US3563241A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Water-dispersible nonwoven fabric
Assignee: EIDP Inc
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Filing: 1968-11-14
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Granted: 1971-02-16
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Expires: 1988-11-14
Abstract
Abstract A soft, water-dispersible, nonwoven fabric of fibers secured in place by random fiber entanglement with at least 10 percent of the fibers chemically modified to have a surface that becomes slippery when wet with water to promote water-dispersibility. Processes for producing the above entangled fabrics which include both fiber modification to the water-sensitive form prior to fiber entanglement and subsequent to fiber entanglement are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Franklin James Evans
- 👤 Charles Shambelan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:46
CPC Classifications
D; D21; D21H; D21H25/00; D21H25/005; A; A61; A61L; A61L15/00; A61L15/16; A61L15/22; A61L15/28; C; C08; C08B; C08B3/00; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/44; D04H1/46; D04H1/492; D04H1/495; D21H11/00; D21H11/16; D21H11/20; D21H13/00; D21H13/02; D21H13/08; D21H17/00; D21H17/63; D21H17/66; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/27; Y10T428/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
23 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein the Ch(wet) is less than about 0.5 and the fw is less than about 1.1.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
43 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein the Ch(wet) is less than about 0.3, the average wet tensile strength of the fabric is within the range of about 0.0 to 0.1 lbs. per inch and the fw is less than about 1.0.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein at least 40 percent of the fibers are water-sensitive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein the water-sensitive fibers have a single layer absorbency of at least 1 when measured on a nonwoven fabric consisting essentially of the water-sensitive fibers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric comprises at least 40 percent water-sensitive fibers having ionizable groups and said fabric is further characterized as having a NaCl tensile strength of at least 0.05 lb./in. in 1 percent NaCl aqueous solution with the NaCl tensile strength being at least 1.5 times the tensile strength of the fabric in distilled water, a bending length of less than about 3.0 cm., and an internal bond strength of greater than about 0.08 foot pounds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 which comprises essentially water-sensitive fibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 1 which comprises ordered fiber groups arranged in regular parallel rows extending in two principal fabric directions and intErconnected in a network by fibers randomly entangled with each other to define an ordered geometric pattern of apertures, and including fiber groups forming ridgelike protrusions on at least one face of the fabric.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein said fibers are entangled in a repeating pattern characterized by groups of entangled fibers forming a regular pattern of ridgelike protrusions separated by grooves lying along parallel straight lines, the ridge-forming groups being interconnected by arrays of generally parallel fibers bridging under the ridge-separating grooves and entangled in adjacent groups.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein said fibers are entangled in a repeating pattern of fiber bands of substantially greater width than thickness which extend continuously along substantially straight parallel axes spaced regularly in one fabric direction, the bands being interconnected by generally parallel fibers which extend laterally between adjacent bands and are held in place by fiber entanglement in the bands.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein said fabric is essentially a nonpatterned structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric comprises 30 percent to 90 percent of said water-sensitive fibers and 70 percent to 10 percent of said nonwater-sensitive fibers and said nonwater-sensitive fibers are more heavily concentrated in a surface layer than in the center of the fabric, the fabric having a surface layer containing at least 80 percent of the nonwater-sensitive fibers and a center containing at least 70 percent of the water-sensitive fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sanitary napkin comprising an absorbent core with a covering of the fabric of claim 1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A diaper comprising an absorbent core sandwiched between two layers of the fabric of claim 1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein the water-sensitive fibers comprise modified cellulosic fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
77 words
A fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein the water-sensitive fibers have ionizable groups and said fabric is further characterized as having a NaCl tensile strength of at least 0.05 lb./in. in 1 percent NaCl aqueous solution with the NaCl tensile strength being at least 1.5 times the tensile strength of the fabric in distilled water, a bending length of less than about 3.0 cm., and an internal bond strength of greater than about 0.08 foot pounds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of cyanoethyl cellulose having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.15 to 0.80.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of hydroxyethyl cellulose having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.1 to 0.9.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of carboxymethyl cellulose having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.1 to 0.4.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 19 wherein at least a portion of the carboxymethyl cellulose is converted to a sodium salt form.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of carboxyethyl cellulose having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.1 to 0.4.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 21 wherein at least a portion of the carboxyethyl cellulose is converted to a sodium salt form.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of cellulose phosphate having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.10 to 0.4.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A fabric as defined in claim 23 wherein at least a portion of the cellulose phosphate is converted to a sodium salt form.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of cellulose hemisuccinate having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.2 to 0.40.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A nonwoven fabric defined in claim 25 wherein at least a portion of the cellulose hemisuccinate is converted to a sodium salt form.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of cellulose sulfate having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.1 to 0.4.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 27 wherein at least a portion of the cellulose sulfate is converted to a sodium salt form.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of the water-sensitive fibers are of cellulose phosphate-cellulose acetate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fabric as defined in claim 29 wherein at least a portion of the cellulose phosphate is converted to a sodium salt.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein said water-sensitive fibers are chemically modified cellulosic fibers having a degree of substitution within the range of about 0.1 to about 1.5 as represented by the formula
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein said water-sensitive fibers comprise modified polyvinyl alcohol fibers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fabric as defined in claim 32 wherein said water-sensitive fibers have phosphate groups converted to a salt form.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein said water-sensitive fibers comprise modified acrylic fibers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fabric as defined in claim 34 wherein said acrylic fibers are hydrolyzed and converted to a salt form.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fabric as defined in claim 1 wherein said water-sensitive fibers comprise modified nylon fibers.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
A fabric as defined in claim 36 wherein the nylon fibers have grafted acrylic acid groups converted to a salt form.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
A nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 15 wherein at least the surface of said water-sensitive fibers are of cellulose hemiphthalate
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-15 | 1974-08-17 | 1975-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-15 | 1978-08-17 | 1979-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-15 | 1982-08-17 | 1983-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |