United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`4,568,581
`
`[45] Date of Patent: Feb. 4, 1986
`Peoples, Jr.
`
`
`
`[54]
`
`[75]
`
`[73]
`
`[21]
`
`[221
`
`[5 1]
`
`[52]
`
`[58]
`
`[561
`
`MOLDED THREE DIMENSIONAL FIBROUS
`SURFACED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF
`PRODUCING SAME
`
`Inventor: Clarence A. Peoples, Jr., Rockwell,
`N.C.
`
`Assignee: Collins & Aikman Corporation, New
`York, N.Y.
`
`Appl. No.: 649,680
`
`Filed:
`
`Sep. 12, 1984
`
`Int. Cl.‘i ......................... B32B 3/20; D04H 1/48;
`DO4H 1/54
`US. Cl. ........................................ 428/35; 19/302;
`264/119; 264/122; 264/126; 264/241; 264/258;
`296/1 R; 428/212; 428/286; 428/296; 428/300;
`428/409; 428/913
`Field of Search ................. 428/296, 35, 212, 286,
`428/300, 409, 913; 264/119, 122, 126, 241, 258;
`156/626; 19/302
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2,483,405 10/1949 Francis ................................ 428/296
`4,195,112
`3/1980 Sheard et a1.
`..... 264/122
`.............. 428/296
`.
`4,258,093 3/ 198] Bened yk .....
`
`..... 264/324
`4,298,643 11/1981 Miyogawa et 211.
`4,315,965
`2/1982 Mason et a1.
`......
`4,324,752 4/1982 Newton et al.
`4,342,813
`8/1982 Erickson ............. 264/ 126
`
`..... 264/126
`4,359,132 ”/1982 Parker et al.
`..
`
`2/1983 Smith et al. ......... 428/234
`4,373,001
`....................... 428/288
`4,474,846 10/1984 Doerer et a1.
`
`Priming) Examiner—James C. Cannon
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`Three dimensional molded articles suitable for use as
`
`fibrous surfaced panels for automobile trunk compart-
`ments and the like are produced by molding a heated
`non-woven web formed of a blend of relatively high
`melting fibers and relatively low melting thermoplastic
`fibers. The low melting fibers form a multiplicity of
`bonds which impart shape retentive rigidity to the non-
`planar three dimensional web. A characteristic feature
`of the molded article is that the low melting fibers pres—
`ent at one surface of the web have a fibrous form, while
`the low melting fibers present at the opposite surface of
`the web have portions which exhibit a nonfibrous fused
`form and form said bonds.
`
`19 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures
`
`
`1,;
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`
`
`
`
`EX1014
`
`Yita v. MacNeil
`
`IPR2020-01139
`
`EX1014
`Yita v. MacNeil
`IPR2020-01139
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 4, 1986
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
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`4,568,581
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`US. Patent
`
`Feb. 4, 1986
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
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`4,568,581
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`

