METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A NONWOVEN FABRIC

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for producing a nonwoven fabric, wherein at least one spinning apparatus for spinning fibers is provided and a deposit conveyor is provided, on which the fibers can be deposited to form the nonwoven web. At least one hot-air pre-bonding apparatus is provided for the hot-air pre-bonding of the nonwoven web on the deposit conveyor. An additional conveyor for receiving the pre-bonded nonwoven web is arranged downstream of the deposit conveyor in the conveying direction of the nonwoven web, at least one final bonding apparatus being provided for the final bonding of the nonwoven web on the additional conveyor. The hot hot-air pre-bonding of the nonwoven web can be carried out on the deposit conveyor, with the stipulation that the nonwoven web has a strength in the machine direction (MD) of 0.6 to 4 N/5 cm before being transferred to the additional conveyor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making a nonwoven fabric having a nonwoven web, the apparatus comprising a spinneret or spinning beam for spinning fibers, an upstream mesh belt on which the fibers are deposited by the spinneret or beam to form a first nonwoven web, an upstream hot-air preconsolidator for hot-air preconsolidation of the nonwoven web on the upstream mesh belt, a downstream belt downstream of upstream mesh belt in the travel direction of the nonwoven web, for receiving the preconsolidated nonwoven web from the upstream mesh belt, a hot-air final consolidator, for the final consolidation of the nonwoven web on the downstream belt, the hot-air preconsolidation of the nonwoven web on the upstream mesh belt being carried out such that the nonwoven web has a strength in the machine direction of 0.5 to 5 N/5 cm upstream of the downstream belt, the temperature of the surface of the downstream belt in the travel direction upstream of the hot-air final consolidator being higher than the temperature of the surface of the upstream mesh belt in the transfer region of the nonwoven web or laminate to the downstream conveyor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric is a nonwoven laminate of first and second nonwoven webs, upstream and downstream spinnerets or spinning beams are provided, the upstream spinneret or spinning beam is provided for spinning first fibers and depositing the first fibers on the upstream mesh belt to form the first nonwoven web, the downstream spinneret or spinning beam is provided for spinning second fibers and depositing the second spinning beam as the second nonwoven web downstream of the upstream spinning beam in the travel direction on the first nonwoven web, the upstream hot-air preconsolidator is provided between the upstream and the downstream spinning beam for hot-air preconsolidation of the first nonwoven web, a second hot-air preconsolidator for hot-air prebonding of the second nonwoven web or a laminate of the first and second nonwoven webs is downstream of the second spinning beam in the travel direction, the laminate is transferred from the deposit conveyor to the downstream belt, the laminate is finished with the final hot-air final consolidator on the downstream conveyor, and the hot-air preconsolidation of the nonwoven web or laminate on the deposit conveyor can be carried out such that the laminate has a strength in the machine direction of 0.5 to 5 N/5 cm before transfer to the downstream conveyor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spinneret or spinning beam is an apparatus for making spunbond nonwoven materials from continuous filaments.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spinneret or the spinning beam is configured to produce bicomponent fibers or multicomponent fibers.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spinneret or beam makes crimped fibers or crimped continuous filaments.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a cooler for cooling the fibers and a stretcher downstream in a filament-travel direction from the cooler for elongating the fibers and a diffuser adjoining the stretcher, for the fibers spun by the spinneret or the a spinning beam.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein subassembly formed by the cooler and stretcher is a closed unit that no further air can enter from the outside except for the cooling air in the cooler.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hot-air preconsolidator is a hot-air knife and/or a hot-air oven.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upstream hot-air preconsolidator is between the upstream spinning beam and the downstream spinning beam and is a first hot-air knife and/or a first hot-air oven.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first hot-air knife is provided downstream of the upstream spinning beam in the travel direction of the first nonwoven web, and a first hot-air oven is provided downstream of this first hot-air knife upstream of the second spinning beam.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the downstream hot-air preconsolidator downstream of the downstream spinning beam is a second hot-air knife and/or a second hot-air oven.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second hot-air knife is provided downstream of the downstream spinning beam in the travel direction of the laminate, and a second hot-air oven is provided downstream of the second hot-air knife.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the hot-air knife subjects the nonwoven web or the laminate to hot air over a width region in the machine direction of 15 mm to 300 mm and/or a spacing of the hot-air nozzle of the second hot-air knife to the surface of the conveyor or to the surface of the mesh belt is 2 mm to 200 mm.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the hot-air oven applies hot air to the nonwoven web or laminate over a width range in the machine direction of 280 mm to 2000 mm and/or hot-air outlet openings of the hot-air oven have a spacing of 12 mm to 200 mm to the surface of the deposit conveyor or to the surface of the deposit mesh belt.

