US4755178A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sorbent sheet material
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1986-06-11
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Granted: 1988-07-05
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Expires: 2006-06-11
Abstract
Abstract Sorbent sheet products are prepared comprising a coherent fibrous web that includes entangled blown fibers and liquid transport fibers intermingled with the blown fibers and an array of solid high sorbency liquid-sorbent polymeric particles uniformly dispersed and physically held within the web. The particles swell upon sorption of liquid, and the transport fibers cause increased and more rapid sorption of liquid by conducting the liquid from external portions of the web to internal portions of the web.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas I. Insley
- 👤 Daniel E. Meyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:48
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/53; A61F13/15577; A61F13/15617; A61F13/15642; A61L; A61L15/00; D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/54; D04H1/56; A61F2013/15821; A61F2013/530131; A61F2013/530138; A61F2013/530145; A61F2013/530182; A61F2013/530481; A61F2013/530489; A61F2013/530496; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/903; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/249921; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/60; Y10T442/608; Y10T442/614; Y10T442/619
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A sorbent sheet product comprising a coherent fibrous web that includes entangled blown fibers and liquid transport fibers intermingled with the blown fibers and an array of solid high sorbency liquid-sorbent polymeric particles uniformly dispersed and physically held within the web, the particles swelling upon sorption of liquid and present in an amount such as to limit rapid permeation of liquid into internal parts of the web, and the transport fibers causing increased and more rapid sorption of liquid by conducting the liquid from external portions of the web to internal portions of the web.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A sorbent sheet product comprising a coherent fibrous web that includes entangled blown fibers and liquid transport fibers intermingled with the blown fibers and an array of solid high sorbency liquid-sorbent polymeric particles uniformly dispersed and physically held within the web, the particles swelling upon sorption of liquid and present in an amount such as to limit rapid permeation of liquid into internal parts of the web, and the transport fibers causing increased and more rapid sorption of liquid by conducting the liquid from external portions of the web to internal portions of the web.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the transport fibers are present in an amount of about 10 to 100 g/m 2 for 100 g/m 2 of blown fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the transport fibers are present in an amount of about 20 to 80 g/m 2 for 100 g/m 2 of blown fibers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the transport fibers have a water retention value of at least 20%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the transport fibers are selected rayon, cotton, wool and silk.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the transport fibers are rayon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the sorbent particles are present in an amount of at least 20 g/m 2 for 100 g/m 2 of blown fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the sorbent particles are capable of sorbing 20 or more times their own weight of water.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the melt blown fibers comprise microfibers averaging less than about 10 micrometers in diameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 9 wherein the microfibers are selected from polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polyamide fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 8 wherein the sorbent particles are selected from modified starches and acrylic polymers having hydrophilic functionality.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein the sorbent particles range between 50 and 3000 micrometers in diameter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 further comprising surfactant which assists wetting of the web by a liquid to be sorbed are also dispersed within the web fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 further comprising a binding material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 14 wherein said binding material is glycerol.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 8 containing about 35 weight percent blown microfiber, about 50 weight percent sorbent particles and about 15 weight percent transport fibers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
10 words
A diaper containing the sorbent sheet product of claim 1.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
An incontinent device containing the sorbent sheet material of claim 1.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A filter for separation of water from organic liquids containing the sorbent sheet material of claim 1.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
A sorbent sheet product of claim 1 wherein said liquid-sorbent polymeric particles are present in an amount of 150 to 300 g/m 2 for 100 g/m 2 of the blown fibers.
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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) | 1991-07-05 | 1992-01-04 | 1992-07-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-07-05 | 1996-01-04 | 1996-07-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-07-05 | 2000-01-04 | 2000-07-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |