NONWOVEN BONDING PATTERNS PRODUCING FABRICS WITH IMPROVED ABRASION RESISTANCE AND SOFTNESS

• US 20080268194A1
• Filed: 04/24/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ahlstrom Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ahlstrom Corporation
• Inventors: Erdos, Valeria G., Bais-Singh, Smita, Kim, Kyuk Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/43
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/54 by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving in combination with needling D04H1/485
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/14 with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24603 Fiber containing component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24636 Embodying mechanically interengaged strand[s], strand-portion[s] or strand-like strip[s] [e.g., weave, knit, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2481 including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24826 Spot bonds connect components

Abstract

A thermal bonding pattern for nonwoven fabric possessing improved abrasion resistance while retaining softness, comprising a basket-weave pattern or other pattern having a transition area (2) equal to at least 10% of bonding spot area (1) in FIG. 1, more preferably a transition area (2) equal to at least 50% of bonding spot area (1), and most preferably a transition area (2) equal to at least 100% of bonding spot area.

Claims

1. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric comprising a nonwoven fabric having a pattern of bonds providing a bond area, said pattern having a transition area equal to at least 10% of bond spot area.

2. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 wherein said pattern having a transition area equal to at least 50% of bond spot area.

3. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 wherein said pattern having a transition area equal to at least 100% of bond spot area.

4. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 wherein said bond area is present between about 5% and 50%.

5. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 wherein said bond area is present between about 10% and 45%.

6. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 wherein said bond area is present between about 15% and 40%.

7. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 which has been thermally bonded.

8. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 7 wherein said pattern is a basket-weave pattern.

9. A pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 7 which has been stretched to produce perforations therein.

10. A garment comprising the fabric of claim 7.

11. A wiper comprising the fabric of claim 7.

12. An incontinence product comprising the fabric of claim 7.

13. A feminine hygiene product comprising the fabric of claim 7.

14. An infection control product comprising the fabric of claim 7.

15. A laminate comprising a nonwoven fabric having the pattern of claim 1 and a film, bonded together by thermal, mechanical or adhesive means.

16. The laminate of claim 15 which has been stretched to produce perforations.

17. A method of manufacturing the pattern bonded nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 comprising the steps of

spinning and stretching the fibers as in a spunbonded process,

laying these down to form a web,

bonding the fibers by thermal calendering, and

applying as a bond pattern to the previously bonded product the basket-weave pattern of claim 8.

18. A method as in claim 17 but the thermal patterning step replaces the bonding by thermal calendering step.