WO2008067611A1 - Séparation - Google Patents

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Publication number
WO2008067611A1
WO2008067611A1 PCT/AU2007/001889 AU2007001889W WO2008067611A1 WO 2008067611 A1 WO2008067611 A1 WO 2008067611A1 AU 2007001889 W AU2007001889 W AU 2007001889W WO 2008067611 A1 WO2008067611 A1 WO 2008067611A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
partitioning
pet
fibre
layers
inner layer
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU2007/001889
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Anthony Campbell Sutton
Original Assignee
Woven Image Pty Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AU2006906878A external-priority patent/AU2006906878A0/en
Application filed by Woven Image Pty Limited filed Critical Woven Image Pty Limited
Publication of WO2008067611A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008067611A1/fr

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
    • E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
    • E04C2/02—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials
    • E04C2/10—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of wood, fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like; of plastics; of foamed products
    • E04C2/24—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of wood, fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like; of plastics; of foamed products laminated and composed of materials covered by two or more of groups E04C2/12, E04C2/16, E04C2/20
    • E04C2/246—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of wood, fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like; of plastics; of foamed products laminated and composed of materials covered by two or more of groups E04C2/12, E04C2/16, E04C2/20 combinations of materials fully covered by E04C2/16 and E04C2/20
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/22—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed
    • B32B5/24—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/26—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to rigid, non-woven fibre partitioning constructed from a number of bonded-together layers, which is used in the building and interior design industry.
  • This partitioning can be installed as room dividers or screening, demountable walls, or as workstation surrounds or pin-boards, for example.
  • the partitioning is strong and rigid, and has good acoustic properties. It is made from a plurality of layers, the two outer layers preferably being polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre layers, and the inner layer(s) preferably being of a recycled fibre material.
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • the inner layer(s) preferably being of a recycled fibre material.
  • the recycled materials are fabric or felt- like materials, which have been processed according to at least some of the steps; being opened, blended, carded, lapped, needle-punched, and thermo formed into a fibrous layer, most preferably with the inclusion of some PET fibre, especially low melting point PET fibres.
  • Room dividers and partitioning are traditionally made as screens constructed from materials like MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard), particleboard, fibreboard, pressed metal or similar such materials. These screens are often covered with padding to allow for papers to be attached to their surface using pins, and to absorb noise in the working environment. Such traditional screens often have an attractive surface covering, such as a layer of fabric that can be selected to match the room's decor. These screens are often held in a frame, and can be used to partition an open-space office, or to provide a partial surrounding for desks and workstations to give users some privacy and sound deadening.
  • MDF Medium-Density Fibreboard
  • particleboard particleboard
  • fibreboard pressed metal or similar such materials.
  • These partitioning screens are generally used to improve the aesthetics in workplaces, and to provide workers with some privacy by partially enclosing their work space area and by absorbing ambient noise.
  • the screens can be fixed in place, or they can be temporary and used as movable screens that can easily be rearranged.
  • These screens can be attached to, or combined with, or positioned behind, furniture such as desk, tables, or workstation carrels, for example.
  • the screening may be full to provide a wall, or partial to provide only an open barrier.
  • the screens can either fully or partially close off the area between the floor and the ceiling.
  • these screens generally have useful acoustic properties to reduce noise in a workspace by providing a sound absorbing buffer between work areas.
  • the screening is also often used as pinboards. Any framework that supports the screening may also be used to support shelves, or similar features.
  • a series of screens are arranged in this manner to provide partitioning that partly encloses a work area.
  • a line of such screens can be arranged at the front or rear of the work space area or around office furniture.
  • These screens can be of any suitable size. They may commonly be one to two meters wide and between one and three meters high. Such screens are also relatively expensive to produce.
  • the traditional screens and partitions are generally composed of metal or wood, typically in the form of MDF or other compressed boards or particleboards, or plaster or gypsum boards, where a pair of sheets of the material, are cut to appropriate sizes and are arranged opposite each other.
  • a metal frame, cardboard section or dowel or some other type of spacer is used to space the sheets a certain distance apart to define a void between the two surface sheets.
  • the outer surfaces of each such sheet is then normally painted, or covered with cloth material, or otherwise decorated. Often, foam backing is used behind the cloth material covering to provide a softer surface and improve the acoustic properties.
  • An edging often of metal, may then be used to cover the edges of the wood sheets and the recess between them.
  • the edging conceals the edges of the cloth.
  • the cloth covering is held in place by tacking, stapling or gluing its edges within the recess.
  • the cloth is select to have an attractive or suitable colour for its location.
