Abstract
A carrier material includes at least a first thermoplastic fiber layer and a second thermoplastic fiber layer. At least a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or the second thermoplastic fiber layer at at least one boundary of the carrier material is removed, to provide a first part of a form-fit connection. The carrier material can be used in bituminous roofing membranes, roofing underlayment sheets, carriers for filter media, primary backings for tufted carpets and (cushion) vinyl floor coverings.
Claims
1. A carrier material comprising at least a first thermoplastic fiber layer and a second thermoplastic fiber layer, wherein the first thermoplastic fiber layer and the second thermoplastic fiber layer are nonwoven thermoplastic fiber layers, wherein at least a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or the second thermoplastic fiber layer at at least one boundary of the carrier material is removed, to provide a first part of a form-fit connection.
2. The carrier material according to claim 1, wherein a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or second thermoplastic fiber layer at at least two boundaries of the carrier material is removed.
3. The carrier material according to claim 1, wherein a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or second thermoplastic fiber layer of opposing boundaries of the carrier material is removed.
4. The carrier material according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of a first part of a connecting area is 0% to 90% of the thickness of the remaining carrier material, where a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/second thermoplastic fiber layer is removed.
5. The carrier material according to claim 1, wherein the length and/or the width of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and the second thermoplastic fiber layer differ of at least 0.5 cm.
6. The carrier material according to claim 1, wherein a scrim comprising warp threads and/or weft threads is comprised in the carrier material.
7. The carrier material according to claim 6, wherein the warp and/or weft threads of the scrim comprise high modulus fibers having a tensile modulus of at least 5 GPa.
8. The carrier material according to claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or second thermoplastic fiber layer comprise at least one type of mono-component fibers or bicomponent fibers.
9. The carrier material according to claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or the second thermoplastic fiber layer are nonwoven layers of fibers and/or three dimensional mats of extruded entangled filaments.
10. A method of manufacturing a carrier material comprising the following steps: a. supplying a carrier material comprising at least a first thermoplastic fiber layer and a second thermoplastic fiber layer b. removing at least a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or second thermoplastic fiber layer at at least one boundary of the carrier material, and c. optionally rolling up the carrier material.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the removing of step b is made by skiving or by splitting and cutting.
12. The method according to according to claim 10, wherein the removing of at least a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or the second thermoplastic fiber layer is performed, such that the thickness of a first part of a connecting area is 0% to 90% of the thickness of the remaining carrier material.
13. The method according to according to claim 10, wherein the length and/or the width of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and the second thermoplastic fiber layer differs of at least 0.5 cm.
14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the carrier material comprises a scrim located between the first thermoplastic fiber layer and the second thermoplastic fiber layer.
15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first thermoplastic fiber layer and/or the second thermoplastic fiber layer are nonwoven layers of fibers and/or three dimensional mats of extruded entangled filaments.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0103] FIGS. 1 and 2 (a+b) show schematically a combination of wo parts of a carrier material of the prior art.
[0104] FIG. 3 shows schematically a side view of a carrier material.
[0105] FIGS. 4 to 8 show schematically side views of different embodiments of the carrier material.
[0106] FIG. 9 shows schematically a splitting step of a first thermoplastic fiber layer and a second thermoplastic fiber layer.
[0107] FIG. 10 shows a top view of a carrier material.
[0108] FIG. 11/12 show perspective views of schematic drawings of a carrier material connected to a second and a third carrier material.
[0109] FIG. 13 shows a side view of a carrier material.
[0110] In FIG. 1 a connection of a first part A of a connected carrier material 1 and a second part B of a connected carrier material 1 is schematically shown (prior art). The first part A has a first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and a second thermoplastic fiber layer A2. The second part B has also a first thermoplastic fiber layer B1 and a second thermoplastic fiber layer B2. For connecting the first part A and the second part B in a connecting area 3 the first part A is laid on top of the second part B. In the connecting area 3 four thermoplastic fiber layers are arranged. Due to this, the thickness and weight of the connected carrier material 1 increases in the connecting area 3.
[0111] In FIGS. 2A and 2B an alternative embodiment of the prior art is shown. The carrier material 1 comprises a first part A with a single thermoplastic fiber layer and a second part B with a single thermoplastic fiber layer. Part A is laid on top of part B and then both parts A, B are permanently consolidated together, for example by using a hot wire or an ultrasonic bonding/cutting step to simultaneously cut and consolidate part A and part B together. Thereafter part A and part B are folded open, whereby they are connected in the connecting area 3. Also in this embodiment the thickness (and weight) of the carrier material 1 is increased in the connecting area 3. Furthermore, the strength of the carrier material at the connecting area is lower than in the remainder of the carrier material.
[0112] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a carrier material 1 comprising a first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and a second thermoplastic fiber layer A2. The first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 of the first part A has a different length than the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2. Due to this the carrier material 1 forms a first part of a form fit connection.
[0113] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present disclosure with more than two thermoplastic fiber layers in the carrier material 1. The carrier material 1 comprises a first thermoplastic fiber layer A1, a second thermoplastic fiber layer A2 and a third thermoplastic fiber layer A3. The length of the first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 differs from the length of the second and third thermoplastic fiber layer A2, A3. The carrier material 1 forms also a first part of a form fit connection, thus, the present invention also works for carrier materials comprising more than two thermoplastic fiber layers in one part. It should be understood, that one or more of the layers A1, A2, A3, could be made of other materials than fibers (for example foils).
[0114] FIG. 5 shows a sideview of a carrier material having inclined layer boundary with an angle β. The carrier material 1 with the inclined layer boundary forms also a first part of a form fit connection.
[0115] FIG. 6 shows a sideview of a carrier material 1 comprising four thermoplastic fiber layers (A1-A4). The first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 has a different length to the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2. Subsequently, the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2 has a different length to the third thermoplastic fiber layer A3 and also the third thermoplastic fiber layer A3 to the fourth thermoplastic fiber layer A4. The differences in length between the thermoplastic fiber layers are alternating, so that a zipper like form is obtained. Thereby, the even numbered layers A2 and A4 and/or the uneven numbered thermoplastic fiber layers A1 and A3 do not need necessarily the same lengths. Accordingly, the carrier material 1 also forms a first part of a form-fit connection.
[0116] FIG. 7 shows a sideview of a carrier material having three thermoplastic fiber layers (A1-A3). The first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 has a different length to the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2. Subsequently, the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2 has a different length to the third thermoplastic fiber layer A3. The differences in length between the thermoplastic fiber layers are alternating, so that a zipper like form is obtained. Thereby, the uneven numbered layer A1 and A3 do not need necessarily the same lengths. Accordingly, the carrier material 1 also forms a first part of a form-fit connection.
[0117] FIG. 8 shows a schematically perspective view of a carrier material having two thermoplastic fiber layers (A1, A2). In the regions X1, the length of the first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 is different to the length of the second thermoplastic fiber layer, wherein in the X1,2 region the length of the first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 is equal to the length of the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2. Accordingly, the length of the first thermoplastic fiber layer in the regions X1 and X1,2 are equal to the length of the second thermoplastic fiber layer in the region X1,2 and different to the length of the second thermoplastic fiber layer in the regions X1. This embodiment of the carrier material also forms a first part of a form-fit connection. It is possible, that the second thermoplastic fiber layer in the region X1 is longer than the first thermoplastic fiber layer in the regions X1 and X1,2 and the second thermoplastic fiber layer in the region X1,2 (shown), but also the reversed case is envisaged (like a negative form of the first part of the form-fit connection, not shown).
[0118] FIG. 9 shows schematically a splitting process. The carrier material 1 comprises a first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and a second thermoplastic fiber layer A2. A splitting device 5 separates the first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2 partially from each other to form an upper part originating from the first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and a lower part originating from the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2, and the upper part or the lower part is removed, preferably by cutting. In a not shown embodiment, the upper part can comprise solely a part, of the originating first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 or the upper layer comprises the first thermoplastic fiber layer and a part of the second thermoplastic fiber layer, thus the lower part can comprise solely a part of the originating second thermoplastic fiber layer A1 or the lower part comprises the second thermoplastic fiber layer and a part of the first thermoplastic fiber layer. Whereby the first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2 of the carrier material 1 forms a first part of a form-fit connection (like FIGS. 4 to 7). The splitting device 5 is part of a splitting machine. For example the company Fortuna GmbH sold such splitting machines. Other methods then splitting and cutting are included to realize the described first part of a form-fit connection (like puzzle parts).
[0119] FIG. 10 shows a top view of a carrier material 1 having four boundaries (4a/b, 5a/b). A first boundary of the carrier material 1 is the beginning 4a of the carrier material 1 in machine direction MD. A second boundary of the carrier material 1 is the termination 4b of the carrier material 1 in machine direction MD. Further, the carrier material comprises a third boundary 5a on one side of the carrier material 1 in cross machine direction CMD, and a fourth boundary 5b on another side of the carrier material 1 in cross machine direction CMD.
[0120] FIG. 11 shows a carrier material 1, which is connected at its beginning 4a to a second carrier material 1a in machine direction MD. The connection is established at connecting area 6a. Further, the carrier material 1 is also connected at its termination 4b to a third carrier material 1b in machine direction MD, wherein the connection is established in the connecting area 6b.
[0121] FIG. 12 shows a carrier material 1, which is connected at its one side 5a to a second carrier material 1a in cross machine direction MD. The connection is established at connecting area 7a. Further, the carrier material 1 is also connected at its other side 5b to a third carrier material 1b in cross machine direction CMD, wherein the connection is established in the connecting area 7b.
[0122] FIG. 13 shows a side view of a composite material 1 comprising a first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and a second thermoplastic fiber layer A2, wherein a scrim 8 is arranged between the first thermoplastic fiber layer A1 and the second thermoplastic fiber layer A2.
