Elastomeric fibers, fibrous webs, composite elastomeric webs and an extrudable composition on the basis of ethylene-vinyl copolymers

Claim 2

Elastomeric fibers formed from a composition comprising a copolymer of ethylene and at least one vinyl monomer selected from the group including vinyl ester monomers obtainable by melt--blowing.

Claim 3

Elastomeric fibers formed from a composition comprising a copolymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-methylacrylate copolymer and ethylene-methylmethacrylate copolymer obtainable by melt-blowing.

Claim 4

Elastomeric fibers formed from a composition comprising a copolymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-methylacrylate copolymer and ethylene-methylmethacrylate copolymer obtainable by melt-blowing.

Claim 5

The elastomeric fibers of claim 1, wherein said fibers are formed from a blend of at least about 10% by weight of said copolymer and from greater than 0% by weight of at least one compatible modifying polymer.

Claim 6

The elastomeric fibers of claim 3, wherein said modifying polymer is selected from the group consisting of one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, ethylene copolymers, propylene copolymers and butene copolymers.

Claim 7

The elastomeric fibers of claim 3 or 4, wherein said modifying polymer is a linear low density polyethylene.

Claim 8

The elastomeric fibers of claim 3 , wherein said modifying polymer is an ABA' block copolymer, where A ' and A' are each a thermoplastic polymer endblock that includes a styrenic moiety and where B is an elastomeric poly(ethylene-butene) midblock.

Claim 9

The elastomeric fibers of one of claims 3-6, wherein said fibers are formed from a blend of at least about 10% by weight to about 95% by weight of said copolymer and from at least about 5% by weight to about 90% by weight of said'modifying polymer, more preferably from a blend of at least about 20% by weight to about 95% by weight of said copolymer and from at least about 5% by weight to about 80% by weight of said modifying polymer, and most preferably from a blend of at least about 50% by weight to about 90% by weight of said copolymer and from at least about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight of said modifying polymer.

Claim 10

Elastomeric fibers formed from an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having a melt index of from about 32 to about 500 grams per ten minutes, preferably from about 50 to about 200 grams per ten minutes, and most preferably from about 150 to about 200 grams per ten minutes and obtainable by melt-blowing.

Claim 11

Elastomeric fibers formed from an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having a melt index of from about 32 to about 500 grams per ten minutes, preferably from about 50 to about 200 grams per ten minutes, and most preferably from about 150 to about 200 grams per ten minutes and obtainable by melt-blowing.

Claim 12

The elastomeric fibers of claim 8, wherein said ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer comprises from about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight, preferably from about 18% by weight to about 36% by weight of vinyl acetate monomer.

Claim 13

The elastomeric fibers of one of the preceding claims, wherein said fibers are microfibers.

Claim 14

A fibrous nonwoven coherent elastomeric web comprising fibers as described in one of the preceding claims.

Claim 15

A composite elastomeric web comprising: (a) elastomeric fibers according to one of the preceding claims; and (b) at least one type of secondary fiber uniformly distributed throughout said web.

Claim 16

A composite fibrous nonwoven elastomeric web comprising: (a) elastomeric fibers according to claim 8 or 9; and (b) from greater than 0% by weight to about 80% by weight of at least one type of secondary fiber.

Claim 17

The composite elastomeric web of claim 13, wherein said elastomeric fibers are microfibers.

Claim 18

The composite elastomeric web of claim 13 or 14, wherein said secondary fiber comprises from about 30% by weight to about 70% by weight of said elastomeric web.

Claim 19

The composite elastomeric web of one of claims 13 to 15, wherein said secondary fiber comprises polyolefin fibers.

Claim 20

The composite elastomeric web of one of claims 13 to 15, wherein said secondary fiber is selected from the group consisting of wood pulp fiber, staple natural fiber, staple artificial fiber, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

A composite elastomeric web comprising: (a) meltblown elastomeric fibers formed from a blend of: (i) at least about 10% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene and at least one vinyl monomer selected from the group including vinyl ester monomers; and (ii) from greater than 0% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one compatible modifying polymer, and (b) at least one type of secondary fiber uniformly distributed throughout said web.

Claim 22

A composite elastomeric web comprising: (a) meltblown elastomeric fibers formed from a blend of: (i) at least about 10% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene and at least one vinyl monomer selected from the group including vinyl ester monomers; and (ii) from greater than 0% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one compatible modifying polymer, and (b) at least one type of secondary fiber uniformly distributed throughout said web.

Claim 23

A composite elastomeric web comprising: (a) meltblown elastomeric fibers formed from a blend of: (i) at least about 10% by weight of a copolymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-methylacrylate copolymer and ethylene-methylmethacrylate copolymer; and (ii) from greater than 0% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one compatible modifying polymer, and (b) at least one type of secondary fiber uniformly distributed throughout said web.

Claim 24

A composite elastomeric web comprising: (a) meltblown elastomeric fibers formed from a blend of: (i) at least about 10% by weight of a copolymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-methylacrylate copolymer and ethylene-methylmethacrylate copolymer; and (ii) from greater than 0% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one compatible modifying polymer, and (b) at least one type of secondary fiber uniformly distributed throughout said web.

Claim 25

A composite elastomeric web comprising: (a) meltblown elastomeric fibers formed from a blend of: (i) at least about 10% by weight of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer having a melt index of from about 32 to about 500 grams per ten minutes; and (ii) from greater than 0% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one compatible modifying polymer, and (b) at least one type of secondary fiber uniformly distributed throughout said web.

Claim 26

A composite elastomeric web comprising: (a) meltblown elastomeric fibers formed from a blend of: (i) at least about 10% by weight of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer having a melt index of from about 32 to about 500 grams per ten minutes; and (ii) from greater than 0% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one compatible modifying polymer, and (b) at least one type of secondary fiber uniformly distributed throughout said web.

Claim 27

The composite elastomeric web of claim 2.0 wherein said ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer has a melt index of from about 50 to about 200 grams per ten minutes.

Claim 28

The composite elastomeric web of one of claims 18 to 21, wherein said modifying polymer is at least one polymer selected from the group including polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, ethylene copolymers, propylene copolymers and butene copolymers.

Claim 29

The composite elastomeric web of one of claims 18 to 21, wherein said modifying polymer is at least one ABA' block copolymer, where A and A' are each a thermoplastic polymer endblock that includes a styrenic moiety and where B is an elastomeric poly(ethylene-butene) midblock.

Claim 30

The composite elastomeric web of one of claims 18 to 23, wherein said secondary fiber is present in an amount of from greater than 0% by weight to about 80% by weight, preferably in an amount of from about 30% by weight to about 70%, and most preferably in an amount of from about 50% by weight to about 70% by weight of said web.

Claim 31

The composite elastomeric web of one of claims 18 to 24, wherein said secondary fiber is selected from the group consisting of wood pulp fiber, staple natural fiber, staple artificial fiber, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 32

An extrudable composition comprising: from about 10% by weight to about 95% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate having a melt index in the range from about 32 to about 500 grams per ten minutes and from about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight of vinyl acetate, and from at least about 5% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one other compatible modifying polymer selected from the group consisting of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, ethylene copolymers, propylene copolymers, and butene copolymers.

Claim 33

An extrudable composition comprising: from about 10% by weight to about 95% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate having a melt index in the range from about 32 to about 500 grams per ten minutes and from about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight of vinyl acetate, and from at least about 5% by weight to about 90% by weight of at least one other compatible modifying polymer selected from the group consisting of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, ethylene copolymers, propylene copolymers, and butene copolymers.