A spatially controllable, for example CD controllable, eductor, and more particularly an eductor that is capable of providing a variable motive fluid and processes using such an eductor are provided.

The disclosure provides blowable insulation or filling material, and apparatus and methods for making same. The blowable insulation or filling material includes a plurality of discrete elongate floccules each formed of a plurality of fibers. The floccules include a relatively open enlarged medial portion. The floccules also include relatively condensed twisted tail portions extending from opposing ends of the medial portion. The floccules can be utilized by existing garment fill blowing machines without clogging thereof, and include a superior soft hand feel, thermal resistance and launderability. The floccules may be formed by forcing staple fibers through apertures of a rotating hollow drum to partially form the floccule structure within the drum. The partially formed floccules may be retained within the rotating drum for a dwell time to finalize the floccule structure.

The disclosure provides blowable insulation or filling material, and apparatus and methods for making same. The blowable insulation or filling material includes a plurality of discrete elongate floccules each formed of a plurality of fibers. The floccules include a relatively open enlarged medial portion. The floccules also include relatively condensed twisted tail portions extending from opposing ends of the medial portion. The floccules can be utilized by existing garment fill blowing machines without clogging thereof, and include a superior soft hand feel, thermal resistance and launderability. The floccules may be formed by forcing staple fibers through apertures of a rotating hollow drum to partially form the floccule structure within the drum. The partially formed floccules may be retained within the rotating drum for a dwell time to finalize the floccule structure.

Provided is a processing device which includes a fluffing section for fluffing fibers contained in a sheet-like material, the fibers being at least near a surface of the sheet-like material, and a particle supplying section for supplying particles having Mohs hardness of 2 to 5 to the fluffed fibers. In addition, in such processing device, the particle supplying section preferably has an ejecting portion for ejecting the particles.

Provided is a processing device which includes a fluffing section for fluffing fibers contained in a sheet-like material, the fibers being at least near a surface of the sheet-like material, and a particle supplying section for supplying particles having Mohs hardness of 2 to 5 to the fluffed fibers. In addition, in such processing device, the particle supplying section preferably has an ejecting portion for ejecting the particles.

A material including at least one nonwoven layer of fibers is provided comprising textured yarns, preferably knit-deknit yarns. The textured yarns included in the material enables the mechanical properties of the material to be adjusted to enable the material to conform to high local deformations.

The present invention generally relates to composites and articles made from nonwoven structures. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to nonwoven structures which are heated and/or pressed to form a substantially rigid article. In some cases, the nonwoven structure may be heated to temperatures greater than the glass transition temperature but less than the melting temperature of a polymer within the nonwoven structure. Such articles may exhibit creep of the polymer around other fibers in the nonwoven structure, but without any evidence of melting and/or flow. In addition, in some embodiments, such articles may have relatively large void volumes, or exhibit properties such as low flammability, smoke resistance, or acoustic insulation. Other aspects of the present invention are generally directed to systems and methods for making such articles, methods of use of such articles, kits comprising such articles, etc.

The invention is directed to a method for producing a composite material comprising a biofabricated material and a secondary component. The secondary component may be a porous material, such as a sheet of paper, cellulose, or fabric that has been coated or otherwise contacted with the biofabricated material. The biofabricated material comprises a uniform network of crosslinked collagen fibrils and provides strength, elasticity and an aesthetic appearance to the composite material.

The invention is directed to a method for producing a composite material comprising a biofabricated material and a secondary component. The secondary component may be a porous material, such as a sheet of paper, cellulose, or fabric that has been coated or otherwise contacted with the biofabricated material. The biofabricated material comprises a uniform network of crosslinked collagen fibrils and provides strength, elasticity and an aesthetic appearance to the composite material.

A device for producing a three dimensional shaped consolidated product. The device includes a rotary drum, defined as a rotary conveyor with a peripheral surface extending in circumferential direction with at least one product shaping area in the form of a cavity on said peripheral surface, the peripheral surface is pervious to air at least in the product shaping area, at least one material feed device to feed a base material into the at least one cavity, a vacuum device designed to generate a negative pressure at least in the at least one cavity, whereby the generated suction is directed towards the interior of the rotary conveyor, and whereby downstream of the material feed device at least one consolidating device is located such that at least a part of the filled cavity is subjected to a consolidating treatment whereby the base material at least partly will adhere to neighboring material.