In some embodiments, the inventive subject matter is directed to an arrangement of discrete elements of fill material on a substrate consisting of a sheet material wherein the discrete elements are fixed relative to the sheet material by pilings, fusion, and/or entanglement to fix the insulating elements in a layered arrangement over the sheet material. A second sheet of material may be used to create a sandwiched assembly of the discrete elements. In some embodiments, the inventive subject matter is generally directed to discrete elements of fill material that are engaged together to form a cohesive sheet-like or layered arrangement of the elements.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a polyester binder fiber having a low crystallization temperature and exhibiting improved adhesiveness and a fiber structure including the polyester binder fiber. The polyester binder fiber according to the present invention includes a polyester polymer and an amorphous polyether imide polymer in a proportion of 0.1 to 5.0 mass % (based on the mass of the polyester polymer), and the polyester binder fiber has a crystallization temperature measured by differential calorimetry in a range of 100 C. or higher and 250 C. or lower.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a polyester binder fiber having a low crystallization temperature and exhibiting improved adhesiveness and a fiber structure including the polyester binder fiber. The polyester binder fiber according to the present invention includes a polyester polymer and an amorphous polyether imide polymer in a proportion of 0.1 to 5.0 mass % (based on the mass of the polyester polymer), and the polyester binder fiber has a crystallization temperature measured by differential calorimetry in a range of 100 C. or higher and 250 C. or lower.

A thermal insulation batt is created from recycled carpet fibers and fire resistant cotton shoddy bonded by staples of bi-component fiber having a polyester core and low melting polymeric sheath. The low melting polymeric sheath melts at a temperature well below the melting or degradation temperature of any of the carpet fibers from the recycled carpets. Since the sheath has a small thickness, the amount of melt created is small and bonding occurs only between the bi-component staple fiber and adjacent carpet fiber or fire resistant cotton shoddy without melt overflow. The rigidized thermal insulation batt can be used in a building between studs and may be used in an automobile door for sound proofing. This product is particularly well suited for use as acoustic and thermal insulation in buildings as non-load bearing partitions in interior offices of commercial buildings. This bonded low density composite fibrous structure has fire retarding constituents incorporated within the batt to retard propagation of building fire. These stated uses are non-limiting; and other uses are contemplated, including automobile interior structures.

A thermal insulation batt is created from recycled carpet fibers and fire resistant cotton shoddy bonded by staples of bi-component fiber having a polyester core and low melting polymeric sheath. The low melting polymeric sheath melts at a temperature well below the melting or degradation temperature of any of the carpet fibers from the recycled carpets. Since the sheath has a small thickness, the amount of melt created is small and bonding occurs only between the bi-component staple fiber and adjacent carpet fiber or fire resistant cotton shoddy without melt overflow. The rigidized thermal insulation batt can be used in a building between studs and may be used in an automobile door for sound proofing. This product is particularly well suited for use as acoustic and thermal insulation in buildings as non-load bearing partitions in interior offices of commercial buildings. This bonded low density composite fibrous structure has fire retarding constituents incorporated within the batt to retard propagation of building fire. These stated uses are non-limiting; and other uses are contemplated, including automobile interior structures.

A thermally insulating sheet formed by a down core structure which is comprised solely of down feather material mixed with binding material which is heat fused together to form a homogeneous sheet core. The method of fabricating the homogeneous thermally insulating sheet to form the down core structure is described. This novel method restrains the down clusters and binding material during the process of mixing, depositing, conveying and heat fusing to form a homogeneous down core sheet. The down core structure is subjected to two separate heat treatments which produces a down core sheet having at least some of its outer surfaces being of higher bond density than the inside of the core.

A process and apparatus for producing a dimensionally stable melt blown nonwoven fibrous web. The process includes forming a multiplicity of melt blown fibers by passing a molten stream including molecules of at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer through at least one orifice of a melt-blowing die, subjecting at least a portion of the melt blown fibers to a controlled in-flight heat treatment operation at a temperature below a melting temperature of the at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer immediately upon exiting from the at least one orifice, and collecting at least some of the melt blown fibers subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation on a collector to form a non-woven fibrous structure. The nonwoven fibrous structure exhibits a Shrinkage less than a Shrinkage measured on an identically-prepared structure including only fibers not subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation, and generally less than 15%.

A process and apparatus for producing a dimensionally stable melt blown nonwoven fibrous web. The process includes forming a multiplicity of melt blown fibers by passing a molten stream including molecules of at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer through at least one orifice of a melt-blowing die, subjecting at least a portion of the melt blown fibers to a controlled in-flight heat treatment operation at a temperature below a melting temperature of the at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer immediately upon exiting from the at least one orifice, and collecting at least some of the melt blown fibers subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation on a collector to form a non-woven fibrous structure. The nonwoven fibrous structure exhibits a Shrinkage less than a Shrinkage measured on an identically-prepared structure including only fibers not subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation, and generally less than 15%.

An external material for vehicles may include a non-woven fabric having a honeycomb structure and a wheel guard including the same.

An embossed non-woven for the vehicle interior, includes: polyethylene terephthalate framework staple fibers; and polyethylene terephthalate binding staple fibers. A proportion of polyethylene terephthalate binding staple fibers is 5 to 50 wt. % based on a total weight of the non-woven. The polyethylene terephthalate binding staple fibers includes core/shell staple fibers. A shell of the core/shell staple fibers has low-melting co-polyethylene terephthalate having a melting point measured in accordance with DIN ISO 11357-3 (2013) in a range of 80? C. to 230? C.