MULTI-LAYER ACOUSTIC AND/OR REINFORCING NON-WOVEN 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, namely: 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, multicomponent (BiCo) fibrous material; characterized in that said ground material contains from 5% by weight to 50% by weight by weight, based on the ground material, of dust scraps of reclaimed cotton, PET and bicomponent fibers.

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

3. The multi-layer needle-punched acoustic/reinforcing non-woven fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that a PE/PA/PE sheet with a total thickness of 40 m to 150 m 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. The multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that at least said first cover non-woven fabric or said second cover non-woven fabric or both comprise a sheet non-woven fabric of PET-PE/PA/PE whose PE side faces towards the ground material.

5. The multi-layer acoustic and/or reinforcing non-woven fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that said PE/PA/PE sheet and/or said sheet non-woven fabric of PET-PE/PA/PE is microperforated.

6. 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/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, multicomponent (BiCo) fibrous material; characterized in that said ground material contains from 5% by weight to 50% by weight by weight, based on the ground material, of dust scraps of reclaimed cotton, PET and bicomponent fibers; wherein the ground material has a grain size within a range of from 1 mm to 8 mm and the dust scraps having a grain size of from 1 m to 1 mm 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.

7. The process according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one 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 by the needle-punching of the total composite.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] 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:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the non-woven fabric of the present invention; and

[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the non-woven fabric of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] 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:

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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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).

[0024] 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 m to 150 m, especially from 60 m to 100 m, is provided between the top, in the direction of needle punching, cover non-woven fabric and the layer of ground material/dust.

[0025] 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 m to 150 m, especially from 60 m to 100 m, 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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).

[0029] 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 m 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.

[0030] 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

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] The PE adhesive non-woven fabric faced towards the PE carpet coating.

[0034] 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.

[0035] In a second application, the setting of the flow resistance was taken into account, in particular.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] The flow resistance of the total composite consisting of the dilour carpet plus non-woven fabric 5 was 1004514 Ns/m.sup.4.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] The flow resistance of the dilour carpet plus non-woven fabric 5 was 526222 Ns/m.sup.4.

[0042] 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.