder; doffing the plurality of fibers from the lickerin at a doffing location within the system; communicating an air supply to entrain the plurality of fibers with the air supply after the doffing; and collecting the plurality of fibers from the air supply to form the random fiber web.

Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs

Methods and systems of forming a random fiber web using pneumatic fiber feeding system are disclosed. The method can optionally comprise: providing a plurality of moveable apparatuses including a lickerin and a feeder, the lickerin configured to remove a plurality of fibers from a fibrous mat delivered to adjacent the lickerin by the feeder; doffing the plurality of fibers from the lickerin at a doffing location within the system; communicating an air supply to entrain the plurality of fibers with the air supply after the doffing; and collecting the plurality of fibers from the air supply to form the random fiber web.

An apparatus and method provide for singulating thin and substantially porous material layers arranged in a stack. A pick head is positioned above the stack of material layers. An adhesive tape is stabilized against the pick head through use of a vacuum between the adhesive tape and the pick head. Contact is effected between the stabilized adhesive tape and the top material layer. The pick head is moved to move the top material layer from the stack to a predetermined location. While at the predetermined location, the adhesive tape is detached from the top material layer. The singulation apparatus and method are particularly well suited for destacking individual porous fluid transport layers (FTLs) from a magazine of FTLs during automated fuel cell assembly.

Apparatus and method for singulating porous fuel cell layers using adhesive tape pick head

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Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Warren D Eaton