US5137600A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hydraulically needled nonwoven pulp fiber web
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
•
Filing: 1990-11-01
•
Granted: 1992-08-11
•
Expires: 2010-11-01
Abstract
Abstract A hydraulically needled nonwoven pulp fiber web is disclosed. This nonwoven pulp fiber web has a mean flow pore size ranging from about 18 to about 100 microns, and a Frazier porosity of at least about 100 cfm/ft 2 . The web may also be characterized by a specific volume ranging from about 8 to about 15 cm 3 /g. The nonwoven pulp fiber web may contain a significant proportion of low-average fiber length pulp and still have a total absorptive capacity greater than about 500 percent and a wicking rate greater than about 2 centimeters per 15 seconds. The hydraulically needled nonwoven pulp fiber web may be used as a hand towel, wipe, or as a fluid distribution material in an absorbent personal care product. Also disclosed is a method of making the hydraulically needled nonwoven pulp fiber web.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold K. Barnes
- 👤 Ronald F. Cook
- 👤 Cherie H. Everhart
- 👤 Ann L. McCormack
- 👤 Fred R. Radwanski
- 👤 Paulette M. Rosch
- 👤 Adrian J. Trevisan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 01:26
CPC Classifications
D; D21; D21H; D21H25/00; D21H25/005; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/04; D04H1/26; D04H1/40; D04H1/44; D04H1/46; D04H1/492; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24174; Y10T428/24182; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249962; Y10T428/249964; Y10T428/249965
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
A hydraulically needled nonwoven wet laid fibrous web wherein the fibrous material of the web consists essentially of pulp, said nonwoven web having a mean flow pore size ranging from about 18 to about 100 microns and a Frazier porosity of at least about 100 cfm/ft 2 .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
A hydraulically needled nonwoven wet laid fibrous web wherein the fibrous material of the web consists essentially of pulp, said nonwoven web having a mean flow pore size ranging from about 18 to about 100 microns and a Frazier porosity of at least about 100 cfm/ft 2 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 wherein the web has a specific volume ranging from about 8 to about 15 cm 3 g.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 wherein the web has a total absorptive capacity greater than about 500 percent and a wicking rate greater than about 2 cm per 15 seconds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 wherein the pulp is a high-average fiber length pulp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 4 wherein the pulp has an average fiber length from about 2 to about 5 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 wherein the pulp comprises more than about 50% by weight, low-average fiber length pulp and less than about 50% by weight, high-average fiber length pulp.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 6 wherein the low-average fiber length pulp has an average length from about 0.8 mm to about 1.1 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 4 wherein the high-average fiber length pulp is a wood pulp selected from bleached virgin softwood fiber pulp and unbleached virgin softwood fiber pulp.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 wherein the mean flow pore size is from about 20 to about 40 microns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 3 wherein the nonwoven web has a total absorptive capacity between about 500 and about 750 percent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 3 wherein the nonwoven web has a wicking rate from about 2 to about 3 cm per 15 seconds.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 wherein the nonwoven web has a frazier porosity from about 150 to about 200 cfm/ft 2 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 wherein the nonwoven web further comprises particulates selected from the group consisting of activated charcoal, clay, starch, and hydrocolloid materials commonly referred to as superabsorbent materials.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
An absorbent paper towel comprising the nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 having a basis weight ranging from about 18 to about 120 grams pr square meter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
An absorbent paper towel according to claim 14 wherein the nonwoven fibrous web has a basis weight ranging from about 30 to about 75 grams per square meter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A fluid distribution component of an absorbent personal care product, said component comprising the nonwoven fibrous web of claim 1 having a basis weight ranging from about 7 to about 70 grams per square meter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fluid distribution component of an absorbent personal care product according to claim 16, wherein said component has a basis weight ranging from about 25 to about 50 grams per square meter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
88 words
