Patent US4939016A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4939016A
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US
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Hydraulically entangled nonwoven elastomeric web and method of forming the same
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Filing: 1988-03-18
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Granted: 1990-07-03
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Expires: 2008-03-18
Abstract
Abstract A composite nonwoven elastomeric web material, and method of forming such material, as well as a nonwoven elastomeric web material and method of forming such material, are disclosed. The composite web material is provided by hydraulically entangling a laminate of at least (1) a layer of meltblown fibers; and (2) at least one further layer, preferably of at least one of pulp fibers, staple fibers, meltblown fibers, and continuous filaments, with or without particulate material, with at least one of the layer of meltblown fibers and the further layer being elastic so as to form an elastic web material after hydraulic entanglement. The nonwoven elastomeric web material is provided by hydraulically entangling a layer of meltblown elastomeric fibers. The material formed can be cloth-like with smooth surfaces, and with isotropic elasticity and strength. Different texture properties, including a corrugated stretchable fabric, can be provided by pre-stretching and then hydraulically entangling while stretched.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred R. Radwanski
- 👤 Lloyd E. Trimble
- 👤 Roland C. Smith
- 👤 Cherie H. Everhart
- 👤 Deborah A. Kimmitt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:16
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/44; D04H1/54; D04H1/56; D04H1/46; D04H1/492; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/903; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24355; Y10T428/24446; Y10T428/24628; Y10T428/24669; Y10T428/24694; Y10T428/25; Y10T428/253; Y10T428/254; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/60; Y10T442/601; Y10T442/602
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A composite nonwoven elastomeric web comprising: a first fibrous layer including meltblown fibers; and a second fibrous layer; wherein the fibers of at least one of the layers are elastomeric and the layers are joined by hydraulic entanglement of the fibers of at least one of the layers with the fibers of the other layer and wherein the composite nonwoven elastomeric web has substantially smooth outer surfaces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
A composite nonwoven elastomeric web comprising: a first fibrous layer including meltblown fibers; and a second fibrous layer; wherein the fibers of at least one of the layers are elastomeric and the layers are joined by hydraulic entanglement of the fibers of at least one of the layers with the fibers of the other layer and wherein the composite nonwoven elastomeric web has substantially smooth outer surfaces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein the second fibrous layer includes fibers selected from the group including pulp fibers, staple fibers and meltblown fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 2, wherein the first fibrous layer is a layer of elastomeric meltblown fibers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 3, consisting essentially of said layer of elastomeric meltblown fibers and said second fibrous layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 3, wherein said second fibrous layer is a web.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 2, wherein said pulp fibers are wood pulp fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said second fibrous layer is a sheet of paper.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said composite includes a third fibrous layer which, in conjunction with said second fibrous layer, sandwich the layer including elastomeric meltblown fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said second and third fibrous layers is a sheet of paper.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said second and third fibrous layers is a layer of pulp fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said second and third fibrous layers is a layer of staple fibers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said staple fibers are polyester staple fibers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 12, wherein the polyester staple fibers are carded.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said second fibrous layer includes carded polyester staple fibers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 3, wherein said first fibrous layer includes a web of elastomeric meltblown fibers and a web of polyolefin meltblown fibers so that the first fibrous web is adapted to have barrier properties.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, having isotropic elastic properties.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 3, wherein the first fibrous layer was in stretched configuration during hydraulic entangling so that a corrugated composite web is formed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said second fibrous layer is an admixture of meltblown fibers and at least one material selected from the group including staple fibers, pulp fibers, particulate material and continuous filaments.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said admixture further includes a particulate material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said second fibrous layer includes cellulose fibers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein said second fibrous layer includes synthetic pulp fibers, the synthetic pulp fibers being not greater than 0.25 inches long and 1.3 denier.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 21, wherein the synthetic pulp fibers are polyester pulp fibers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 3, wherein the elastomeric meltblown fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyurethane fibers and polyetherester fibers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The coupling nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 23, wherein the second fibrous layer includes 15-65% polyester pulp fibers, of the basis weight of the composite web.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 24, wherein the composite web has a basis weight of 100-200 g/m 2 .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The composite nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 1, wherein the web has a terry-cloth surface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A nonwoven elastomeric web formed by hydraulically entangling a layer of meltblown elastomeric fibers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
