Fabric (woven – knitted – or nonwoven textile or cloth – etc.) – Nonwoven fabric – Nonwoven fabric has an elastic quality
Patent
1997-09-16
2000-05-30
Zirker, Daniel
Fabric (woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.)
Nonwoven fabric
Nonwoven fabric has an elastic quality
442105, 442329, 442361, 442364, 442381, 428198, D04H 316, A61F 1356, B32B 504, B32B 2510
Patent
active
060690976
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a composite elastic material comprising a non-woven fabric and an elastic sheet, which has different stretch-recovery properties according to the degree of elongation. The composite elastic material can be advantageously used as an elastic material which directly contacts the skin of the human body, such as an elastic material provided for the lumbar region or the crotch region of sanitary articles such as baby and adult diapers, and the sleeve portion of a medical gown.
PRIOR ART
Elastic members are used in disposable goods such as medical articles and hygienic articles in order to improve the fitness around the human body. When used with baby diapering articles, an elastic material is often used in conjunction with a non-woven fabric. In a composite comprising a non-woven fabric and an elastic sheet, elastic functions are performed by the elastic sheet while the non-woven fabric improves the surface condition of the composite and reinforces the elastic sheet.
Typical examples of such composite elastic materials include a three-layer composite elastic material which is referred to as S.M.S. (spun-bond/melt-blown/spun-bond) made by Kimberly, U.S.A., as disclosed in JPA Nos. 84143/87, 28456/87 and 33889/87. Such composite elastic material is manufactured according to a system which is referred to as S.B.L. (Stretched Bonding Laminate), which comprises stretching an elastic sheet, laminating the sheet to a non-woven fabric in an elongated state, and thereafter loosening the laminate. According to this method of manufacture, the composite elastic material is neither elongated beyond that in a usual application state nor fractured. However, the system has several drawbacks for high velocity commercial production, notable among them the necessity of using more non-woven fabric than is needed and a completed article of relatively large bulk.
JPA No. 281059/92, on the other hand, discloses a system in which fiber is directly entangled with an elastic net. This system however has high manufacturing costs. In order to reduce the manufacturing costs, JPA No. 222601/93 attempts to use an elongated non-woven fabric in order to provide a composite elastic material having a channel structure. In JP '601, the non-woven fabric is line-bonded to an elastic film.
A prior composite elastic material as mentioned above is capable of being elongated in a relatively large range. However, the breaking point is undefined, which is a critical problem. Furthermore, when worn, the composite elastic material may break by excessive or repeated elongation, the degree to which is also undefined.
These and other drawbacks of the prior art are sought to be overcome by the composite elastic material of the preferred embodiments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a composite non-woven fabric and elastic sheet which are easily produced and relatively inexpensive.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent product manufactured from the composite elastic material.
According to the present invention, the composite elastic material having a multiple-stage elongation property comprises: a non-woven fabric which is stretchable along at least one direction and has a break-down elasticity along said direction of 100% or more; and a sheet-like elastic member having an elastic recovery of 60% or more and a breakdown elasticity of 200% or more; said non-woven fabric and said elastic member being secured together at a plurality of locations, so that said composite elastic material has a first stress lowering point caused by changes of structure of said non-woven fabric while being stretched along said direction, and a second stress lowering point occurring at an elongation larger than said first stress lowering point, said second stress lowering point caused by break-down of said sheet-like elastic member.
The composite elastic material of the present invention is uniaxially elongated with an approximate constant increase of s
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JP 47-29673 (Nov. 1972) English Translation of the Entire Document.
Fukui Hiroaki
Suzuki Migaku
Paragon Trade Brands, Inc.
Zirker Daniel
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