EP0333210A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Bonded nonwoven material, method and apparatus for producing the same
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Corp
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Filing: 1989-03-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-03-17
Abstract
Abstract Nonwoven materials, methods of forming the same, and apparatus for forming the same, are disclosed. The nonwoven materials include at least one nonwoven web, with the at least one web being bonded by entangle bonding in spots, such entangle bonding being provided by hydraulic entangling. As a specific embodiment, elastomeric laminates (40) are formed, the at least one nonwoven web (2,4,6) subjected to spot-entangle-bonding including an elastomeric web (4) spot-entangle-bonded to another web (2,6) so as to form an elastomeric laminate (40). By spot-entangle-bonding (jet treating) the webs, utilizing hydraulic entangling to provide the spot-entangle-bonds, conventional bonding methods need not be used, whereby good hand and drape properties can be retained after bonding, and the overall bulk of the material can be maintained, while providing a product that does not easily delaminate and that is stretchable and resilient. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the spot-entangle-bonding, including two rotatable perforated drums (18,32) having water jet manifolds (20,34) inside thereof, the nonwoven material passing on the circumference thereof, with high pressure water jets issuing from the manifolds and through openings (38) in the perforated drums (18,32) so as to achieve hydraulic entangling of the nonwoven material at spots corresponding to openings (38) of the perforated drums (18,32) with one side of the nonwoven material being adjacent the surface of one of the rotatable perforated drums (18) and the opposite side of the nonwoven material being adjacent the surface of the other rotatable perforated drum (32).
Inventors
- 👤 Fred R. Radwanski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:36
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/44; D04H1/46; D04H1/492; D04H1/54; D04H1/56; D04H1/04; D04H1/26; D04H1/413; D04H1/495; D04H1/498; D04H18/00; D04H18/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/903
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
A nonwoven material comprising at least one nonwoven web, with material of the nonwoven web being entangled and intertwined in the thickness direction between two surfaces of the at least one nonwoven web so as to provide spot-entangle-bonds, the spot-entangle-bonds having been provided by hydraulic entanglement of the at least one nonwoven web at spots of at least one of the two surfaces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
A nonwoven material comprising at least one nonwoven web, with material of the nonwoven web being entangled and intertwined in the thickness direction between two surfaces of the at least one nonwoven web so as to provide spot-entangle-bonds, the spot-entangle-bonds having been provided by hydraulic entanglement of the at least one nonwoven web at spots of at least one of the two surfaces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A nonwoven material according to claim 1, wherein said at least one nonwoven web is a nonwoven fibrous web, the fibers being entangled and intertwined so as to provide said spot-entangle-bonds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A nonwoven material according to claim 2, wherein said nonwoven fibrous web is an admixture of (1) meltblown fibers and (2) at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, additional meltblown fibers and continuous filaments, having said spot-entangle-bonds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A nonwoven material according to claim 3, wherein said admixture further includes particulate material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A nonwoven material according to claim 1, comprising at least two nonwoven webs, the material of the at least two nonwoven webs being entangled and intertwined across the interface between the at least two nonwoven webs so as to provide spot-entangle-bonds therebetween, whereby a laminate of said at least two nonwoven webs is provided.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A nonwoven material according to claim 1, wherein said at least one nonwoven web is a web consisting of at least one of pulp fibers and staple fibers, the at least one of pulp fibers and staple fibers being entangled and intertwined so as to provide the spot-entangle bonds.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
A nonwoven material according to one of the preceding claims wherein said nonwoven material includes, in addition to said at least one nonwoven web, at least one additional web selected from the group consisting of a knit web and a woven web, the spot-entangle-bonds extending in the thickness direction so as to entangle and intertwine said at least one nonwoven web and said at least one additional web in spots, whereby a laminate of said at least one nonwoven web and said at least one additional web is provided.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
A nonwoven elastomeric laminate comprising at least two webs bonded to each other, one web of said at least two webs being an elastomeric web, at least one other web of the at least two webs being spot-entangle-bonded with the elastomeric web, whereby material of the elastomeric web and the another web are entangled and intertwined in spots, the spot-entangle-bonding having been provided by hydraulic entanglement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
A nonwoven elastomeric laminate comprising at least two webs bonded to each other, one web of said at least two webs being an elastomeric web, at least one other web of the at least two webs being spot-entangle-bonded with the elastomeric web, whereby material of the elastomeric web and the another web are entangled and intertwined in spots, the spot-entangle-bonding having been provided by hydraulic entanglement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laminate according to claim 8, wherein said elastomeric web is a nonwoven elastomeric web of meltblown fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laminate according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one other web is a nonwoven web of meltblown fibers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The laminate according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one other web is a fibrous web of an admixture of pulp and meltblown fibers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laminate according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one other web is a web of staple fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
