Textured fabrics applied with a treatment composition

• US 20040175556A1
• Filed: 03/03/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Xie, Ming, Clark, James W., Detamore, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/298.4
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/488 in combination with bonding agents
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/49 entanglement by fluid jet in combination with another consolidation means
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/495 for formation of patterns, e.g. drilling or rearrangement
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/498 entanglement of layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/64 the bonding agent being applied in wet state, e.g. chemical agents in dispersions or solutions
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/00 Other non-woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/03 by fluid jet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24446 Wrinkled, creased, crinkled or creped
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24455 Paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249943 Fiber is nonlinear [e.g., crimped, sinusoidal, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2762 Coated or impregnated natural fiber fabric [e.g., cotton, wool, silk, linen, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/277 Coated or impregnated cellulosic fiber fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2779 Coating or impregnation contains an acrylic polymer or copolymer [e.g., polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic acid, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/659 Including an additional nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/66 Additional nonwoven fabric is a spun-bonded fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/681 Spun-bonded nonwoven fabric

Abstract

A textured fabric having at least one surface that contains peaks and valleys is provided. Greater than about 90% of the peaks and less than about 10% of the valleys are disposed with a treatment composition, the treatment composition comprising a latex polymer. In one embodiment, for example, the textured fabric is a hydraulically entangled composite fabric formed from a spunbond nonwoven web and pulp fibers. When coated onto the fabric, the treatment composition may form a thin film layer on the fiber surface that prevents fibers or zones of fibers from breaking away from the surface as lint. Further, because the coating is applied only to the peaks, the valleys may remain free of the latex polymer and substantially maintain the absorbency of the uncoated fabric.

Claims

1. A textured fabric that comprises a nonwoven web, said fabric having at least one surface that contains peaks and valleys, wherein greater than about 90% of said peaks and less than about 10% of said valleys are disposed with a treatment composition, said treatment composition comprising a latex polymer.

2. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein approximately 100% of said peaks are disposed with said treatment composition.

3. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein approximately 0% of said valleys are disposed with said treatment composition.

4. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein the solids add-on level of said treatment composition is from about 0.1% to about 20%.

5. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein the solids add-on level of said treatment composition is from about 0.5% to about 5%.

6. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein said latex polymer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetates, ethylene vinyl chlorides, styrene-butadiene, acrylates and styrene-acrylate copolymers.

7. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein said nonwoven web is a spunbond web.

8. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein the textured fabric is a nonwoven laminate.

9. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein the textured fabric is a composite of said nonwoven web hydraulically entangled with a fibrous component.

10. A textured fabric as defined in claim 9, wherein said fibrous component contains cellulosic fibers.

11. A textured fabric as defined in claim 10, wherein said fibrous component comprises greater than about 50% by weight of the textured fabric.

12. A textured fabric as defined in claim 10, wherein said fibrous component comprises from about 60% to about 90% by weight of the textured fabric.

13. A textured fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the textured fabric is creped.

14. A textured nonwoven fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein said treatment composition further comprises a pigment.

15. A textured composite fabric comprising a nonwoven web hydraulically entangled with pulp fibers, said fabric having at least one surface that contains peaks and valleys, wherein greater than about 90% of said peaks and less than about 10% of said valleys are disposed with a treatment composition, said treatment composition comprising a crosslinked latex polymer.

16. A textured composite fabric as defined in claim 15, wherein approximately 100% of said peaks are disposed with said treatment composition.

17. A textured composite fabric as defined in claim 15, wherein approximately 0% of said valleys are disposed with said treatment composition.

18. A textured composite fabric as defined in claim 15, wherein the solids add-on level of said treatment composition is from about 0.5% to about 5%.

19. A textured composite fabric as defined in claim 15, wherein said treatment composition further comprises a pigment.

20. A textured composite fabric as defined in claim 15, wherein said pulp fibers comprise greater than about 50% by weight of the textured fabric.

21. A textured composite fabric as defined in claim 15, wherein said pulp fibers comprise from about 60% to about 90% by weight of the textured fabric.

22. A textured composite fabric as defined in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the textured fabric is creped.

23. A method for forming a product that generates relatively low levels of lint, said method comprising:

forming a fabric that comprises a nonwoven web;

imparting peaks and valleys into said fabric; and

coating said fabric with a treatment composition that comprises a crosslinkable latex polymer so that greater than about 90% of said peaks and less than about 10% of said valleys contain said treatment composition.

24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein approximately 100% of said peaks contain said treatment composition.

25. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein approximately 0% of said valleys contain said treatment composition.

26. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein the solids add-on level of said treatment composition is from about 0.5% to about 5%.

27. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said treatment composition is an aqueous composition that further comprises a cure promoter and a pigment.

28. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein said cure promoter is an aziridine oligomer with at least two aziridine functional groups.

29. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said treatment composition has a pre-cure pH that is adjusted to above 8 using a fugitive alkali.

30. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said latex polymer is crosslinkable at room temperature.

31. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said crosslinkable latex polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetates, ethylene vinyl chlorides, styrene-butadiene, acrylates and styrene-acrylate copolymers.

32. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said nonwoven web is a spunbond web.

33. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said fibrous component comprises from about 60% to about 90% by weight of said fabric.

34. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said fibrous component contains cellulosic fibers.

35. A method as defined in claim 23, further comprising hydraulically entangling said nonwoven web with a fibrous component to form said fabric, wherein said fibrous component comprises greater than about 50% by weight of said fabric.

36. A method as defined in claim 23, further comprising adhering said fabric to a creping surface and creping said fabric therefrom, wherein said creped fabric, has at least one surface that contains peaks and valleys.

37. A method as defined in claim 36, wherein said fabric is supported by a patterned surface during creping.

38. A method as defined in claim 37, wherein said fabric is pressed into engagement with said creping surface at a pressure of from about 50 to about 350 pounds per linear inch.

39. A method as defined in claim 38, wherein said fabric is pressed into engagement with said creping surface at a pressure of from about 150 to about 250 pounds per linear inch.

40. A method as defined in claim 36, wherein a creping adhesive is used to facilitate the adherence of said fabric to said creping surface.

41. A method.for forming a product that generates relatively low levels of lint, said method comprising:

providing a nonwoven web;

hydraulically entangling said nonwoven web with a fibrous component to form a fabric, wherein said fibrous component comprises greater than about 50% by weight of said fabric;

adhering said fabric to a creping surface and creping said fabric therefrom, wherein said creped fabric has at least one surface that contains peaks and valleys; and

coating said fabric with a treatment composition that comprises a crosslinkable latex polymer so that greater than about 90% of said peaks and less than about 10% of said valleys contain said treatment composition.

42. A method as defined in claim 41, wherein approximately 100% of said peaks contain said treatment composition.

43. A method as defined in claim 41, wherein approximately 0% of said valleys contain said treatment composition.

44. A method as defined in claim 41, wherein said nonwoven web is a spunbond web.

45. A method as defined in claim 41, wherein said fibrous component comprises from about 60% to about 90% by weight of said fabric.

46. A method as defined in claim 41, wherein said fabric is supported by a patterned surface during creping.

47. A method as defined in claim 41, wherein said fabric is pressed into engagement with said creping surface at a pressure of from about 150 to about 250 pounds per linear inch.