Non-woven fabrics and production method thereof, production apparatus used for the production method, cushion materials, filters, non-woven fabric structures using the same and non-woven fabric suitable to cushion materials

Abstract

This invention concerns a non-woven fabric obtained by interweaving fibers, and relates to non-woven fabrics in which the constituent fibers have three dimensional randomicity in view of the directionality, a production method and a production apparatus therefor, and a non-woven fabric suitable to cushion materials, filters and non-woven fabric structures using the same.

1 - 9 . (Canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A non-woven fabric structure produced by preliminarily opening fibers by a preliminary fiber opening, then accumulating fibers so as to automatically stack them vertically to a portion of low accumulation level by using an air stream, then applying primary heat fusion by a heat fusing treatment to form a non-woven fabric, forming the non-woven fabric into fiber lumps at least smaller than the non-woven fabric, forming the fiber lumps into a desired shape and then applying secondary heat fusion by a heat fusing treatment.  
   
   
       11 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A non-woven fabric of a three dimensional structure comprising, at least two types of fibers, which is produced by preliminary opening short fibers by a preliminary opening machine, and the fibers discharged from the opener roller being automatically directed by the air stream from the blower to a portion in the feed trunk where the level of the raw material is low, wherein the flow resistance of air is low in said portion, then accumulating short fibers so as to automatically stack them vertically to a portion of a low stacking level by using an air stream, and in which one of constituent fibers contains an ingredient having a melting point lower than that of other fibers and which is substantially bonded at portions of contact between each of the fibers and in which the fibers are arranged along random directions in at least two surfaces of the three dimensional structure, and which have a thickness of more than 5 mm.  
   
   
       14 . A non-woven fabric as defined  claim 13 , wherein the constituent fibers comprise core-sheath type heat fusible fibers and fibers of 1.5 denier or less.  
   
   
       15 . A method of producing a non-woven fabric, which comprises preliminary opening short fibers by a preliminary opening machine, then the fibers discharged from the opener roller being automatically directed by the air stream from the blower to a portion in the feed trunk where the level of the raw material is low, wherein the flow resistance of air is low in said portion, then accumulating short fibers so as to automatically stack them vertically to a portion of a low stacking level by using an air stream, and in which one of constituent fibers containing an ingredient having a melting point lower than that of other fibers and then substantially bonding at portions of contact between each of the fibers.