  • Partitioning in the form of a PET fibre panel, made in one piece, is disclosed in co-pending Australian patent application 2004229064, by the same applicant. While this panel is an improvement over partitioning made in the traditional manner, it is constructed essentially of a single panel of a PET fibre. When the fibre used is recycled PET, the quality of the final product, and especially its surface finish, is difficult to control. There is also a practical limit to the thickness for the partitioning panels that are produced. The thicker the final panel, the thicker is the initial fibre web used in its production, and the larger is the movement of the needle punches that must penetrate the web.
  • this panel consisting of a single layer of PET fibre
  • this panel consisting of a single layer of PET fibre
  • Assembling a workstation surround for instance from several separate pieces of the fibre layer, is made more difficult, by having to match the good and bad sides, which grows as a problem if a large number of workstation surrounds are to be used in the one area, where the sides and finishes need to match. It would be better to provide a partitioning panel that has two "good" sides, of equal quality and finish.
  • partitioning that ameliorates or avoids some problems with the traditional screens, or provides a useful alternative.
  • the present invention in one broad form concerns partitioning, which has a plurality of layers at least partially bonded together, and having two outer layers that sandwich at least one inner layer, wherein each of the outer layers consists of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) non-woven fibre.
  • partitioning which has a plurality of layers at least partially bonded together, and having two outer layers that sandwich at least one inner layer, wherein each of the outer layers consists of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) non-woven fibre.
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • the outer layers consist of virgin PET fibre.
  • the inner layer may consist of non- woven fibre.
  • the non-woven fibre may have been processed by at least some of the following steps, by being blended, carded, lapped, needle-punched and thermo-compressed.
  • the inner layer may consists of a recycled natural or synthetic fabric material, including mixtures thereof. If so, then the inner layer may consist of a fabric material selected from wool, cotton, polyester, PET, or mixtures or blends thereof, and most preferably, the inner layer may consist of reconstituted recycled PET.
  • the fabric material may be sourced from off-cuts of the fabric material.
  • the fabric material may preferably be opened and processed to create clumps of fibre having an average stable size of at least 30 mm long.
  • the inner layer may consist of a fabric material which has an amount of PET fibre added into its mixture.
  • the added PET fibre may be a low melting point PET, so as to assist with thermoforming the inner layer. If so, then the added PET fibre may be present in an amount of 30 to 50% by weight.
  • the partitioning in another alternative form may have an inner layer that consists of cardboard. It is also preferred that each of the outer layers can have a "good" side, and the "good" side of is then oriented to the outside, when the layers of the partitioning are assembled together.
  • the outer surface of at least one outer layer may have printing or decoration displayed on it.
  • each outer layer may be from 2 to 4 mm thick, and the inner layer(s) may be from 6 to 30 mm thick, and the partitioning may be from 12 to 36 mm thick in total, for example.
  • the partitioning may have PET fibre that is comprised substantially of a mixture of a two PET fibres, one having a lower melting point than the other.
  • the partitioning may preferably be sufficiently rigid to be free standing without requiring a supporting framework.
  • the partitioning may have colouring agents within the PET fibre material.
  • the partitioning has good acoustic properties.
  • the level of volatile organic compounds off-gassed is low. It is also preferred that the partitioning may be adapted to be recycled once the partitioning is no longer in use.
  • Figure 1 shows the fibre partitioning of the invention
  • Figure 2 A, and 2B show examples of the fibre partitioning attached to a workstation
  • Figure 3 shows an example of a system for making the partitioning.
  • the partitioning of the invention is made from three or more layers of non woven fibre, where at least the two outer layers consist of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre. PET fibres are manufactured for a number of uses, such as for fabrics.
  • the partitioning of the present invention consists of a plurality of layers having two outer layers, which sandwich one or more inner layers.
  • the outer layers consist of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) non-woven fibre, especially that which has been blended, carded, lapped, needle-punched and thernio-compressed, and most especially that which comes from new or virgin PET non- woven fibre.
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • the definition of non-woven fabrics or fibre includes a sheet, web, or bat of natural and/or man-made fibers or filaments, that have not been converted into yarns, and that are bonded to each other, by any of several means.
  • the two outer layers of such non-woven fibre materials, as well as at least one inner layer, may also be of non-woven fibre, but the inner layer may also be made of other materials. Most preferably, the inner layer is of re-cycled materials, or contain a substantial proportion of recycled materials.
  • These layers are at least partially bonded together to provide a partitioning panel.
  • FIG. 1 An example of the partitioning is shown in Figure 1, where the partitioning (1) has an outer layer (2) on one side and a second outer layer (3) on the other side, composed of compressed PET non- woven fibre; both of these layers sandwiching a middle layer (4) between them. There may be more than one middle layer sandwiched between the two outer layers, although Figure 1 shows only a single such layer.
  • at least one of the outer layers consists of virgin PET fibres, which tends to exhibit a high quality surface finish.
  • the inner layer may consist of a variety of materials, especially of recycled materials, ideally as a major component.
  • Non-woven fibres generally may have been opened, blended, carded, lapped, needle-punched and thermo-compressed.
  • the step of opening may be required where the fibres are obtained in the form of tight bales of fibre, which then has to be broken and opened up into loose fibre.
  • These fibres may preferably also include another component, particularly PET fibre, more particularly low melting point PET fibre, which assists in the thermo-compression step.
  • the inner layer may consist of recycled PET, and the recycled PET may be reconstituted recycled PET.
  • the inner layer may consist of natural or synthetic fabric material, including mixtures or blends of such fabrics.
  • the inner layer fabric material may consist of wool, cotton, polyester, PET, or mixtures or blends of these fabrics, optionally with other fabrics. Ideally these fabrics are recycled, and may be sourced from factories manufacturing products from these fabrics, and these recycled fabrics may therefore be off-cuts, or waste pieces of fabric.
  • This fabric waste is then converted into a non- woven fibre by being shredded, and then opened, blended, carded, lapped, needle-punched and thermo-compressed, if appropriate. It may be appropriate to add a proportion of PET fibre to the mix, in order to assist with the thermo-bonding of the mix into a layer of non- woven fibre or fabric.
  • the inner layer may consist of some other material such as a high strength cardboard, preferably made from recycled paper, for example.
  • a high strength cardboard preferably made from recycled paper
  • Other materials may be used instead or in addition, such as plaster board, MDF, or the like, in some circumstances where this may be needed. This may help with providing additional stiffness to the partitioning, if this should be required.
  • the partitioning may have one, or preferably both, outer layers having a smooth outer surface. It is also preferred that the outer surface of one or both outer layers has printing or decoration displayed on it. It is also preferred that each outer layer is from 1 mm to 12 mm thick and more preferably from 2 to 4 mm thick. It is preferred that the thickness of the inner layer or layers should total from 4 to 56 mm, more preferably from 6 to 36 mm. It is preferred that the total thickness for the partitioning be from 6 mm to 60 mm thick, and more preferably from 12 mm to 36 mm thick, and most preferably at a standard thickness of about 12 mm or 18 mm. These thicknesses are general, and should apply in most situations, but there may be special circumstances where wider or different thicknesses may be appropriately manufactured and used. There may also be some situations where two or more units of the partitioning may be layered together.
  • the outer layers of the partitioning material be made of virgin PET compressed fibre.
  • New or "virgin" PET fibre is available in a variety of forms. For example it is available in at least two colours, white and black.
  • the PET fibres can be used in their original colour, or may be produced with the additional inclusion of a dye or pigment, to create a staple fibre of another colour. It is also possible to mix two different colours of staple fibres together during the manufacturing process for the partitioning, such as using both white and black fibres, to give a white/black combination that appears to be grey when viewed from a distance.
  • one outer layer is of virgin PET
  • the other may be of recycled PET fibre, which is generally available as off-white coloured fibres, to make the product more environmentally beneficial, especially in situations when only one side of the partitioning is likely to be visible, or to provide a contrast.
  • recycled PET may be used as both outer layers, perhaps to provide an interesting texture, since the recycled PET may have a coarser surface finish than for virgin PET, which can be used to advantage in some situations.
  • PET fibres are preferably either 2 or 6 denier in thickness and approximately 75 mm in staple length.
  • the partitioning material of the invention may be produced from a single type of fibre. However, preferably the fibres may be a mixture of two types; one which has a lower melting point than the other. For example, one of the PET fibres to be included in the mixture has a melting point of about 110 C and the other of about 250 C. There preferably may be 10 - 50%, more preferably 20 - 40 % most preferably 20 - 30% of the lower melting point component, and 50 - 90%, more preferably 60 - 80%, and most preferably 70 - 80% of the higher melting point type.
  • a general method of manufacturing the partitioning material of the invention involves producing each layer of the material, and then bonding these layers together.
  • the bonding may only be partial, but ideally is sufficient to hold the layers together.
  • Bonding includes using adhesives, thermal bonding, or mechanically by using staples, rivets, or a frame to contain the multiple layers and hold them in place.
  • PET staple fibres may be obtained in this form, for virgin PET.
  • Recycled PET staple fibres may be made, by a variety of means.
  • One method is to take some existing PET material, such as existing PET fibre panelling, and then convert this into crumbs using a shredder. These crumbs were processed in an extruder, by melting the shredded material and then drawing it into fibres, and then texturising it. During the texturising, some crimp is incorporated into the fibres instead of leaving them flat, which helps to bind them together.