A hydraulically needled nonwoven wet laid fibrous web wherein the fibrous material of the web consists essentially of pulp, said web having a mean flow pore size ranging from about 18 to about 100 microns and a Frazier porosity of at least about 100 cfm/ft 2 , said pulp comprising: at least about 50%, by weight, pulp having an average fiber length from about 0.7 to 1.2 mm; and less than about 50%, by weight, pulp having an average fiber length from about 1.5 to about 6 mm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
88 words
A hydraulically needled nonwoven wet laid fibrous web wherein the fibrous material of the web consists essentially of pulp, said web having a mean flow pore size ranging from about 18 to about 100 microns and a Frazier porosity of at least about 100 cfm/ft 2 , said pulp comprising: at least about 50%, by weight, pulp having an average fiber length from about 0.7 to 1.2 mm; and less than about 50%, by weight, pulp having an average fiber length from about 1.5 to about 6 mm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 18 wherein the web has a specific volume ranging from about 8 to about 15 cm 3 /g.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 18 wherein the web has a total absorptive capacity greater than about 500 percent and a wicking rate greater than about 2 cm per 15 second.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 18 wherein the mean flow pore size ranges from about 20 to about 40 microns.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 20 wherein the nonwoven web has a total absorptive capacity between about 500 and about 750 percent.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 20 wherein the nonwoven web has a wicking rate between about 2 to about 3 cm per 15 seconds.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 18 wherein the nonwoven web has a Frazier porosity between about 150 and 250 cfm/ft 2 .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The nonwoven fibrous web of claim 18 wherein the nonwoven web further comprises particulates selected from the group consisting of activate charcoal, clays, starches, and hydrocolloid materials commonly referred to as superabsorbent materials.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
An absorbent paper towel comprising the nonwoven fibrous web of claim 18 having a basis weight ranging from about 18 to about 120 grams per square meter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
A fluid distribution component of an absorbent personal care product, said component comprising the nonwoven fibrous web of claim 18 having a basis weight ranging from about 7 to about 70 grams per square meter.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of making a hydraulically needled nonwoven fibrous web herein the fibrous material of the web consists essentially of pulp, said web having a mean flow pore size ranging from about 18 to about 100 microns and a Frazier porosity of at least about 100 cfm/ft 2 , said method comprising the steps of: forming a wet-laid nonwoven web from an aqueous dispersion of pulp fibers; hydraulically needling the wet-laid nonwoven web on a foraminous surface at an energy level of about 0.03 to about 0.002 horsepower-hours/pound of dry web; and drying the wet-laid, hydraulically needled nonwoven web.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of making a hydraulically needled nonwoven fibrous web herein the fibrous material of the web consists essentially of pulp, said web having a mean flow pore size ranging from about 18 to about 100 microns and a Frazier porosity of at least about 100 cfm/ft 2 , said method comprising the steps of: forming a wet-laid nonwoven web from an aqueous dispersion of pulp fibers; hydraulically needling the wet-laid nonwoven web on a foraminous surface at an energy level of about 0.03 to about 0.002 horsepower-hours/pound of dry web; and drying the wet-laid, hydraulically needled nonwoven web.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the foraminous surface is a single plane mesh having a mesh size of from about 40×40 to about 100×100.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the foraminous surface is selected from multi-ply meshes having an effective mesh size of from about 50×50 to about 200×200.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the drying step utilized a process selected from the group consisting of through-air-drying, infra red radiation, yankee dryers, steam cans, microwaves, and ultrasonic energy.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the wet-laid nonwoven web is hydraulically needled while at a consistency of about 25 to about 35 percent, by weight, solids.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the aqueous dispersion of pulp fibers comprises more than about 50%, by weight, low-average fiber length pulp and less than about 50%, by weight, high-average fiber length pulp.
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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) | 1995-08-11 | 1996-02-10 | 1996-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-08-11 | 2000-02-10 | 2000-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-08-11 | 2004-02-10 | 2004-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |