A capsule or container is provided having optimized recycling attributes. The capsule is provided for use in a machine for preparing a consumable product from capsules. The capsule includes a body that defines an interior space with an opening. A cover is disposed over the opening. A filter is disposed in the interior space to define a chamber between the filter and the cover. The body, filter and cover are preferably formed of the same substantially pure polymer material. Ingredients are disposed in the interior space for preparing a desired product. A hinge is provided to tether the cover to the body. The cover is attached with a peelable seal to the body so that cover may be peeled away from the body while remaining tethered at the hinge.

The present invention relates to a filter medium being at least formed of a pre-filter substrate laminated with a fine-filter substrate by means of a third binder, wherein the pre-filter substrate comprises synthetic fibers and a first binder, the pre-filter substrate working as a combined surface and depth filter, and the fine-filter substrate comprises at least a second binder and one of synthetic fibers and inorganic fibers.

An air scrubber/purifying filter includes filter material having a substrate, an adhesive coating applied to the substrate and a plurality of flock fibers flocked into the adhesive coating. In one embodiment, bi-component flock fibers are flocked on a Reticulated Foam (RF) substrate and subsequently fibrillated. In another embodiment, Cross-Flow Flock Fiber (CFF) filter material includes edgewise, cross cut, bonded, stacked fabric layers such that the passage of air through the flock fibers is normal to the flock fiber orientation. In some embodiments the flock fibers are coated with biocidal, virucidal and/or metalized coatings or finishes to provide biocidal or virucidal properties to the filter media.

Systems, devices and methods are provided for producing a product comprising fibrous material, such as a filter. A system for manufacturing a fibrous material comprises a feeder for advancing a substrate of fibers from an upstream end to a downstream end and a first dispersion device for dispersing a binding agent onto the substrate to coat at least a portion of the fibers with the binding agent. The system further includes a second dispersion device for dispersing nanoparticles through the first surface of the substrate such that the nanoparticles are disposed within the substrate between the first and second surfaces. The binding agent facilitates the bond between the fibers and the nanoparticles to retain the nanoparticles within the internal structure of the substrate. In addition, facilitating this bond provides a more uniform distribution of the nanoparticles throughout the substrate, which improves the performance characteristics of the material.

Systems, devices and methods are provided for producing fibrous materials and products, such as filters. A system comprises a first device for generating one or more fiber stream(s), and a second device for isolating nanoparticles within a gaseous medium. The second device forms the nanoparticles into a stream and feeds this stream into the fiber streams to form the fibrous material. This distributes the nanoparticles more uniformly throughout the fibrous material. In addition, the nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the material, which, in certain applications, increases its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop through the filter. Filters produced with these systems and methods are capable of withstanding rigorous conditioning, which allows the filter to achieve substantially the same level of filtration performance throughout the lifetime of the filter.

An improved impression wheel for use within respiratory face mask manufacturing machines that includes a first, second, and third series of spaced helicoidal teeth shaped and adapted to more efficiently and securely interconnect respective layers of respiratory face masks.

Systems and methods are provided for continuously manufacturing fibrous materials and products, such as filters. A system comprises a conveyor for advancing a substrate comprising fibrous materials from an upstream end to a downstream end, and a feeder for feeding groups of nanofibers into a fluid medium. A fiberization device is coupled to the feeder and configured to convert the groups of nanofibers into individual nanoparticles. A dispersion device coupled to the fiberization device disperses the nanoparticles into the substrate to form a fibrous material. This distributes the nanoparticles more uniformly throughout the fibrous material. In addition, the system continuously manufactures the material to form a product with improved quality, yield and reduced cost and time.

Filter media and filters are provided that include at least two layers and a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in depth within at least one of the layers. A gas filter comprises a first layer of fibers, a second layer of fibers bonded to the first layer and a plurality of nanoparticles incorporated into the first layer. The nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the filter, which increases its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop (i.e., air flow) through the filter. In addition, the filters disclosed herein are capable of withstanding rigorous conditioning, which allows the filter to achieve the same level of filtration performance throughout the lifetime of the filter. Systems, devices and methods are also provided for manufacturing such filters.

Systems, devices and methods are provided for producing a product comprising fibrous material, such as a filter. A system for manufacturing a product comprises a first device for isolating individual nanoparticles within a gaseous medium and a second device for combining the individual nanoparticles with fibers to form a product containing the fibers and the nanoparticles. This distributes the nanoparticles more uniformly throughout the product and in depth into the internal structure of the product. The nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the filter media, which increases its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop through the filter. In addition, the filters produced with the systems and methods described herein are capable of withstanding rigorous conditioning, which allows a filter to achieve the same level of filtration performance throughout the lifetime of the filter.

Systems, devices and methods are provided for separating and/or isolating individual nanoparticles from groups or clusters of nanofibers within a gaseous medium. The system comprises a housing configured to contain the groups of nanofibers, and a pump coupled to the housing. The system further includes one or more passages coupled to the pump and a gaseous medium within the passages. The pump is configured to propel the nanofibers through, or with, the gaseous medium against one or more surface(s) within the passages at a sufficient velocity and/or momentum to open up or separate, the groups of nanofibers into individual nanoparticles. Isolating individual nanoparticles in a gaseous medium and then dispersing them into a substrate or a fluid stream to form a product allows the nanoparticles to be distributed more uniformly and “in depth” throughout the product.