Multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing nonwoven fabric

Abstract

The present invention includes a multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric.

Claims

1. A multi-layer needle-punched acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric comprising two outer cover non-woven fabrics, comprising: a) a first cover non-woven fabric consisting of a PE adhesive non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 30 g/m.sup.2 to 200 g/m.sup.2, and a second cover non-woven fabric consisting of a PP/PET non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 50 g/m.sup.2 to 250 g/m.sup.2, or b) said first cover non-woven fabric and said second cover non-woven fabric are a PP/PET cover non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 100 g/m.sup.2 to 800 g/m.sup.2; each containing a layer sandwiched between the outer cover non-woven fabrics and consisting of a ground material with a basis weight of 250 g/m.sup.2 to 700 g/m.sup.2 of PE, PET, PP and/or multicomponent (BiCo) fibrous material; characterized in that said ground material contains from 5% by weight to 50% by weight, based on the ground material, of dust scraps of PET and multicomponent (BiCo) fibers, wherein the ground material having a grain size from 1 mm to 8 mm and containing the dust scraps having a grain size from 1 μm to 1 mm.

2. The multi-layer needle-punched acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that a PE/PA/PE three-layer sheet with a total thickness of 40 μm to 150 μm is provided between the top, in the direction of needle punching, cover non-woven fabric and said ground material.

3. The multi-layer needle-punched acoustic/reinforcing non-woven fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that a PE/PA/PE three-layer sheet with a total thickness of 40 μm to 150 μm is provided between the top, in the direction of needle punching, cover non-woven fabric plus the layer of ground material/dust, and the bottom cover non-woven fabric.

4. A process for producing a multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric comprising providing a) a first cover non-woven fabric consisting of a PE adhesive non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 30 g/m.sup.2 to 200 g/m.sup.2, and a second cover non-woven fabric consisting of a PP/PET non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 50 g/m.sup.2 to 250 g/m.sup.2, or b) said first cover non-woven fabric and said second cover non-woven fabric are a PP and PET cover non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 100 g/m.sup.2 to 800 g/m.sup.2; each containing a layer sandwiched between the outer cover non-woven fabrics and consisting of a ground material with a basis weight of 250 g/m.sup.2 to 700 g/m.sup.2 of PE, PET, PP, and/or multicomponent (BiCo) fibers material; characterized in that said ground material contains from 5% by weight to 50% by weight based on the ground material, of dust scraps of PET and multicomponent (BiCo) fibers; wherein the ground material has a grain size within a range of from 1 mm to 8 mm and containing the dust scraps having a grain size of from 1 μm to 1 mm, and the ground material are scattered onto the first cover non-woven fabric, and subsequently the second cover non-woven fabric is fed on top, the total composite is compacted, and needle-punched.

5. The process according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one PE/PA/PE three-layer sheet is additionally fed below the top cover non-woven fabric or above the bottom cover non-woven fabric, and said PE/PA/PE three-layer sheet is microperforated by the needle-punching of the total composite.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to the drawing, in which like reference numbers denote like method steps and/or system components, respectively, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the non-woven fabric of the present invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the non-woven fabric of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) In a first embodiment, the above object is achieved by a multi-layer needle-punched acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric comprising two outer cover non-woven fabrics, namely:

(5) a) a first cover non-woven fabric consisting of a PE adhesive non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 30 g/m.sup.2 to 200 g/m.sup.2, preferably from 50 g/m.sup.2 to 150 g/m.sup.2, and a second cover non-woven fabric consisting of a PP/PET non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 50 g/m.sup.2 to 250 g/m.sup.2, preferably from 80 g/m.sup.2 to 200 g/m.sup.2, or
b) both cover non-woven fabrics are a PP/PET cover non-woven fabric with a basis weight of 100 g/m.sup.2 to 800 g/m.sup.2, preferably from 300 g/m.sup.2 to 600 g/m.sup.2;
each containing a layer sandwiched between the outer cover non-woven fabrics and consisting of a ground material with a basis weight of 250 g/m.sup.2 to 700 g/m.sup.2 of PE, PET, PP, multicomponent (BiCo) fibrous material;
characterized in that
said ground material contains from 5% by weight to 50% by weight, preferably from 10% by weight to 40% by weight, based on the ground material, of dust scraps of reclaimed cotton, PET and multicomponent (BiCo) fibers.

(6) PE represents a polyethylene homopolymer, or may also represent a polyethylene copolymer with a predominant fraction of polyethylene. PP represents a polypropylene homopolymer, or may also represent a polypropylene copolymer with a predominant fraction of polypropylene. PET represents a polyester, especially a polyethylene terephthalate. BiCo represents bicomponent or multicomponent fibers.

(7) Thus, an essential feature of the present invention is the use of dust or dust scraps from the production of textile and non-textile parts, especially motor vehicle parts, which have previously been supplied, not to reuse, but to disposal (for example, combustion).

(8) Another preferred alternative embodiment of the present invention consists in a multi-layer needle-punched acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric, characterized in that a PE/PA/PE sheet with a total thickness of 40 μm to 150 μm, especially from 60 μm to 100 μm, is provided between the top, in the direction of needle punching, cover non-woven fabric and the layer of ground material/dust.

