Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
An absorbent nonwoven structure comprising layers of nonwoven absorbent material and nonwoven hydrophobic thermoplastic material characterised in that the absorbent and thermoplastic layers are disposed alternately with absorbent layers forming both of the outermost layers, each of the nonwoven hydrophobic thermoplastic layers having a basis weight of 5-25 g/m 2 and an open area of at least 40%, the layers being spot bonded together and the thermoplastic layers having a structure that will provide void value between, and support for, adjacent absorbent layers so as thereby to increase the absorbency of the structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
An absorbent nonwoven structure comprising layers of nonwoven absorbent material and nonwoven hydrophobic thermoplastic material characterised in that the absorbent and thermoplastic layers are disposed alternately with absorbent layers forming both of the outermost layers, each of the nonwoven hydrophobic thermoplastic layers having a basis weight of 5-25 g/m 2 and an open area of at least 40%, the layers being spot bonded together and the thermoplastic layers having a structure that will provide void value between, and support for, adjacent absorbent layers so as thereby to increase the absorbency of the structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A structure according to Claim 1 wherein at least one of said nonwoven absorbent layers comprises a spunbonded continuous filament rayon web having a basis weight of from 20 to 7 5 g/ m 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
A structure according to Claim 1 wherein at least one of said nonwoven absorbent layers comprises a web of discontinuous rayon fibers of at least staple length chosen from the class consisting of an air laid web, a wet laid web, a carded web, an air laid and mechanically needled web, a carded and mechanically needled web, an air laid and hydraulically needled web, a wet laid and hydraulically needled web and a carded and hydraulically needled web, said at least one discontinuous fiber rayon ' web having a basis weight of from 2 0 to 75 g/m 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A structure according to anyone of Claims 1-3 wherein said outermost nonwoven absorbent layers each comprise a stabilized rayon web.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A structure according to anyone of Claims 1-4 wherein said nonwoven hydrophobic thermoplastic layers each comprise at least one web chosen from the class consisting of an expanded film web, an extruded and embossed web, a melt blown web and a spunbonded web made from a polymer chosen from the class consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, ethyl vinyl acetate, ethylene methyl acrylate, polyester polyamide and polyurethane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A disposable laparotomy sponge according to any one of Claims 1-5 comprising four absorbent rayon webs of basis weight 30 g/m 2 and three hydrophobic thermoplastic webs selected from polyethylene webs of basis weight 18 g/m 2 and polypropylene webs of basis weight 6 g/m2.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A disposable laparotomy sponge of structure according to Claim 6 characterised in that the absorbent webs comprise continuous filament spunbonded rayon webs, the two outermost hydrophobic webs being polyethylene webs and the central thermoplastic web comprising two adjacent polypropylene webs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A disposable laparotomy sponge having a structure according to Claim 6 characterised in that the absorbent webs are continuous filament spunbonded rayon webs, the two outermost thermoplastic hydrophobic webs are polypropylene webs and the central thermoplastic web is a single polyethylene web.