EP0212284A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Gathered nonwoven elastic web
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Corp
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Filing: 1986-07-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-07-21
Abstract
Abstract A process for producing a gathered nonwoven elastic web including a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web is disclosed. The process includes the steps of (a) providing a nonwoven elastic web (22) having a relaxed unbiased length and a stretched, biased length; (b) stretching (34) the nonwoven elastic to its stretched, biased length; (c) forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web (50) directly upon a surface of the nonwoven elastic web while maintaining the nonwoven elastic web at its stretched, biased length; (d) forming a composite nonwoven elastic web (52) by joining the fibrous nonwoven elastic web to the nonwoven elastic web while continuing to maintain the nonwoven elastic web at its stretched length; and (e) relaxing the nonwoven elastic web to its relaxed length to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web. In some embodiments, joining of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the nonwoven elastic web may be separable so that the gathered nonwoven web may be separated from the elastic nonwoven web after the gathering step.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Tod Morman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:58
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/44; D04H1/46; D04H1/498; D04H1/54; D04H1/56; D04H1/50; D04H1/559; D04H1/70; D04H1/72; D04H1/724
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A process for producing a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web, said process comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven elastic web; stretching said nonwoven elastic web; forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web; joining the stretched fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the stretched nonwoven elastic web so as to form a composite nonwoven elastic web; and relaxing the composite nonwoven elastic web to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A process for producing a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web, said process comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven elastic web; stretching said nonwoven elastic web; forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web; joining the stretched fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the stretched nonwoven elastic web so as to form a composite nonwoven elastic web; and relaxing the composite nonwoven elastic web to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing said nonwoven elastic web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven elastic web of meltblown microfibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing said nonwoven elastic web comprises providing an apertured elastic film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
the process according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous nonwoven elastic web is stretched from at least about 125 percent of the relaxed length of the fibrous nonwoven web to about 700 percent of the relaxed length of the nonwoven elastic web.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web of meltblown microfibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web of spunbonded microfibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises forming a carded web.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of joining the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the nonwoven elastic web is achieved by heat-bonding.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The process according to claim 8, wherein the step of heat-bonding the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to said nonwoven elastic web is achieved by heat-bonding within the temperature range of from about 50 degrees centigrade below a melting temperature of a material utilized to form either of the webs to about the melting temperature of a material utilized to form either of the webs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A composite nonwoven elastic web formed by the process according to claims 2 or 3.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web formed by the process according to claim 10, wherein the nonwoven elastic web comprises elastomeric fibers formed from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of A-B-A' block copolymers, where A and A' are each a thermoplastic polymer endblock comprising a styrenic moiety and where A may be the same thermoplastic endblock as A' and where B is an elastomeric polymer midblock selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene-butylene), polyisoprene or polybutadiene.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A composite nonwoven elastic web formed by the process according to claim 10, wherein the nonwoven elastic web comprises elastomeric fibers formed from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of blends of one or more polyolefins with S-EB-S block copolymers, where "S" is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene and polystyrene homologs and "EB" is poly (ethylene-butylene).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web formed by the process according to claim 10, wherein the nonwoven elastic web comprises elastomeric fibers formed from a material consisting essentially of blends of poly (alpha-methyl styrene) with S-I-S block copolymers, where "S" is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene and polystyrene homologs and "I" is polyisoprene.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 12, wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of at least one polymer, including copolymers, selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene and butene.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 14, where the polyolefin is polyethylene.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 10, wherein the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises nonelastic meltblown microfibers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 10, wherein the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises nonelastic spunbonded microfibers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claims 16 or 17, wherein the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises nonelastic microfibers selected from the group consisting of polyester microfibers, polyolefin microfibers or blends of one or more polyester microfibers with one or more polyolefin microfibers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 18, wherein the polyester microfibers comprise polyethylene terephthalate microfibers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 18, wherein the polyolefin microfibers comprising the fibrous nonwoven gathered web comprise polypropylene microfibers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process for producing a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web, said process comprising the steps of: providing a tacky nonwoven elastic web; stretching the tacky nonwoven elastic web; forming a composite nonwoven elastic web by forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web and simultaneously joining said nonwoven gatherable web to the surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web wherein joining of the tacky nonwoven elastic web to the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web is achieved by adhesion of the two webs to each other during formation of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web on the surface of the stretched fibrous nonwoven elastic web; and relaxing the tacky composite nonwoven elastic web to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process for producing a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web, said process comprising the steps of: providing a tacky nonwoven elastic web; stretching the tacky nonwoven elastic web; forming a composite nonwoven elastic web by forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web and simultaneously joining said nonwoven gatherable web to the surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web wherein joining of the tacky nonwoven elastic web to the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web is achieved by adhesion of the two webs to each other during formation of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web on the surface of the stretched fibrous nonwoven elastic web; and relaxing the tacky composite nonwoven elastic web to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 21, wherein the step of providing said tacky nonwoven elastic web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven elastic web of meltblown microfibers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
107 words
A composite nonwoven elastic web formed by the process according to claim 22, wherein the tacky fibrous nonwoven elastic web comprises tacky meltblown elastomeric microfibers formed from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of (a) A-B-A' block copolymers, where "A" and "A'" are thermoplastic polymer endblocks selected from the group consisting of polystyrene or polystyrene homologs and where "B" is an elastomeric polymer midblock consisting of polyisoprene or (b) blends of poly (alpha-methylstyrene) with A-B-A' block copolymers, where "A" and "A'" are thermoplastic polymer endblocks selected from the group consisting of polystyrene or polystyrene homologs and B is an elastomeric polymer midblock consisting of polyisoprene.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 23, wherein A and A' are selected from the group consisting of polystyrene.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process according to claim 23, wherein the step of forming said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web of meltblown microfibers on the surface of said fibrous nonwoven elastic web.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