  • the PET layers themselves may be manufactured by loading the staple fibres into a hopper or a suitable blending apparatus and blending them together using air jets, to separate and mix the staple randomly. This opens up the packed fibres within the hopper and blends the fibre into an intertwined bat. When the mixing process is complete, the fibres then pass from the hopper into apparatus that cards the fibres, laying them out parallel with each other. Then the fibres are processed by a suitable means which laps the fibre and allows it to settle into a loose fill on a conveyor belt, for instance. Then the fibres are needle punched using suitable equipment to entwine them before compressing and thermo bonding the fibre web, preferably between heated rollers to the desired thickness. A non-woven fibre layer is created, of a desired thickness, and of a suitable width for the partitioning.
  • the fibre web is passed through heated rollers in order to compress and bond the web into a layer.
  • the rollers have a gap between of the approximate thickness of the layer, and the web is compressed to form a relatively rigid layer for use in the partitioning material.
  • One or both of the rollers may be heated, preferably to a temperature just above the melting point of the fibre, or of the lower melting point component if a mixed melting point combination is used. For example if a mixture of 110 C and a 250 C melting point PET staple fibres is being used, one roller may be heated to about 115 C.
  • the resulting fibre layer material is cut into suitable lengths and allowed to cool while allowed to lay flat, to minimise any warping.
  • the three layers are then assembled into the partitioning panels according the invention, by stacking each panel in the correct order and orientation, and then adhering the layers together, with adhesive, for example. Pressure may be applied to cause good adhesion.
  • the partitioning panels may be of any suitable width. A width of about 2.4 or 2.5 metres is ideal in most situations.
  • the thickness of the partitioning may be selected according to the desired result. A thinner partitioning is more flexible and less rigid.
  • the fibre partitioning is lightweight, and may have a density of around 2,400 grams per square metre of partitioning that is of a 12 mm thickness. This is around a third of the weight of an equivalent partitioning of MDF board or of plasterboard.
  • the partitioning of the invention is also easily cut and shaped using conventional tools. Suitable lengths may be produced, such as of 1.2 metre.
  • the outer layers are preferably manufactured from virgin PET staple fibres, and are created as relatively thin layers, such as from 1 to 12 mm, or more preferably of about 2 to 4 mm thick. PET fibre layers of this thinness can be manufactured with better quality control, and provide a better and more consistent quality and finish, than for thicker layers, due to the more effective needle punching and compaction starting from a lesser thickness of the loose web of fibres. Such thin layers of compacted PET fibre can be manufactured with an excellent surface finish, especially on the "good" side.
  • This good side is preferred to make up the outer side of the partitioning material, when bonded to the other layers.
  • the inner layer material is preferably made from recycled material. As one alternative, this may be from off-cuts of various fabrics, such as of PET type fabrics. These off-cuts may be collected from manufacturers, which would otherwise discard the off-cuts and fabric as waste. It is important to know the provenance of recycled material, so that it can be demonstrated to the world at large that it is really being recycled, and would otherwise be discarded into landfill.
  • the fabrics used may be natural or synthetic, and a wide variety of fabrics may be used. Some examples include knitted and woven fabrics, such as wool, cotton, polyester, PET, and so on. Other fabric sources include polyolefins (such as polypropylene and polyethylene), polyester, acetate, rayon, nylon, orlon, cotton, silk or hemp fibres.
  • the waste material is preferably fabric, such as that used in the clothing or soft furnishing industries. Most preferably, these fabrics may be old PET partitioning, that has been replaced by newer partitioning. This material is shredded, melted and extruded as fibre, and then processed in a similar manner as with virgin PET fibre. Other sources of PET may also be used, as with bottles or packaging PET material. Combinations of differently sourced PET materials may also be used, optionally with the inclusion of some virgin PET so as to improve the properties of the resulting fibre.
  • the fibre material is shredded, to form clumps of a loose fill. It may be treated using some shredding, or raggers, or garnett apparatus, to achieve this end.
  • the resulting fill has an average staple length of at least 30 mm.
  • the fill from different fabric sources and types may be blended and mixed together to create a resulting non-woven layer having the desired qualities.
  • the inner layer may be made from recycled PET fibre material, made available from other sources, of various quality, and often generally produced according to the process generally described above. It has been found that a compacted fibre layer made from recycled PET fibre is generally of a lower quality and surface finish than that of virgin PET. Recycled PET fibre is often not as homogeneous, and will have a lesser quality surface finish as a result.
  • the inner layer may be manufactured from "reconstituted” PET material. This "reconstituted" fibrous material, may be obtained and then manufactured from used PET partitioning.
  • the reconstituted PET may be manufactured by shredding the sheets of material from existing PET partitioning material, either sourced from old partitioning that is being replaced, or from off-cuts, and spoilage of the production process for making fresh partitioning, either from recycled or new PET fibre. Mixtures of these sources of materials may also be used, as well as with fabric off-cut sourced materials.
