Patents Assigned to Tencel Limited
  • Method of manufacture of nonwoven fabric
    Patent number: 6358461
    Abstract: A method of manufacture of a nonwoven cellulose fabric is disclosed. The fabric is made from fibers formed by extrusion of a solution of cellulose through a spinning jet. The extruded fiber is attenuated with a high velocity gas flow, and the attenuated fiber is collected on a surface (such as the curved surface of a rotating drum) on which the fiber web is subsequently coagulated. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed. The method and apparatus permit the manufacture of a nonwoven lyocell fabric web in which fibers are bonded together without the use of a binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Tencel Limited
    Inventors: Stephen J. Law, Heather Street, Gregory J. Askew
  • Process of making lyocell fibre or film
    Patent number: 6258304
    Abstract: Lyocell fibres contain elongated domains of polyester, polyamide or an olefin copolymer, the domains having an aspect ratio at least 1.5 and being aligned substantially parallel to the axis of the fibre. A process for the preparation of lyocell fibre or film by extruding a solution of cellulose in amine oxide through a spinneret or film die at elevated temperature via an air gap into an aqueous precipitation bath is characterised in that 0.1 to 60 wt % based on cellulose of a thermoplastic low-melting polymer is incorporated into the cellulose solution. A process for the preparation of a bicomponent fibre by extruding two polymers through a spinneret in side-by-side relationship at elevated temperature is characterised in that one of the polymers is a solution of cellulose in amine oxide and the other polymer is a molten thermoplastic polymer having a melting point above 25° C. but below the extrusion temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Tencel Limited
    Inventor: Hardev Singh Bahia
  • Battery separators
    Patent number: 6258488
    Abstract: A battery (31) having a battery separator (34, 35, 36) which is made from a cellulose film formed from a solution of cellulose in an amine oxide solvent. The separator performs well in alkaline battery cells to operationally separate the different polarity electrodes (32,33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Tencel Limited
    Inventors: Gregory J. Askew, Stephen J. Law, Heather Street
  • Wound dressing and manufacture thereof
    Patent number: 6153214
    Abstract: Gel sheets suitable for use as wound dressings can be made by thoroughly wetting with an aqueous liquor a textile material which comprises at least 50 percent by weight of a water-swellable fiber and subsequently pressing the thusly-formed swollen sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Tencel Limited
    Inventor: Jo Ann Horsler