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:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 05, 1997
J Michael Greenway, Westwood, MA (US);
BBA Nonwovens Simpsonville, Inc., Simpsonville, SC (US);
Abstract
An improved fabric hydroenhancement method provides for inducing turbulence in a fluid flow in a hydroenhancing manifold and applying the turbulent fluid flow to impinge on a row of orifices of a jet strip in a manifold, such that jet streams issuing from the jet orifices at an output end of the manifold are formed with a constant state of fluctuation in their cross-sectional shape, direction, and structure. This results in the jet streams distributing their delivered energy over constantly changing impact areas on the fabric, whereby more of the delivered energy is converted into enhancement energy for hydroenhancing the fabric. The turbulent hydroenhancing method is also found to obtain a significant reduction in fabric shrinkage, and also eliminates the generation of interference patterns in the fabric. Turbulence is induced by positioning a baffle below the distribution element in the manifold with its lower end in close proximity to the row of jet orifices. Various types of baffle designs may be used. A refined baffle design has a solid center portion and flow paths around its sides to smooth out uneven fluid flow caused by flow distribution structures in the manifold upstream of the jet orifices.