Device for manufacturing nonwoven fabric molded product and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

A nonwoven fabric web ( 3 ) is mounted on a three-dimensional molding surface ( 10 ) of a molding mold ( 1 ), and water is sprayed onto this nonwoven fabric web ( 3 ) by a water jet ( 2 ). Thus, the nonwoven fabric web ( 3 ) is pressed against the molding surface ( 10 ), and fibers ( 32 ) of the nonwoven fabric web ( 3 ) are entangled with each other while the nonwoven fabric web ( 3 ) is molded so as to conform to the three-dimensional shape of the molding surface ( 10 ), whereby a nonwoven fabric molded product ( 5 ) of a three-dimensional shape is produced.

1 . A device for manufacturing nonwoven fabric molded products, comprising:
 a mold ( 1 ) having a three dimensional-shaped molding surface ( 10 ); and   fluid spraying means ( 2 ) for spraying a fluid to an unentangled nonwoven web ( 3 ) mounted on the molding surface ( 10 ) of the mold ( 1 ) so that the nonwoven web ( 3 ) is pressed against the molding surface ( 10 ), and fibers ( 32 ) of the nonwoven web ( 3 ) are entangled with each other while the nonwoven web ( 3 ) is molded so as to conform to a three-dimensional shape of the molding surface ( 10 ), whereby a three-dimensional nonwoven fabric molded product ( 5 ) is produced.   
     
     
         2 . The device for manufacturing nonwoven fabric molded products as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 a plurality of through holes ( 11 ) for allowing the fluid to pass therethrough are provided in the molding surface ( 10 ) of the mold ( 1 ).   
     
     
         3 . The device for manufacturing nonwoven fabric molded products as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the mold ( 1 ) has protrusions ( 12 ,  13 ,  14 ) in the molding surface ( 10 ), and   the fluid spraying means ( 2 ) sprays the fluid to the nonwoven web ( 3 ) with the protrusions ( 12 ,  13 ,  14 ) stuck thereto, so that the protrusions ( 12 ,  13 ,  14 ) are pierced through the nonwoven web ( 3 ).   
     
     
         4 . The device for manufacturing nonwoven fabric molded products as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the fluid spraying means ( 2 ) has a plurality of nozzles ( 21 A,  21 B) for jetting out the fluid to an identical part of the nonwoven web ( 3 ) in different directions.   
     
     
         5 . A method for manufacturing nonwoven fabric molded products, comprising:
 mounting an unentangled nonwoven web ( 3 ) onto a molding surface ( 10 ) of a mold ( 1 ), the molding surface ( 10 ) having a three-dimensional shape; and   spraying a fluid to the nonwoven web ( 3 ) so that the nonwoven web ( 3 ) is pressed against the molding surface ( 10 ), and fibers ( 32 ) of the nonwoven web ( 3 ) are entangled with each other while the nonwoven web ( 3 ) is molded so as to conform to the three-dimensional shape of the molding surface ( 10 ), whereby a three-dimensional nonwoven fabric molded product ( 5 ) is manufactured.