Method of forming a web from fibrous material

Abstract

Fibrous material webs and methods of making the fibrous material webs. Binderless webs can be formed in a continuous process where fiber material, such as glass is melted and formed into fibers. The fibers are formed into a web of binderless glass fibers or a web with a dry binder. The binderless web or the web with dry binder can be layered and/or the fibers that make up the web can be mechanically entangled, for example, by needling.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers comprising:
 melting glass;   processing the molten glass to form glass fibers;   forming a binderless web of the glass fibers;   mechanically entangling the fibers of the web to form the pack of glass fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The continuous method of  claim 1  wherein the fibers are entangled by needling. 
     
     
         3 . The continuous method of  claim 1  wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight of about 5 to about 50 grams per square foot and a thickness of about 0.25 inches to about 4 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The continuous method of  claim 1  wherein the continuous method produces between about 750 lbs/hr and 1500 lbs/hr of the pack of glass fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The continuous method of  claim 1  wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from about 9 HT to about 35 HT. 
     
     
         6 . The continuous method of  claim 5  wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches. 
     
     
         7 . A binderless web of glass fibers comprising:
 glass fibers that are mechanically entangled to form the web;   wherein the web has an area weight of about 5 to about 50 grams per square foot;   wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from about 9 HT to about 35 HT;   wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.   
     
     
         8 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 7  wherein the glass fibers used to form the have never been compressed for packaging or shipping. 
     
     
         9 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 1  wherein the glass fibers are mechanically entangled by needling. 
     
     
         10 . A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers comprising:
 melting glass;   processing the molten glass to form glass fibers;   forming a binderless web of the glass fibers;   layering the binderless web of glass fibers to form the pack.   
     
     
         11 . The continuous method of  claim 10  further comprising mechanically entangling the fibers of the layered webs to form the pack. 
     
     
         12 . The continuous method of  claim 10  wherein the fibers are entangled by needling. 
     
     
         13 . The continuous method of  claim 10  wherein a single layer of the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight of about 5 to about 50 grams per square foot and a thickness of about 0.25 inches to about 4 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The continuous method of  claim 10  wherein the continuous method produces between about 750 lbs/hr and 1500 lbs/hr of the pack of glass fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The continuous method of  claim 10  wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from about 9 HT to about 35 HT. 
     
     
         16 . The continuous method of  claim 15  wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches. 
     
     
         17 . A layered binderless web of glass fibers comprising:
 a first web of glass fibers;   at least one additional web of glass fibers disposed on the first web of glass fibers;   wherein the first web has an area weight of about 5 to about 50 grams per square foot;   wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from about 9 HT to about 35 HT;   wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.   
     
     
         18 . The layered binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 17  wherein the glass fibers of the first web are mechanically entangled with the glass fibers of the at least one additional web. 
     
     
         19 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 17  wherein the glass fibers used to form the have never been compressed for packaging or shipping. 
     
     
         20 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 18  wherein the glass fibers are mechanically entangled by needling. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled)