Wipe materials based on multi-layer blown microfibers

• US 5,258,220 A
• Filed: 09/30/1991
• Issued: 11/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Joseph, Eugene G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, James J.
• Application Number:
  US07/768,156
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 428/373, 428/370, 428/374, 428/375, 428/378, 428/395, 428/396, 428/901, 428/903, 418/284, 418/297, 418/298, 418/286, 418/287, 418/913
• US Class Current: 442/346
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/17 containing cleaning agents A47L13/19 takes precedence ; chemical compositions C11D17/049
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/726 Permeability to liquids, absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2432/00 Cleaning articles, e.g. mops, wipes personal care B32B2555/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/022 Mechanical properties
• 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 3/14 with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/903 Microfiber, less than 100 micron diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2929 Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/621 Including other strand or fiber material in a different layer not specified as having microdimensions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/622 Microfiber is a composite fiber

Abstract

An absorbent wipe material formed from microfibers having multiple layers of an elastomeric material and a non-elastomeric material.

Claims

1. An absorbent wipe comprising a melt-blown nonwoven web comprising melt-blown microfibers, each of said melt-blown microfibers having at least two substantially continuous layers throughout said microfiber length comprised of at least one first layer of an elastomeric material and at least one second layer of a relatively nonelastic higher modulus material capable of undergoing substantial permanent deformation wherein the web has been stretched and allowed to recover so that it has 120% of the absorptive capacity of a corresponding unstretched web.

2. The absorbent wipe of claim 1 wherein certain of the microfibers having at least two substantially continuous layers are crimped, the at least one second layer of a relatively nonelastic higher modulus material of said crimped microfibers being oriented.

3. The absorbent wipe of claim 1 wherein the microfiber average diameter is less than 10 micrometers.

4. The absorbent wipe of claim 1 wherein the web thickness is at least 150% that of an unstretched web.

5. The absorbent wipe of claim 1 wherein one or both layers contains a surfactant.

6. The absorbent wipe of claim 1 further comprising outer layers of a spun-bond nonwoven web.

7. The absorbent wipe of claim 1 further wherein the absorptive capacity is 130% that of a corresponding unstretched web.

8. The absorbent wipe of claim 1 wherein the absorptive capacity is 200% that of a corresponding unstretched web.