15. A method of making a nonwoven fabric having a nonwoven web by the steps of: spinning fibers and depositing them on an upstream mesh belt to form the nonwoven web, preconsolidating the nonwoven web with hot air on the upstream mesh belt such that the nonwoven web has a strength in the machine direction of 0.5 to 5 N/5 cm, transferring the preconsolidated nonwoven web from the upstream mesh belt to a downstream mesh belt, finally consolidating the nonwoven on the upstream downstream mesh belt, and maintaining a temperature of the surface of the downstream belt in the travel direction upstream of the hot-air final consolidator higher than the temperature of the surface of the mesh belt in the transfer region of the nonwoven web or laminate to the downstream conveyor.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein a nonwoven laminate is made from at least two of the nonwoven webs, at least one of the nonwoven webs comprises crimped fibers, first fibers are spun and deposited on a mesh belt to form a first nonwoven web, second fibers are spun into a second nonwoven web and then deposited on the first nonwoven web to form the laminate from the two nonwoven webs, after depositing the first fibers and before depositing the second fibers, the first nonwoven web is preconsolidated with hot air, and, after depositing the second fibers, the second nonwoven web or laminate is preconsolidated with hot air, the laminate is transferred from the deposit conveyor or the deposit mesh belt to the downstream conveyor or to the conveyor belt, and the hot-air preconsolidation is carried out such that the laminate has a strength in the machine direction of 0.5 to 5 N/5 cm before or during transfer to the downstream conveyor.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the fibers are spunbond or continuous bicomponent filaments or multicomponent filaments and are preferably deposited as crimped filaments as the first nonwoven web and/or as the second nonwoven web.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the fibers are spun as bicomponent filaments or multicomponent filaments having an eccentric core-sheath configuration.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the nonwoven web, in particular the first nonwoven web and/or the laminate from the first nonwoven web and the second nonwoven web are preconsolidated by a hot-air knife with hot air at a hot-air temperature of 80° C. to 250° C. and/or wherein the hot air has a speed of 1.9 to 8 m/s during the hot-air preconsolidation.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first nonwoven web and/or the laminate of the first nonwoven web and the second nonwoven web is preconsolidated by a hot-air oven with hot air at a temperature of 110° C. to 180° C. and/or wherein the hot air has a speed of 1 to 2.5 m/s during this hot-air consolidation.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the surface temperature of the downstream conveyor in the region upstream of the hot-air final consolidation or in the region of transfer of the nonwoven web or the laminate is higher than the surface temperature of the conveyor or the mesh belt in the region of transfer of the nonwoven web or the laminate to the downstream conveyor and this surface temperature of the downstream conveyor is higher by at least 5° C. than this surface temperature of the deposit conveyor in the region of transfer of the nonwoven web or the laminate to the downstream conveyor.

Description

[0062] The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a drawing illustrating only one embodiment. In a schematic representation:

[0063] FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus according to the invention for making a spunbond nonwoven fabric,

[0064] FIG. 2 shows the object according to FIG. 1 in the region of the deposit conveyor with a downstream conveyor or conveyor belt provided thereto,

[0065] FIG. 3 is a vertical section through a two-beam system according to the invention, and

[0066] FIG. 4 is a section through a continuous filament that is preferably used in the context of the invention and has an eccentric core-sheath configuration.

[0067] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus according to the invention for making a nonwoven fabric 1 with at least one nonwoven web 2, 3 made of fibers made of thermoplastic material. The fibers are preferably continuous filaments F made of thermoplastic material here. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a spunbond apparatus for making a nonwoven fabric 1 from endless filaments F.

[0068] The apparatus comprises a spinneret 10 for spinning the endless filaments F, and these spun continuous filaments F are introduced into a cooler 11 with a cooling chamber 12. Preferably and here, air supply manifolds 13, 14 one above the other are provided on two opposite sides of the cooling chamber 12. Air of different temperatures is expediently introduced into the cooling chamber 12 from these air supply manifolds 13, 14 provided one above the other. A monomer extractor 15 is between the spinneret 10 and the cooler 11 here. Unwanted gases generated during the spinning process can be removed from the apparatus by this monomer extractor 15. These gases can be, for example, monomers, oligomers or decomposition products and the like.

[0069] The cooler 11 is preferably and here followed by a stretcher 16 for stretching the endless filaments F is provided downstream in the filament flow direction. Preferably and here, the stretcher 16 has an intermediate passage 17 that connects the cooler 11 to a stretching shaft 18 of the stretcher 16. According to a particularly preferred embodiment and here, a subassembly formed from the cooler 11 and the stretcher 16 or a subassembly formed by the cooler 11, the intermediate passage 17 and the expansion shaft 18 is closed and, apart from the supply of cooling air in the cooler 11, no further air movement is allowed from outside into this subassembly.

[0070] A diffuser 19 through which the continuous filaments F are guided preferably follows the stretcher 16, here in the filament flow direction. After passing through the diffuser 19, the endless filaments F are preferably deposited on a conveyor designed constituted by a mesh belt 20 here. The deposit mesh belt 20 is preferably here designed as an endlessly circulating storage mesh belt 20. The deposit mesh belt 20 is expediently designed to be air-permeable, process air can be sucked from below through the deposit mesh belt 20.

[0071] According to a proven embodiment and here, the diffuser 19 or the diffuser 19 directly above the deposit mesh belt 20 has two opposite lower diverging diffuser walls 21, 22. These diverging diffuser walls 21, 22 are preferably designed asymmetrically with respect to the central plane M of the apparatus or diffuser 19. Expediently and here, the upstream diffuser wall 21 forms a smaller angle β with the central plane M than the downstream diffuser wall 22. The angle β, which the upstream diffuser wall 21 forms with the central plane M, is recommended to be at least 1° smaller than the angle β that the downstream diffuser wall 22 forms with the central plane M. It is within the scope of the invention that the lower ends of the diverging diffuser walls 21, 22 have different spacings e.sub.1 and e.sub.2 to the central plane M of the apparatus or diffuser 19.

[0072] The spacing e.sub.1 of the lower end of the upstream diffuser wall 21 to the central plane M is less than the spacing e.sub.2 of the lower end of the downstream diffuser wall 22 to the central plane M The terms upstream and downstream relate in particular to the travel direction of the mesh belt 20 or to the travel direction of the nonwoven web 2, 3. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ratio of the spacings e.sub.1:e.sub.2 is 0.6 to 0.95, preferably 0.65 to 0.9 and in particular 0.7 to 0.9.

[0073] It is within the scope of the invention that two opposite secondary air inlet gaps 24 and 25 are provided at the upstream end 23 of the diffuser 19 and are each on one of the two opposite diffuser walls. Preferably, a lower secondary air volume flow can be introduced through the secondary air inlet gap 24 on the inlet side in relation to the travel direction of the deposit mesh belt 20 than through the downstream secondary air inlet gap 25. In this case, it is recommended that the secondary air volume flow of the upstream secondary air inlet gap 24 is at least 5%, preferably by at least 10% and in particular by at least 15% smaller than the secondary air volume flow through the downstream secondary air inlet gap 25. This embodiment with the different secondary air volume flows at the secondary air inlet gaps is of particular importance in view of the solution to the technical problem. The same also applies to the asymmetrical design of the diffuser 19. Furthermore, it is within the scope of the invention that at least one suction device is present that sucks air or process air through the deposit mesh belt 20 in a main suction region 27 in the storage region or in the main storage region 26 of the filaments F. The main suction region 27 is expediently and here below the deposit conveyor or below the deposit mesh belt 20 in an inlet region of the deposit mesh belt 20 and in an outlet region of the deposit mesh belt 20 by a respective suction separating wall 28.1 or 28.2.

