Regionally distinct nonwoven webs

Details Regionally distinct nonwoven webs Regionally distinct nonwoven webs

2000-10-12

2004-08-17

Watkins, III, William P. (Department: 1772)

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined

Sheets or webs coplanar

C442S389000, C442S381000, C442S387000, C442S415000, C442S329000, C442S333000, C442S334000, C442S335000, C442S392000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06777056

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to continuous filament nonwoven webs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There exist a variety of processes for forming continuous filament nonwoven webs. The spunbond fiber process is one example. Generally speaking, methods for making spunbond fiber nonwoven webs include extruding molten thermoplastic polymer through a spinneret and drawing the extruded polymer into filaments to form a web of randomly arrayed fibers on a collecting surface. As examples, methods for making the same are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,618 to Dorschner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 to Appel et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al. A second and distinct process for making continuous filament nonwoven webs is the meltblowing process. Meltblown fiber webs are generally formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity air streams which attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly dispersed meltblown fibers. Meltblown fiber processes are disclosed in, by way of example only, U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241 to Butin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,746 to Dodge et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,733 to Lau.
Continuous filament nonwoven webs have found industrial applicability in a wide range of products and/or uses. As examples, continuous filament nonwoven webs have heretofore been used as filtration and/or barrier type materials such as in facemasks, sterilization wraps, HVAC media, surgical gowns, industrial workwear and so forth. Additionally, continuous filament nonwoven webs have been widely used as one or more components of personal care products. As examples, continuous filament nonwoven webs have been used in a variety of components ranging from liquid distribution layers, composite absorbent materials, baffles, coverstock and so forth. However, while continuous filament nonwovens have found wide acceptance within various industries the demands upon the physical attributes and/or performance of existing materials continues to increase. In addition, by improving the physical attributes and/or performance of continuous filament nonwoven materials the materials can be utilized in still a wider array of applications and products.
Thus, there exists a need for continuous filament nonwoven webs having improved and/or specialized physical attributes and functionality. More particularly, there exists a need for specialized continuous filament nonwoven webs having improved liquid handling properties, treatment retention and location, hand (i.e. softness), resiliency, durability, stretch-recovery and/or other desirable properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforesaid needs are fulfilled and the problems experienced by those skilled in the art overcome by nonwoven webs of the present invention comprising a unitary continuous filament nonwoven web comprising a composite of at least first and second continuous filaments. In one aspect of the present invention, the continuous filament nonwoven web can comprise a first region comprising first filaments and a second region comprising second filaments wherein the first and second filaments are different from one another. The first and second regions can extend adjacent one another in the machine direction. Further, the first and second filaments can be entangled or mixed adjacent the inter-face between the first and second region. In a further aspect of the invention, the composite nonwoven web can comprise a region of first continuous filaments, a region of second continuous filaments and a region of third continuous filaments each extending substantially continuously in the machine direction. The second region can thus be a discrete region positioned between the first and third regions. The second continuous filaments are distinct from the first and third continuous filaments and the first and third filaments can be the same or different from one another.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3338992 (1967-08-01), Kinney
