Abstract: Various embodiments of methods for testing properties of a product comprise: (1) heating a sample of the product via an ignition source and determining a temperature differential across the sample; or (2) exposing a sample of the product to a flame and determining thermal transfer resistivity of the sample; or (3) supporting a sample of the product over an ignition source, heating the sample via the ignition source, and determining a temperature differential across the sample. The tested properties of the product may consist of: open flame resistivity, thermal transfer resistivity, or both.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a bi-layered carpet underlay. More particularly, the method includes bonding a layer of non-woven fibers and a layer of re-bonded foam particles together to form the bi-layered carpet underlay. The layers of the carpet underlay can be bonded together with the use of adhesives, by heating a surface of one or both layers to a soft bondable state for lamination between the layers, by applying a film having adhesive surfaces between the layers, or by other suitable bonding means. The bi-layered carpet underlay combines the soft cushioning resilience of foam with the high durability bridging ability of fiber to provide a carpet underlay that maintains its height or thickness and firmness, while imparting softness and cushioning effects over an extended period of wear.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat absorptive bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt and an associated method of enhancing the fire resistance characteristic of a product employing the same. The heat absorptive bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt includes a heat reactive layer and a barrier layer having a lower side surface disposed against an upper side surface of the heat reactive layer. In response to a heat source located beyond the barrier layer, a cavity may form in the heat reactive layer, extending from the upper side surface to an interior side surface thereof. The cavity is fully enclosed, within the heat absorptive bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batt, by the lower side surface of the barrier layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an FR barrier that may be used to enhance the fire resistance characteristics of a product, and an associated method for forming such an FR barrier. The FR barrier includes a chemical barrier layer and an FR nonwoven fiber batt. The chemical barrier layer improves the FR characteristics of the FR nonwoven fiber batt, often by depriving flame of oxygen, while the FR nonwoven fiber batt may shield a combustible layer of a product from direct contact with flame. The chemical barrier layer is often applied to the distal side surface of the FR nonwoven fiber batt.

Abstract: A seat cushion or other resilient structure includes a foam inner core combined with layers of varying density fiber batts to impart desirable comfort characteristics, support features and durability thereto. In one embodiment, the foam core is positioned between intermediate layers of low loft fiber batts of relatively high densities. In turn, the intermediate batts are sandwiched between outer high loft fiber batts having relatively low densities. Alternately, the foam core comprises one or more intermediate layers of relatively high density fiber batts that are positioned within the foam core to create one or more fiber batt subcores. The outer high loft fiber batts sandwich the foam core comprising the fiber batt subcores to create the resilient structure.

Abstract: A protective fire retardant (FR) component for a composite furniture system. The protective FR component includes a resilient FR fiber batt comprised of at least one FR material and a layer of material enclosing the resilient FR fiber batt. The FR materials used to form the resilient FR fiber batt may include oxidized polyacrylonitrile (O-PAN) fibers, FR rayon fibers, a fiber blend which includes both O-PAN fibers and FR rayon fibers, modacrylic fibers or a fiber blend which includes both FR rayon fibers and modacrylic fibers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a fire combustion modified batt. The method comprises the step of forming a blend of nonwoven and oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers into a web. The oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers are fire resistant and when blended with nonwoven fibers are relatively easily processed into a batt. A second blend of nonwoven fibers can be formed into a web and layered with the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber web to form the batt. The fibers are bonded together with heat, resin or other bonding material and are compressed and cooled. The fire combustion modified batt is useful as fire barriers and fillers in bedding, upholstery and vehicle and aircraft seats, as insulators for apparel, appliances, walls and ducting, as barriers to separate control systems from a heat source, and as components in fire safety gear such as race driver suits and oven and welding mitts.

Abstract: A method for relofting a nonwoven fiber product comprises forming a high-loft nonwoven fiber batt, compressing the high-loft nonwoven fiber batt to form a compressed fiber batt, securing the compressed fiber batt with a restraint, such that the compressed fiber batt will expand in the absence of the restraint, removing the restraint from the compressed fiber batt, thereby allowing the compressed fiber batt to expand into an expanded fiber batt, and relofting the expanded fiber batt using heat, thereby increasing the thickness of the expanded fiber batt to produce a relofted fiber batt. In an embodiment, the high-loft nonwoven fiber batt has a first thickness, the compressed fiber batt has a second thickness less than the first thickness, the expanded fiber batt has a third thickness greater than the second thickness, and the relofted fiber batt has a fourth thickness greater than the third thickness.

Abstract: A fire resistant (FR) mattress comprising a core comprising a first densified nonwoven fiber batt, and a ticking comprising a first fabric, the ticking enclosing the core and the fill layer, wherein the core and the ticking consist essentially of a common fiber composition having substantially identical FR characteristic, thereby imparting the substantially uniform FR characteristic upon the mattress. In another aspect, the invention includes a mattress comprising a core, a plurality of substantially adjacent similarly oriented spring coils arranged in a common plane within the core, and a ticking comprising a first fabric, the ticking enclosing the core and the fill layer, wherein the core and the ticking consist essentially of a common fiber composition having substantially identical FR characteristic, thereby imparting the substantially uniform FR characteristic upon the mattress.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a fire combustion modified batt. The method comprises the step of forming a blend of nonwoven and oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers into a web. The oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers are fire resistant and when blended with nonwoven fibers are relatively easily processed into a batt. A second blend of nonwoven fibers can be formed into a web and layered with the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber web to form the batt. The fibers are bonded together with heat, resin or other bonding material and are compressed and cooled. The fire combustion modified batt is useful as fire barriers and fillers in bedding, upholstery and vehicle and aircraft seats, as insulators for apparel, appliances, walls and ducting, as barriers to separate control systems from a heat source, and as components in fire safety gear such as race driver suits and oven and welding mitts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a fire combustion modified batt. The method comprises the step of forming a blend of nonwoven and oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers into a web. The oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers are fire resistant and when blended with nonwoven fibers are relatively easily processed into a batt. A second blend of nonwoven fibers can be formed into a web and layered with the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber web to form the batt. The fibers are bonded together with heat, resin or other bonding material and are compressed and cooled. The fire combustion modified batt is useful as fire barriers and fillers in bedding, upholstery and vehicle and aircraft seats, as insulators for apparel, appliances, walls and ducting, as barriers to separate control systems from a heat source, and as components in fire safety gear such as race driver suits and oven and welding mitts.

Abstract: A flooring underlayment comprising a plurality of recycled fibers formed into a nonwoven fiber batt, and a resin intermixed with the recycled fibers in the nonwoven fiber batt, the resin bonding the recycled fibers together. The invention includes a flooring underlayment comprising a plurality of recycled fibers formed into a nonwoven fiber batt, wherein the nonwoven fiber batt is formed using a method selected from the group comprising resin bonding, thermal bonding, mechanical bonding, and combinations thereof. The invention includes a nonwoven fiber batt comprising a blend of recycled fibers and binder fibers formed into a nonwoven fiber batt, and a resin intermixed with the recycled fibers and the binder fibers in the nonwoven fiber batt, wherein the resin and the binder fibers bond the recycled fibers and the binder fibers in the nonwoven fiber batt together.

Abstract: resent invention relates to a process of forming a multi-layer pad of a non-woven fiber batt and a foam layer having conforming convoluted surfaces and to a multi-layer pad incorporating a non-woven fiber batt and foam layer. The process of forming a non-woven batt layer and a foam layer having conforming convoluted surfaces comprises transporting each layer along its longitudinal dimension while compressing each layer along its lateral dimension. Concomitantly with compression, each layer is cut transversely along its lateral dimension to separate each layer into an upper segment and a lower segment and to provide conforming convoluted surfaces on the segments of each layer, the convoluted surfaces comprised of upstanding projections and depressions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a fire combustion modified batt. The method comprises the step of forming a blend of nonwoven and charring fibers such as oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers into a web. The charring fibers are fire resistant and when blended with nonwoven fibers are relatively easily processed into a batt. A second blend of nonwoven fibers can be formed into a web and layered with the charring fiber web to form the batt. The fibers are bonded together with heat, resin or other bonding material and are compressed and cooled. The fire combustion modified batt is useful as fire barriers and fillers in bedding, upholstery and vehicle and aircraft seats, as insulators for apparel, appliances, walls and ducting, as barriers to separate control systems from a heat source, and as components in fire safety gear such as race driver suits and oven and welding mitts.

Abstract: Disclosed are uni-layer and bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batts formed of various blends of charring fibers such as FR treated rayon, oxygen-depleting fibers such as modacrylic fibers and nonwoven fibers such as carrier fibers and binder fibers and associated methods for forming the same. Variously, the uni-layer and bi-layer FR nonwoven fiber batts may include layers formed entirely of blends of charring fibers and nonwoven fibers, layers formed entirely of blends of oxygen-depleting fibers and nonwoven fibers and/or layers formed of blends of charring fibers, oxygen-depleting fibers and nonwoven fibers.

Abstract: A bi-layered fire resistant (FR) nonwoven fiber batt and an associated method for manufacturing the same. The bi-layered FR nonwoven fiber batt includes a first, gray, FR layer, formed from a blend of black oxidized polyacrylonitrile (oxidized PAN), white dry polyester carrier fibers and white low-melt polyester binder fibers, and a second, white, layer, formed from a blend of white FR rayon, white dry polyester carrier fibers and white low-melt polyester binder fibers, disposed in a conforming relationship with the first, gray, FR layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing properties of a product comprising a thermal barrier layer comprises an ignition source, a test stand that extends a sample of the product over the ignition source, and a means for measuring thermal transfer across the sample. The apparatus may further comprise a means for measuring thermal transfer across each layer of the sample. A method for testing properties of a product comprising a thermal barrier layer comprises supporting a sample of the product over an ignition source, heating the sample via the ignition source, and determining a thermal differential across the sample. The method may further comprise determining a thermal differential across each layer of the sample.