`US. Patent
`
`Feb. 4, 1986
`
`Sheet3of3
`
`4,568,581
`
`
`
`

`

`1
`
`4,568,581
`
`MOLDED THREE DIMENSIONAL FIBROUS
`SURFACED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF
`PRODUCING SAME
`
`FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`2
`retentive characteristics, are produced during the mold-
`ing operation, and without the necessity of providing a
`separate backing layer. The product of the present in-
`vention may be thus characterized as a “self-faced”
`product in that it is of a unitary construction and during
`molding forms its own stiffening “backing” layer.
`In the preferred embodiments of the present inven-
`tion, the nonwoven web from which the molded article
`is formed comprises a needled blend of high melting
`polyester fibers and low melting polyethylene fibers,
`with the high melting polyester fibers comprising the
`major fibrous component of the article. Desirably, the
`relatively low melting thermoplastic fibers have a melt-
`ing temperature of at least 150° F. less than the high
`melting fibers, and the web has an elongation in the
`machine and cross directions of at least 20 percent to
`enable it to be deep drawn during molding to form the
`three dimensional articles.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`This invention relates to an article of manufacture in
`the form of three dimensional molded fibrous sheet
`material, and to a method of producing such an article.
`The molded articles of this invention are particularly
`suited for use as fibrous surfaced panels for automobile
`trunk compartments and the like. Such molded articles
`must have a three dimensional configuration to conform
`to the irregular shapes present in an automobile trunk
`compartment, such as wheel wells, spare tire compart-
`ments, structural supports, and the like. It is also impor-
`tant that these molded articles retain the three dimen-
`sional configuration during normal use and when sub-
`A particularly advantageous feature of the molded
`jected to the heat and wear conditions ordinarily en-
`article of this invention is that is is capable of being
`countered in automobile trunk compartments.
`molded to form deep drawn areas, wherein during the
`Heretofore, molded fibrous surfaced articles pro-
`molding operation the fibrous material itself is stretched
`duced for this purpose have been constructed of a plu-
`and drawn to form deep recesses or relief portions. The
`rality of layers, typically including a fibrous textile face
`deep drawn areas have a density lower than the density
`layer and a backing layer to give the desired moldabil-
`in'other areas of the molded article, yet retain the de-
`ity, stiffness and shape retentive characteristics. For
`sired rigidity and shape retentive characteristics.
`example, one known prior product of this type employs
`a needled nonwoven web with an extrusion coated film
`The present invention also provides a method of
`producing a shape retentive three dimensional molded
`layer of a thermoplastic polymer such as polyethylene
`on the rear surface to give the necessary stiffness and 30 fibrous article suitable for use as fibrous surfaced panels
`for automobile trunk compartments and the like, which
`moldability. One of the limitations and disadvantages of
`comprises
`this type of prior product is its relative expense, and in
`some applications it does not provide the desired degree
`(a) forming a nonwoven web comprising a blend of
`of shape retention. Examples of other molded articles of
`relatively high melting fibers and relatively low
`a layered construction are described in US. Pat. Nos.
`melting thermoplastic fibers;
`4,172,166; 4,205,113; and 4,424,250.
`_
`(b) heating one side of the web to a temperature
`One of the objects of the present invention is to pro-
`greater than the temperature on the opposite side
`vide an improved molded article having enhanced ri-
`thereon and sufficient to melt the low melting ther-
`gidity and shape retentive characteristics, and an aes-
`moplastic fibers;
`thetically pleasing textile outer surface.
`(c) compressing the heated web in a three dimen-
`A further object of the present invention is to provide
`sional mold to thereby form the web into a three
`a molded article of the type described which can be
`dimensional configuration and to form bonds with
`produced at a more economical cost.
`the molten fibers present on the more heated sur-
`face of the web to impart rigidity and shape reten-
`tive characteristics to the molded article while
`leaving the fibers present on the opposite surface in
`a fibrous form and presenting a fibrous textile sur-
`face to the article; and
`(d) removing the molding article from the mold.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`These and other objects of the present invention are
`achieved in accordance with the present invention in a
`three dimensional molded article which comprises a
`nonwoven web formed of a blend of. relatively high
`melting fibers and relatively low melting thermoplastic
`fibers. The nonwoven web includes molded areas
`which define a three dimensional configuration to the
`article, and the low melting fibers form a multiplicity of
`bonds which impart a shape retentive rigidity to the
`article. A characteristic feature of the three dimensional
`molded fibrous article of this invention is that the low
`melting fibers are present on one surface of the molded
`article in a fibrous form and present a textile surface
`appearance and hand to the molded article while at the
`opposite surface of the molded article the low melting
`fibers have portions which exhibit a nonfibrous fused
`form and create bonds which give the molded article its
`shape retentive characteristics.
`The nonwoven web which is used in the molding of
`the fibrous article is of a substantially homogeneous
`construction throughout, and the above-described dif-
`fering characteristics on opposite faces of the molded
`article, which give the article its rigidity and shape
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`Some of the features and advantages of the invention
`having now been generally described, others will be-
`come apparent from the detailed description which
`follows, when taken in connection with the accompany-
`ing drawings, in which
`FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a molded
`article in accordance with the invention, showing the
`front and rear sides thereof respectively;
`FIG. 3 is an enlarged microscopic view of the front
`surface of the molded article taken from the area indi-
`cated at 3 in FIG. 1;
`,
`'
`FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the
`area indicated at_4 in FIG. 2 on the rear surface of the
`molded article;
`FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken substan-
`tially along the line 5—5 of FIG. 3;
`
`

