Building materials from needle-punched fiber mats with granular heat-activated adhesives

Abstract

Dry adhesives are embedded within needle-punched fiber mats used for manufacturing wood-like building materials. During a cross-lapping operation that lays large ribbons of combed fibers (such as nylon fibers from shredded carpets) on top of a large moving conveyor, one or more layers of granular, pellet, fibrous, film, or other dry adhesive are embedded within the loose mass of fibers. For example, dimpled rollers, shaker trays, or similar devices loaded with granular or pelleted adhesives can be positioned above the conveyor, between cross-lapper machines. The fiber mass with embedded adhesive is then needle-punched into a stable, compact, flexible form that can be stored and shipped. When desired, the mats are run through a heated press that melts the adhesive, converting it into a binder that turns the mats into stiff sheets of material comparable to plywood.

1 . An article of manufacture, comprising a needle-punched fiber mat that contains a particulate adhesive embedded within the fiber mat.  
   
   
       2 . An article of manufacture, comprising a building material that has been manufactured by heated compression of a needle-punched fiber mat that contained, prior to the heated compression step, a particulate adhesive embedded within the fiber mat.  
   
   
       3 . A method of manufacturing a building material, comprising the following steps: 
 a. embedding a particulate adhesive within a fibrous layer that is being created on a conveyor system;    b. compressing the fibrous layer; and,    c. subjecting the fibrous layer to a needle-punching operation.