Ihe laminate according to one of claims 8 to 12 wherein the entangle bonding is a bonding provided by hydraulic entanglement while the elastomeric web is being stretched.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laminate according to claim 8, wherein said elastomeric web is a fibrous nonwoven elastomeric web.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
The laminate according to claim 14, wherein said at least one other web is two nonwoven webs, the two nonwoven webs respectively being on opposite sides of the nonwoven elastomeric web so as to sandwich the nonwoven elastomeric web, each of the two nonwoven webs being spot-entangle-bonded with the nonwoven elastomeric web.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The laminate according to claim 15, wherein the fibrous nonwoven elastomeric web is an elastomeric web of meltblown fibers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laminate according to claim 16, wherein the spot-entangle-bonding is a bond provided by hydraulic entanglement while the elastomeric web is stretched.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process of forming a bonded nonwoven material, comprising the steps of: providing at least one nonwoven web; and subjecting the at least one nonwoven web to hydraulic entanglement so as to provide spot-entangle-bonds through the at least one nonwoven web, the hydraulic entanglement being performed so as to entangle and intertwine material of the at least one nonwoven web, through the at least one nonwoven web, in spots, the hydraulic entanglement being carried out by jetting a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of the at least one nonwoven web and deflecting the streams so as to provide the spot-entangle-bonds.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process of forming a bonded nonwoven material, comprising the steps of: providing at least one nonwoven web; and subjecting the at least one nonwoven web to hydraulic entanglement so as to provide spot-entangle-bonds through the at least one nonwoven web, the hydraulic entanglement being performed so as to entangle and intertwine material of the at least one nonwoven web, through the at least one nonwoven web, in spots, the hydraulic entanglement being carried out by jetting a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of the at least one nonwoven web and deflecting the streams so as to provide the spot-entangle-bonds.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
72 words
The process according to claim 18, wherein the at least one nonwoven web is at least two nonwoven webs stacked one on the other, the spot-entangle-bonds being provided to extend through the at least two nonwoven webs so as to entangle and intertwine material of the at least two nonwoven webs in spots, over a surface of the nonwoven webs, whereby a laminate of said at least two nonwoven webs is provided.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process according to claim 18, wherein said at least one nonwoven web is a nonwoven web consisting of at least one of pulp fibers and staple fibers, the at least one of pulp fibers and staple fibers being entangled and intertwined, in spots, so as to provide the spot-entangle-bonds.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process according to claim 18 or 20 wherein said at least one nonwoven web is a nonwoven fibrous web, the hydraulic entanglement being performed so as to entangle and intertwine fibrous material of the nonwoven fibrous web in a thickness direction through the nonwoven fibrous web.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process according to claim 21, wherein the nonwoven fibrous web is an admixture of meltblown fibers and at least one material selected from the group consisting of pulp fibers, staple fibers, additional meltblown fibers and continuous filaments.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
Ths process according to claim 22, wherein the admixture further includes particulate material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
80 words
The process according to claim 18, wherein the at least one nonwoven web is a composite of at least two webs, at least one of the at least two webs being an elastomeric web; and wherein the composite is subjected to hydraulic entanglement so as to provide spot-bonds through the at least two webs, the hydraulic entanglement being performed so as to entangle and intertwine material of the at least two webs in spots, whereby an elastomeric laminate is produced.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
102 words
The process according to claim 24, wherein the elastomeric web is a nonwoven elastomeric web, and the composite includes two nonwoven webs and the nonwoven elastomeric web, the nonwoven elastomeric web being positioned between the two nonwoven webs in the composite, and wherein the subjecting step includes a first substep of subjecting a first side of the composite to said hydraulic entanglement and a second substep of subjecting a second side of the composite, opposite the first side, to said hydraulic entanglement, so as to provide spot-bonds between the nonwoven webs and the nonwoven elastomeric web at each side of the laminate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process according to claim 24, including the further step, prior to the subjecting step, of providing an apertured member between the source of the high-pressure liquid streams and the composite, the apertured member acting to deflect the streams so as to provide the spot-entangle-bonds.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
61 words
The process according to claim 26, wherein the composite is continuous and moves during the subjecting step, and said apertured member is a perforated drum, the perforated drum being rotated as the composite is subjected to the hydraulic entanglement such that, while the composite is being subjected to the hydraulic entanglement, the composite does not move relative to the perforated drum.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 25, wherein the nonwoven elastomeric web is stretched during the step of subjecting the composite to hydraulic entanglement.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 25, wherein the nonwoven elastomeric web is a fibrous nonwoven elastomeric web.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
3o. The process according to claim 29, wherein the fibrous nonwoven elastomeric web is a nonwoven elastomeric web of meltblown fibers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
124 words
The process according to claim 18, wherein the at least one nonwoven web includes a nonwoven web having a layer of loose fibers thereon; wherein, prior to the subjecting step, an apertured member is provided between the source of the high-pressure liquid streams and the nonwoven web having a layer of loose fibers thereon, the member being apertured so as to provide a desired pattern of spot-entangle bonds, the apertured member acting to deflect the streams so as to provide the spot-entangle-bonds in a shape corresponding to the desired pattern, having unbonded fibers in the layer of loose fibers; and wherein, after the subjecting step, the unbonded fibers are removed, so as to leave spot-entangle-bonded fibers in the shape corresponding to the desired pattern.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
12 words
Product produced by the process of one of claims 18 to 31.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for manufacturing a bonded nonwoven material (4,6) having spot-bonds provided by hydraulic entanglement comprising: a support member (18), adapted to have a nonwoven material (2,4,6) to be subjected to the hydraulic entanglement adjacent thereto; means (8,10,12,14) for locating the nonwoven material (2,4,6) adjacent said support member (18); means for providing high pressure liquid jets (20) to be directed against said nonwoven material (2,4,6) while adjacent the support member (18), said high pressure liquid jets (20) adapted to hydraulically entangle material of the nonwoven material; and deflector means (18) adapted to be positioned between said nonwoven material (2,4,6) to be subjected to the hydraulic entanglement and said means for providing high pressure liquid jets (20), for deflecting said high pressure liquid jets such that only separated spots of the nonwoven material are subjected to hydraulic entanglement, whereby spot-entangle-bonds, provided by hydraulically entangled material of the nonwoven material, are produced.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for manufacturing a bonded nonwoven material (4,6) having spot-bonds provided by hydraulic entanglement comprising: a support member (18), adapted to have a nonwoven material (2,4,6) to be subjected to the hydraulic entanglement adjacent thereto; means (8,10,12,14) for locating the nonwoven material (2,4,6) adjacent said support member (18); means for providing high pressure liquid jets (20) to be directed against said nonwoven material (2,4,6) while adjacent the support member (18), said high pressure liquid jets (20) adapted to hydraulically entangle material of the nonwoven material; and deflector means (18) adapted to be positioned between said nonwoven material (2,4,6) to be subjected to the hydraulic entanglement and said means for providing high pressure liquid jets (20), for deflecting said high pressure liquid jets such that only separated spots of the nonwoven material are subjected to hydraulic entanglement, whereby spot-entangle-bonds, provided by hydraulically entangled material of the nonwoven material, are produced.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said deflector means is a perforated member (18).
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said perforated member (18) is positioned relative to said support member (8) such that the perforated member (18) is adapted to be in contact with the nonwoven material when the nonwoven material (2,4,6) is adjacent the support member (8).
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said deflector means includes at least one perforated drum.(18,32)
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said means for providing high pressure liquid jets (20,34) is provided within the perforated drum (18,32), and the perforated drum (20,32) is positioned relative to the support member (8,22) such that the nonwoven material (2,4,6) is adapted to be in contact with the circumference of the perforated drum (18,32), the high pressure liquid jets (20,34) being adapted to hydraulically entangle spots of the nonwoven material at locations of openings (38) in the perforated drum (18,32)
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said at least one perforated drum (18,32) is at least one rotatable perforated drum.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
93 words
Apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the means for locating the nonwoven material adjacent the support member includes means (8,22) for moving a continuous nonwoven material (2,4,6) adjacent the at least one rotatable perforated drum, (18,32), the moving means (8,22) being adapted to move the nonwoven material (2,4,6) at the same linear speed as the linear speed of the circumference of the perforated drum, (18,32) whereby, at the location where the liquid jets (20,34) are directed against the nonwoven material, the perforated drum (18,32) does not move relative to the nonwoven material. (2,4,6)
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
126 words
Apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said at least one rotatable perforated drum is two rotatable perforated drums, (18,32), with each of the rotatable perforated drums (18,32) having a respective support member (8,22) and a means for providing high pressure liquid jets (20,34) to be directed against the nonwoven material (2,4,6) and wherein said means (8,22) for moving the continuous nonwoven material adjacent the at least one rotatable perforated drum (18,32) is a moving means to move the continuous nonwoven material (2,4,6) against the two rotatable perforated drums (18,32) such that a first surface of the nonwoven material is adjacent the first rotatable perforated drum (18) and a second surface of the nonwoven material, opposite the first surface, is adjacent the second rotatable perforated drum. (32)
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the means (8) for locating the nonwoven material adjacent said support member (18) is a means for forming a composite of at least two webs (2,4,6) and for locating the composite adjacent the support member (18) with one of the two webs of the composite being an elastomeric web.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said means (8,22) for forming a composite and for locating the composite adjacent the support member is a means for forming a composite web of first (2) and second (6) nonwoven webs sandwiching the elastomeric web (4),whereby, in passing the composite web adjacent the first and second perforated rotatable drums,(18,32) each of the first and second nonwoven webs is spot-entangle-bonded to the elastomeric web.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus acording to claim 42, wherein said means (8,22) for forming a composite and for locating the composite adjacent the support member (8,32) includes means (3,5) for stretching the elastomeric web (4) and for maintaining stretching of the elastomeric web (4) as the composite web passes both the first and second rotatable perforated drums (18,32).
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said means for forming a composite and for locating the composite adjacent the support member (18,32) includes means (3,5) for stretching the elastomeric web (5) and maintaining stretching of the elastomeric web while the composite is adjacent the support member. (18,32)
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the means for stretching and for maintaining stretching includes draw rolls (3,5) providing a nip through which the elastomeric web (4) passes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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