[0074] According to a recommended embodiment of the invention, at least one, the suction wall 28.1 or 28.2 has, at its upper end, a partition wall designed as a spoiler 30. Preferably and here, the spoiler 30 is provided on the downstream suction wall 28.2. Here, the spoiler 30 is an integral part of the downstream suction wall 28.2 and merely as an angled section of this suction wall 28.2. In this recommended embodiment, the spoiler 30 is expediently designed as an obliquely angled spoiler 30 with a straight or substantially planar shape. Preferred and here according to FIGS. 1 and 2 and in the case of the first left-hand region of FIG. 3 the spoiler 30 is angled to the side of the associated suction wall 28.2 facing away from the center of the main suction region 27. On the other hand, the spoiler 30 is expediently angled here on the right-hand portion in FIG. 3 to the side of the associated suction wall 28.2 that faces the center of the main suction region 27. This different orientation of the spoilers 30 in a two-beam system or in the context of the invention, multi-beam installation is also of particular importance. The preferably provided spoiler 30 ensures that in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 (first beam, left-hand side), a continuous or linear continuous transition of the higher suction-suction speed V.sub.H in the main suction region 27 to the significantly lower suction speed V.sub.2 takes place in the second suction region 29 immediately downstream of the main suction region 27. Here FIG. 3 (right-hand side, second beam), the spoiler 30, which is angled toward the center of the main suction region 27, ensures that the suction speed V.sub.V in a suction region 33 upstream of the main suction region 27 increases continuously and linearly to the higher extraction speed V.sub.H in the main suction region 27 and in particular does not take place abruptly.

[0075] In the context of the invention, the angled spoiler 30 is of particular importance in that its upper end maintains a relatively large spacing A from the deposit conveyor or the deposit mesh belt 20. This spacing A is preferably 10 mm to 250 mm, preferably 25 mm to 200 mm, expediently 28 mm to 150 mm and in particular 30 mm to 120 mm According to a very preferred embodiment, the spacing A is 20 mm to 160 mm, proven 20 mm to 150 mm and, according to one embodiment, 25 mm to 150 mm. Therefore, the spacing of the upper end of the relevant suction wall 28.2 is significantly greater than corresponding spacings in installations known from the prior art. The invention is based on the discovery that a particularly soft and continuous transition of the extraction speeds takes place by maintaining this spacing A. This is advantageous because as a result disadvantageous effects that impair the homogeneity of the nonwoven web 2, 3 on the nonwoven web surface or nonwoven web surface are avoided. Above all, so-called blow-back effects are avoided or reduced as a result. This is a negative influence on the filaments of the nonwoven web 2, 3, which results in an abrupt extraction speed change. Thus, in many installations known from the prior art, in the event of an abrupt transition from the high extraction speed V.sub.H in the main suction region 27 to a lower extraction speed in the following region of the mesh belt 20, filaments F are withdrawn or pulled out from the lower evacuated region in the higher-level area. This blow-back effect results in interfering filament agglomerates and thus inhomogeneities in the nonwoven web 2, 3. The preferably provided spoiler 30 thus ensures largely defect-free nonwoven webs 2, 3.

[0076] According to the invention, at least one hot-air preconsolidator is provided for hot-air preconsolidation of the nonwoven web 2, 3 on the deposit conveyor or on the deposit mesh belt 20. In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, only one spinneret 10 is present and this apparatus is thus a single-beam system. It is recommended that an apparatus according to FIG. 1 be used for this single-beam installation. For the sake of simplicity, FIG. 2 shows only the lower part of this spunbond apparatus or the lower part of the diffuser 19 of this apparatus. In principle, the system or apparatus shown in FIG. 2 can also be used in the context of a multi-beam system. In order to preconsolidate with heat, and here, a hot-air knife 31 is first provided downstream of the deposition region 26 and a hot-air knife 32 is provided downstream of this hot-air knife 31 in the travel direction of the deposit mesh belt 20. Both hot-air preconsolidations take place on one and the same deposit mesh belt 20.

[0077] The hot-air preconsolidation with the hot-air knife 31 is preferably carried out and here is above the second suction region 29. The suction speed V.sub.2 in this second suction region 29 is preferably and here 15% to 50%, in particular 25% to 40%, of the extraction speed V.sub.H in the main suction region 27. As already explained above, the spoiler 30 ensures at the downstream suction separating wall 28.2 a gradual continuous transition of the high extraction speed V.sub.H to the significantly lower extraction speed V.sub.2 in the second suction region 29. Recommended masses and, here, process air is also sucked off under the hot-air oven 32 or this oven is operated in a circulation process, specifically with a suction or process air speed V.sub.3. This suction or suction device air speed V.sub.3 is expediently 5% to 30%, in particular 7% to 25% and for example 7% to 12% of the extraction speed V.sub.H in the main suction region 27. Preferably, the suction speed of V.sub.H in the main suction region 27 above V.sub.2 in the second suction region 29 to V.sub.3 decreases below the hot-air oven 32 (V.sub.H>V.sub.2>V.sub.3). According to one embodiment of the invention, the extraction speed decreases continuously from the main suction region 27 via the second suction region 29 to the hot-air oven 32 by the deposit mesh belt 20. According to another embodiment, between the hot-air knife 31 and the hot-air oven 32, a non-evacuated region or only a small region of the deposit mesh belt 20 can be provided (so-called suction gap). In this case, the suction speed V.sub.L in this suction gap region 34 is either zero or approximately zero or it is at least less than the suction speed V.sub.2 below the hot-air knife 31 and preferably also less than the suction speed V.sub.3 under the hot-air oven 32. Such a suction gap region 34 has proven successful for many applications. The invention is based on the discovery that, with the aid of this suction gap region 34, a relatively high desired thickness of a nonwoven web 2, 3 can be maintained without problems and nevertheless the required strength of the nonwoven web 2, 3 can be achieved with hot-air preconsolidation.