`

`3
`FIG. 6 is a block schematic diagram illustrating the
`method of making the nonwoven fibrous web;
`FIG. 7 is a block schematic diagram illustrating the
`method of molding the nonwoven web into a molded
`article;
`FIG. 8 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an
`apparatus for heating the nonwoven web;
`FIGS. 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of a suitable
`apparatus for molding the nonwoven web;
`FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view illustrating 10
`an apparatus for molding the nonwoven web; and
`FIG. 12 is a perspective View of the molded fibrous
`article produced by the apparatus of FIG. 11.
`
`5
`
`DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`15
`
`While the present invention will be described more
`fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying
`drawings, in which particular embodiments of the pres-
`ent invention are shown, it is to be understood at the 20
`outset of the description which follows that persons of
`ordinary skill in the appropriate arts may modify the
`invention here described while still achieving the favor-
`able results of this invention. Accordingly, the descrip-
`tion which follows is to be understood as a broad, teach- 25
`ing disclosure directed to persons of skill in the appro-
`priate arts, and not as limiting upon the present inven-
`tion.
`
`Referring now more specifically to the drawings,
`FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a three dimensional molded 30
`. article 10 in accordance with the present invention. The
`particular molded article illustrated is intended for use
`as a fibrous surfaced panel for the interior of an automo-
`bile trunk compartment for covering the wheel well
`area of the trunk. The front or outer side of the molded 35
`article 11 is shown in FIG. 1, while the back or inner
`side 12 is shown in FIG. 2. The molded article 10 has a
`rather complex three dimensional shape, and includes a
`number of areas where severe changes in direction
`occur or where a very significant amount of molding or 40
`drawing occurs during the formation of the article in a
`mold.
`The three dimensional molded article 10 is formed
`from a nonwoven sheet material or web of a unique
`construction and composition which provides
`for 45
`readily molding the web into complex shapes such as
`those shown, and which cause the web to develop stiff-
`ness and shape-retentive characteristics upon molding.
`Specifically, the nonwoven web is formed from a
`needled blend of two or more different types of fibers, 50
`including relatively high melting fibers, and relatively
`low melting thermoplastic fibers which, when heated,
`form bonds and serve to bind together the fibers and
`provide the desired stiffness and shape retention charac-
`teristics. The high melting fibers preferably comprise 55
`the major fibrous component of the blend, and they may
`be blended with one or more types of lower melting
`thermoplastic fibers, such as linear low density polyeth-
`ylene, high density polyethylene fibers, polypropylene
`fibers, lower melting polyesters, polyester copolymers 60
`such as PETG, polyamides and copolyamides or ter-
`polyamides such as a terpolymer of nylon 6-66 and 610
`sold under the trademark ELVAMIDE by Du Pont
`ethylene copolymers such as EVA or EAA. The pre-
`ferred low melting fibers for use in this invention are 65
`polyethylene fibers, either linear low density or high
`density, which are typically blended with the high melt-
`ing polyester fibers at a rate of from about 20% to about
`
`4,568,581
`
`4i-
`70% by weight. Optionally, other low melting fibers
