Nonwoven textile made from short fibers

Abstract

A method of forming a nonwoven material, the method comprising: receiving fibrous material comprising thermoplastic fibers; processing the fibrous material to produce short fibers; adding the short fibers to a preformed web; and heating and optionally compressing the preformed web to form a nonwoven material.

1 . A nonwoven material comprising:
 fibrous material processed into short fibers having an average length of about 3 mm or less, wherein the fibrous material comprises thermoplastic fibers, and wherein at least some of the short fibers are bonded together through heating and optionally compressing the fibrous material;
 wherein the nonwoven material has a density of from about 200 kg/m 3  to about 2000 kg/m 3 , and 
 wherein the nonwoven material is adapted to present acoustic impedance to a sound pressure wave incident upon the nonwoven material. 
   
     
     
         2 .- 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , further comprising a preformed web, wherein the short fibers are scattered on the preformed web. 
     
     
         57 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material further comprises longer fibers as compared to the short fibers, and wherein the longer fibers provide reinforcement to the nonwoven material so the nonwoven material has structural and acoustic properties. 
     
     
         58 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial substances; flame-retardant substances; thermoplastic resins; thermoset resins; mineral fillers; adhesive powders or staple fibers. 
     
     
         59 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material has a elected air flow resistivity between about 275,000 Rayls/m and about 3,000,000 Rayls/m. 
     
     
         60 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material comprises fibrous waste material. 
     
     
         61 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material comprises a thermoformable short fiber nonwoven material. 
     
     
         62 . The nonwoven material of  claim 61 , wherein the thermoformable short fiber nonwoven material comprises a thermoplastic binder. 
     
     
         63 . The nonwoven material of  claim 61 , wherein the thermoformable short fiber nonwoven material comprises a thermoset binder. 
     
     
         64 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material has a bulk density between about 200 kg/m3 and about 1,000 kg/m3. 
     
     
         65 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , herein the nonwoven material has a thickness between about 0.1 mm and about 5 mm. 
     
     
         66 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1 , wherein the short fibers comprise between about 5% and less than 100% by weight of the nonwoven material. 
     
     
         67 . The nonwoven material of  claim 66 , wherein the short fibers comprise between about 20% and about 60% by weight of the nonwoven material. 
     
     
         68 . The nonwoven material of  claim 67 , wherein the short fibers comprise between about 30% by weight and about 40% by weight of the nonwoven material. 
     
     
         69 . A nonwoven material comprising:
 a. a preformed fibrous web; and   b. fibrous material processed into short fibers having an average length of about mm or less and scattered on and bonded to the preformed fibrous web;
 wherein the short fibers comprise between about 5%, and less than 100% by weight of the nonwoven material; and 
 wherein the nonwoven material has a bulk density between about 200 kg/m 3  and about 2000 kg m 3 . 
   
     
     
         70 . The nonwoven material of  claim 69 , wherein the nonwoven material further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of: antimicrobial substances; flame-retardant substances; thermoplastic resins; thermoset resins; miner adhesive powders or staple fibers. 
     
     
         71 . The nonwoven material of  claim 70 , wherein the nonwoven material further comprises longer fibers as compared to the short fibers, and wherein the longer fibers provide reinforcement to the nonwoven material so the nonwoven material has structural and acoustic properties. 
     
     
         72 . The nonwoven material of  claim 69 , wherein the short fibers comprise between about 20% and about 60% by weight of the nonwoven material. 
     
     
         73 . The nonwoven material of  claim 72 , wherein the short fibers comprise between about 30% by weight and about 40% by weight of the nonwoven material. 
     
     
         74 . The nonwoven material of,  claim 69 , wherein the nonwoven material has a selected air flow resistivity between about 275,000 Rayls/m and about 3,000,000 Rayls/m.