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.

1 . A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers comprising:
 melting glass;   processing the molten glass to form glass fibers;   accumulating the glass fibers to allow the glass fibers to cool;   forming a binderless web from the cooled 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 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness of 0.45 inches to 1.375. 
     
     
         4 . The continuous method of  claim 1  wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT. 
     
     
         5 . The continuous method of  claim 5  wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The continuous method of  claim 1  wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together. 
     
     
         7 . 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 from a first portion of the glass fibers;   mechanically entangling the fibers of the web to form the pack of glass fibers; and   diverting a second portion the glass fibers for other uses.   
     
     
         8 . The continuous method of  claim 7  wherein the fibers are entangled by needling. 
     
     
         9 . The continuous method of  claim 7  wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness of 0.45 inches to 1.375. 
     
     
         10 . The continuous method of  claim 7  wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT. 
     
     
         11 . The continuous method of  claim 10  wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The continuous method of  claim 7  wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together. 
     
     
         13 . 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 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot;   wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of from 15 HT to 19 HT;   wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.   
     
     
         14 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 13  that comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together. 
     
     
         15 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 13  wherein the glass fibers used to form the have never been compressed for packaging or shipping. 
     
     
         16 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 13  wherein the glass fibers are mechanically entangled by needling. 
     
     
         17 . A continuous method for forming a pack of glass fibers comprising:
 melting glass;   processing the molten glass to form glass fibers;   accumulating the glass fibers to allow the glass fibers to cool;   forming a binderless web of the glass fibers;   layering the binderless web of glass fibers to form the pack.   
     
     
         18 . The continuous method of  claim 17  wherein the fibers are entangled by needling. 
     
     
         19 . The continuous method of  claim 17  wherein the binderless web of glass fibers has an area weight of 0.10 to 0.38 pounds per square foot and a thickness of 0.45 inches to 1.375. 
     
     
         20 . The continuous method of  claim 17  wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT. 
     
     
         21 . The continuous method of  claim 20  wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches. 
     
     
         22 . The continuous method of  claim 17  wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together. 
     
     
         23 . 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 0.05 to 0.2 pounds per square foot;   wherein the glass fibers have a diameter range of in a range of from 15 HT to 19 HT;   wherein the glass fibers have a length range from about 0.25 inches to about 10.0 inches.   
     
     
         24 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 23  wherein the pack of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together. 
     
     
         25 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 23  wherein the glass fibers used to form the have never been compressed for packaging or shipping. 
     
     
         26 . The binderless web of glass fibers of  claim 23  wherein the glass fibers are mechanically entangled by needling. 
     
     
         27 . 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;   wherein the binderless web of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.   
     
     
         28 . 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;   wherein the layered web of glass fibers comprises 99% to 100% glass or 99% to 100% glass and inert components that do not bind the glass fibers together.