`may be added to the blend, however, in the preferred
`construction the polyethylene fibers are the predomi-
`nant low melting fiber.
`Suitable high melting fibers include polyesters, nylon,
`glass, Nomex, and Kevlar. Desirably, there is a substan-
`tial difference between the melting points of the low
`melting thermoplastic fibers and the high melting fibers.
`The low melting thermoplastic fibers should most desir-
`ably have a melting temperature of at least 150° F. less
`than the high melting fibers. The preferred high melting
`fiber for the present invention are polyester fibers. The
`fibers may be suitably colored with the use of dyes, or
`by the incorporation of pigments into the polymer, as is
`conventional.
`The front or outer surface of the molded article has a
`fibrous felt-like textile feel and appearance. An enlarged
`microscopic view of the front surface of the article 10 is
`shown in FIG. 3. In the embodiment illustrated,
`the
`fibrous web is formed of a blend of high melting polyes-
`ter fibers 14 and low melting polyethylene fibers 15. In
`order to distinguish the two kinds of fibers in FIG. 3,
`the high melting fibers 14 are shown in white and the
`low melting polyethylene fibers 15 are shown in black.
`However, it will be understood that in practical com-
`mercial application, the two kinds of fibers may either
`be of the same or of differing colors. It will be seen from
`FIG. 3 that both kinds of fibers are distributed through-
`out the surface of the article in a substantially random
`arrangement. On the front surface 11 of the article, both
`the high melting fibers and the low melting fibers ex-
`hibit a fibrous form. On the back surface 12 of the arti-
`cle, however, as shown in FIG. 4, the low melting fibers
`15 have portions which have melted and fused to form
`bonds 16, and in so doing have lost their fibrous form.
`The fusion bonds 16 are located at the fiber cross~over
`points where two or more fibers come into contact with
`one another. These fusion bonds impart stiffness and
`rigidity to the nonwoven fibrous web, so that it will
`retain the three dimensional shape imparted thereto by
`molding.
`From the cross‘sectional view of FIG. 5 it will be
`seen that the fusion bonds 16 are located predominantly
`adjacent to the inner or back surface 12 of the article,
`while on the front side 11 very few, if any, fusion bonds
`are found and the high melting and low melting fibers
`present an aesthetically pleasing felt-like textile surface
`in which the individual fibers are secured into the arti-
`cle but are substantially free to move relative to one
`another on the surface of the article to give it the desir-
`able textile hand characteristics. The rear surface 12
`may have a somewhat harder crusty hand, depending
`upon the amount of heating, but still has the appearance
`of a felt-like textile article.
`FIG. 6 illustrates a suitable method for producing the
`nonwoven web from which the molded articles of the
`invention are formed. As shown, the high melting poly-
`ester fibers 14. the low melting polyethylene fibers 15.
`and an optional third fiber component 17 are blended
`together in a conventional textile fiber blending appara-
`tus 20 to obtain a substantially homogeneous blend or
`mixture of the fibers. The blend of fibers is then directed
`through a textile carding machine 21 to form a thin
`gossamer card web which is thereafter directed through
`a cross-lapping apparatus 22 in which multiple layers of
`the gossamer card web are laid up on top of one another
`to produce a final web thickness of approximately é to
`9, inches. The cross-lapped web is then directed through
`
`