107 words
A composite nonwoven elastic web formed by the process according to claim 23, wherein the tacky fibrous nonwoven elastic web comprises tacky meltblown elastomeric microfibers formed from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of (a) A-B-A' block copolymers, where "A" and "A'" are thermoplastic polymer endblocks selected from the group consisting of polystyrene or polystyrene homologs and where "B" is an elastomeric polymer midblock consisting of polyisoprene or (b) blends of poly (alpha-methylstyrene) with A-B-A' block copolymers, where "A" and "A'" are thermoplastic polymer endblocks selected from the group consisting of polystyrene or polystyrene homologs and "B" is an elastomeric polymer midblock consisting of polyisoprene.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The composite nonwoven elastic web according to claim 24, wherein A and A' are polystyrene.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process according to claim 22, wherein the step of forming said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web of spunbonded microfibers on the surface of said fibrous nonwoven elastic web.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
139 words
A process for producing a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web, said process comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven elastic web; stretching said nonwoven elastic web; forming a composite nonwoven elastic web by forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web and simultaneously joining the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web wherein joining of the nonwoven elastic web to the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web is achieved by entanglement of the individual fibers of the nonwoven gatherable web with the nonwoven elastic web during formation of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web on the surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web; and relaxing the composite nonwoven elastic web to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
139 words
A process for producing a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web, said process comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven elastic web; stretching said nonwoven elastic web; forming a composite nonwoven elastic web by forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web and simultaneously joining the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web wherein joining of the nonwoven elastic web to the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web is achieved by entanglement of the individual fibers of the nonwoven gatherable web with the nonwoven elastic web during formation of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web on the surface of the stretched nonwoven elastic web; and relaxing the composite nonwoven elastic web to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 29, wherein the step of providing said nonwoven elastic web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven elastic web of meltblown microfibers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process according to claim 30, wherein said joining is achieved solely by entanglement of the individual fibers of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web with the individual fibers of the fibrous nonwoven elastic web of meltblown microfibers.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 29 wherein the step of providing said nonwoven elastic web comprises providing an apertured nonwoven elastic film.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process according to claim 32, wherein said joining is achieved solely by entanglement of the individual fibers of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web with the apertures of the apertured nonwoven elastic film.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
77 words
A process for producing a gathered nonwoven web having elastic characteristics, said process comprising the steps of: providing an extendable and contractable forming surface; extending the forming surface; forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon the extended forming surface to separably join the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the extended forming surface; contracting the forming surface to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web; and separating the gathered fibrous nonwoven gatherable web from the contracted forming surface.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
77 words
A process for producing a gathered nonwoven web having elastic characteristics, said process comprising the steps of: providing an extendable and contractable forming surface; extending the forming surface; forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon the extended forming surface to separably join the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the extended forming surface; contracting the forming surface to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web; and separating the gathered fibrous nonwoven gatherable web from the contracted forming surface.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process according to claim 34, wherein the fibrous nonwoven elastic web is extended from at least about 125 percent to about 700 percent.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 34, wherein the step of forming said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web of meltblown microfibers.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 34, wherein the step of forming said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web comprises forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web of spunbonded microfibers.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
16 words
A gathered fibrous nonwoven web formed by the process according to claim 34, having elastic properties.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
The gathered fibrous nonwoven web according to claim 38, said gathered web comprising nonelastic microfibers.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
41 words
The gathered nonwoven elastic web according to claim 38, comprising nonelastic meltblown microfibers selected from the group consisting of nonelastic polyester microfibers, nonelastic polyolefin microfibers or blends of one or more nonelastic polyester microfibers with one or more nonelastic polyolefin microfibers.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
15 words
The gathered nonwoven elastic web according to claim 39, consisting essentially of nonelastic spunbonded microfibers.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
186 words
42 A process for producing a gathered nonwoven web having elastic characteristics, said process comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven elastic web forming surface having a relaxed, unbiased and contracted length and a stretched, biased and extended length; stretching said nonwoven elastic web forming surface to said extended length; forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of said nonwoven elastic web forming surface to separably join said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to said surface of said nonwoven elastic web forming surface while maintaining said nonwoven elastic web forming surface at said stretched length wherein the separable joining of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the nonwoven elastic web forming surface is achieved by entanglement of the individual fibers of the nonwoven gatherable web with the individual fibers of the fibrous nonwoven elastic web forming surface during formation of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web on the surface of the nonwoven elastic web forming surface; contracting the nonwoven elastic web forming surface to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web; and separating the gathered fibrous nonwoven gatherable web from the nonwoven elastic web forming surface.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
186 words
42 A process for producing a gathered nonwoven web having elastic characteristics, said process comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven elastic web forming surface having a relaxed, unbiased and contracted length and a stretched, biased and extended length; stretching said nonwoven elastic web forming surface to said extended length; forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of said nonwoven elastic web forming surface to separably join said fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to said surface of said nonwoven elastic web forming surface while maintaining said nonwoven elastic web forming surface at said stretched length wherein the separable joining of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the nonwoven elastic web forming surface is achieved by entanglement of the individual fibers of the nonwoven gatherable web with the individual fibers of the fibrous nonwoven elastic web forming surface during formation of the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web on the surface of the nonwoven elastic web forming surface; contracting the nonwoven elastic web forming surface to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web; and separating the gathered fibrous nonwoven gatherable web from the nonwoven elastic web forming surface.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 42, wherein the step of providing said nonwoven elastic web forming surface comprises forming a nonwoven elastic web of meltblown microfibers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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