US 12,420,497 B2
Molding of fiber blanks into three-dimensional fiber block articles
Anders Bergner, Halmstad (SE)
Assigned to Inter IKEA Systems B.V., Delft (NL)
Filed by Inter IKEA Systems B.V., Delft (NL)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/066,081.
Application 18/066,081 is a continuation of application No. 16/464,138, granted, now 11,559,955, previously published as PCT/EP2017/080805, filed on Nov. 29, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 1651570-2 (SE), filed on Nov. 30, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0191723 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 70/46 (2006.01); A47C 27/12 (2006.01); B29K 67/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/08 (2006.01); D04H 1/74 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/46 (2013.01) [A47C 27/12 (2013.01); D04H 1/74 (2013.01); B29K 2067/00 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0863 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A three-dimensional fiber block article, the three-dimensional fiber block article being obtainable by molding a heated fiber blank, including a thermally activated binding agent, into the three-dimensional fiber block article in a fiber block molding process, the fiber block molding process comprising:
receiving the fiber blank to be molded at a receiving position of a conveyor system;
transporting the fiber blank by means of the conveyor system via a heater, thereby heating the fiber blank to activate the binding agent, to a mold, the mold having a lower part and an upper part, wherein the lower and the upper parts of the mold form between them a cavity for forming the fiber blank into the fiber block article upon closing the mold;
cooling the lower part of the mold;
delivering the heated fiber blank on the cooled lower part of the mold; and
closing the mold to provide the fiber block article;
wherein the cavity is closed on only a single heated fiber blank, such that the fiber block article is of a unitary, one-piece construction;
wherein the fiber blank is lapped vertically, the fibers in the fiber blank being arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension of the fiber blank, and/or the fibers in the fiber blank being arranged perpendicularly to the transport direction of the fiber blank on the conveyor system;
wherein the fiber block article has an outer surface with stronger bonded fibers compared to fibers in an interior of the fiber block article;
wherein the fiber block article is a cushion member; and
wherein the fiber block article includes binder fibers and filling fibers, the binder fibers being distinct from the filling fibers, wherein the binder fibers are bi-component binder polyester fibers that include the thermally activated binding agent, wherein the filling fibers are polyester fibers.