Nonwoven Fabric and Method and Apparatus for Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

A nonwoven fabric includes a plurality of discontinuous fibers, a plurality of natural keratin fibers, and a plurality of meltblown fibers. The discontinuous fibers, the natural keratin fibers, and the meltblown fibers form a continuous bonding web structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nonwoven fabric comprising:
 a plurality of discontinuous fibers;   a plurality of natural keratin fibers; and   a plurality of meltblown fibers, wherein the discontinuous fibers, the natural keratin fibers, and the meltblown fibers form a continuous bonding web structure.   
     
     
         2 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the meltblown fibers bond the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein each of the meltblown fibers has a diameter ranging from about 0.5 to about 100 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric has from about 2.5 wt % to about 95 wt % of the discontinuous fibers, from about 2.5 wt % to about 95 wt % of the natural keratin fibers, and from about 2.5 wt % to about 95 wt % of the meltblown fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the meltblown fibers are made of any thermoplastic resin which is capable of being meltblown. 
     
     
         6 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the meltblown fibers are made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly trimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polylactate (PLA), cellulose, polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), thermomelt plastic, ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer (EMA), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the discontinuous fibers are made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), nylon, acrylic, elastic fibers, rubber, elastane, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric, the apparatus comprising:
 a carding machine for processing a plurality of discontinuous fibers;   an air source for providing airflow;   a feeding channel for directing the airflow to the carding machine to card the discontinuous fibers and to blow a plurality of natural keratin fibers into spaces between the discontinuous fibers;   a meltblowing machine for providing a curtain of semi-molten meltblown fibers; and   an import channel for directing the airflow with the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers to the curtain of semi-molten meltblown fibers, such that the semi-molten meltblown fibers bond the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers to form a continuous bonding web structure.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a collecting device for collecting the continuous bonding web structure to form a fabric roll.   
     
     
         10 . A method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric, the method comprising:
 processing a plurality of discontinuous fibers by a carding machine;   directing airflow to blow a plurality of natural keratin fibers into spaces between the discontinuous fibers; and   directing the airflow with the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers to a curtain of semi-molten meltblown fibers, such that the semi-molten meltblown fibers bond the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers to form a continuous bonding web structure.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 collecting the continuous bonding web structure to form a fabric roll.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 carding the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers by an air carding machine before directing the airflow with the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers to the curtain of semi-molten meltblown fibers; and   wherein directing the airflow with the discontinuous fibers and the natural keratin fibers to the curtain of semi-molten meltblown fibers comprises:
 directing the airflow with the carded discontinuous fibers and the carded natural keratin fibers to the curtain of semi-molten meltblown fibers.