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:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 25, 2000
Phillip Patrick Carroll, III, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Oakwood Padded Products, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for molding clusters of fibers, including at least some thermoplastic fibers, into products at a cost, quality, and performance level acceptable for commercial production. The clusters are dedensified,and then placed,into an empty mold,. The mold,has apertures,to facilitate the transfer of thermal energy through the mold,. A linear conveyor,is used to transport the mold through a plurality of process locations on a continuous or semi-continuous basis. Included is a heating location,wherein the mold,is heated,, providing an influx of thermal energy sufficient to fuse the thermoplastic fibers to form a heated product. A cooling location,follows the heating location,, wherein the mold,and the heated product contained therein are cooled,to produce a cooled product. The cooled product is then ejected,from the mold