  • the materials to be recycled can be shredded and ground to small sized clumps using shredding, ragging and/or garnetting (ie, reclaiming) machines. This material is then dried, and fed through an extruder, to draw and produce a PET fibre, that is then texturised, cut, carded and needle punched, to produce a non-woven fibre material.
  • the shredded PET is melted, and optionally blended with other components, such as some virgin PET, and run through a spin pack, where it is drawn into a fibre, that can then be processed further.
  • the source material can be obtained from existing PET fabric using a garnett machine, for example.
  • a garnett machine is a type of carding machine, equipped with rollers and cylinders covered with metallic teeth, which is suitable to reclaim rags, wastes and twisted yarns of animal and synthetic fibres.
  • the garnett often includes an automatic feeder, breast, and two or three drums according to the fibres to be processed and the opening degree to be obtained.
  • the worked material can be sent to a can coiler or to a lapping machine or it can be conveyed to storage.
  • the resulting mixture of recycled fibre loft may then be mixed with more PET fibre, especially low melting point material, and then processed and heat bonded together, using heated rollers for example, into a layer, by a process similar to that described above.
  • This material is often known as "melty".
  • melty There preferably may be 10 - 50%, more preferably 20 - 40 % most preferably 20 - 30% of the lower melting point "melty" component, present.
  • melty there may be an amount of melty present that is sufficient to bond together the treated source fibres, which may be affected by the make up of these fibres. Simple trial and experiment can be used to determine the best amount .
  • a further source of melty may be a bicomponent staple fibre, 3.8 centimetres in length, (available as "Melty Fiber Type 4080" from Unitika Limited, Osaka, Japan) which comprises a core of polyethylene terephthalate having a melting temperature of approximately 245° C, and a sheath comprising a copolymer of ethylene terephthalate and ethylene isophthalate.
  • the web can then be prebonded by heating in a circulated air oven at 115° C for 1 minute and then cooling to room temperature.
  • the centre layer may be recycled cardboard, or the like, or this layer may preferably be used in addition to another middle layer of recycled fibre material, as described above
  • the various layers are assembled in the right order and bonded together. This may be done by any suitable means, such as be using adhesive, or heat bonding, or by physically stapling or riveting the layers together, or they may be held together using a frame to clap the layers together. Combinations of such methods may also be employed.
  • a first board (11) that will become the front of the partitioning is combined with a centre layer (12), and the other outer layer (13). This occurs by means of a pop-up roller delivery conveyor (14a), and the boards (10) are positioned on the conveyor from piles (11, 12, 13)of these boards located beside the conveyor.
  • the stacks of boards may be raised and positioned by means of a series of scissor lifts (15a), and the boards in each stack being separated by means of a board separator (16) which permits only a single board at a time to be added on to the conveyor.
  • the panel (19) is built up sequentially, by means of a vacuum and gluing head (17) and an X-Y vacuum gantry that adds glue to the intermediate surfaces of the boards, and then moves and stacks each group of three boards panels on a second conveyor (14b).
  • a press drum (20) then compresses each panel to bond the three layers together.
  • a stacker (21) using popup tines then creates a stack of partitioning panels, upon a scissor lift ( 15b) .
  • one or both of the outer or exterior surfaces may be printed on or coloured, or otherwise decorated. Patterns and images may be printed on the side of the outer layers that will form the outer surface for the partitioning. Ideally this may be done prior to bonding the layers together, but may also be done after, or both approaches may be used. Printing is preferably carried out on the "good" side of the outer layers.
  • the partitioning produced by this process is ideally suited for use in partitioning and screens and workstation surrounds.
  • the partitioning is pinable and the pinholes eventually tend to close up when the pin is removed over a period of time, or at least tend to appear less prominent.
  • the partitioning is strong, and flexible.
  • the resulting partitioning is sufficiently rigid to be free-standing when in use.
  • a thicker partitioning will be more rigid, but the rigidity resulting will also depend on the length of the partitioning, short partitions will be less liable to bend, whereas long lengths of partitions will need to be made thicker, or be held within a framework.
  • the partitioning of the invention may be moulded to include ribs, or indented portions, to improve their appearance, and to enhance their strength, as ribs can add to the rigidity and strength.
  • the partitioning may be moulded to include folds, bends, ribs, indents, dimples, corrugations, embossing, fluting, or the like, features.
  • the partitioning may be created in the form of flat sheets, and later re-shaped to incorporate the fold bends or impressions.
  • the partitioning may be shaped by the application of pressure and heat, such as stamping the partitioning to deform it. Rolling the partitioning material between ribbed rollers may create ribs or similar features. Simple manual bending and shaping may also be utilised. Care should be taken to prevent damage to the partitioning by applying too much force, or force too rapidly.
  • the surface of the partitioning may be imprinted with patterns, by impressing an outline into the surface of the fibre partitioning material. Regular and symmetrical folds or indents that repeat are preferred for aesthetic reasons, and to allow partitioning to be cut and joined easily and invisibly.
  • Such moulding may occur after the assembly of the layers into the final product. But alternatively, a pattern may be impressed into an outer layer prior to bonding with the other layers, to provide an interesting effect.
  • ribs or indentations or voids may be created in the inner layer or layers, prior to assembly. This may be used to help strengthen the product, or in the case of voids, to lighten the final product. Air voids within the inner structure of the partitioning may also improve its acoustic properties. Voids may also be present to act as channels for cables for example.
  • Voids within the outer layers may also be used to decorate the partitioning. If multiple internal layers are used, they can be of contrasting colours, which are allowed to be made visible through voids in an outer layer, and differing textures and patterns may also be made visible is this manner.
  • any re-shaping can take place in conjunction with the application of additional heat in order to render the partitioning more malleable, and to lock in the new shape upon cooling back to room temperature.
  • the layers of fibre partitioning may be moulded to re-shape them as part of the production process, or may separately and later be reheated for this purpose.
  • the rollers mentioned in the production process above may alternatively be ridged or embossed to shape the resulting product.
  • Figures 2A and 2B Some examples of re-shaped fibre partitioning are shown in Figures 2A and 2B.
  • Figure 2A shows a workstation with a partitioning surround having a series of ribs extending along their face.
  • Figures 2B shows an alternative shaping, with regular indents within each surround panel.
  • the fibres themselves may be dyed to have a specific colour in their production, before they are formed into a partitioning. This has an environmental advantage, because no dye will be required or toxic effluent produced during the partitioning manufacturing process. Additionally, in the production of the fibre partitioning, fibres previously dyed different colours can be mixed together to produce a partitioning that displays an intermediate colour from a distance, and has an interesting mixed colour up close. The shade of colour can be easily adjusted by altering to proportions of the two, or more, original colour fibres used in the initial mix. For example, mixing black and white fibres produces a partitioning that appears as grey, especially from a distance.
  • the partitioning may also be supported in frames, especially slotted into a simple U-shaped framework, which may also be used to assist with, or comprise the bonding together of the individual layers present.
  • a simple U-shaped framework which may also be used to assist with, or comprise the bonding together of the individual layers present.
  • the frame may aid in holding the partitioning in place, and to enhance their rigidity, and help protect their edges from acccidental damage, when bumped or touched.
  • the framework may also aid in the partitioning appearance, by hiding any rough edges of the partitioning material, allowing the partitioning to be roughly cut and finished, and then hidden behind framework, and consequently more easily and quickly installed.
  • the framework may also include a set of legs or support or connection means, in order to create wall dividers, or free standing screens.
  • the partitioning of the present invention may be folded in a zig-zag or U-shaped manner, which allows them to be free standing on a desk or within a room, without any additional supporting framework, or with only a minimal one. Thicker partitioning is preferred in this instance, especially for room dividers which may be 1.5 metres high that is intended to stand alone. Other arrangements, such as a series of troughs and ridges, or curved corrugations, or a series of corners may also be used, to provide the partitioning with a wider footprint, to allow it to more easily stand upright on its own.
  • the fibre partitioning according to the invention have good acoustic properties, tested to the Australian Standard AS1935.1-1998 with a NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) value of better than 0.54, for example.
  • the partitioning has little if any off-gassing of volatile organic compounds, which is a problem with prior art screens due to the presence of glue and paint. In contrast little organic compound off-gassing occurs with the partitioning according to the present invention.
  • the amount for the partitioning is less than 1000 th of the recommended level of permitted off- gassing, ⁇ -caprolactam off-gassing in the product is virtually nil. Both these measures indicate that VOC off-gassing is very low in the product of the present invention.
  • the fibre partitioning in accordance with the invention may preferably have a smooth surface, often with a shiny or polished appearance. This is relatively easy to produce because the surface outer layers are created as a thin layer. This surface appearance adds to the aesthetic appearance of the partitioning material, especially in an office situation, where a clean, polished look is often thought to be very desirable.
  • Partitions, screens, acoustic partitioning, and full wall partitioning utilising the partitioning material of the present invention is simple to disassemble and separate into recycling streams, owing to the relatively uncomplicated and uniform nature of the material.
  • This means the present invention is particularly compatible with the recycling process.
  • MDF board or plasterboard covered with adhesives, foam backing fabrics and fasteners are not particularly compatible with recycling processes.
  • the partitioning, being of PET may themselves be recycled into PET fibres, and used to make more of the partitioning product.
