EP0333228A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Nonwoven fibrous non-elastic material and method of formation thereof
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Filing: 1989-03-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-03-17
Abstract
Abstract Nonwoven fibrous non-elastic webs, reinforced nonwoven fibrous non-elastic webs and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The nonwoven fibrous non-elastic webs are a hydraulically entangled coform or admixture of non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material, with or without particulate material. The fibrous material (e.g., non-elastic fibrous material) can be at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments. The use of meltblown fibers facilitates the hydraulic entangling, resulting in a high degree of entanglement and enabling the more effective use of shorter fibrous material. The hydraulic entangling technique provides a nonwoven fibrous material having a high web strength and allows for good control of other product attributes, such as absorbency, wet strength, printability and abrasion, resistance. The coform can be hydraulically entangled with a reinforcing material, e.g., a melt-spun nonwoven, a scrim, screen, net, etc.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred R. Radwanski
- 👤 Leon E. Chambers, Jr.
- 👤 Lloyd E. Trimble
- 👤 Linda A. Connor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:48
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H5/00; D04H5/02; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/44; D04H1/46; D04H1/492; D04H1/04; D04H1/26; D04H1/42; D04H1/4282; D04H1/4291; D04H1/495; D04H1/54; D04H1/56; D04H3/00; D04H3/08; D04H3/10; D04H3/11; D04H5/03; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/903; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2904; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/60; Y10T442/608; Y10T442/614; Y10T442/619; Y10T442/68; Y10T442/681
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material comprising a hydraulically entangled admixture of non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material, said admixture having been subjected to high pressure liquid jets causing the entanglement and intertwining of said non-elastic meltblown fibers and said fibrous material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material comprising a hydraulically entangled admixture of non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material, said admixture having been subjected to high pressure liquid jets causing the entanglement and intertwining of said non-elastic meltblown fibers and said fibrous material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 1, wherein said fibrous material is at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 2, wherein said admixture which has been hydraulically entangled is an admixture formed by extruding material of the non-elastic meltblown fibers through a meltblowing die and intermingling said at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments with the extruded material, and then codepositing the intermingled meltblown fibers and the at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments on a collecting surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown fibers and pulp fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said nonelast meltblown fibers are made from a thermoformable material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown fibers and staple fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 6, wherein said staple fibers are natural staple fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 6, wherein said staple fibers are synthetic staple fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown fibers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 9, wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown microfibers and non-elastic meltblown macrofibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said material has at least one patterned surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said admixture further comprises a particulate material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 12, wherein said particulate material is a super-absorbent material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown fibers and continuous filaments.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting non-elastic material according to Claim 14, wherein said continuous filaments are spunbond continuous filaments.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting reinforced non-elastic coform material comprising a coform web of an admixture of non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material, and a reinforcing material, said coform web and said reinforcing material having been subjected to high pressure liquid jets to cause the hydraulic entanglement and intertwining of said non-elastic meltblown fibers, said fibrous material and said reinforcing material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting reinforced non-elastic coform material comprising a coform web of an admixture of non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material, and a reinforcing material, said coform web and said reinforcing material having been subjected to high pressure liquid jets to cause the hydraulic entanglement and intertwining of said non-elastic meltblown fibers, said fibrous material and said reinforcing material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting reinforced non-elastic coform material according to Claim 16, wherein said fibrous material is at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonwoven fibrous self-supporting reinforced non-elastic coform material according to Claim 16 or 17 wherein said reinforcing material is a spunbond material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process for forming a nonwoven hydraulically entangled non-elastic coform material comprising providing an admixture comprising non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material on a support, jetting a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said admixture, thereby hydraulically entangling and intertwining said non-elastic meltblown fibers and said fibrous material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process for forming a nonwoven hydraulically entangled non-elastic coform material comprising providing an admixture comprising non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material on a support, jetting a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said admixture, thereby hydraulically entangling and intertwining said non-elastic meltblown fibers and said fibrous material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to Claim 19, wherein said fibrous material is at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
69 words
A process according to Claim 20, wherein said admixture has been provided by extruding material of the non-elastic meltblown fibers through a meltblowing die, intermingling said at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments with the extruded material, and then codepositing the non-elastic meltblown fibers and the at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments on a collecting surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to one of claims 19 to 21, wherein said support is an apertured support.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to one of claims 20 to 22 wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown fibers and pulp fibers.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to one of claims 20 to 22 wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown fibers and staple fibers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to Claim 24, wherein said staple fibers are natural staple fibers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to Claim 24, wherein said staple fibers are synthetic staple fibers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to one of claims 20 to 22 wherein said admixture consists essentially or non-elastic meltblown fibers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to Claim 27, wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown microfibers and non-elastic meltblown macrofibers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to one of claims 20 to 22 wherein said admixture consists essentially of non-elastic meltblown fibers and continuous filaments.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to Claim 29, wherein said continuous filaments are spunbond continuous filaments.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to Claim 20 or 21 wherein said non-elastic meltblown fibers are made from a thermoformable material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to one of claims 19 to 31 wherein said material has at least one patterned surface.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to one of claims 19 to 32 wherein said admixture further comprises a particulate material.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to Claim 33, wherein said particulate material is a super-absorbent material.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
50 words
A process according to one of claims 19 to 34 wherein at least one of said admixture on a support and said plurality of high-pressure liquid streams are moved relative to one another so that said plurality of high-pressure liquid streams traverses the length of said admixture on said support.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to Claim 35, wherein said plurality of high-pressure liquid streams traverses said admixture on said support a plurality of times.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to Claim 35, wherein the admixture has opposed major surfaces, and said plurality of high-pressure liquid streams are jetted toward each major surface of said admixture.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
71 words
A process for forming a nonwoven fibrous self-supporting reinforced non-elastic coform material comprising providing a composite comprising a coform web made of an admixture of non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material, and a reinforcing material on a support, and jetting a plurality of high pressure liquid streams toward at least one surface of said composite, thereby hydraulically entangling and intertwining said non-elastic meltblown fibers, said fibrous material and said reinforcing material.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
71 words
A process for forming a nonwoven fibrous self-supporting reinforced non-elastic coform material comprising providing a composite comprising a coform web made of an admixture of non-elastic meltblown fibers and fibrous material, and a reinforcing material on a support, and jetting a plurality of high pressure liquid streams toward at least one surface of said composite, thereby hydraulically entangling and intertwining said non-elastic meltblown fibers, said fibrous material and said reinforcing material.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to Claim 38, wherein said fibrous material is at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and continuous filaments.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to Claim 38,or 39 wherein the composite has opposed major surfaces, and said plurality of high-pressure liquid streams are jetted toward each major surface of said composite.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
13 words
The product formed by the process of one of claims 19 to 37.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
13 words
The product formed by the process of one of claims 38 to 40.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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