Method of increasing abrasion resistance in nonwoven automotive textiles

Abstract

A production method which increases the abrasion resistance of nonwoven textiles used in the automotive sector includes the operation steps of mixing of two or more fibers that have different melting points, application of opening, carding, and needle operations on the fiber on the texture production line, and fiber root binding in a ram drying oven without the need for using any chemical substance.

Claims

1. A method for increasing abrasion resistance in a nonwoven textile used in an automotive sector, the method comprising: mixing at least two fibers in which each of the fibers has a different melting point; opening, carding and needling the fibers on a nonwoven textile production line; drying the fibers in a ram drying oven without adding a chemical substance to the fibers; focusing a nozzle of the ram drying oven at a lowest surface of the fibers so as to increase heat at the lowest surface and to form a heat barrier to obtain a film layer; and adjusting a speed of the nonwoven textile production line.

2. The method of claim 1, the step of mixing comprising: mixing a polyester fiber and a bicomponent fiber, the bicomponent fiber having a lower melting point than a melting pint of the polyester fiber.

3. The method of claim 2, the polyester fiber being mixed with bicomponent fiber at a weight ratio of 80:20.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the process of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(2) Mixing of fibers at certain ratios (A); PES Bico fiber having a low melting point and PES fiber having a high melting point are mixed at certain ratios homogeneously with fiber opening and carding operations as in the normal process.

(3) Nonwoven texture production (B); a new mixed nonwoven is obtained by adding about 20% PES fiber that has a lower melting point (120 C.) into the PES fiber mixture. The subsequent carding and needle processes are the same as before.

(4) Ram drying oven (C); the ram drying oven only performs the task of fixing and melting by heat and binding. No chemical is used.

(5) Nozzle focus adjustment (D); blowing of hot air behind the nonwoven layer is absolutely a must. Optimum focus setting is found so that the nonwoven layer would act as an air curtain and the heat would be collected only on the nonwoven surface, and the warm air coming out of the nozzles would be gathered only on a single point. In this way, a barrier surface is obtained, which is formed at the rear surface via high temperature and melting. Molten fibers also perform the task of root binding. Bico fibers forming a homogeneous root structure also give the nonwoven textile formability.

(6) Nonwoven fabric texture surface (F); no deformation occurs on the carpet surface that is exposed to a low temperature such as 120 C. Temperature distribution within the layer tends to change to 120 C. from 160 C.

(7) A novel type of PES fiber is preferred with a radical change made on fiber mixtures used in nonwoven textile production. This fiber is admixed to standard PES fiber mixture in 20% ratio (A). A novel type of PES fiber is preferred with a radical change made on other fiber mixtures used in bundle dispersion, fiber mixing, and nonwoven textile production. This fiber is admixed to standard PES fiber mixture in 20% ratio (A). The other bundle dispersion, fiber mixing, carding, needle methods are same. The texture obtained in this mixture is rolled to be carried to other processes.

(8) The nonwoven textile (preferably) provided with a pattern via needle method at intermediate processes is then carried to ram drying oven (C) process. The most significant change and invention here is complete elimination of chemical. By means of the nozzle focus adjustment (D) method obtained as a result of extensive studies, warm air is blown behind the texture such that it would form a barrier at a lower temperature and the Bico fibers only at the ground level are molten and bound to other PES fibers. At the same time, the ground root, foundation formation is completed. While these operations are made, the fixing speed setting (E) is adjusted to optimum level. Since there is no liquid to be evaporated, much lower energy consumption is achieved. Production speed is increased.

(9) Most importantly, even though 160 C. fixing temperature is reached, any rise in temperature that would cause deformation on the surface does not occur (120 C.). Carding and needle methods are the same as before. The nonwoven textile obtained in this mixture is rolled to be carried to other processes.

(10) The operation steps for obtaining the product according to the invention:

(11) A production method which increases the abrasion resistance of nonwoven fabric textiles used in the automotive sector, and it is characterized in that; it comprises the operation steps of: mixing (A) of two or more fibers that have different melting points, application of opening, carding, and needle operations on said fiber on the nonwoven textile production (B) line, drying in a ram drying oven (C) without the need for using any chemical substance, making nozzle focus adjustment (D) in order to focus at the lowermost surface in the texture section and thus form a heat barrier and a film layer by reaching the highest temperature at that point, making fixing speed adjustment (E) operation at higher values than normal drying speed (+2-3 m/min), mixing PES Bico fiber having a low melting point with PES fiber having a high melting point, at certain ratios, mixing two or more fibers (A) having different melting points, such as 80% PES to 20% Bico, drying in a ram drying oven (C) with a drying air that has 20 C.-30 C. lower temperature.