UNWINDER FOR AS-SPUN ELASTOMERIC FIBER

摘要

The invention provides an unwinder comprising: a frame; a fiber package holder affixed to said frame holding a package (10) of iber about a rational axis such that at least one fiber can unwind from said fiber package (0) in a direction defining an acute angle with the rational axis of the fiber package; a driven take-off roll (30) for unwinding fiber from the fiber package at a predetermined take-off rate; a first fiber guide (20) for directing fiber unwound from the fiber package (10), said first fiber guide positioned on said frame such that a distance (d) from the first fiber guide to the end of the fiber package (10) facing said first fiber guide, measured on the line defined by the rotational axis of the fiber package, is controlled in dependency of the level of tack exhibited by the fiber and an angle theta , defined by the intersection of imaginary lines corresponding, respectively, to the rotational axis of the package and the central axis of the fiber guide inlet orifice that is controlled in dependency of the level of tack exhibited by the fiber. The invention further provides a method for unwinding fiber.