`

`4,568,581
`
`5
`one or more needle looms, indicated generally by the
`reference character 23 which serve to densify and con-
`solidate the cross-lapped web and produce a unitary
`nonwoven web material W which will hold its form
`during further handling. Typically,
`the cross-lapped
`web W may be subjected to needling of from 700 to
`approximately 900 penetrations per square inch. The
`thus formed needled nonwoven web W is thereafter
`wound up into rolls 25 for storage and further handling.
`Optionally, as indicated by the broken lines, one or
`more additional web components 26 may be combined
`with the cross-lapped web and combined therewith
`during needling to provide a different composition on
`the front or back surface of the needled web. Needled
`nonwoven webs suitable for use in forming molded
`automobile components may have a basis weight of at
`least 10 oz/yd.2 and typically 20 to 30 oz/yd.2.
`The molding operation is schematically illustrated in
`FIG. 7. The web W from roll 25 is cut to size by suitable
`cutting apparatus indicated at 30, is directed through a
`heating chamber 31 where the web is heated to a tem—
`perature sufficient to activate the low melting thermo-
`plastic fiber component, and the heated web is then
`placed in a mold 32 and subjected to pressure to form
`and mold the heated web into the desired three dimen-
`sional configuration. Following molding, the molded
`article is removed from the mold and cut and trimmed
`as necessary, at a trimming station 33.
`The heating is carried out in such a manner that one
`surface of the web is heated to a greater temperature
`than the opposite surface thereof. As illustrated in FIG.
`8 for example, the heating chamber includes heating
`elements 34, 35 both above and below the web in order
`to quickly heat the web throughout, although heating
`may suitably be accomplished from one side only, if
`desired. When two sets of heating elements are em-
`ployed, the heating elements 35 located one side of the
`web have a higher temperature and serve to heat the
`surface of the web to a greater temperature than that of
`the opposite surface.
`After heating to the desired temperature, the heated
`web is quickly transferred to the mold 32. As illustrated,
`the lower or male half of the mold 41 which contacts
`the back side of the molded article is temperature con—
`trolled by the provision of suitable inlet and outlet fluid
`lines 42 for circulation of a heat transfer medium such as
`chilled water. The more heated surface of the web W is
`oriented downward toward the male mold member 41.
`When the cooperating mold halves 41, 43 are brought
`together, the web is stretched and drawn and formed
`into the configuration of the mold. In certain areas of
`the article, the web is stretched and drawn quite sub-
`stantially, e.g. on the order of about 125%, whereas in
`other areas little or no drawing or stretching of the web
`takes place. As a result,
`the deep drawn areas are
`thinned out and have a reduced density as compared to
`the undrawn areas.
`To accommodate the high degree of stretching which
`takes place during molding, the web is constructed so as
`to have high degree of elongation, preferably greater
`than 20%. More specifically, the griege web may typi-
`cally have an elongation as high as about 75 to 80% in
`the machine direction and 45 to 55% in the cross ma-
`chine direction in the unheated state. It will be appreci-
`ated that the heated web during molding would have
`even greater elongation properties.
`During the molding operation, the more heated sur-
`face of the web is compressed and densified and the
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`6
`fibers present at this surface of the web are bonded
`together by the thermoplastic low melting fibers to
`impart stiffness and shape retentive properties to the
`article. However, the fibers which are present on the
`opposite surface of the web, which are heated to a lesser
`degree, are bonded together to a lesser extent with the
`result that portions of these fibers remain free to move
`and project from the surface of the molded article. The
`outer surface of the molded article thus retains a desir-
`able felt—like textile surface appearance and feel.
`EXAMPLE
`
`A first sample nonwoven needled web (A) was pro-
`duced from a blend of 55% by weight black pigmented
`polyethylene terephthalate fibers (15 d.p.f.) and 45%
`black pigmented high density polyethylene fibers by
`blending, carding and cross-lapping in a manner similar
`to that shown in FIG. 6 and described in connection
`therewith. A second sample web (B) was produced in a
`similar manner and of the same fiber composition except
`that the polyethylene terephthalate fibers were conven- .
`tional white fibers rather than black. The thermal prop-
`erties of the webs were measured to ascertain the melt
`temperatures and recrystallization temperatures of the
`fiber components. The results are shown in Table 1.
`TABLE 1
`
`
`Thermal Analysis
`
`Melt
`Non—
`Recrystallization
`Temperatures
`woven
`AT
`(HDPE)
`(PET)
`AT
`(HDPE)
`(PET)
`web
`143“ F.
`226° F.
`369“ F.
`270’ F.
`478° F. 208° F.
`A
`
`
`
`B 146“ F. 273" F. 489° F. 216° F. 226° F. 372' F.
`
`
`
`The webs A and B were each heated and molded to
`form a three dimensional molded article, and samples
`were taken from several areas of the molded article.
`The basis weight, thickness and stiffness of the greige
`unmolded web and of the molded samples were mea-
`sured and the results are shown in Table 2.
`
`TABLE 2
`SAMPLE
`THICK-
`T-O"
`IDENTI- WEIGHT
`NESS
`STIFF-
`
`FICATION
`OZ/YD2
`MILS
`NESS
`COMMENTS
`A-l
`21.2
`250
`15
`Greige
`A-2
`16.6
`100
`89
`High pressure
`area
`Low pressure
`area
`High pressure
`area but lower
`preheat
`Greige
`High pressure
`area
`Low pressure
`56
`200
`20.6
`B-3
`area
`‘in-lbs. X 1000 to bend 10'
`
`A-3
`
`A—4
`
`B-l
`B-2
`
`20.0
`
`22.9
`
`19.4
`17.4
`
`200
`
`150
`
`250
`100
`
`61
`
`65
`
`15
`44
`
`In the drawings and specification, there has been set
`forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and
`although specific terms are employed, they are used in
`a generic and descriptive sense only and not for pur-
`poses of limitation.
`That which is claimed is:
`1. A three dimensional molded article suitable for use
`as fibrous surfaced panels for automobile trunk com-
`partments and the like and comprising a nonwoven web
`formed of a blend of relatively high melting fibers and a
`relatively low melting thermoplastic fibers, said nonwo-
`
`

