TWI788308B - An air-cured batting comprising a nonwoven web and method of making same - Google Patents

Abstract

Air-cured batting includes a nonwoven web. The batting contains 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture, and 2.5 to 25 wt % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate, wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batting, and on a second surface of the batting, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form. Articles comprising the air-cured batting and methods of making the air-cured batting are also provided.

Description

Air-dried batting comprising nonwoven web and method of making same Cross References to Related Applications

This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/415,137, filed October 31, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present invention generally relates to air-dried batting, articles comprising the batting, and methods of making the batting.

To make batting (eg, synthetic batting, such as polyester batting), binder resins or low-melt fibers are used to bind the web together, thereby reinforcing and giving the batting structure and/or strength. The resins and binder fibers used require heat to bond the fibers together. In practice, it is done by passing the cotton web through an oven. Typically the ovens used are single pass, 3 pass or 5 pass ovens (ie the web passes through the oven 1, 3 or 5 times). The heat from the oven cures the resin, and/or melts the binder fibers, causing loose fibers to bond together. Both ends of the furnace were open for insulation to pass through the furnace. As a result, heat dissipates immediately and excess energy needs to be used to maintain the desired temperature in the furnace. Furnaces with more than one layer will allow more heat to escape. Because furnaces are typically heated using oil, coal, electricity, or gas, prior art methods for making batting are energy-intensive, pollute the environment by releasing carbon monoxide due to composition, and deplete non-renewable resources. In addition to their high energy use, especially with regard to their open ends, furnaces can create a hazardous environment, posing risks such as potential combustion and heat failure.

Accordingly, there is a need for a novel batt and a method of making the batt that requires Less energy expenditure, less burden on energy sources (including non-renewable resources), and avoiding the above-mentioned hazardous environmental risks.

While certain aspects of prior art have been discussed to aid in the disclosure of the present invention, applicants in no way disclaim such aspects of art and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more aspects of prior art.

In this specification, when a known document, act or item is referred to or discussed, such reference or discussion is not an admission that the known document, act or item, or any combination thereof, was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, or part of the common general knowledge or otherwise constitutes prior art under applicable statute; or is known to be relevant to attempts to solve any of the problems addressed in this specification.

Briefly stated, the present invention fulfills the need for an improved batt and method of making the batt that requires less energy expenditure, is less burdensome on energy (e.g., non-renewable resources), and/or avoids the The hazardous environmental risks associated with the cotton wool. In addressing these issues, embodiments of the batting and method of the present invention are advantageously considered environmentally friendly, especially when compared to methods in the prior art.

The present invention can solve one or more of the technical problems and disadvantages discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the present invention can be used to solve other problems and deficiencies in many technical fields. Accordingly, the claimed invention should not be construed as limited to solving any particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an air-dried batt comprising a nonwoven web, the batt comprising: 75 to 97.5 wt% of a fiber mixture; and 2.5 to 25 wt% of a resin comprising butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate a cross-linked copolymer of esters, wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batt and on a second surface of the batt, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin adheres to the fibers of the fiber mixture, Thereby a bonded structure is formed so that due to the resin the air-dried batting has structural integrity which imparts The batting is workable.

In a second aspect, the invention provides an article comprising the air-dried batting according to the first aspect of the invention.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of making air-dried batting according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising: forming a nonwoven web from a fiber mixture and optionally laminating two or more web layers, whereby Creating an intermediate batt insulation structure having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface; applying to the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batt insulation structure a resin solution comprising: 15 to 60 vol.% of a resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate; 20 to 80 vol.% of a water-soluble quick-drying solvent; and 0 to 70 vol.% of water, whereby forming a solution-coated batt structure; and exposing the solution-coated batt structure to air, thereby evaporating the solvent in the resin solution and curing the resin, thereby forming a Air-dried batting of a fiber mixture and 2.5 to 25% by weight of a resin, wherein the resin adheres to the fibers of the fiber mixture thereby forming a bonded structure such that due to the resin the air-dried batt has structural integrity which imparts The batting is workable.

Certain embodiments of the batts, articles comprising batts, and methods for forming batts disclosed herein have several features, and no single feature alone can achieve its desired attributes. Without limiting the scope of the batt, article and method as defined by the claims below, their more salient features will now be briefly discussed. After considering this discussion, and in particular, after reading the section of this specification entitled "Implementations," one will understand the features of the various embodiments disclosed herein. How to provide many advantages over current advanced technologies. For example, embodiments that provide environmentally friendly commercially available batt alternatives to the batt are manufactured by methods that require less energy expenditure, are less burdensome on energy, and/or avoid hazardous environmental risks. Specific examples of batting can be used to make a variety of items including clothing, outerwear, footwear, and the like.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein the same or similar elements are labeled with the same or similar element symbols

Fig. 1A is a top view photo of the specific example 10 of the cotton wool of the present invention.

Figure 1B is a line drawing of a top view photograph of embodiment 10 of the cotton batting of the present invention depicted in Figure 1A.

Fig. 2A is a side view photo of the embodiment 10 of cotton wool of the present invention.

Figure 2B is a line drawing of a side view photograph of the batting embodiment 10 of the present invention depicted in Figure 2A.

Figure 3A is a photograph of batting embodiment 10 of the present invention woven onto a structure.

Figure 3B is a line drawing of a photograph of Figure 3A of batting embodiment 10 of the present invention woven onto a structure.

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional photo of the specific example 10 of the cotton wool of the present invention.

Fig. 4B is a line drawing of the cross-sectional photograph of the cotton wool embodiment 10 of the present invention shown in Fig. 4A.

