AU2013203773A1

AU2013203773A1 - A non-woven fabric product

Info

Publication number: AU2013203773A1
Application number: AU2013203773A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Craig Woolford
Original assignee: CAVALIER BREMWORTH Ltd
Current assignee: CAVALIER BREMWORTH Ltd
Priority date: 2012-08-15
Filing date: 2013-04-11
Publication date: 2014-03-06
Also published as: NZ601840A

Abstract

Abstract This invention relates to a non-woven fabric product. More specifically, the invention relates to a non-woven fabric product produced formed using a homogeneous blend of deconstructed carpet fibre. According to a first embodiment of the invention, there is provided a non-woven fabric product, wherein the non-woven fabric product comprises a substantially homogenous blend of deconstructed carpet fibre throughout the fabric product, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre is formed from a carpet product comprising; -a substantially 100% wool face fibre -a primary backing; and -a secondary backing wherein the primary and secondary backing are formed from one or more of polypropylene, nylon, acrylic, polyester, wool, jute or cotton. C) 0) on 00 .0 b.0 o (U - C 0CL r

Description

A Non-woven Fabric Product TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a non-woven fabric product. More specifically, the invention relates to a non-woven fabric product produced formed using a homogeneous blend of deconstructed carpet fibre. BACKGROUND ART Thousands of tonnes of unwanted carpet finds its way into landfill every year. While efforts have been made to recycle this unwanted carpet, until now there has been no product identified that can be successfully made using 100% of a carpet product. Carpet recycling methods currently known in the art typically trim the fibre from used carpet (face fibre) and process this to create either new fibre or other products. Nylon or synthetic carpet fibre can be melted down to create new fibre, and recycled wool fibre can be used for a wide range of purposes such as insulation, furniture stuffing or fabrics for example. The fibres can also be blended with other fibres to create partially recycled products. Other synthetic materials present within carpet (for example adhesives and other synthetic present in carpet backing) can be separated out and used to make products that range from automotive products, through to asphalt, decking or industrial products. While this recycling is effective, the additional steps involved in separating out the individual carpet components before they can be formed into recycled products is both costly and time consuming. This results in an end product that is attractive from an environmental perspective, but is not cost effective. It would be an advantage to produce a product that was capable of being formed from an entire carpet, including face fibre, primary and secondary backings and any adhesives. It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only. 1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first embodiment of the invention, there is provided a non-woven fabric product, wherein the non-woven fabric product comprises a substantially homogenous blend of deconstructed carpet fibre throughout the fabric product, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre is formed from a carpet product comprising; - a substantially 100% wool face fibre - a primary backing; and - a secondary backing wherein the primary and secondary backing are formed from one or more of polypropylene, nylon, acrylic, polyester, wool, jute or cotton. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the deconstructed carpet fibre comprises a mixture of fibres selected from at least two of polypropylene, nylon, acrylic, polyester, wool, jute or cotton. More preferably, the deconstructed carpet fibre comprises a mixture of polypropylene, wool and jute. In other preferred embodiments, the deconstructed carpet fibre comprises a mixture of polypropylene, wool and polyester. More preferably, the deconstructed carpet fibre is formed from 65 - 75% wool. Even more preferably, the deconstructed carpet fibre is approximately 70% wool. In further preferred embodiments, the deconstructed carpet fibre has an average fibre length of 25mm - 75mm. In preferred embodiments of the invention the non-woven fabric product also comprises a low melt polyester. More preferably, the low melt polyester fibre is a 15 denier polyester fibre with a melting point of 110 C. Preferably the low melt polyester fibre has an average cut length of 60 - 100mm. More preferably, the polyester fibre has an average cut length of 76mm. As would be clear to a person skilled in the art, the fibre length is an estimate of the average cut length of a fibre in a volume of fibre. In further preferred embodiments, the non-woven fabric product includes deconstructed carpet fibre and low melt polyester fibre in a ratio of substantially 10:1. This ratio provides the optimum amounts of each fibre in order to maximize the amount of carpet rag fibre used while still 2 providing enough polyester to ensure the fabric product is effectively set and retains is shape and strength. Preferably, the deconstructed carpet fibre and low melt polyester are substantially homogenously mixed throughout the fabric product. In further preferred embodiments of the invention the non-woven fabric product is between 1mm - 50mm thick. Preferably, the non-woven fabric product is a carpet backing. More preferably, the fabric is a secondary carpet backing. Preferably the carpet backing has a total thickness of 1mm - 3mm. Preferably the carpet backing has a machine direction tensile strength of 100-140 N/5cm and a cross direction tensile strength of 140 - 180 N/5cm. More preferably, the machine direction tensile strength is 120 N/5cm and the cross direction tensile strength is 160 N/5cm. Preferably the multilayered carpet backing has a strength of 12 -16 kg/50mm strip. In further preferred embodiments of the invention the carpet backing is produced in a roll of 200-500cm in width. More preferably the roll is 385cm in width. This width corresponds with the standard width of carpet produced in the carpet industry. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a carpet product including at least one face fibre, a primary backing and a secondary backing, wherein the secondary backing is formed from the non-woven fabric product as described above. Preferably, the secondary backing of the carpet product is bound to the primary backing with a bond strength of at least 4kg. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the non-woven fabric product is used as an insulation product. In further alternative embodiments, the non-woven fabric product is used as upholstery filling. In further alternative embodiments, the non-woven fabric product is used as a horticultural product such as weed matting. 3 For the purposes of this specification the term "deconstructed carpet fibre" should be taken to mean a carpet product that has been torn, shredded, cut or otherwise sufficiently deconstructed from a total carpet product to form a fibre like product, wherein the total carpet product includes face fibre, primary and/or secondary backing layers together with any adhesive materials used to hold these layers together. The term "non-woven fabric" should be given its standard meaning in the art and as such excludes fabrics that are woven or knitted. Non-woven products may be defined as sheet or web structures bonded together by entangling fibre or filaments mechanically, thermally or chemically. They are typically flat, porous sheets that are made directly from separate fibres or from molten plastic or plastic film. They are not made by weaving or knitting and do not require converting the fibres to yarn. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the method and process of the present invention to form a non-woven fabric for use as a carpet backing; and Figure 2 shows the needling line process of figure 1 in further detail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a non-woven fabric product formed from a homogenous blend of different fibres that can be obtained during the recycling of a full carpet product. For the purposes of this invention these fibres are known as deconstructed carpet fibre as explained by the definition above. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, carpet is recycled using the process outlined below to form a non-woven fabric product designed for use as a carpet backing. As should be clear to a person skilled in the art, this process is one method that may be employed to produce the claimed product of the invention. However, this should not be seen as limiting and other methods and processes may be used in order to produce the fabric product using ordinary skill and technical knowledge available. The carpet backing formed using the methods of this invention is primarily used as a secondary carpet layer. The carpet backing produced has a high tensile strength, maintains its shape and meets with the standard industry criteria for fire resistant qualities. 4 Figures 1 and 2 show one possible method for the recycling of wool carpet to form the carpet backing. The carpet used in this method has a 100% wool face fibre, a polyester primary backing and a jute secondary backing. The primary and secondary backings are held together using a latex adhesive. As shown in Figure 1, method 100 begins with the sourcing of used or unwanted wool carpet 110. Used carpet 110 enters a rag tearing plant 120 where entire carpet 110 is shredded to create a rag fibre with an average fibre/particle dimension of between 20mm - 75mm. Typically the carpet may undergo several iterations of the rag tearing process in order to achieve a rag carpet fibre of sufficient fineness necessary to form the carpet backing. The rag tearing process used may be any rag tearing process known in the art that is suitable and robust enough to create a rag fibre from carpet 110. During rag tearing process 120, microbiological additives 130 are added to the fibre. Carpet backing requires the addition of both a biocide and an insect resist agent to prevent growth of any new microbiological matter in the carpet backing, in addition to destroying any existing microbiological matter that may have been present in the used carpet. In the present invention the biocide 20g/I Actinide MV was added to the rag fibre at a wet application rate of 5%. This ensures a minimum application of the active ingredients of 0.1% of total fibre weight. The insect resist agent Lanacare DBCS was also added at a concentration of 44g/I and applied at a wet application rate of 5%, ensuring a minimum application of the active ingredient(s) of 0.22%. Following the addition of microbiological agents 130 the rag fibre 140 is baled and mixed 160 with a low melt polyester fibre 150. Polyester fibre 150 is preferably of approximately 15 denier with an average fibre length of 76mm and a melt temperature of 110 C. Polyester fibre of differing weight, length and melting point may be used and the type of polyester fibre used here should be taken as an example only. Prior to mixing, rag fibre 140 and polyester fibre 150 are automatically weighted and are transferred from a hopper to a blending conveyor belt at a ratio of 10:1. This ratio ensures maximum use of the recycled carpet fibre while still ensuring there is enough polyester to bind the fibres together in the finished product. The fibres then enter a mixing cyclone 170. Cyclone 170 removes any latex, fines or other debris from the blended fibres using a centrifuge system. The cyclone also helps to ensure that the different fibres are homogenously mixed. Once the debris are removed the fibre is transported using the cyclone system to a further mixing system. 5 Following mixing of rag fibre 140 and polyester fibre 150, a blended fibre is formed. The blended fibre enters needling line 180 which is described in more detail at Figure 2. The needling line of the present invention includes a number of processes as outlined in Figure 2. Blended fibre 140 enters the carding machine 181 where fibres 140 are aligned to form a thin web of fibre 182. In this preferred aspect of the invention wherein the fabric product being formed is to be used as a carpet backing, web of fibre 182 formed is approximately four metres in width. This allows the final product to be easily trimmed to 3.85m, a width that corresponds to the standard width at which carpet rolls are manufactured. However, it is envisaged that the carding process may form webs of various dimensions that are specific to the purpose of the final product. Following formation of fibre web 182, the web is cross lapped 183 to form four layers of substantially four metres wide. Once the web 182 has been cross lapped, the layered web enters needling machine 184. Needling machine 184 punches hundreds of needles into the layers of fibre web 182, compressing the web and knitting the layers together into a matting. The matting then exits needling machine 184. In some preferred embodiments, the matting is treated again with microbial additives before entering the calendaring machine. Once matting enters calendaring machine it undergoes a heat setting and compression process 185. During heat setting and compression 185, the matting is rolled around calendaring rollers that are heated to approximately 1800C and exert a compressive force on the mat of approximately 8 tonnes. The heated rollers melt the polyester fibres within the mat, binding the carpet fibres together to form a robust product with a high tensile strength. The application of the compressive force during this heating process ensures the polyester is distributed as widely as possible throughout the fabric product. In order for the melting of the polyester to take place, the mat is treated on the calendaring rollers for approximately five seconds. On exiting the calendaring rollers, contact with the room temperature air immediately sets the polyester fibres within the matting and the final product is formed. This finished fabric can then be trimmed to a desired size. In the case of carpet backing this size is typically 3.85m wide. The product then enters the finishing line 190 where it is rolled ready for use in the manufacture of a new carpet product. 6 The non-woven fabric product of this invention has a number of advantages over known products formed from recycled carpet that makes up the general state of the art. The major advantage is that the product is formed from every component of used or unwanted pieces of carpet without removing and discarding individual components. This has benefits from an environmental perspective, in that any carpet used in this process is deviated from landfill sites. In other known processes, fibre may be removed from unwanted carpet to produce a fabric product, but the carpet backing still ultimately ends up in landfill. One linear metre of recycled carpet is capable of forming eight linear metres of carpet backing for example, which has substantial environmental benefits. This product also does not require need for any "pre treatment" of the unwanted carpet before the recycling process. This includes removal of any particular unwanted layers of carpet or separation of components. As a result of this the costs involved in recycling the carpet are significantly reduced. While carpet backing is one use for the fabric product of this invention, it is envisaged that any number of uses may be found for this product. For example, the fabric produced using this method may be used as an insulation material, a packaging material, a horticultural product such as weed matting or in any number of different smaller products such as whiteboard erasers, filters, geotextiles or upholstery stuffing to name a few. The non-woven fabric product of the present invention could replace any type of felted fabric product where the surface finish is not critical. The types of products that may be produced by this process are unlimited and should not be restricted to those described herein. When used as a secondary carpet backing, the product of the present invention can be included in standard carpet manufacturing processes without the need to alter any existing carpet manufacturing processes. As the product can be manufactured to any dimensions needed, the ability to form the product in 3.85m wide lengths is particularly advantageous. Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims. 7