`

`4,568,581
`
`7
`ven web having molded areas defining a nonplanar
`three dimensional configuration, and said low melting
`fibers forming a multiplicity of bonds imparting shape
`retentive rigidity to the nonplanar three dimensional
`web, the low melting fibers present at one surface of the
`web having a fibrous form and the low melting fibers
`present at the opposite surface of the web having por-
`tions which exhibit a nonfibrous fused form and form
`said bonds.
`2. A molded article according to claim 1 wherein said
`high melting fibers comprise the major fibrous compo-
`nent of the article.
`3. A molded article according to claim 1 wherein said
`nonwoven web comprises a needled nonwoven web.
`4. A molded article according to claim 1 wherein said
`low melting thermoplastic fibers have a melting temper-
`ature of at least 150° F. less than said high melting fi-
`bers.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`8
`11. A nonwoven sheet material adapted for being
`molded to form a fibrous surfaced shape retentive three
`dimensional molded article suitable for use as panels for
`automobile truck compartments and the like and com-
`prising a movalayer coherent web consisting essentially
`of a blend of relatively high melting polyester fibers and
`relatively low melting thermoplastic fibers having a
`melting temperature of at least 150° F. less than the high
`melting fibers, and the web having an elongation in the
`machine and cross directions of at least 20% to enable it
`to be deep drawn during molding to form the three
`dimensional articles.
`12. A sheet material according to claim 11 wherein
`the low melting thermoplastic fibers comprise polyeth-
`ylene fibers.
`13. A method of producing a shape retentive three
`dimensional molded article suitable for use as fibrous
`surfaced panels for automobile trunk compartments and
`the like, said method comprising
`(a) forming a nonwoven web comprising a blend of
`relatively high melting fibers and relatively low
`melting thermoplastic fibers,
`(b) heating one side of the web to a temperature
`greater than the temperature on the opposite side
`thereof and sufficient to melt the low melting ther-
`moplastic fibers,
`(c) compressing the heated web in a three dimen-
`sional mold to thereby form the web into a three
`dimensional configuration and to form bonds with
`the molten fibers present on the more heated sur-
`face of the web to impart rigidity and shape reten-
`tive characteristics to the molded sheet material
`while leaving the fibers present on the opposite
`surface in a fibrous form presenting a fibrous textile
`surface to the sheet material, and
`(d) removing the molded sheet material from the
`mold.
`'
`14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the
`heating of the web comprises applying heat to both
`sides of the web while heating said one side of the web
`to a greater temperature than the opposite side.
`15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said one
`side of the web is heated to a temperature greater than
`about 270° F.
`16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the step
`of forming a nonwoven web comprising a blend of high
`melting fibers and low melting fibers comprises blend-
`ing polyester high melting fibers and polyethylene low
`melting fibers.
`17. A method according to claim 13 wherein the step
`of forming a nonwoven web comprising a blend of high
`melting fibers and low melting fibers comprises forming
`a homogeneous blend of the fibers by carding and cross-
`lapping.
`18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the
`forming of a nonwoven web comprising a blend of
`fibers included the additional step of needling the web.
`19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the
`forming of the blend of fibers includes the additional
`step of applying to the homogeneous blend of fibers a
`face layer of fibers formed of only one of the two types
`of fibers.
`*
`it:
`Hit
`’3
`I!
`
`20
`
`5. A molded article according to claim 1 wherein said
`low melting fibers comprises polyethylene fibers.
`6. A molded article according to claim 1 wherein said
`molded areas which define a nonplanar three dimen-
`sional configuration include deep drawn areas which
`have a density lower than in other areas of the molded
`article.
`7. A three dimensional molded article suitable for use
`as fibrous surfaced panels for automobile trunk com-
`partments and the like, and comprising a nonwoven
`web formed of a substantially homogeneous blend of 30
`relatively high melting polyester fibers and relatively
`low melting polyethylene fibers, said nonwoven web
`including molded areas defining a nonplanar three di—
`mensional configuration, and said low melting fibers
`forming a multiplicity of bonds imparting shape reten-
`tive rigidity to the article, the low melting fibers present
`at one surface of the web having a fibrous form and a .
`substantial proportion of the low melting fibers present
`at the opposite surface of the web having melted por—
`tions which exhibit a nonfibrous fused form and form
`said bonds.
`8. A three dimensional molded article suitable for use
`as fibrous surfaced panels for automobile trunk com-
`partments and the like and comprising a nonwoven
`needled web formed of ‘a blend of a relatively high
`melting fibers and a relatively low melting thermoplas-
`tic fibers, said nonwoven needled web having a nonpla-
`nar three dimensional configuration, and said low melt-
`ing fibers forming a multiplicity 'of bonds imparting
`shape retentive rigidity to the nonplanar three dimen—
`sional web, said bonds being assymetrically distributed
`throughout the thickness of the web and predominantly
`located closer to one surface than to the opposite sur—
`face thereof with the fibers present at said Opposite
`surface being freely movable and presenting a felt-like
`fibrous textile surface to the article.
`9. A molded article according to claim 8 wherein said
`bonds are comprised of areas in which the low melting
`fibers have melted and flowed and lost their fibrous
`form.
`10. A molded article according to claim 8 wherein
`said low melting fibers comprise polyethylene fibers
`and said high melting fibers comprise polyester fibers.
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`

`

`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`PATENT ND.
`
`DATED
`
`:
`
`:
`
`4,568,581
`
`February 4, 1986
`
`INVENTUR(S)
`
`: Clarence A. Peoples, Jr.
`
`it is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby
`corrected as shown beiow:
`
`In Claim 11, Column 8 , Line 5, "n‘ovalayer“ should be —— monolayer —— .
`
`[SEAL]
`
`’ Arrest:
`
`Signed and Scaled this
`
`Thirteenth D a y 0! May I986
`
`Arresting Officer
`
`Commissioner ofhtents and Trademaks
`
`DONALD J. QUIGG
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`