An apparatus for making a nonwoven fabric from thermoplastic fibers has a spinneret for spinning fibers into continuous filaments and a cooler for cooling the filaments. The cooled filaments are then deposited on a conveyor to form a nonwoven web. A first consolidator surface treats the nonwoven web with a hot fluid or hot air as it is conveyed on the conveyor. A second consolidating downstream of the first consolidator has a dual-belt furnace in which the nonwoven web is passed between two circulating belts or continuous belts for surface treating the nonwoven web with a hot fluid or hot air and for applying surface pressure can be applied to the nonwoven web at the same time.

The present disclosure provides: a biodegradable nonwoven fabric for thermoforming, the biodegradable nonwoven fabric being composed of a fiber of a polylactic acid-based polymer, and having a basis weight of 20-300 g/m.sup.2, preferably, a biodegradable nonwoven fabric characterized by being composed of a long fiber of a polylactic acid polymer, having an MD-direction elongation of 50% or more at 120° C., and having an MD-direction dimensional change rate of ±4% or less at 80-140° C. as determined by thermomechanical analysis; a method for producing a molded body by using said biodegradable nonwoven fabric; and a method for molding a biodegradable beverage extraction container, the method being characterized in that the molded body has an MD-direction elongation change rate of 4% or less, as determined by thermomechanical analysis (TMA) under a load of 0.05 N/2 mm at 30-100° C.

A method for forming compression-bonding portions in a continuous body including a fiber bundle while conveying the continuous body includes: rotating a rotator to convey the continuous body; compressing a target part of each of the compression-bonding portions in the continuous body using a first compression-bonding apparatus and the rotator to form the compression-bonding portions of a first stage; and further compressing each of the compression-bonding portions of the first stage using a second compression-bonding apparatus and the rotator to form the compression-bonding portions of a second stage. At least one of the compression-bonding portions is positioned between the first compression-bonding apparatus and the second compression-bonding apparatus in the direction of rotation of the rotator when the second compression-bonding apparatus compresses the compression-bonding portion of the first stage.

A method for forming compression-bonding portions in a continuous body including a fiber bundle while conveying the continuous body includes: rotating a rotator, while holding the continuous body on an outer peripheral surface of the rotator, to convey the continuous body; compressing a target part of each of the compression-bonding portions in the continuous body using a compression-bonding member and the rotator to form the compression-bonding portions; and pressing the continuous body inwardly in a radial direction of the rotator using a pressing member, while avoiding forming the compression-bonding portions in the continuous body, the pressing member being opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the rotator, at a position upstream in the direction of rotation from the compression-bonding member.

A nonwoven web made of substantially continuous fibers and comprising a three-dimensional pattern of protruding closed shapes, wherein the nonwoven web has a compression recovery of at least 30% after being compressed at 1 psi for 24 hours.

A nonwoven web made of substantially continuous fibers and comprising a three-dimensional pattern of protruding closed shapes, wherein the nonwoven web has a compression recovery of at least 30% after being compressed at 1 psi for 24 hours.

A calender for the treatment of web-like materials, including a fixed structure adapted to support two heated rollers shaped to be connected to the fixed structure, to a drive unit and to a heating system. The calender includes automatic elements for engaging and respectively for disengaging the rollers to and from the fixed structure, the drive unit and the heating system; the automatic elements are controlled by a programmable control unit and each of the rollers has an engaging surface shaped to be engaged by mechanical elements for moving the rollers which move the rollers between the calender and one or more waiting or parking stations while the rollers are at a temperature between 50° C. and 200° C.

The present invention provides compact spiral-wound filter elements having cassette-like performance. The invention further provides filtration systems (e.g., TFF systems) and processes (e.g., SPTFF processes) employing compact spiral-wound filter elements having cassette-like performance.

The present invention provides compact spiral-wound filter elements having cassette-like performance. The invention further provides filtration systems (e.g., TFF systems) and processes (e.g., SPTFF processes) employing compact spiral-wound filter elements having cassette-like performance.

There is provided a method for manufacturing a patterned cellulose-based film. The cellulose-based film is modified with a pattern provided by a mold is caused to absorb water. The absorbed water causes a volume increase of the cellulose-based film, which causes modifying the cellulose-based film by the cellulose-based film pressing against the mold. Since, the cellulose-based film is pressed against the mold due to swelling caused by water molecules absorbed into the cellulose-based film, the pattern of the mold may be replicated to the cellulose-based film without necessarily requiring any external pressure.