(9) Another preferred embodiment of the present invention also consists in a multi-layer needle-punched acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric, characterized in that a PE/PA/PE sheet with a total thickness of 40 μm to 150 μm, especially from 60 μm to 100 μm, is provided between the top, in the direction of needle punching, cover non-woven fabric plus the layer of ground material/dust, and the bottom cover non-woven fabric.

(10) Particularly preferred within the meaning of the present invention is a multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric, characterized in that one of the cover non-woven fabrics comprises a sheet non-woven fabric of PET-PE/PA/PE whose PE side faces towards the ground material.

(11) Further preferred within the meaning of the present invention is a multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric, characterized in that both cover non-woven fabrics comprise a sheet non-woven fabric of PET-PE/PA/PE whose PE sides respectively face towards the ground material.

(12) In addition, within the meaning of the present invention, a multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric is preferred that is characterized in that said PE/PA/PE sheet or said sheet non-woven fabric of PET-PE/PA/PE is microperforated when the total composite is being needle-punched (in line).

(13) Further, the present invention relates to a corresponding process for producing a multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric as defined above, characterized in that the above defined ground material having a grain size within a range of from 1 mm to 8 mm, especially from 2 mm to 3 mm, and containing the dust scraps having a grain size of from 1 μm to 1 mm is scattered onto the first cover non-woven fabric, and subsequently the second cover non-woven fabric is applied, especially fed on top, and the total composite is compacted and needle-punched.

(14) A particularly preferred process within the meaning of the present invention is characterized in that a PE/PA/PE sheet is additionally fed below the top cover non-woven fabric or above the bottom cover non-woven fabric, and said PE/PA/PE sheet is microperforated in line by the needle-punching of the total composite.

Examples

(15) In a first application, 500 g/m.sup.2 of ground material containing PET, PP and/or PET/coPET bicomponent fibers was ground to a particle size of 2 mm, and 20% by weight, based on the ground material, of dust scraps were scattered between a PP/PET non-woven fabric of 150 g/m.sup.2 on the one hand and a PE adhesive non-woven fabric of 70 g/m.sup.2 on the other, and the composite obtained was needle-punched.

(16) In a thermoforming plant comprising a delivery table, a contact heating panel 1, a contact heating panel 2 and a deforming tool, the above non-woven fabric was backed with a commercially available dilour carpet (560 g/m.sup.2 PET, 80 g/m.sup.2 latex, 80 g/m.sup.2 PE coating) and shaped into a floor covering.

(17) The PE adhesive non-woven fabric faced towards the PE carpet coating.

(18) In the subsequent testing of the floor covering in accordance with the specification, the total composite showed improved properties, especially with respect to flexural rigidity, as compared to a (virgin) PET non-woven fabric.

(19) In a second application, the setting of the flow resistance was taken into account, in particular.

(20) On the one hand, the following material structure (FIG. 1) was prepared: 200 g/m.sup.2 PP/PET cover non-woven fabric 1, three-layer sheet (PE/PA/PE) 2, ground material of PET, PP, PET/coPET bicomponent fibers 3, ground to a particle size of 2 mm, and 30% by weight, based on the ground material, dust scraps 3, 100 g/m.sup.2 PP/PET non-woven fabric 4. This total composite 5 was needle-punched, the three-layer sheet 2 being microperforated by this process step.

(21) In a thermoforming plant comprising a delivery table, a contact heating panel 1, a contact heating panel 2 and a deforming tool, the above non-woven fabric 5 was also backed with a dilour carpet (560 g/m.sup.2 PET, 80 g/m.sup.2 latex, 80 g/m.sup.2 PE coating) and shaped into a floor covering.

(22) The flow resistance of the total composite consisting of the dilour carpet plus non-woven fabric 5 was 1004514 Ns/m.sup.−4.

(23) On the other hand, the following material structure (FIG. 2) was prepared: 200 g/m.sup.2 PP/PET cover non-woven fabric 1, ground material of PET, PP, PET/coPET bicomponent fibers 3, ground to a particle size of 2 mm, and 30% by weight, based on the ground material, dust scraps 3, three-layer sheet (PE/PA/PE) 2, and 100 g/m.sup.2 PP/PET non-woven fabric 4. This total composite 5 was needle-punched, the three-layer sheet 2 being microperforated by this process step.

(24) In a thermoforming plant comprising a delivery table, a contact heating panel 1, a contact heating panel 2 and a deforming tool, the above non-woven fabric 5 was also backed with a dilour carpet (560 g/m.sup.2 PET, 80 g/m.sup.2 latex, 80 g/m.sup.2 PE coating) and shaped into a floor covering.

(25) The flow resistance of the dilour carpet plus non-woven fabric 5 was 526222 Ns/m.sup.−4.

(26) The flow resistance can be influenced by the different arrangement of the three-layer sheet 2, its microperforation (in line) in the process of needle-punching the total composite 5, and thus the correlation of perforation (proportion of open holes) and ground material 3.