The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 14, 1998
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1996
H Gunter Groeger, Charlotte, NC (US);
Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Somerville, NJ (US);
Abstract
A novel, high performance yet permeable, tough, fibrous structure, and a process for making the structure are disclosed. The fibrous structure includes a stabilized microstructure of improved uniformity of fiber and particulate distribution. Beneficially, the fibrous structure is of improved structural integrity and stiffness, as a result of being reduced in thickness. The process includes the steps of dry forming a fibrous web including crimped staple composite fibers, thereafter distributing and entrapping the functional particles in the web, and thereafter heating the fibrous web to form a microstructure-stabilized fibrous web. According to the process, the microstructure-stabilized fibrous web is thereafter by an additional heat treating step carried out without application of pressure to the web, heated to a thermoforming temperature, and thereafter the heated web is reduced in thickness and yet microstructural relative geometry is maintained. IR heat may be used. A nip gap is advantageously used to reduce the heated web in thickness.