Fig. 5 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a concrete example 10 of the cotton wool of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a concrete example 20 of cotton wool of the present invention.

is explained more fully below with reference to non-limiting specific examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings Aspects of the invention and certain features, advantages and details thereof. Descriptions of well-known materials, fabrication tools, processing techniques, etc. are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating specific examples of the invention, are presented by way of illustration only and not limitations of the invention. Various alternatives, modifications, additions and/or arrangements within the spirit and/or scope of the underlying inventive concepts will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an air-dried batt comprising a nonwoven web, the batt comprising: 75 to 97.5 wt% of a fiber mixture; and 2.5 to 25 wt% of a resin comprising butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate a cross-linked copolymer of esters, wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batt and on a second surface of the batt, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin adheres to the fibers of the fiber mixture, Thereby a bonded structure is formed such that the air-dried batting has structural integrity due to the resin which imparts handleability to the batting in sheet form.

Certain embodiments of the batts of the present invention are produced by a method of making an air-dried batt according to the third aspect of the invention (described in detail below), which generally involves forming a nonwoven web from a fiber mixture (and optionally laminating two or more cotton webs), thereby creating an intermediate batt insulation structure having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface; applying a specific resin solution to the first and second surfaces, A solution-coated batt structure is thereby formed; and the solution-coated batt structure is exposed to air (air-dried), whereby the solvent in the resin solution evaporates and the resin dries, thereby forming an air-dried batt , wherein the resin and the fiber mixture form a bonded structure such that the air-dried batting has structural integrity which imparts handleability to the batting in sheet form.

In simple terms, the present invention provides an embodiment of a batt that has "manipulability" in which the fibers within the fiber mixture of the batt are effectively adhered together via the resin from the resin solution to form a separate batt structure that has the structure Integrity and can be manipulated and used as it is without falling apart Or destroy the structural integrity of the batting so that it is unsuitable for the end use (eg thermal insulation in an article). As described below, binder fibers are optionally included in embodiments of the batts of the present invention, and heat treatment is optionally used in the process of making the batts. However, applicants' tests have shown that even in certain embodiments that are manufactured completely free of binder fibers and without any heat treatment, surprisingly, the batts of the present invention have good Structural integrity and operability, and can be easily used alone without thermal bonding.

As described below, in certain embodiments, the air-dried batts of the present invention are obtained by applying a resin solution to a first batt surface and a second batt surface, and exposing the solution-coated batt structure to air. This evaporates the resin solution and thus forms an embodiment of the batting of the present invention. In certain methods, the solution comprises 15 to 60 vol. % resin comprising a cross-linked acrylic polymer; 20 to 80 vol. % water soluble fast drying solvent; and 0 to 70 vol. % water. These embodiments typically involve spraying an intermediate to the batting (such as a nonwoven web or a laminated batting structure consisting of two or more layers of nonwoven webs) as an air-drying solution - which dries rapidly (such as in It dries within 5-20 minutes in some embodiments) and the resin adheres to the fibers in the fiber mixture, leaving a crosslinked polymer on the surfaces which, together with the fiber mixture, forms a bonded batting. In other words, the fibers in the batt would not be held together if they were not held together by the crosslinked polymer, whereby an environmentally friendly batt is obtained which does not require the energy expenditure associated with heat treatment in the technical field, which Heat treatment is used to melt bond the fibers or dry and bind the fibers used in the batting together.

Embodiments of the battings of the present invention provide low density, high loft, insulating battings having desired drape and compressibility characteristics suitable for use in articles, including apparel (e.g., clothing, such as cold weather apparel, gloves etc.), bedding (such as quilts and covers), pillows, pads and sleeping bags.

In certain aspects, the air-dried batting of the present invention comprises a single nonwoven web comprising a mixture of fibers. For example, in the example of Fig. 5, Fig. 5 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a concrete example 10 of the cotton batt of the present invention. The batting 10 depicted comprises a single nonwoven web 12 . The batting 10 has a first surface 2 and a second surface 4, It corresponds to the first and second surfaces of the non-woven cotton web 12 .

In other embodiments, the batts of the present invention comprise two or more laminated nonwoven webs. For example, in the example of Fig. 6, Fig. 6 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a concrete example 20 of the cotton batt of the present invention. The batting 20 is depicted as comprising three nonwoven webs 12 , 14 and 16 that are laminated. The batting 20 has a first surface 2 and a second surface 4'. As can be seen, the second surface 4 ′ corresponds to the surface of the nonwoven web 16 in the laminated batting 20 . In the depicted embodiment 20, nonwoven webs 12 and 14 are in direct contact with each other, as are nonwoven webs 14 and 16.

In certain embodiments, the battings of the present invention comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 nonwoven webs. When a single nonwoven web is used in the batting, the batting may also be referred to as non-laminated batting. When multiple (ie, 2 or more) nonwoven webs are used, the batting may also be referred to as laminated batting. When more than one nonwoven web is present in the batting of the present invention, the fiber composition of the nonwoven webs can be the same or different.

In various embodiments, when the resin solution is applied to the first and second surfaces of the batting, it penetrates into the interior of the batting. Thus, in certain batt embodiments, the resin is present throughout the thickness of the batt (eg, Figure 2A, which is present throughout the thickness X of batt 10). In some embodiments, the resin penetrates the batt thickness direction from 0.5 mm to 30 mm (for example, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30mm), including any and all ranges therein and subrange. For example, in some specific examples, the resin penetrates the batt thickness direction from 0.5 mm to 30 mm (for example, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29 or 30mm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein, and/or the resin penetrates the batt from the second surface of the batt to the first surface of the batt in the thickness direction of 0.5mm to 30mm (for example, 0.5, 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 , 27, 28, 29 or 30mm), Any and all ranges and subranges subsumed therein.

The cotton batting of the present invention comprises 75 to 97.5 wt% (for example, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 or 97.5 wt %), including any and all ranges and subranges therein; and 2.5 to 25 wt % (e.g., 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 wt%) resin, which contains butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate Crosslinked copolymers, including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

As used above, the resin solution comprises an acrylic polymer (eg, a self-crosslinking acrylic polymer). In various embodiments, the self-crosslinking acrylic polymer is a "crosslinked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate," which means comprising structures derived from the monomers butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate unit polymer. Typically, crosslinked copolymers of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate are obtained from the polymerization of a reaction mixture comprising monomers containing butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate.

In certain embodiments, the resin comprising a crosslinked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate comprises carboxylic acid groups. In certain embodiments, the resin comprising a crosslinked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate does not comprise hydroxyl groups.

In certain embodiments, the resin comprising a crosslinked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate does not comprise any carbohydrate moieties. In certain embodiments, the resin comprising a crosslinked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate does not comprise any non-polymerizable monomers.

In certain embodiments, the resin is an acrylic polymer according to or having the same properties as any of the embodiments described herein, wherein the resin has one or more of the following properties, including Any combination thereof: self-crosslinking; containing butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate monomers; A cross-linked copolymer comprising butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate; does not contain any carbohydrate moieties; does not contain formaldehyde; does not contain alkylphenols (such as alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs)); has a pH of about 6.0 to about 10.0 (e.g. pH 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9 or 10.0), including any and all scopes and sub- range (eg, pH of about 7.5-8.5); includes nonionic and/or anionic emulsifiers; does not include cationic compounds or residues thereof; has a solids content of 45% to 55, including any and all ranges and subranges therein, For example 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54% or 55%; with a glass transition temperature (Tg) of -30°C to +30°C (eg -30, -29, -28, -27, -26, -25, -24, -23, -22, -21, -20, -19, -18, -17, -16, -15 , -14, -13, -12, -11, -10, -9, -8, -7, -6, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 , 29, or 30°C), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, -20 to 10°C, -18 to 0°C, etc.); having a specific gravity of 0.90 to 1.20, including any and all ranges and subranges therein , such as 0.90, 0.91, 0.92, 0.93, 0.94, 0.95, 0.96, 0.97, 0.98, 0.99, 1.0, 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.04, 1.05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13 , 1.14, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17, 1.18, 1.19 or 1.20; have a viscosity such that the resin can be poured; Not fully cross-linked; has the property of, in certain embodiments, continuing to cross-link when applied to the surface of an intermediate batt insulating structure (e.g., at room temperature) even in the absence of formaldehyde; allows soft touch Feel and good drapability; have the property of being able to cross-link continuously for several hours (for example, up to 48 hours at 25°C and ambient conditions) when applied to a surface; dilutable in water; have a boiling point of 205°F to 220°F, including Any and all ranges and subranges therein (for example, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, or 220°F); with a weight of 8 to 10 lb./gal (e.g., 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6 , 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, or 10.0 lb./gal), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 8.30-9.20 lb./gal); when stored at 25°C for at least 7 days (e.g., at least 6 months or at least 12 months) is stable; it is clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that in certain embodiments of the batting of the present invention comprising a single nonwoven web, the totality of the fiber mixture and resin may comprise In the single nonwoven web (including on its first and second surfaces). In other words, in an embodiment comprising a plurality of nonwoven webs, although the distribution of the resin may vary from layer to layer, the entirety of the fiber mixture and resin may be contained in the plurality of nonwoven webs (including the on the first and second surfaces of the laminated batting formed by the web). In fact, in some embodiments of the multi-layer batting provided herein, the nonwoven web contributing to the first or second surface of the batt will contain a higher concentration of Resin (eg, in FIG. 6, nonwoven web 12 contributes to first surface 2 of batting 20, and nonwoven web 16 contributes to second surface 4' of batting 20; in some embodiments, nonwoven cotton Webs 12 and 16 contain a higher concentration of resin than inner nonwoven cotton web 14).

In some embodiments, the fiber mixture includes synthetic fibers. A person of ordinary skill in the art is quite familiar with many synthetic fibers, and it is absolutely within the ordinary person's ability to select an appropriate synthetic fiber for use in the particular embodiment of the batting of the present invention, depending on the nature of the desired batt and/or the object into which the batt is intended to be introduced. within sight. Specific examples of the batting of the present invention may comprise any synthetic fibers known in the art because of their benefits in the preparation of textile materials. In certain embodiments, non-exclusive synthetic fibers useful in the present invention are selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, polylactic acid (PLA), polybutyl acrylate (PBA), polyamide, acrylic, ethyl Ester, polyolefin, nylon, rayon, lyocell fiber, aramid, elastic fiber, viscose fiber and modal fiber, and combinations thereof. In a particular embodiment, the synthetic fibers comprise polyester fibers. For example, in certain embodiments, the polyester is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(hexahydroterephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), ), poly-1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene (PCDT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) and terephthalate copolyesters, of which at least 85 mole percent ester units It is ethylenyl terephthalate or hexahydroterephthalic acid terephthalate unit. In a particular embodiment, the polyester is polyethylene terephthalate. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers comprise virgin fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers comprise recycled fibers (eg, recycled polyester fibers).

The fiber mixture comprises from 0 to 100% by weight of synthetic fibers, for example comprising 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100 wt%, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (for example, 10 to 100 wt%, 30 to 100 wt%, 51 to 100 wt%, 40 to 90 wt% wt%, 20 to 80 wt%, etc.). In certain embodiments, the fiber mixture comprises greater than 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, or 75 wt% synthetic fibers.

In general, fibers can be crimped or uncrimped. Various crimps, including spiral and standard (eg flat) crimps, are known in the art.

In certain embodiments, the synthetic fibers are staple fibers (ie, fibers having a standardized length). For example, in some embodiments, synthetic fibers have a fiber length of 12 mm to 70 mm, for example, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 or 70mm, including any and All ranges and subranges.

While the fibers can be linear and optionally crimped, in certain embodiments, the batts of the present invention comprise fibers having a desired shape that is not linear or that has crimped linearity. While those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar with the various desired shapes for fiber selection contemplated for use in these embodiments of the invention, some non-limiting examples include Y-shaped fibers, butterfly-shaped fibers, and the like.

Denny is a unit of measurement, defined as the weight in grams of 9000 meters of fiber or yarn. It is a common way of specifying the weight (or size) of a fiber or yarn. For example, polyester fibers of 1.0 denier typically have a diameter of approximately 10 microns. Micro Deny fiber is a fiber whose Deny is 1.0 or less than 1.0, while the Deny of large Deny fiber is greater than 1.0.

In certain embodiments, the synthetic fibers have a denier of 0.7 denier to 8.0 denier, including any and all ranges and subranges therein. For example, in some embodiments, synthetic fibers have a ,2.5,2.6,2.7,2.8,2.9,3.0,3.1,3.2,3.3,3.4,3.5,3.6,3.7,3.8,3.9,4.0,4.1,4.2,4.3,4.4,4.5,4.6,4.7,4.8,4.9 , 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, Denny of 7.7, 7.8, 7.9 or 8.0 denny, including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

In certain embodiments, the synthetic fibers comprise microdenier fibers (eg, fibers having a denier of 0.7 to 1.0 denier). In certain embodiments, the synthetic fibers comprise megadenier fibers (eg, fibers having a denier of 1.1 to 8.0 denier). In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers include microdenier fibers and macrodenier fibers.

In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers include siliconized fibers. The term "siliconized" means that the fibers are coated with a silicon-containing composition (eg, polysiloxane). Siliconization techniques are well known in the art and are described, for example, in US Patent No. 3,454,422. Silicon-containing compositions can be applied using any method known in the art, such as spraying, mixing, dipping, filling, and the like. Silicon-containing (eg, polysiloxane) compositions may include organosiloxanes or polysiloxanes that are bonded to the outer portion of the fibers. In certain embodiments, the silicone coating is a polysiloxane, such as methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, modified methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane, or amine-based Modified dimethylpolysiloxane. As is known in the art, the silicon-containing composition may be applied directly to the fibers, or may be diluted with a solvent as a solution or emulsion, such as an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, prior to application. After treatment, the coating can be allowed to dry and/or dry out. As is known in the art, catalysts can be used to accelerate the drying of silicon-containing compositions (e.g., polysiloxanes containing Si-H bonds), and for convenience, the catalysts can be added to the emulsion of the silicon-containing composition , and use the resulting combination to treat synthetic fibers. Suitable catalysts include iron, cobalt, manganese, lead, zinc and tin salts of carboxylic acids such as acetates, octanoates, naphthenates and oleates. In some embodiments, after siliconization, the fibers can be dried to remove residual solvent and then optionally heated to between 65°C and 200°C to dry.

In the fiber mixture, 0 to 100 wt% of the fibers are siliconized fibers, for example, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 , 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100 wt%, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (for example, 20 to 95 wt%, 25 to 90 wt%, 30 to 90 wt%, 40 to 85 wt%, 51 to 90 wt%, etc.). In some embodiments, the siliconized fibers are polyethylene fibers.

Durable water repellent (DWR) treatments are well known in the art and provide water repellency to the treated components. Those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar with various DWR treatments, any of which may be used, as appropriate, on fiber populations in connection with the present invention. In certain embodiments, the fibers used in the batts of the present invention (also known as DWR-treated fibers or water-repellent fibers) have been treated with a polymer solution of zirconium acetate, which imparts durable water-repellent properties while minimizing and/or avoiding Negative effect on fiber performance. In some embodiments, durable water repellent treated fibers are treated with water repellent, antimicrobial, low friction drying zirconium acetate such that the fibers have improved dryability and increased resistance to caking after laundering Operability and Impedance. An example of a zirconium acetate solution that can be used as a DWR process in connection with the present invention is disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,537,594. In some embodiments, the durable water repellent treated fibers are treated in a wet bath or through a dry spray process. In some embodiments, the treatment comprises surface energy modification techniques, as known in the art, which may include, for example, plasma treatment. Such treatments or processes are explained in US Patent No. 4,869,922, US Patent No. 5,262,208, US Patent No. 5,895,558, US Patent No. 6,416,633, US Patent No. 7,510,632, US Patent No. 8,309,033, and US Patent No. 8,298,627.

In certain embodiments, the synthetic fiber comprises up to 15 wt% of particles or materials other than the synthetic material from which the synthetic fiber is primarily composed. For example, in some embodiments, the synthetic fiber comprises 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6,9.7,9.8,9.9,10.0,10.1,10.2,10.3,10.4,10.5,10.6,10.7,10.8,10.9,11.0,11.1,11.2,11.3,11.4,11.5,11.6,11.7,11.8,11.9,12.0, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7, 12.8, 12.9, 13.0, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5, 13.6, 13.7, 13.8, 13.9, 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9 or 15.0 wt% of particles or materials other than the synthetic material of which the synthetic fiber is primarily composed, including any and all ranges and subranges therein. In certain embodiments, the particles or materials are contained within (eg, encapsulated within) a polymer matrix representing the synthetic material primarily contained in the synthetic fiber. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers in the fiber mixture comprise airgel fibers as described in International Application Publication No. WO 2017/087511.

In some embodiments, the fiber mixture of the batting comprises natural fibers. For example, in certain embodiments, the fiber mixture comprises one or more members selected from the group consisting of wool, cotton, tencel, kapok (cotton-like fluff obtained from the seeds of the kapok tree, optionally conditioned before use). further processing), flax, animal hair, silk, lanugo (such as duck or goose lanugo).

The fiber mixture comprises from 0 to 100 wt% natural fibers, for example comprising 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100 wt%, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (for example, 0 to 50 wt%, 1 to 40 wt%, 5 to 25 wt%, 30 to 60 wt% % wait). In certain embodiments, the fiber mixture comprises less than 50, 40, 30, 20 or 10 wt% natural fibers.

In some embodiments, the fiber mixture includes synthetic fibers and natural fibers.

In some embodiments, the fiber mixture comprises: 50 to 90 wt% siliconized synthetic fibers (e.g. polyester fibers) (e.g., 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89 or 90% by weight, including any and all ranges and subranges therein), having a denier (e.g., 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 or 1.0 denier, including any and all ranges and subranges therein); 10 to 50 wt% non-siliconized fibers (e.g., natural and/or synthetic fibers such as polyester) (e.g., 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 , 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 , 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 or 50 wt%, including any and all ranges and subranges therein), having a fiber length of 40 to 60 mm and 2.5 to 5.0 denier Danny (for example, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9 or 5.0 deniers, including any and all ranges and subranges therein); and 0 to 40 wt% (for example, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 or 40 wt%, including any and all ranges and subranges therein), siliconized giant denier synthetic fibers (such as polyester fibres) having a fiber length of 40 to 70 mm and greater than 1.0 Danny. In some embodiments, the siliconized giant denier fibers have a denier greater than or equal to 3.0.

In some embodiments, the fiber mixture comprises: 35 to 80 wt% macrodenier fibers (e.g., 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 , 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 , 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 or 80wt%), any and all ranges and subranges included therein; and. 25 to 65 wt% macrodenier fibers (eg 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64 or 65wt%), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

Micro-denier and macro-denier fibers can be individually siliconized or not siliconized. For example, for microdenier fibers, 0 to 100 wt% (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 , 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 , 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 , 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91 , 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100wt%, including any and all ranges and subranges therein) of fibers by siliconization; for giant denier fibers 0 to 100wt% (for example, 0 , 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 , 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 , 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 , 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100wt %, including any and all ranges and subranges therein) of fibers siliconized.

As noted above, the present invention provides embodiments of batts in which the fibers in the batt effectively adhere to each other to form separate A batt structure that has structural integrity and can be handled and used as is without unraveling or destroying the structural integrity of the batt so that it is unsuitable for end use. Thus, in certain embodiments, the fiber mixture is free of binder fibers. In certain embodiments, the nonwoven web is free of binder fibers. In some embodiments, the batting is free of binder fibers.

In some embodiments, the batting does not contain any melted fibers.

In certain embodiments, none of the fibers in the batt (or in a nonwoven web of batt) adhere to each other via melting of the fibers in the fiber mixture. This is not the case when the fiber mixture contains, for example, binder fibers, and the web is heat-treated to melt the binder fibers and cause them to adhere together with other fibers contained in the fiber mixture in the nonwoven web. In some embodiments, none of the fibers in the batt adhered to each other except through a resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate. In certain embodiments, 90 wt% or more (e.g., 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99 wt%) of the fibers present in the batting are obtained only through the inclusion of butyl acrylate and methyl The resins of the cross-linked copolymer of methyl acrylate adhere to each other.

While certain embodiments discussed above do not contain binder fibers or other thermally fused fibers, other embodiments of the present invention include binder fibers. Occasionally, for example, those skilled in the art will wish to use the inventive concept of utilizing cross-linked polymers to form ambient temperature air-dried batting, wherein the fibers are adhered via resin so that the air-dried batt has structural integrity which imparts a The batting is workable, but binder fibers may also be used. In fact, while using an air-dried resin to impart structural integrity would allow the elimination of binder fibers and heat treatment to form the batt, in some embodiments one may intend to simply reduce or supplement the binder fibers and/or heat treatment used. Thus, in certain embodiments, the fiber mixture includes binder fibers.

In some embodiments, the fiber mixture comprises 1 to 25% by weight of synthetic binder fibers Furthermore, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature lower than the softening temperature of the synthetic polymeric fibers present in the mixture.

In certain embodiments, the synthetic binder fibers constitute, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 wt% fiber blends, including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

In certain embodiments, the synthetic fibers have a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier, such as 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9 , 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, or 4.0 deniers, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, 2.0-2.2 deniers).

In certain embodiments, the binder fiber has a staple staple length of 38 to 105 mm, including any and all ranges and subranges therein. For example, in some embodiments, lengths 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104 or 105mm, included in Any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, 38-51 mm).

As indicated above, binder fibers have a bonding temperature that is lower than the softening temperature of synthetic fibers. In some embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of less than or equal to 200°C. In certain embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of 50°C to 200°C, including any and all ranges and subranges therein. In some embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of 80°C to 150°C. In some embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of 100°C to 125°C.

In some embodiments, the binder fibers comprise low-melt polyester fibers.

In certain embodiments, the binder fiber is a bicomponent fiber comprising a sheath and a core, wherein the sheath comprises a material having a lower melting point than the core.

In certain embodiments, the batts of the present invention have been heat-treated to melt all or a portion of the binder fibers, thereby forming a heat-bonded cotton web-type batt. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in these embodiments, although "binder fibers" are listed in the fiber mixture of the batt, such fibers may be fully or partially melted fibers, such as in their original form. , Contrary to the binder fiber in the form of pre-heat treatment.

As noted above, the batts of the present invention comprise at least one nonwoven web. In certain embodiments, the fiber content of the nonwoven web consists of a mixture of fibers.

Generally, by adding a non-woven batting layer to the batting, the thickness and insulating properties of the batting can be increased. In some embodiments, the batting has a thickness of 4 to 30 mm (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 , 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30mm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, 10 to 20mm).

In certain embodiments, the batting has a mass of 0.9 to 8 kg/m ³ (e.g., 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9 or 8.0 kg/m ³ ), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (for example, 1 to 4 kg/m ³ , 1.5 to 7 kg/m ³ , 2 to 6 kg /m ³ , 2.5 to 5kg/m ³ , etc.).

In some embodiments, the batting has a thermal performance rating of at least 0.70 clo/oz/yd ² when tested according to ISO 11092. For example, in some embodiments, the batting has 0.70 clo/oz/yd ² to 0.95 clo/oz/yd ² (e.g., 0.70, 0.71, 0.72, 0.73, 0.74, 0.75, 0.76, 0.77, 0.78, 0.79 , 0.80, 0.81, 0.82, 0.83, 0.84, 0.85, 0.86, 0.87, 0.88, 0.89, 0.90, 0.91, 0.92, 0.93, 0.94 or 0.95clo/oz/yd ² ) thermal efficiency level, including any and All ranges and subranges.

In certain embodiments of the inventive batting, the members of the fiber mixture are homogeneously mixed, meaning that the fiber mixture has a substantially uniform (ie, 90-100% uniform) composition.

