Continuous Polyester Fiber Textile Cloth, Processing Equipment And Method
Patent No. US12209354 (titled "Continuous Polyester Fiber Textile Cloth, Processing Equipment And Method") was filed by Roemar Inc on Jul 5, 2022.
What is this patent about?
’354 is related to the field of textile manufacturing, specifically addressing the problem of efficiently producing and dispensing individual pieces of polyester fiber cloth, such as those used for towels or cleaning cloths. Traditional methods involve cutting continuous rolls of fabric into individual sheets, which is labor-intensive and increases production costs. The patent seeks to improve this process by creating a continuous fabric that can be easily torn into individual pieces by the end user.
The underlying idea behind ’354 is to create weakened lines within a continuous polyester fabric using ultrasonic welding. A metal knife mold and an ultrasonic welding head are used to locally melt and fuse the fibers of the base layer and loop layer, forming a thin, tearable line. This allows the user to easily separate individual pieces of cloth from the roll without the need for scissors or other cutting tools.
The claims of ’354 focus on a continuous polyester fiber textile cloth featuring periodically spaced, full-width thin line melting bodies . The cloth consists of a woven base layer and at least one loop layer. These layers are joined by melting and pressing to form the thin line melting bodies, which are thinner than the base layer. Crucially, the base layer and loop layer(s) are heated and melted by high-frequency ultrasonic waves, with a heating temperature of an ultrasonic welding head being 150-400° C. and a duration for a knife edge to press down and contact the polyester fiber textile cloth being 0.02-1 second.
In practice, the continuous polyester fabric is fed through an ultrasonic welding apparatus. A metal knife edge presses down onto the fabric against an ultrasonic welding head. The high-frequency vibrations generate localized heat, melting the polyester fibers and creating the thin line melting bodies. By controlling the temperature, pressure, and duration of the ultrasonic welding process, the manufacturer can create a consistent and easily tearable line without completely severing the fabric.
This approach differs from prior methods that rely on mechanical cutting or perforations. The ultrasonic welding method offers several advantages, including precise control over the tear line's strength and consistency. The patent emphasizes that the ultrasonic resonance method eliminates the need for preheating, as the heat is generated directly at the point of contact. This allows for continuous operation and ensures that each tear line is formed with consistent temperature and pressure, leading to a more uniform and reliable product.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2020s when ’354 was filed, at a time when continuous manufacturing processes were increasingly common, systems commonly relied on ultrasonic welding techniques for joining or cutting materials, and hardware or software constraints made precise temperature control in localized heating applications non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner allowed the claims because the closest prior art, Chang in view of Mittal, did not disclose the limitation of heating and melting the base layer and loop layer(s) by high-frequency ultrasonic waves comprising a heating temperature of an ultrasonic welding head being 150-400 °C and a duration for a knife edge to press down and contact the polyester fiber textile cloth being 0.02-1 second.
Claims
This patent contains 10 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a continuous polyester fiber textile cloth that can be torn into pieces due to thin line melting bodies. The dependent claims elaborate on specific configurations, dimensions, and manufacturing processes related to the textile cloth and its components.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
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Date
Description
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US12209354
- Application Number
- US17857452
- Filing Date
- Jul 5, 2022
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jan 16, 2043
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents