Method of manufacture of a linear panel

Abstract

In one aspect, a method of forming a linear panel from a thermoformable fibrous material by a continuous process includes continuously drawing an elongate strip of thermoformable fibrous material through a heating station to heat the material, forming the heated material into a desired panel shape, and continuously drawing the material through a cooling unit in order to cool the material after the material has been formed into the desired panel shape.

1 . A method of forming a linear panel from a thermoformable fibrous material by a continuous process comprising:
 continuously drawing an elongate strip of thermoformable fibrous material through a heating station to heat the material;   forming the heated material into a desired panel shape; and   continuously drawing the material through a cooling unit in order to cool the material after the material has been formed into the desired panel shape.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein continuously drawing the elongate strip of thermoformable material through the heating station comprises heating the material within the heating station to a temperature of greater than or equal to approximately 80° C., and less than or equal to approximately 250° C. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the heated material into the desired panel shape comprising forming the heated material to include a flange extending along at least part of an elongate side of the elongate strip of material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises at least one of bi-component polyester fibers, two different types of fibers having different melting points, a mixture of bi-component polyester fibers, or non-bi-component polyester fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pre-heating the material during a pre-heating stage by at least one of heating air and blowing the heated air onto, across or through a surface of the elongate strip of material as the material is continuously drawn through the heated air flow or heating air and sucking the heated air through the elongate strip of material as the material is continuously drawn through the heated air flow. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 monitoring a temperature of the material as it passes through the pre-heating stage; and   adjusting at least one of the temperature, a speed of the air flow, or a speed of the material to maintain the temperature of the material at a desired level or to adjust the temperature of the material to the desired level.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein continuously drawing the material through the cooling unit comprises at least one of blowing air at ambient temperature or below onto, across or through the material or sucking air at ambient temperature or below through the material as the material is continuously drawn through the air flow. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 monitoring a temperature of the material is monitored as it passes through the cooling unit; and   adjusting at least one of the temperature, a speed of the air flow, or a speed of the material to adjust the temperature of the material to a desired level or to maintain the temperature of the material at the desired level.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cutting the elongate strip of material into desired linear panel lengths after the material has been formed and cooled. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising continuously pulling the material through the heating station via a pulling unit, the pulling unit comprising at least one roller having a surface formed of at least one of a resilient material, a sticky material, a rough material, or spikes. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the heated material into the desired panel shape comprises forming the heated material using a continuous roll-forming process. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming the heated material using the continuous roll-forming process comprises:
 heating elongate sides of the elongate strip of material to a temperature of greater than or equal to approximately 80° C., and less than or equal to approximately 250° C.;   applying pressure to the elongate sides of the elongate strip to deform the elongate sides thereby forming a flange on either side of the elongate strip;   heating at least a central portion between the elongate sides of the elongate strip to a temperature of greater than or equal to approximately 120° C., and less than or equal to approximately 180° C.; and   applying pressure to the central portion of the elongate strip to cause elongate edge portions of the elongate central portion to bend through approximately 90° thereby forming side walls which are substantially perpendicular to the elongate central portion of the elongate strip, and thereby deforming the heated material into an elongate panel having a substantially “U”-shaped cross-section with a flange extending from each of the side walls.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein continuously drawing the elongate strip of thermoformable fibrous material through the heating station comprises continuously drawing the elongate strip of material through a heated mould at a constant speed; and
 controlling a speed of the material and a temperature of the mould using a a central control unit.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 continuously drawing the elongate strip of material through the heated mould comprises continuously drawing the elongate strip of material through a plurality of form blocks of the heating mold; and   each form block has a different cut-out shape such that, when the material passes through the heated mould, the material passes through each of the plurality of form blocks, thereby gradually changing the shape of the material from a flat, elongate strip to a linear panel having a desired panel shape.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising joining ends of two elongate strips of material together prior to heating the material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the material comprises a plurality of bi-component polyester fibers, with each fiber including an inner core formed from a first polyester material and an outer layer formed from a second polyester material;   the first polyester material has a first melting temperature;   the second polyester material has a second melting temperature; and   the first melting temperature is greater than the second melting temperature.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein continuously drawing the elongate strip of thermoformable fibrous material through the heating station comprising continuously drawing the material through the heating station to heat the material to a temperature that is greater than the second melting temperature and less than the first melting temperature.