(19)
(11) EP 1 230 863 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
19.03.2003 Bulletin 2003/12

(43) Date of publication A2:
14.08.2002 Bulletin 2002/33

(21) Application number: 02076724.0

(22) Date of filing: 04.06.1996
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: A24D 3/14, D01F 8/06, A24D 3/08, D01F 8/14, D01D 5/34, D04H 1/00, B43K 8/03, B43K 15/02
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 06.06.1995 US 470594

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
96919167.5 / 0881889

(71) Applicant: Filtrona Richmond, Inc.
Colonial Heights, Virginia 23112 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Berger, Richard M.
    Midlothian, Virginia 23112 (US)

(74) Representative: Geering, Keith Edwin 
REDDIE & GROSE 16 Theobalds Road
London WC1X 8PL
London WC1X 8PL (GB)

   


(54) Porous element


(57) The invention relates to a substantially self-sustaining, three-dimensional, porous element formed of a web of flexible thermoplastic fibrous material comprising an interconnecting network of highly dispersed continuous fibers randomly oriented primarily in a longitudinal direction and bonded to each other at points of contact, wherein at least a major part of said continuous fibers are bicomponent fibers comprising a core of thermoplastic polymer material substantially totally surrounded by a sheath of polymer material selected from polyethylene terephthalate and copolymers thereof.






Search report