  • the partitioning is adapted to be easily recycled once the partitioning is no longer in use. For example, this may involve avoiding the use of components that are not easily removed or recycled, such as metal brackets and screws for instance, or else by designing the partitioning so that any poorly recyclable components are easy to locate and remove. If the partitioning is supported by metal frames, then preferably, this frame is easy to dissemble, and ideally, that frame may itself be able to be re-used. The used PET partitioning material may itself be reused to may more of the partitioning. If a cardboard or other inner layer is used, then ideally this is not strongly bonded to the outer layers, so that all these layers can be separated easily, and recycled separately.
  • PET fibres Two types were obtained from Wellman Inc, of 1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10036, United States of America.
  • One type is of a white colour with the physical attributes of 2 Denier thickness and 75mm staple length and a melting point of 110 C, and the other type being black with the physical attributes of 6 denier and 75mm staple length, and a melting point of 250 C.
  • a mixture was prepared comprising 20-30% by weight of the first type with 70- 80% of the second type, in a hopper and blended, by blowing air into the hopper, and allowing the fibres to be blended together, to form a fluffy web of fibres.
  • the fluffy fibre web was passed from the hopper, through a carding apparatus, and lapped, on a conveyor belt to form a web approximately over 1 metre high and 2.4 metres wide.
  • the conveyor belt then conveyed the fibre web through a needle punch, which compacted the web to a much lesser height.
  • the conveyor belt then brought the compacted web to a pair of rollers, with a gap of approximately 3 mm between, one of which was heated to around 115 C.
  • the web passed through the rollers, and was further compressed and heated in the passage through the rollers.
  • the result was a grey coloured partitioning with the following characteristics: Colour - grey; Specific gravity - 0.2; Melting point from 250 C, to 110 C; Ignition point - >400C. Flammability was tested according to Standard AS/NZS 1530.3-1999 giving excellent results; nil ignition time, nil flame propagation time, Heat release integral of nil, smoke release of-2 log d, and optical density of 0.01 d /m. The test gave an Ignitability Index of 0, Spread of Flame Index of 0, Heat Evolved Index of 0, and Smoke Developed Index of 1. The thickness was about 3 mm.
  • VOC volatile organic compounds
  • the partitionings were placed over a glass filter funnel, and air drawn through at a constant prescribed flow rate. The air was passed into an adsorbent trap to collect volatile substances. After a set period the trap was removed and the contents analysed by gas chromatography. The volume of air sampled in the test was 60 litres, which equates to 61 microgram of esters, and 1.7 microgram of hydrocarbons per cubic metre of air space over the product.
  • the Australian Worksafe time weighted average National Exposure Standard air level for nonane is 1050 milligram of substance per cubic metre.
  • the level of hydrocarbon found in the present invention fibre partitioning product is therefore less than 1000 th of this level.
  • Example 1 The process of Example 1 was repeated, but with the a combination of recycled PET of an off-white colour with the physical attributes of 6 Denier 75 mm staple and a melting point of 250 C and the other type being white with the physical attributes as in Example 1 with a melting point of 110 C. This was blended, carded, lapped, needle- punched and thermo-compressed.
  • Example 2 A layer of this material was produced according to the process outlined in Example 1, which has a thickness of about 12 mm. The result was an off-white coloured partitioning layer with similar characteristics to that in Example 1, but with a rougher and less consistent surface appearance.
  • Example 2 The process of Example 2 was repeated, but with a quantity of fabric waste.
  • the fabric waste was of polyester and wool fabric off-cuts. Other fabric off-cuts could be used instead, or as well, such as other synthetic and natural fibres, such as cotton.
  • This waste was processed by a shredder and a garnett machine, to create clumps of fibres, with an average staple length of around 40 mm.
  • This material was mixed with about 30% by weight of "melty"; being white PET with the physical attributes as in Example 1 with a melting point of 110 C. This mixture was blended, carded, lapped, needle- punched and thermo-compressed. A layer of this material was produced according to the process outlined in
  • Example 2 which has a thickness of about 12 mm.
  • the result was a partitioning layer product, with a colour dependent on that of the source materials used, and with similar characteristics to that in Example 1, but with a substantially rougher and less consistent surface appearance.
  • EXAMPLE 4 Partitioning
  • the thin layers of material from Example 1 were assembled to sandwich one thicker layer of the material from Example 2, with the good side of each outer layer to the outside. This is bonded by using adhesive, :Vy-Lok 0363" from National Starch & Chemical to fix these layers together. A partitioning material of a thickness of 18 mm resulted.
  • the thin layers of material from Example 1 were assembled to sandwich one thicker layer of the material from Example 3, with the good side of each outer layer to the outside. This is bonded by using an environmentally effective adhesive to fix these layers together.