Fig. 1A is a top view photo of an embodiment 10 of cotton batting of the present invention according to the first aspect of the present invention. The batting 10 depicted is a single non-woven cotton web comprising a first surface 2 and a second surface 4 (not shown, but parallel to the first surface 2 and, in the depicted embodiment, facing the side where the batting 10 is placed. on the surface). In some embodiments, when the batting 10 is included in an article (e.g., as insulation), the first surface 2 will face the exterior (e.g., fabric or other material or lining) of the article (e.g., a jacket), and the second The two surfaces 4 will face the interior of the object (eg fabric or other material or lining). In other embodiments, the first surface 2 faces the interior of the object and the second surface 4 faces the exterior of the object.

Figure 1B is a line drawing of a top view photograph of embodiment 10 of the cotton batting of the present invention depicted in Figure 1A.

Fig. 2A is a side view photo of the embodiment 10 of cotton wool of the present invention, wherein X is the thickness of cotton wool.

Figure 2B is a line drawing of a side view photograph of the batting embodiment 10 of the present invention depicted in Figure 2A.

Figure 3A is a photograph of batting embodiment 10 of the present invention woven onto a structure. As can be seen, the batting 10 is depicted as having good drapability (ie, the batting hangs under its own weight). The drapability of batting is related to the properties of the article in which the batting is used, such as comfort and aesthetics.

Figure 3B is a line drawing of a photograph of Figure 3A of batting embodiment 10 of the present invention woven onto a structure.

In some embodiments, the batting has a thickness of 1.5 cm to 3.5 cm (e.g., 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7 cm) as measured according to ASTM D1388 method. , 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2 or 3.3cm) of drape, including any and all ranges therein ranges and subranges.

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional photo of cotton wool concrete example 10 of the present invention, wherein X is the thickness of cotton wool.

Fig. 4B is a line drawing of the cross-sectional photograph of the cotton wool embodiment 10 of the present invention shown in Fig. 4A.

In some embodiments, the batting has 25 gsm to 200 gsm (e.g., 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 , 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 , 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92 ,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117 ,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142 ,143,144,145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167 ,168,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,192 , 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199 or 200 gsm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, 25-100 gsm, 40-100 gsm, etc.).

In some embodiments, the batting is in sheet form (suitable for use as rolled goods) and is not shredded.

In some embodiments, the batting is free of pigments. In certain embodiments when the batting does not contain a pigment, the pigment is not present in the resin (ie, the pigment, if present in the batting, is not derived from the resin).

In a second aspect, the invention provides an article comprising the batting of the invention. Non-limiting examples of such items include, for example, outerwear (e.g., overcoat clothing such as jackets, etc.), clothing, pillows, Pads, sleeping bags, bedding (eg, quilts, comforters), etc.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of making air-dried batting, the method comprising: forming a nonwoven web from a fiber mixture and optionally laminating two or more web layers, thereby creating An intermediate batt insulation structure with a first surface parallel to a second surface; coating the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batt insulation structure with a resin solution comprising: 15 to 60 vol.% resin, which A cross-linked copolymer comprising butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate; 20 to 80 vol.% of a water-soluble quick-drying solvent; and 0 to 70 vol.% of water, whereby a solution-coated batt structure is formed and exposing the solution-coated batt structure to air, whereby the solvent in the resin solution evaporates and the resin dries, thereby forming an air-dried mixture comprising 75 to 97.5 wt% of the fiber mixture and 2.5 to 25 wt% of the resin A batting wherein the resin adheres to the fibers of the fiber mixture thereby forming a bonded structure such that due to the resin the air-dried batting has structural integrity which imparts handleability to the batting in sheet form.

The fiber mixture in the first aspect of the present invention may be any specific example as described above.

In certain embodiments (eg, when binder fibers are present in the fiber mixture), the present methods comprise heating the batt to or above the bonding temperature of the binder fibers. In other embodiments, the inventive method of the third aspect of the invention does not include heating the batt to or above the bonding temperature of the bonding fibers introduced into the fiber mixture. As will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, embodiments of the present method of making air-dried batting that do not include a specific heating step are applicable to the final air-dried batt and any intermediate batt construction comprising a nonwoven web.

In some embodiments, the methods of the present invention for making air-dried batting do not include process steps performed at temperatures above 48°C. In some embodiments, the method for producing air-dried cotton wool of the present invention is not included in more than 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, Process steps performed at 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100°C.

In some embodiments, the method of the present invention does not comprise more than 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, The bonding step at a temperature of 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100°C causes the fibers in the fiber mixture to bond or adhere.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven cotton web is formed using a carding machine or an air-lay process. Both techniques are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

As mentioned above, the resin solution includes: 15 to 60 vol.% of a resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate. For example, in some embodiments, the solution comprises 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, or 60 vol.% resin, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 20 to 50 vol.%, 25 to 35 vol.%, etc.); 20 to 80 vol.% water soluble fast drying solvent; and for example, in certain embodiments, the solution comprises 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 , 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 , 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80 vol.% fast-drying solvent, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (for example, 30 to 75vol.%, 50 to 70vol.%, etc.); and 0 to 70vol.% of water. For example, in some embodiments, the solution comprises 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, or 70 vol.% water, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, 0 to 50 vol.%, 1 to 30 vol.%, 2 to 20 vol.%, 5 to 15 vol.%, etc.).

As used herein, a fast-drying solvent means a solvent having an evaporation rate greater than or equal to 1.3. Evaporation rate is measured according to ASTM D3539-11 method, compared to the evaporation rate of butyl n-acetate under the same conditions, the rate at which a material evaporates (evaporates, changes from liquid to gas). This quantity is proportional and therefore has no units. In some embodiments, the fast-drying solvent has an OD value greater than 1.3 (e.g., greater than 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9 , 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9 or 5.0) evaporation rate. For example, in some embodiments, the fast drying solvent has an evaporation rate greater than 3.0.

A fast-drying solvent is soluble in water, which, for the purposes of this application, means that the solvent has a solubility of at least 8 g of solvent per 100 ml of water at 20° C. (i.e., at least 8 ml of solvent will dissolve in 100 ml of water at 20° C. of water). In certain embodiments, the solvent has a solubility of greater than or equal to 10 g solvent/100 ml water at 20°C (e.g., greater than or equal to 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 , 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 , 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 or 99g solvent/100ml water.

In some embodiments, the quick-drying solvent is selected from isopropanol, ethanol, methanol, glyme, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl acetate, and ethyl acetate, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the fast drying solvent is isopropanol.

In some embodiments, the resin solution does not contain pigments.

In some embodiments, applying the resin solution to the first and second surfaces of the intermediate batt insulation structure comprises spraying the solution onto the first and/or second surfaces. In certain embodiments, during spraying, the spray droplets of the resin solution have a mean medium diameter of 150 to 250 μm (e.g., 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249 or 250 μm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

In some embodiments, the spray nozzle spans over the first and second surfaces and the entire width of the batt structure during the coating.

In some embodiments, applying the resin solution to the first and second surfaces of the intermediate batt insulation structure comprises passing the solution through a bath or padding (both techniques are known in the art) ) applied to the first and/or second surfaces.

In some embodiments, exposing the solution-coated batting structure to air comprises exposing The solution-coated batting is subjected to forced air or circulating air. In certain embodiments, the exposing comprises subjecting the solution-coated batting to forced air or circulating air having a velocity of at least 2.5 m/s, at least 3.0 m/s, or at least 3.5 m/s when contacting the solution-coated batting. /s air velocity. In certain embodiments, the exposing comprises subjecting the solution-coated cotton wool to forced air or circulating air having a velocity of 2.5 to 15 m/s (e.g., 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 ,2.9,3.0,3.1,3.2,3.3,3.4,3.5,3.6,3.7,3.8,3.9,4.0,4.1,4.2,4.3,4.4,4.5,4.6,4.7,4.8,4.9,5.0,5.1,5.2,5.3 , 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8 ,7.9,8.0,8.1,8.2,8.3,8.4,8.5,8.6,8.7,8.8,8.9,9.0,9.1,9.2,9.3,9.4,9.5,9.6,9.7,9.8,9.9,10.0,10.1,10.2,10.3 , 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 11.0, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 12.0, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7, 12.8 , 12.9, 13.0, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5, 13.6, 13.7, 13.8, 13.9, 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9 or 15.0m/s) of air Speed, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, 2.5 to 12 m/s, 2.5 to 10 m/s, etc.).

In some embodiments, when subjected to forced air or circulating air, it has a velocity of 2.5 to 15 m/s (e.g., 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 11.0, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 12.0, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7, 12.8, 12.9, 13.0, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5, 13.6, 13.7, 13.8, 13.9, 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9 or 15.0 m/s), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g. , 2.5 to 12m/s, 2.5 to 10m/s, etc.), the cotton wool structure coated with the solution dries within 3 to 60 minutes (for example, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 , 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, or 60 minutes) , including any and all ranges and subranges therein (eg, 5 to 30 minutes, 6 to 25 minutes, 7 to 15 minutes, etc.).

In some embodiments, the method of the present invention comprises, after forming the air-dried batt, rolling the batt into a baling goods form. These embodiments provide that they can, for example, be easily transported with batts. In some embodiments, the air-dried batting is wrapped around the nonwoven scrim and shipped in a bundled cargo.

Example

The present invention will now be illustrated with reference to, but not limited to, specific embodiments described in the following Examples.

Example 1

A fiber blend was prepared by mixing the following: 50% 0.9 denier, 51 mm siliconized PCR (post consumer recycled) polyester staple fiber

25% 3.0 denier, 51mm non-siliconized PCR polyester staple fiber

25% 6.6 denier, 64mm siliconized PCR polyester staple fiber

After mixing/blending, the fiber mixture is processed into a web pattern on a conventional card to form a nonwoven web. The web is then passed through a crosslapper to obtain the desired weight and thickness. Then the cross-laid cotton web is sprayed with a resin solution (30vol.% resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate; 60vol.% isopropanol; 10vol.% water ), and sent through room temperature 3 passes through the oven, which has a convection fan running to help speed up the drying process. The resin in the resin solution is milk White pourable liquid comprising a self-crosslinking copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate and free of formaldehyde and APEO, having a pH of ~8.0, a specific gravity of 1.04, a solids content of 49% +/- 1.00%, Tg is -15°, contains nonionic and/or anionic emulsifiers, is dilutable in water, has a product weight of 8.34-9.17 lb./gal, and has a boiling point of ~212°F. The resin solution is sprayed on both sides of the insulation as the batt passes through the oven (or another system allows fortified air to be blown to the batt). The resin solution dries within 10-15 minutes, resulting in a dry, air-dried batting in which the resin adheres to the fibers of the fiber mixture, forming a bonded structure such that the air-dried batt has structural integrity which imparts the fiber in sheet form to the Cotton operability.

The example batting has a weight of 61 gsm (grams per square meter), a density of 1.34 g/m ³ and a thickness of 5.99 mm.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a" and "the" are also intended to include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, it should be understood that the terms "comprise" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any form of having, such as " has" and "having"), "include" (and any form of include, such as "includes" and "including"), "contain" (and any form of contain, Such as "contains" and "containing") and any other grammatical conjugations are open linking verbs. Thus, a method or article that "comprises", "has", "includes" or "contains" one or more steps or elements has those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to only having those one or more steps or element. Likewise, a step of a method or an element of an article that "comprises", "has", "includes" or "contains" one or more features has the one or more features, but is not limited to having only the one or more features .

As used herein, the terms "comprising", "having", "including", "containing" and other grammatical variations thereof encompass the terms "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of composition".

The phrase "consisting essentially of" or its grammatical conjugations when used herein should be considered as describing a stated feature, integer, step or component, but not excluding the addition of one or more additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof, but only if such additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof do not materially change the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition or method Be applicable.

All publications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.

The subject matter incorporated by reference should not be regarded as a substitute for any limitation of the patent scope of the application, unless expressly indicated otherwise.

Where reference is made to one or more ranges throughout this specification, it is intended that each range is a shorthand format for presenting information, where the range is understood to encompass each discrete point within that range, as if herein General in full.

While several aspects and embodiments of the invention have been described and depicted herein, those skilled in the art can suggest alternative aspects and embodiments which accomplish the same purpose. Accordingly, this disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such additional and alternative aspects and embodiments as are within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

2: first surface

10: cotton wool

Claims (30)

An air-dried batt comprising a non-woven cotton web, the batt comprising: 75 to 97.5 wt% of a fiber mixture; and 2.5 to 25 wt% of a resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate, wherein the resin present on a first surface of the batt and on a second surface of the batt, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin adheres to the fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that due to The resin, the air-dried batt has structural integrity which imparts handleability to the batt in sheet form, and wherein the air-dried batt is formed by applying a resin solution to the first surface of the batt intermediate and the middle of the batt The second surface of the object to form a cotton wool structure coated with a solution, the resin solution comprising: 15 to 60vol.% of a resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate; 20 to 80vol .% of a water-soluble solvent having an evaporation rate greater than or equal to 1.3; and 0 to 70 vol.% of water; and exposing the solution-coated batt structure to air, thereby evaporating the solvent in the resin solution and the resin dries, thereby forming the air-dried batt, wherein the resin is such that it crosslinks within 48 hours at 25° C. under ambient conditions, and/or is such that when the solution-coated batt structure is exposed The solution-coated batt structure dries within 3 to 60 minutes under forced or circulating air at an air velocity of 2.5 to 15 m/s, and wherein: the air-dried batt does not contain synthetic binder fibers; And/or the air-dried batt does not contain melted fibers; and/or more than 95% of the fibers in the fiber mixture are short fibers; and/or the air-dried batt additionally includes at least one of the first surface and the second surface Or contact yarn layer (scrim layer); and/or the air-dried batt comprises a plurality of non-woven cotton web layers; and/or the air-dried batt has a density of 1 to 8kg/m ³ . According to the air-dried cotton wool of item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the cotton wool is in the form of flakes. According to claim 1 of the air-dried cotton batt, wherein the fiber mixture comprises natural fibers. The air-dried batting according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the fiber mixture comprises synthetic fibers. According to claim 4 of the air-dried cotton batt, wherein the synthetic fibers include polyester fibers. According to claim 4 of the air-dried cotton batt, the synthetic fibers include siliconized fibers. According to the air-dried cotton wool according to item 6 of the patent application, the fiber mixture contains: 25 to 90 wt% siliconized synthetic fibers. According to the air-dried cotton wool of item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the fiber mixture comprises: 35 to 80wt% of micro-denier fibers; and 20 to 65wt% of macro-denier fibers. According to the air-dried cotton wool of item 8 of the patent application, wherein the fiber mixture comprises: 50 to 75wt% of micro-denier fibers; and 25 to 50wt% of macro-denier fibers. According to the air-dried cotton wool according to claim 8 or 9, the micro-denier fibers include siliconized fibers. According to the air-dried cotton wool according to item 8 or 9 of the patent application, the giant denier fibers include siliconized fibers. According to the air-dried cotton wool according to item 11 of the patent application, the giant denier fibers additionally include non-siliconized fibers. According to the air-dried batting of claim 1, wherein the fiber mixture contains more than 95wt% polyester fiber. The air-dried batt according to any one of claims 1-3, 8-9 or 13, wherein the air-dried batt does not contain synthetic binder fibers. The air-dried batt according to any one of claims 1-3, 8-9 or 13, wherein the air-dried batt does not contain melted fibers. The air-dried batting according to any one of claims 1-3, 8-9 or 13, wherein more than 95% of the fibers in the fiber mixture are staple fibers. The air-dried cotton wool according to claim 16, wherein the short fibers have a fiber length of 12 mm to 70 mm. The air-dried batting according to any one of claims 1-3, 8-9 or 13, further comprising a scrim layer in contact with at least one of the first surface and the second surface. According to the air-dried batting in any one of items 1-3, 8-9 or 13 of the patent application scope, the batting comprises a plurality of non-woven cotton net layers. According to the air-dried cotton batting of item 19 of the patent application, the plurality of non-woven cotton web layers are overlapped with each other. The air-dried batting according to any one of claims 1-3, 8-9 or 13, which has a density of 1 to 8 kg/m ³ . An article comprising the air-dried batting according to any one of items 1-3, 8-9 or 13 of the claimed claims. The article according to item 22 of the patent application, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of outerwear products, garments, sleeping bags and mattresses. A method of manufacturing air-dried batting according to any one of claims 1-3, 8-9 or 13, the method comprising: forming a non-woven web from a fiber mixture and laminating two or more web layers as appropriate, Thereby creating an intermediate batt insulation structure having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface; applying a resin solution comprising the following to the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batt insulation structure : 15 to 60 vol.% of a resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate; 20 to 80 vol.% of a water-soluble quick-drying solvent; and 0 to 70 vol.% of water, thereby forming a solution-coated batt structure; and exposing the solution-coated batt structure to air, whereby the solvent in the resin solution evaporates and the resin dries, thereby forming fibers comprising 75 to 97.5 wt% Air-dried batting of the mixture and 2.5 to 25 wt% of the resin, wherein the resin adheres to the fibers of the fiber mixture thereby forming a bonded structure such that due to the resin the air-dried batt has structural integrity which imparts The batting is workable. According to the method of claim 24, the fast-drying solvent is Virahol. The method according to claim 24, wherein the forming of the nonwoven web from the fiber mixture is performed using a carding machine or an air-lay process. The method according to claim 24, wherein the coating comprises spraying the resin solution on the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batt insulation structure. The method according to claim 24, wherein the method does not include heating the Woven cotton net. The method according to claim 24, wherein the method comprises heating the nonwoven cotton web. The method according to claim 24, wherein the exposing the solution-coated batting to air comprises subjecting the solution-coated batting to forced air or circulating air.

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