[0078] It has already been pointed out above that, according to a recommended embodiment of the invention, the suction gap region 34 is used to be able to position a further preconsolidator for the nonwoven web on the deposit conveyor or on the deposit mesh belt 20.

[0079] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of rollers or pinch rollers serves for preconsolidation. This pair of rollers (not shown in the figures) can be pivoted on to the deposit conveyor or the deposit mesh belt 20 if necessary and can also be removed again or removed from contact with the deposit mesh belt 20 if necessary. In this respect, such a suction gap region 34 has proven particularly suitable between the hot-air knife 31 and the hot-air oven 32.

[0080] The hot-air preconsolidation of the nonwoven web 2, 3 with the hot-air knife 31 takes place preferably and, here, over a width range in the machine direction (MD) of 40 mm to 200 mm, in particular of 40 mm to 150 mm. The spacing of the at least one hot-air nozzle or the hot-air knife 31 to the surface of the mesh belt 20 is recommended here 2 mm to 200 mm and in particular 3 mm to 100 mm. The hot-air preconsolidation is preferably carried out with the hot-air knife 31 at a hot-air temperature of 80° C. to 250° C. and in particular at a hot-air temperature of 100° C. to 200° C. Preferably, the hot-air temperature is 120° C. to 190° C. Preferably the hot air in the hot-air preconsolidation with the hot-air knife 31 moves a speed of 2 to 5 m/s and preferably of 2.2 to 4.5 m/s. The spacing B of the hot-air knife 31 to the center plane M of the apparatus is in particular 100 mm to 1000 mm, preferably 110 mm to 600 mm and preferably 120 mm to 550 mm. The spacing B is measured in particular between this central plane M and the first component or component of the hot-air knife 31 downstream thereof in the travel direction.

[0081] Here, a hot-air oven 32 is provided downstream of the hot-air knife 31 preferably for the first hot-air preconsolidation. The spacing C between the hot-air knife 31 and the hot-air oven 32 is expediently. in the case of the apparatus of a suction gap region 34—0.4 m to 5.2 m, with the preferably provided hot-air oven 32 and the nonwoven web 2, 3 passing through a hot-air region with a dimension in the machine direction (MD) or in the travel direction of 280 mm to 2000 mm, preferably of 300 mm to 1500 mm. The hot-air outlet openings of the hot-air oven 32 have a spacing of 12 mm to 200 mm and preferably a spacing of 25 mm to 120 mm turned toward the surface of the deposit mesh belt 20. The nonwoven web 2, 3 is expediently preconsolidated in the hot-air oven 32 with hot air at a temperature of from 110° C. to 180° C., in particular from 115° C. to 170° C. and preferably from 120° C. to 160° C. The speed of the hot air in this hot-air preconsolidation in the hot-air oven 32 is 1 to 2.5 m/s, in particular 1.1 to 1.9 m/s and preferably 1.2 to 1.8 m/s. If work is carried out without a suction gap within the scope of the invention, the spacing between a hot-air knife and the downstream hot-air oven is expediently 0.3 m to 3.0 m

