Apparatus (1) for producing nonwoven fabrics, comprising: a spinneret (2) comprising an extrusion surface (2a) having at least one first group (4) of extrusion holes (3) and a second group (5) of extrusion holes (4); cooling elements (15, 15′); suction elements (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14); drawing elements to draw said filaments (100); wherein said suction elements (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) comprise a plurality of first suction channels (7) forming corresponding openings (7a) on said extrusion surface (2a), which are arranged between the first group (4) and the second group (5) of extrusion holes (3), said first channels (7) being fluidically connected to a first chamber (8) made in said spinneret (2), the suction elements (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) comprising one or more second suction channels (9) configured to suction gas from said first chamber (8).

A method for forming a fiber is provided. The method comprises extruding a matrix polymer and a nanoinclusion additive to form a thermoplastic composition in which the nanoinclusion additive is dispersed within a continuous phase of the matrix polymer. The extruded thermoplastic composition is thereafter passed through a spinneret to form a fiber having a porous network containing a plurality of nanopores, wherein the average percent volume occupied by the nanopores within a given unit volume of the fiber is from about 3% to about 15% per cm.sup.3.

A method of making a nonwoven from continuous filaments is provided. The method comprises the steps of spinning continuous filaments from a spinneret to move along a vertical travel path in a vertical travel direction, cooling and stretching the filaments downstream of the spinneret in a cooler and a stretcher, and depositing the cooled and stretched filaments at a deposition location on a foraminous belt moving horizontally underneath the cooler and stretcher and having an array of openings of which a portion are plugged with a sealing compound to create a partially plugged foraminous belt. The method comprises drawing air downward through unplugged openings in the foraminous belt to stabilize the continuous filaments deposited on the foraminous belt, and pre-consolidating the deposited nonwoven into final form.

A method of making a nonwoven from continuous filaments is provided. The method comprises the steps of spinning continuous filaments from a spinneret to move along a vertical travel path in a vertical travel direction, cooling and stretching the filaments downstream of the spinneret in a cooler and a stretcher, and depositing the cooled and stretched filaments at a deposition location on a foraminous belt moving horizontally underneath the cooler and stretcher and having an array of openings of which a portion are plugged with a sealing compound to create a partially plugged foraminous belt. The method comprises drawing air downward through unplugged openings in the foraminous belt to stabilize the continuous filaments deposited on the foraminous belt, and pre-consolidating the deposited nonwoven into final form.

A method comprises providing a resin comprising an olefin block copolymer; spinning the resin into one or more fibers; cooling the one or more fibers to below the solidification point of the resin; after cooling, stretching the one or more fibers to a nominal elongation of 50 to 900% to form one or more stretched fibers; and relaxing the one or more stretch fibers to form one or more elastic fibers, and, optionally laminating the fibers to a flexible substrate. Articles comprising such elastic fiber(s) bonded to a nonwoven, can exhibit: a force at 50% elongation of less than 2 Newtons, a force at 100% elongation of less than 4 Newtons, a elongation at five Newtons for a 50 mm sample of at least 120%, and/or an unload force at 50% on a second cycle of less than 1.5 N/50 mm.

A method comprises providing a resin comprising an olefin block copolymer; spinning the resin into one or more fibers; cooling the one or more fibers to below the solidification point of the resin; after cooling, stretching the one or more fibers to a nominal elongation of 50 to 900% to form one or more stretched fibers; and relaxing the one or more stretch fibers to form one or more elastic fibers, and, optionally laminating the fibers to a flexible substrate. Articles comprising such elastic fiber(s) bonded to a nonwoven, can exhibit: a force at 50% elongation of less than 2 Newtons, a force at 100% elongation of less than 4 Newtons, a elongation at five Newtons for a 50 mm sample of at least 120%, and/or an unload force at 50% on a second cycle of less than 1.5 N/50 mm.

A method for manufacturing a composite fabric includes the steps of feeding, mixing and stirring, first drying, hot melt extrusion, first cooling, stretch extension, second cooling, winding-strands-into-roll, second drying, and weaving. The composite fabric is composed of multiple first threads and multiple second threads which are woven to the first threads. The first threads and the second threads are respectively reflective threads and glowing threads so that the composite fabric includes both features of light reflection and glowing in dark.

A system for making a nonwoven nonwoven spun-bond or melt-blown fabric has a spinneret for spinning fibers or filaments, a cooler downstream of the spinneret for cooling the spun fibers or filaments, a stretcher downstream of the cooler for stretching the cooled fibers or filaments, and a conveyor downstream of the stretcher. The stretched and cooled fibers or filaments are deposited as a nonwoven web on the conveyor. Sensors measure input parameters at the spinneret, at the cooler, at the stretcher, and/or at at least one diffuser or at the conveyor. An evaluating unit for determining an output parameter from the measured input parameter with respect to a predetermined reference parameter.

A system for making a nonwoven nonwoven spun-bond or melt-blown fabric has a spinneret for spinning fibers or filaments, a cooler downstream of the spinneret for cooling the spun fibers or filaments, a stretcher downstream of the cooler for stretching the cooled fibers or filaments, and a conveyor downstream of the stretcher. The stretched and cooled fibers or filaments are deposited as a nonwoven web on the conveyor. Sensors measure input parameters at the spinneret, at the cooler, at the stretcher, and/or at at least one diffuser or at the conveyor. An evaluating unit for determining an output parameter from the measured input parameter with respect to a predetermined reference parameter.

An apparatus for making spunbonded nonwovens has a spinneret for emitting continuous thermoplastic filaments in a filament-travel direction, a cooling chamber downstream in the direction from the spinneret for cooling the spun filaments with cooling air, two manifolds on opposite sides of the cooling chamber opening transversely of the direction into the cooling chamber, and a respective conduit having a conduit cross-sectional area and connected to each manifold for feeding cooling air thereto. The conduit cross-sectional area increases toward the manifold to a manifold cross-sectional area, and manifold cross-sectional area is at least twice as large as the conduit cross-sectional area. At least one flow straightener is provided upstream from the cooling chamber in each manifold for orienting air flow in an air-flow direction, and at least one perforated planar homogenizing element is provided in each manifold for homogenizing the cooling air flow.