patent: 3341394 (1967-09-01), Kinney
patent: 3502763 (1970-03-01), Hartmann
patent: 3542615 (1970-11-01), Dobo et al.
patent: 3692618 (1972-09-01), Dorschner et al.
patent: 3802817 (1974-04-01), Matsuki et al.
patent: 3849241 (1974-11-01), Butin et al.
patent: 3855046 (1974-12-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 3949128 (1976-04-01), Ostermeier
patent: 3973068 (1976-08-01), Weber
patent: 4041203 (1977-08-01), Brock et al.
patent: 4070218 (1978-01-01), Weber
patent: 4340563 (1982-07-01), Appel et al.
patent: 4374888 (1983-02-01), Bornslaeger
patent: 4526733 (1985-07-01), Lau
patent: 4663220 (1987-05-01), Wisneski et al.
patent: 4675471 (1987-06-01), Shida et al.
patent: 4707398 (1987-11-01), Boggs
patent: 4720415 (1988-01-01), Vander Wielen et al.
patent: 4767586 (1988-08-01), Radwanski et al.
patent: 4795668 (1989-01-01), Krueger et al.
patent: 4803117 (1989-02-01), Daponte
patent: 4833003 (1989-05-01), Win et al.
patent: 4853281 (1989-08-01), Win et al.
patent: 4921659 (1990-05-01), Marshall et al.
patent: 4965122 (1990-10-01), Morman
patent: 5057368 (1991-10-01), Largman et al.
patent: 5069970 (1991-12-01), Largman et al.
patent: 5108820 (1992-04-01), Kaneko et al.
patent: 5160746 (1992-11-01), Dodge, II et al.
patent: 5178931 (1993-01-01), Perkins et al.
patent: 5188885 (1993-02-01), Timmons et al.
patent: 5204429 (1993-04-01), Kaminsky et al.
patent: 5208304 (1993-05-01), Waymouth
patent: 5212246 (1993-05-01), Ogale
patent: 5271883 (1993-12-01), Timmons et al.
patent: 5272236 (1993-12-01), Lai et al.
patent: 5277976 (1994-01-01), Hogle et al.
patent: 5278272 (1994-01-01), Lai et al.
patent: 5300365 (1994-04-01), Ogale
patent: 5331047 (1994-07-01), Giacobbe
patent: 5332613 (1994-07-01), Taylor et al.
patent: 5336545 (1994-08-01), Morman
patent: 5344297 (1994-09-01), Hills
patent: 5349734 (1994-09-01), Poulsen et al.
patent: 5366793 (1994-11-01), Fitts, Jr. et al.
patent: 5382400 (1995-01-01), Pike et al.
patent: 5385775 (1995-01-01), Wright
patent: 5413849 (1995-05-01), Austin et al.
patent: 5451450 (1995-09-01), Erderly et al.
patent: 5466410 (1995-11-01), Hills
patent: 5472775 (1995-12-01), Obijeski et al.
patent: 5486166 (1996-01-01), Bishop et al.
patent: 5534339 (1996-07-01), Stokes
patent: 5539124 (1996-07-01), Etherton et al.
patent: 5540976 (1996-07-01), Shawver et al.
patent: 5549080 (1996-08-01), Uchikawa
patent: 5554775 (1996-09-01), Krishnamurti et al.
patent: 5562650 (1996-10-01), Everett et al.
patent: 5620779 (1997-04-01), Levy et al.
patent: 5639541 (1997-06-01), Adam
patent: 5652048 (1997-07-01), Haynes et al.
patent: 5679042 (1997-10-01), Varona
patent: 5691035 (1997-11-01), Chappell et al.
patent: 5695868 (1997-12-01), McCormack
patent: 5696191 (1997-12-01), Nohr et al.
patent: 5704930 (1998-01-01), Lavash et al.
patent: 5707735 (1998-01-01), Midkiff et al.
patent: 5714107 (1998-02-01), Levy et al.
patent: 5721180 (1998-02-01), Pike et al.
patent: 5759926 (1998-06-01), Pike et al.
patent: 5811178 (1998-09-01), Adam et al.
patent: 5817584 (1998-10-01), Singer et al.
patent: 5853635 (1998-12-01), Morell et al.
patent: 6053719 (2000-04-01), Barbier et al.
patent: 6057024 (2000-05-01), Mleziva et al.
patent: 6245401 (2001-06-01), Ying et al.
patent: 0 400 333 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 0 413 688 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 0 475 307 (1995-11-01), None
patent: 0 475 306 (1997-03-01), None
patent: 0 586 924 (1997-10-01), None
patent: WO 97/49848 (1997-12-01), None
G. Coates and R. Waymouth, “Oscillating Stereocontrol: A Strategy for the Synthesis of Thermoplastic Elastomeric Polypropylene” 267 Science 217-219 (Jan. 1995).
K. Wagener, “Oscillating Catalysis: A New Twist for Plastics” 267 Science 191 (Jan. 1995).

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Regionally distinct nonwoven webs does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Regionally distinct nonwoven webs, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Regionally distinct nonwoven webs will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3303904