Claims

1. A non-woven fabric product, wherein the non-woven fabric product comprises a substantially homogenous blend of deconstructed carpet fibre throughout the fabric product, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre is formed from a carpet product comprising; - a substantially 100% wool face fibre - a primary backing; and - a secondary backing wherein the primary and secondary backing are formed from one or more of polypropylene, nylon, acrylic, polyester, wool, jute or cotton.

2. The non-woven fabric product of claim 1, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre comprises a mixture of polypropylene, wool and jute.

3. The non-woven fabric product of claim 1 or 2, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre comprises a mixture of polypropylene, wool and polyester.

4. The non-woven fabric product of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre is formed from 65 - 75% wool.

5. The non-woven fabric product of claim 4, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre is approximately 70% wool.

6. The non-woven fabric product of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre has an average fibre length of 25mm - 75mm.

7. The non-woven fabric product of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the non-woven fabric product also comprises a low-melt polyester.

8. The non-woven fabric product of claim 7, wherein the low melt polyester fibre is a 15 denier polyester fibre with a melting point of 110 C.

9. The non-woven fabric product of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the low melt polyester fibre has an average cut length of 60 - 100mm. 8 James & Wells ref: 237789AU/75

10. The non-woven fabric product of claim 9, wherein the low melt polyester fibre has an average cut length of approximately 76mm.

11. The non-woven fabric product of any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the non-woven fabric product includes deconstructed carpet fibre and low melt polyester fibre in a ratio of substantially 10:1

12. The non-woven fabric product of any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the deconstructed carpet fibre and low melt polyester are substantially homogenously mixed throughout the fabric product.

13. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the non woven fabric product is between 1mm - 50mm thick.

14. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the non woven fabric product is a carpet backing.

15. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in claim 14, wherein the non-woven fabric product is a secondary carpet backing.

16. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the carpet backing has a total thickness of 1mm - 3mm.

17. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the fabric has a machine direction tensile strength of 100-140 N/5cm.

18. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fabric has a machine direction tensile strength of 120 N/5cm.

19. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the fabric has a cross direction tensile strength of 140-180 N/5cm.

20. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in claim 19, wherein the fabric has a cross direction tensile strength of 160 N/5cm.

21. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein the fabric has a strength of 12 -16 kg/50mm strip.

22. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein the fabric is produced in a roll of 200-500cm in width. 9 James & Wells ref: 237789AU/75

23. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in claim 22, wherein the fabric is produced in a roll of 385cm in width.

24. A carpet product including at least one face fibre, a primary backing and a secondary backing, wherein the secondary backing is the non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23.

25. The carpet product as claimed in claim 24, wherein the secondary backing is bound to the primary backing with a bond strength of at least 4kg.

26. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 13, wherein the fabric product is used as an insulation product.

27. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 13, wherein the fabric product is used as upholstery filling.

28. The non-woven fabric product as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 13, wherein the fabric product is used as a horticultural product.

29. A non-woven fabric product substantially as described herein. 10