Laminated microfiber non-woven material

• US 4,784,892 A
• Filed: 05/12/1986
• Issued: 11/15/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Inventors: Maddern, Peter, Storey, Dennis G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cannon, James C.
• Application Number:
  US06/862,345
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 428/172, 428/198, 428/283, 428/286, 428/287, 428/296, 428/298, 428/302-319.3, 428/326, 428/327, 428/903, 428/913, 604/366, 604/370, 604/372, 604/376, 604/378, 604/380, 156/62.4, 156/62.6, 156/62.8, 156/73.1, 156/290, 156/308.4
• US Class Current: 428/172
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2555/02 Diapers or napkins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/425 Cellulose series
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/559 the fibres being within layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/56 in association with fibre formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion of staple fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/00 Other non-woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/06 strengthened or consolidated by welding-together thermoplastic fibres, filaments, or yarns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24826 Spot bonds connect components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/62 Including another chemically different microfiber in a separate layer

Abstract

Non-woven material useful for example for disposable wipers and the like which comprises a layer of meltblown polymeric microfibers inter-mixed with fibres of absorbent material and/or absorbent or super-absorbent particles, the absorbent fibres and/or particles being inter-connected by and held captive within the polymeric microfibres matrix of fibres by mechanical entanglement and interconnection of the microfibres/absorbent fibres, (when present), and at least one layer of meltblown polymeric microfibres, the layers being bonded together ultrasonically or by the application of heat or heat and pressure to cause the microfibres in one layer to bond to the microfibres in an adjacent layer so as to produce fuse bonds extending through the material.

Such material can readily absorb fluids including oil, and can subsequently be squeezed out readily. The material also has an integral strength and a substantially lint free wiping surface.

Claims

1. A nonwoven three-layer laminate material having a basis weight in the range of from about 50 to about 150 gsm and consisting essentially of a coform central layer mixture of thermoplastic microfibers having a diameter generally in the range of up to about 10 microns including from about 50 to about 80 percent by weight of pulp fibers and said mixture also including superabsorbent particles held captive within said mixture of pulp and microfibers, and

on both sides of said central layer a meltblown surface layer consisting essentially of thermoplastic microfibers having a diameter generally within the range of from about 11/2 to 10 microns,

said laminate being interbonded by a pattern of fused bonds serving to anchor the superabsorbent particles within said laminate, and occupying at least about 10 percent of the surface area of said laminate.

2. The nonwoven material of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material in each layer is polypropylene and said fused bonds are formed by the application of heat and pressure.

3. The nonwoven material of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material of each surface layer is made of polyester, nylon, polyethylene or polypropylene, and said fused bonds are formed by sonic bonding.

4. The nonwoven material of claims 1, 2 or 3 also including an impervious film on the outer side of one of said surface layers.