A nonwoven elastomeric web formed by hydraulically entangling a layer of meltblown elastomeric fibers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The nonwoven elastomeric web according to claim 27, wherein said meltblown elastomeric fibers are formed of a single elastomeric material.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
107 words
A process of forming a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising: providing a first fibrous layer including meltblown fibers, directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said first fibrous layer to entangle the fibers of said layer, overlaying said entangled first fibrous layer with a second fibrous layer, wherein the fibers of at least one of the layers are elastomeric; and directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said laminate to entangle the fibers of at least one of the layers with the fibers of the other layer, and wherein the composite nonwoven elastomeric web has substantially smooth outer surfaces.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
107 words
A process of forming a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising: providing a first fibrous layer including meltblown fibers, directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said first fibrous layer to entangle the fibers of said layer, overlaying said entangled first fibrous layer with a second fibrous layer, wherein the fibers of at least one of the layers are elastomeric; and directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said laminate to entangle the fibers of at least one of the layers with the fibers of the other layer, and wherein the composite nonwoven elastomeric web has substantially smooth outer surfaces.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 29 wherein said plurality of high-pressure liquid streams are directed to said surface of said laminate a plurality of times.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process according to claim 29, wherein said of high-pressure liquid streams are directed toward each surface of said laminate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 31, wherein said laminate includes a third fibrous layer which, in conjunction with said second fibrous layer, sandwich the layer including elastomeric meltblown fibers.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the process of claim 32.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the process of claim 29.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process of forming a nonwoven elastomeric web comprising the steps of: providing a layer of meltblown elastomeric fibers; and directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said layer, to entangle said fibers.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process of forming a nonwoven elastomeric web comprising the steps of: providing a layer of meltblown elastomeric fibers; and directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said layer, to entangle said fibers.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 35, wherein said meltblown elastomeric fibers are formed of a single material.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
8 words
The formed by the process of claim 35.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
109 words
A process of forming a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising the steps of: providing a first fibrous layer including elastomeric meltblown fibers, directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said first fibrous layer to entangle the fibers of said layer, overlaying said entangled first fibrous layer with a second non-elastomeric filamentary layer; directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said laminate to entangle the fibers of at least one of the layers with the filaments of the other layer; and stretching and relaxing the hydraulically entangled composite nonwoven web, and wherein the composite nonwoven elastomeric web has substantially smooth outer surfaces.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
109 words
A process of forming a composite nonwoven elastic web comprising the steps of: providing a first fibrous layer including elastomeric meltblown fibers, directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said first fibrous layer to entangle the fibers of said layer, overlaying said entangled first fibrous layer with a second non-elastomeric filamentary layer; directing a plurality of high-pressure liquid streams toward a surface of said laminate to entangle the fibers of at least one of the layers with the filaments of the other layer; and stretching and relaxing the hydraulically entangled composite nonwoven web, and wherein the composite nonwoven elastomeric web has substantially smooth outer surfaces.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
23 words
A composite nonwoven elastomeric web comprising a layer of elastomeric meltblown fibers hydraulically entangled with at least one mechanically worked non-elastomeric filamentary layer.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
A composite nonwoven elastomeric web comprising a layer of elastomeric meltblown fibers hydraulically entangled with at least one mechanically worked non-elastomeric filamentary layer.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
A composite nonwoven elastomeric web comprising a layer of meltblown fibers hydraulically entangled with at least one elastomeric filamentary layer.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
A composite nonwoven elastomeric web comprising a layer of meltblown fibers hydraulically entangled with at least one elastomeric filamentary layer.
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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) | 1993-07-02 | 1994-01-01 | 1994-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-02 | 1998-01-01 | 1998-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-02 | 2002-01-01 | 2002-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |