US 11,739,444 B2
Die assembly and methods of using same
Michael David James, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed by The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed on Aug. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/878,472.
Application 17/878,472 is a division of application No. 16/914,556, filed on Jun. 29, 2020, granted, now 11,414,787.
Application 16/914,556 is a continuation of application No. 12/855,772, filed on Aug. 13, 2010, granted, now 10,704,166, issued on Jul. 7, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/233,990, filed on Aug. 14, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2022/0380938 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. D01D 4/02 (2006.01); D01D 5/098 (2006.01); B29C 48/05 (2019.01)
CPC D01D 4/025 (2013.01) [D01D 5/0985 (2013.01); B29C 48/05 (2019.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for forming filaments, the method comprising the step of producing filaments from a die assembly, wherein the die assembly comprises a plurality of filament forming nozzles, wherein the filament forming nozzles comprise filament exit holes from which filaments exit the filament forming nozzles during operation, wherein the die assembly further comprises a single uninterrupted open area surrounding all of the filament forming nozzles of the die assembly, wherein all of the filament forming nozzles extend at least partially through, but less than completely through, the single uninterrupted open area and wherein a fluid exits the die assembly through the single uninterrupted open area and contacts the filament exit holes during operation, wherein at least a portion of the fluid that contacts the filament exit holes is supplied by a fluid flow path that is divided into at least two different fluid cavities, one of the fluid cavities present between a nozzle plate comprising the plurality of filament forming nozzles and an air plate, and another fluid cavity of the at least two different fluid cavities present between the air plate and an enclosure plate that defines the single uninterrupted open area, wherein the air plate comprises a plurality of holes through which one or more of the filament forming nozzles extend and wherein the air plate further comprises one or more holes that are void of the filament forming nozzles and that are configured to direct the fluid towards the second fluid cavity.