Self-sized patterned bonded continuous filament web

Claim 2

A NONWOVEN WEB HAVING A BASIS WEIGHT OF ABOUT 1 OZ./YD.2 -3 OZ./YD.2 CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICALLY PREPARED CONTINUOUS AND RANDOMLY DEPSOITED, MOLECULARLY ORIENTED FILAMENTS OF A THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER HAVING A DENIER OF ABOUT 0.5-10, SAID WEB HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF DESCRETE COMPACTED AREAS OF AUTOGENOUS FILAMENT BONDS DISTRIBUTED IN AN INTERMITTENT PATTERN ON THE SURFACES IN A DENSITY OF ABOUT 100-500 PER SQUARE AREA WITH THE WEB FILAMENTS DISPOSED ADJACENT OF WEB SURFACE AREA WITH THE WEB FILAMENTS DISPOSED ADJACENT TO THE WEB SURFACES IN REGIONS BETWEEN COMPACTED AREAS BEING SECURED TOGETHER AT CROSS-OVER POINTS WITH AUTOGENOUS BONDS OF LOWER INTENSITY THAN WITHIN THE COMPACTED AREAS, SAID WEB HAVING CANTILEVER STIFFINESS LENGTH OF AT LEAST ABOIT 11/8 INCHE BASIS WEIGHT N NORMALIZED TENSILE STRENGTH OF AT LEAST ABOUT 6, BRAND EXHIBITING AT LEAST ABOUT A 30 PERCENT REDUCTION IN CANTILEVER STIFFINESS LENGTH AFTER A SINGLE WASH CYCLE.

Claim 3

The nonwoven web of claim 1 having a basis weight of about 1.1 oz./yd.2 - 2 oz./yd.2.

Claim 4

The nonwoven web of claim 2 wherein the filaments have a denier of about 0.8-2.5.

Claim 5

The nonwoven web of claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is polypropylene.

Claim 6

A nonwoven web having a basis weight of about 1 oz./yd.2 - 3 oz./yd.2 consisting essentially of substantially identically prepared continuous and randomly deposited, molecularly oriented filaments of a thermoplastic polymer having a denier of about 0.5-10, said web having a multiplicity of discrete compacted areas of autogenous filament bonds distributed in an intermittent pattern on the surfaces with the web filaments disposed adjacent the web surfaces between the compacted areas being secured together at cross-over points with autogenous bonds of lower intensity than within the compacted areas, the distribution of compacted areas and intensity of bonding therein being such that the web has a basis weight normalized tensile strength of at least about 6 and a cantilever stiffness length after a wash cycle of less than about 1 8/16 inches and the intensity of bonding at the filament cross-over points between compacted areas and the number of bonds being such that the web has a cantilever stiffness length of at least about 1 1/8 inches and exhibits a reduction in such length, after a wash cycle, of at least about 30 percent.

Claim 7

A nonwoven web having a basis weight of about 1 oz./yd.2 - 3 oz./yd.2 consisting essentially of substantially identically prepared continuous and randomly deposited, molecularly oriented filaments of a thermoplastic polymer having a denier of about 0.5-10, said web having a multiplicity of discrete compacted areas of autogenous filament bonds distributed in an intermittent pattern on the surfaces with the web filaments disposed adjacent the web surfaces between the compacted areas being secured together at cross-over points with autogenous bonds of lower intensity than within the compacted areas, the distribution of compacted areas and intensity of bonding therein being such that the web has a basis weight normalized tensile strength of at least about 6 and a cantilever stiffness length after a wash cycle of less than about 1 8/16 inches and the intensity of bonding at the filament cross-over points between compacted areas and the number of bonds being such that the web has a cantilever stiffness length of at least about 1 1/8 inches and exhibits a reduction in such length, after a wash cycle, of at least about 30 percent.

Claim 8

The nonwoven web of claim 5 having a basis weight of about 1.1 oz./yd.2-2 oz./yd.2.

Claim 9

The nonwoven web of claim 6 wherein the filaments have a denier of about 0.8-2.5.

Claim 10

The nonwoven web of claim 7 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is polypropylene.