EP0070164A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Absorbent nonwoven fabric containing staple length polyester/polyethylene conjugate fibers and absorbent fibers
Assignee: Chicopee LLC
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Filing: 1982-07-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-07-09
Abstract
Abstract There is disciosed a low density, highly absorbent. thermal bonded, nonwoven fabric comprising absorbent fibers and staple length polyesterlpolyethylene conjugate fibers that is produced by the steps of: (a) producing a mixture of such fibers to produce a fibrous web; (b) subjecting said web to a temperature sufficient to fuse the polyethylene component of said conjugate fibers without fusing the polyester component of said conjugate fibers, while maintaining the web under little or no compression; and (c) cooling said web to re-solidify the polyethylene component of said conjugate fibers, to thereby form bonds at the sites where said conjugate fibers touch other fibers.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Fekete
- 👤 Alfred Thomas Mays
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:46
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/53; A61F13/15577; A61F13/15617; A61F13/1565; A61L; A61L15/00; A61L15/16; A61L15/22; A61L15/225; D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/54; A61F13/539; A61F13/56; A61F13/58; A61F2013/15821; A61F13/45; A61F13/47; A61F2013/4708; A61F2013/530131; A61F2013/5395; A61F2013/582
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
An absorbent, thermal bonded nonwoven fabric having a bulk density below about 0.15 gram per cubic centimeter, said fabric comprising absorbent fibers and staple length conjugate fibers, said conjugate fibers being composed of polyethylene and polyester, wherein a substantial proportion of the surfaces of said conjugate fibers comprises said polyethylene.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
An absorbent, thermal bonded nonwoven fabric having a bulk density below about 0.15 gram per cubic centimeter, said fabric comprising absorbent fibers and staple length conjugate fibers, said conjugate fibers being composed of polyethylene and polyester, wherein a substantial proportion of the surfaces of said conjugate fibers comprises said polyethylene.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 wherein the bulk density of said fabric . is within the range of from about 0.02 to about 0.09 gram per cubic centimeter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 or 2 wherein said fabric has an absorbent capacity of at least about 1400 per cent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the conjugate fibers are sheath/core bicomponent fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein at least one surface of said fabric has a veneer of thermal bonded heat-fusible fibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The nonwoven fabric of claim 5 wherein said heat-fusible fibers are conjugate fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said absorbent fibers are wood pulp fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the absorbent fibers are rayon staple fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said fabric contains staple length polyester fibers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said fabric is hot embossed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
Process which comprises: (a) producing a web comprising absorbent fibers and staple length conjugate fibers, said conjugate fibers being composed of polyethylene and polyester, wherein a substantial proportion of the surface of said conjugate fibers comprises said polyethylene; (b) subjecting said web to temperature sufficient to fuse said polyethylene without fusing said polyester, while maintaining said web under minimal pressure; and (c) cooling said web to re-solidify said polyethylene, to thereby produce a low density, highly absorbent, thermal bonded nonwoven fabric.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
Process which comprises: (a) producing a web comprising absorbent fibers and staple length conjugate fibers, said conjugate fibers being composed of polyethylene and polyester, wherein a substantial proportion of the surface of said conjugate fibers comprises said polyethylene; (b) subjecting said web to temperature sufficient to fuse said polyethylene without fusing said polyester, while maintaining said web under minimal pressure; and (c) cooling said web to re-solidify said polyethylene, to thereby produce a low density, highly absorbent, thermal bonded nonwoven fabric.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
Process of claim 11 wherein said web includes at least one veneer layer comprising heat-fusible fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
Process of claim 11 or 12 wherein the nonwoven fabric product of step (c) is subjected to the additional step of hot embossing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A catamenial device comprising the nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 10.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The catamenial device of claim 14 comprising the nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1 to 10 having laminated thereto an impermeable layer, said impermeable layer haying applied thereon a pressure-sensitive adhesive element for adhering to an undergarment, said pressure-sensitive element having a protective layer to protect the same prior to use.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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