  • a partitioning material of a thickness of 18 mm resulted.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une séparation (1) de fibre non tissée, rigide, qui est construite à partir d'un nombre de couches liées ensemble, qui est robuste et possède de bonnes propriétés acoustiques. Elle comprend deux couches externes (2) et (3) qui sont, de préférence, des couches de fibre de poly(teréphtalate d'éthylène) (PET), et une ou des couches internes (4) qui sont, de préférence, faites d'une matière recyclée. De préférence, il y a deux couches externes de PET vierge, entourant une couche d'âme de matières recyclées, telles qu'une fibre de PET recyclée, ou sinon d'autres matières textiles. D'une manière générale, les matières recyclées sont des matières de type tissu ou feutre qui ont été traitées de manière à former une couche fibreuse, de préférence avec l'inclusion de quelques fibres de PET, telles que des fibres de PET à bas point de fusion. Cette séparation peut être installée, par exemple, en tant que cloisonnements ou écran, parois démontables, ou en tant qu'enceintes ou tableaux de connexions de station de travail.
PCT/AU2007/001889 2006-12-08 2007-12-10 Séparation WO2008067611A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2006906878A AU2006906878A0 (en) 2006-12-08 Partitioning
AU2006906878 2006-12-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008067611A1 true WO2008067611A1 (fr) 2008-06-12

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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013032524A1 (fr) * 2011-08-30 2013-03-07 VaproShield, LLC Membrane recyclable formant barrière à l'air pour bâtiment
CN104512041A (zh) * 2014-12-29 2015-04-15 杭州萧山邵凯西子塑料五金有限公司 一种pet热塑性纤维免烧砖托板的生产方法
WO2021119422A1 (fr) * 2019-12-12 2021-06-17 Herman Miller, Inc. Système et procédé de fabrication d'un panneau
JP6889970B1 (ja) * 2020-12-08 2021-06-18 前田工繊株式会社 土木工事用不織布およびその製造方法
US11186985B2 (en) 2013-07-22 2021-11-30 VaproShield, LLC Vapor permeable, water resistive, air barrier polyester membrane having a polyacrylic coating with porous pressure sensitive adhesive added to the rear surface of the membrane
US11485112B2 (en) 2013-07-22 2022-11-01 VaproShield, LLC Building membrane with porous pressure sensitive adhesive
US11512473B2 (en) 2018-12-13 2022-11-29 Vaproshield Llc Permeable water-resistive sloped roof underlayment/air barrier
US11525265B2 (en) 2018-09-18 2022-12-13 VaproShield, LLC Permeable water resistive roof underlayment
US12024893B2 (en) 2022-10-27 2024-07-02 VaproShield, LLC Permeable water resistive roof underlayment

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GB2297059A (en) * 1995-01-13 1996-07-24 Nissan Motor Sound insulating structure
JP2002086629A (ja) * 2000-07-12 2002-03-26 Candle Life:Kk 多層合成材及び多層合成材を適用したインテリア装飾体
FR2871406A1 (fr) * 2004-06-14 2005-12-16 Chomarat Composites Soc Par Ac Panneau espaceur composite remplissant une double fonction de renfort et d'isolation phonique

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GB2297059A (en) * 1995-01-13 1996-07-24 Nissan Motor Sound insulating structure
JP2002086629A (ja) * 2000-07-12 2002-03-26 Candle Life:Kk 多層合成材及び多層合成材を適用したインテリア装飾体
FR2871406A1 (fr) * 2004-06-14 2005-12-16 Chomarat Composites Soc Par Ac Panneau espaceur composite remplissant une double fonction de renfort et d'isolation phonique

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DATABASE WPI Week 200259, Derwent World Patents Index; Class A84, AN 2002-551453 *

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013032524A1 (fr) * 2011-08-30 2013-03-07 VaproShield, LLC Membrane recyclable formant barrière à l'air pour bâtiment
US11186985B2 (en) 2013-07-22 2021-11-30 VaproShield, LLC Vapor permeable, water resistive, air barrier polyester membrane having a polyacrylic coating with porous pressure sensitive adhesive added to the rear surface of the membrane
US11485112B2 (en) 2013-07-22 2022-11-01 VaproShield, LLC Building membrane with porous pressure sensitive adhesive
CN104512041A (zh) * 2014-12-29 2015-04-15 杭州萧山邵凯西子塑料五金有限公司 一种pet热塑性纤维免烧砖托板的生产方法
US11525265B2 (en) 2018-09-18 2022-12-13 VaproShield, LLC Permeable water resistive roof underlayment
US11512473B2 (en) 2018-12-13 2022-11-29 Vaproshield Llc Permeable water-resistive sloped roof underlayment/air barrier
WO2021119422A1 (fr) * 2019-12-12 2021-06-17 Herman Miller, Inc. Système et procédé de fabrication d'un panneau
JP6889970B1 (ja) * 2020-12-08 2021-06-18 前田工繊株式会社 土木工事用不織布およびその製造方法
US12024893B2 (en) 2022-10-27 2024-07-02 VaproShield, LLC Permeable water resistive roof underlayment

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