[0082] Moreover, it is within the scope of the invention that the hot-air preconsolidation with the upstream hot-air knife 31 takes place at a higher hot-air temperature than the hot-air preconsolidation with the downstream hot-air oven 32. Here according to FIG. 2, the nonwoven web is transferred to the downstream conveyor in the form of the conveyor belt 35 after preconsolidation with the hot-air oven 32 from the upstream deposit conveyor or from the deposit mesh belt 20. The conveyor belt 35 is expediently an endlessly circulating conveyor belt 35. According to a very preferred embodiment and here, the surface temperature of the conveyor belt 35 in the transfer region of the nonwoven web 2, 3 or in the region upstream of the hot-air final setting is higher than the surface temperature of the depositing conveyor or the mesh belt 20 in the region of transfer of the nonwoven web 2, 3 to the conveyor belt 35. The surface temperature of the conveyor belt 35 is expediently higher by at least 5° C., preferably by at least 10° C. and preferably by at least 15° C. than the stated surface temperature of the depositing conveyor or the mesh belt 20 in the region of transfer of the nonwoven web 2, 3. With the downstream conveyor or conveyor belt 35, the nonwoven web 2, 3 is fed to a final consolidation, specifically preferably and here of a hot-air final consolidation.

[0083] For this purpose, a hot-air final consolidator is provided for this purpose and, here, a hot-air final consolidator is provided, specifically recommended in the form of a hot-air final consolidator 36 (using air bonding). The nonwoven web 2, 3 is expediently subjected to a temperature of from 100° C. to 170° C. in particular from 110° C. to 150° C. in this final consolidator 36 with hot air. The finally consolidated nonwoven web or fabric 2, 3 can then be fed to its further use.

[0084] It is essential within the scope of the invention that the hot-air preconsolidation or preconsolidation of the nonwoven web 2, 3 is carried out on the depositing conveyor or on the mesh belt 20 such that the nonwoven web 2, 3 is fed to the downstream conveyor or to the downstream conveyor or to the storage mesh belt 20 upstream of the transfer from the deposit conveyor or the storage mesh belt 20 to the conveyor belt 35 with strength in the machine direction (MD) of 0.5 to 5 N/5 cm, in particular of 0.7 to 3.5 N/5 cm and preferably of 0.8 to 3.5 N/5 cm. This can be easily realized within the scope of the used or described hot-air preconsolidation.

[0085] FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention in the form of a system with two beams or spinnerets 10. The structure of the apparatus component assigned to each beam or spinneret 10 preferably corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 for construction of the spunbond apparatus shown in FIG. 1 above the mesh belt 20. For the sake of simplicity, in FIG. 3 these apparatuses are not shown completely, but only the lower region of the respective diffusers 19. With the first spunbond apparatus of the two-beam system according to FIG. 3, continuous filaments F are spun and deposited on the deposit mesh belt 20 to form a nonwoven web 2. Preferably and here, a second spunbond apparatus component (second beam, right-hand side of FIG. 3) likewise spins continuous filaments F and deposits the nonwoven web 3 on the first nonwoven web 2, so that a nonwoven laminate 2, 3 is formed from the two nonwoven webs 2 and 3. In principle, the two apparatuses shown in FIG. 3 can also be used in the context of a multibeam installation with more than two spinning beams or more than two spinnerets 10.

[0086] Preferably and here according to FIG. 3, each spunbond diffuser 19 is first followed by a hot-air knife 31 for hot-air preconsolidation. Each of the two hot-air knives 31 is preferred and, here for further flesh air preconsolidation, a respective hot-air consolidator 32 is provided downstream. The preferred parameters specified for the embodiment of FIG. 2 or parameter ranges with respect to the hot-air knife 31 and with respect to the hot-air knife 32 preferably also apply to the hot-air knives 31 and the hot-air ovens 32 of the two-beam system from FIG. 3. The same also applies to the values or the ratios/size ratios of the speeds V.sub.H, V.sub.2, V.sub.L and V.sub.3.

[0087] The two-beam apparatus of FIG. 3 differs in that the main suction regions 27 have different spoilers 30. In the upstream beam or spunbond apparatus on the left side, the spoiler 30 provided to the downstream suction wall 28.2 is angled to the side of the associated suction wall 28.2 that faces away from the center of the main suction region 27 or to the side of the associated suction wall 28.2 that faces away from the central plane M. As a result, a continuous and linear transition of the suction speeds from the extraction speed V.sub.H of the main suction region 27 to the significantly lower extraction speed V.sub.2 of the second suction region 29 is achieved. In the second beam or the second spunbond apparatus on the right-hand side of FIG. 3, the spoiler 30 is also provided to the downstream suction wall 28.2 of the main suction region 27. Here, however, the spoiler 30 is angled toward the center of the main suction region 27 or toward the central plane M. This configuration of the spoiler 30 achieves a continuously and linearly increasing suction speed from the relatively low extraction speed V.sub.V of the upstream suction region 33 to the significantly higher suction speed V.sub.H of the main suction region 27.

[0088] It is essential within the scope of the invention that, in accordance with a preferred embodiment and here, both nonwoven webs 2, 3 are deposited on the same deposit conveyor or on the same mesh belt 20 and are also subjected to hot-air preconsolidation on this deposit conveyor or storage mesh belt 20. Only subsequent thereto is the nonwoven laminate webs 2, 3 transferred from the deposit conveyor or storage mesh belt 20 to the downstream conveyor in the form of the conveyor belt 35 for final consolidation. The preferred features and parameters specified in connection with FIG. 2 to the hot-air final consolidating apparatus also apply to the hot-air final consolidator of FIG. 3. The same also applies to the temperatures or surface temperatures of the deposit conveyor or conveyor belt 20 and of the downstream conveyor or conveyor belt 35.

[0089] Preferably and here according to FIG. 3, the hot-air prebonding of the first nonwoven web 2 and the hot-air preconsolidation of the laminate from the two nonwoven webs 2, 3 takes place such that the laminate has a strength in the machine direction (MD) of 0.5 to 5 N/5 cm, in particular of 0.7 to 3.5 N/5 cm and preferably of 0.8 to 3.5 N/5 cm upstream of the transfer to the downstream conveyor or to the conveyor belt 35.

[0090] According to a very preferred embodiment, continuous filaments F in the form of bicomponent filaments or multicomponent filaments are made using the apparatus according to the invention and these continuous filaments F are deposited on the nonwoven web 2, 3 in the form of crimped filaments F. Crimp here means in particular that the crimped filaments each have a crimp with at least 1, 5, preferably with at least 2, preferably at least 2.5 and very preferably with at least 3 loops (loops) per centimeter of their length. According to a recommended embodiment, the crimped filaments each have a crimp of 2 to 3 loops per centimeter of their length. The number of crimping loops per centimeter of length of the filaments are measured in particular according to the Japanese standard JIS L-1015-1981 by counting the crimps under a bias of 2 mg/den in ( 1/10 mm) based on the unstretched lengths of the filaments. A sensitivity of 0.05 mm is used to determine the number of crimp loops. The measurement is expediently carried out using a “Favimat” apparatus from TexTechnno, Germany. For this purpose, reference is made to the publication “Automatic Crimp Measurement on Staple Fibers”, Denendorf Collocalium, “Textile Measuring and Testing Technology”, 9.11.99, Dr Ulrich Mortar (in particular page 4, FIG. 4). For this purpose, the filaments or the filament sample are removed from the deposit mesh belt as a filament bundle before further fixing and the filaments are separated and measured.

[0091] The crimp of the filaments is preferably achieved by the use of continuous filaments having an eccentric core-sheath configuration. Preferably, in the two-beam system of FIG. 3 with both spunbond apparatus components or with both beams, such bicomponent filaments are made with an eccentric core-sheath configuration.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows a bicomponent filament having an eccentric core-sheath configuration that is very particularly preferred within the scope of the invention. A cross section through an endless filament F with the preferred special core-sheath configuration is shown in FIG. 4. In these continuous filaments F, the sheath 37 preferably has a constant thickness d in cross-section over more than 50%, preferably over more than 55% of the filament circumference. Preferably and here, the core 4 of the filaments F occupies more than 65% of the area of the filament cross-section of the filament F. Recommended and here, the core 4, as seen in the cross-section of the filament, is segmental. Expediently and here, this core 4 has a circularly arcuate circumferential section 5 and a planar circumferential section 6 with respect to its circumference. Preferably and here, the circularly arcuate circumferential section of the core 4 takes over 50%, preferably over 55%, of the circumference of the core 4. Expediently and here, the sheath 37 of the filaments F, as seen in the filament cross-section, is designed to be circular segment-shaped outside the sheath region with the constant thickness d. This circular segment 7 of the casing 37 is recommended and has, here, a circular arc-shaped circumference section 8 and a linear circumferential section 9 with respect to its circumference. Preferably, the thickness d or the average thickness d of the sheath 37 in the region of its constant thickness is 0.5% to 8%, in particular 2% to 10% of the filament diameter D. Here, the thickness d of the sheath 37 in the region of its constant thickness may be 0.05 μm to 3 μm.