Fiberweb North America, Inc.

Bba Nonwovens Simpsonville, Inc.

James River Corporation of Virginia

James River Corporation

Fitesa Nonwoven, Inc.

Advanced Design Concepts Gmbh

Advanced Design Concept Gmbh

Bba Nonwoven Simpsonville, Inc.

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Fiberweb Simpsonville, Inc.

Jared A Austin

David Dudley Newkirk

Scott L Gessner

William Fowells

J Darrell Gillespie

Thomas E Quantrille

Harold Edward Thomas

Robert F Hyslop

Joseph H Miller

Barry DeWayne Meece

G Stanley Zimmerman

Steven P Webb

M Dexter Hagy

Samuel Charles Baer

Mark H Berman

Kenneth A Toney

Deborah K Lickfield

Thomas Baltes

Jay Darrell Gillespie

David Bruce Christopher

Jean-Claude Abed

Milo Johnston

John L Allan

Andrew R Oleszczuk

Guy Stanley Zimmerman, Jr

Henning Roettger

Thomas Gilmore

Raymond A Dunleavy

Lloyd Edwin Trimble

John Henry Phillips

Absorbent sheet materials are produced from a coformed blend of absorbent fibers and extensible meltblown polymer fibers. Laminates of these extensible coforms are prepared with layers of extensible polymeric fibers or filaments. The absorbent sheet materials are incrementally stretched to improve softness and drape.

Extensible absorbent composites

The present invention relates to compositions such as fibers, elastic yarns, wovens, nonwovens, knitted fabrics, fine nets, and articles produced at least in part from a styrenic block copolymer comprising at least two blocks produced from vinyl aromatic monomers and at least one block produced from alkyl-substituted, conjugated alkene monomers, where the block produced from the conjugated alkene may have sufficient substitution so as to prevent or significantly minimize thermal cross-linking of the residual unsaturation in the formed block during fiber formation. Additionally, the composition may be described as processable, without requiring any additives if, for example, the order-disorder-transition (ODT) temperature is less than about 280&#xb0; C.

Fibers made from block copolymer

A bonded web of multi-component strands that include a first polymeric component and a second polymeric component is capable of overcoming a number of problems associated with nonwoven webs including both stickiness and blocking. The first polymeric component and second polymeric component are arranged in substantially distinct zones extending longitudinally along at least a portion of a length of the strands which make up the web with the second component containing a zone constituting at least a portion of the peripheral surface of the strand. The first polymeric component also has an elasticity which is greater than that of the second polymer component. A process producing elastomeric spunbonded nonwoven fabrics which utilizes the activation by incremental stretching of the strands is also provided.

Elastomeric multicomponent fibers, nonwoven webs and nonwoven fabrics

Nonwoven fabrics and fabric laminates are formed from continuous filaments or staple fibers of a select blend of specific grades of polyethylene and polypropylene which give improved fabric performance not heretofore recognized or described, such as high abrasion resistance, good tensile properties, excellent softness and the like. Furthermore, these blends have excellent melt spinning and processing properties which permit efficiently producing nonwoven fabrics at high productivity levels. The polymers are present as a lower-melting dominant continuous phase and at least one higher-melting noncontinuous phase dispersed therein. The lower-melting continuous phase forms at least 70 percent by weight of the fiber and comprises a linear low density polyethylene polymer of a melt index of greater than 10 and a density of less than 0.945 g/cc. At least one higher-melting noncontinuous phase comprises a polypropylene polymer with melt flow rate of greater than 20 g/10 min.

Nonwoven fabrics and fabric laminates from multiconstituent polyolefin fibers

The present invention provides a composite nonwoven fabric with a superior combination of extensibility, tensile properties and abrasion resistance. The composite nonwoven fabric ( ) comprises at least one layer containing multipolymer fibers, with a plurality of bonds bonding the fibers together to form a coherent extensible nonwoven web ( ). This coherent extensible nonwoven web ( ) has a Taber surface abrasion value (rubber wheel) of greater than 10 cycles and an elongation at peak load in at least one of the machine direction or the cross-machine direction of at least 70%. A second extensible layer ( ) is laminated to this coherent extensible nonwoven web ( ).

Extensible composite nonwoven fabrics

Nonwoven fabrics and fabric laminates are formed from continuous filaments or staple fibers of a select blend of specific grades of polyethylene and polypropylene which give improved fabric performance not heretofore recognized or described, such as high abrasion resistance, good tensile properties, excellent softness and the like. Furthermore, these blends have excellent melt spinning and processing properties which permit efficiently producing nonwoven fabrics at high productivity levels. The polymers are present as a lower-melting dominant continuous phase and at least one higher-melting noncontinuous phase dispersed therein The lower-melting continuous phase forms at least 70 percent by weight of the fiber and comprises a linear low density polyethylene polymer of a melt index of greater than 10 and a density of less than 0.945 g/cc. At least one higher-melting noncontinuous phase comprises a polypropylene polymer with melt flow rate of greater than 20 g/10 min.

Elastic nonwoven fabric prepared from bi-component filaments

The invention is directed to composite elastic nonwoven fabrics and processes for producing the same. The fabric includes a layer of inelastic continuous or staple fibers formed from a blend of polyethylene and polypropylene laminated to an elastic layer. Preferably, the composition of the fibers ranges between 5 to 50 percent by weight of polypropylene with the balance made up of polyethylene. The nonelastic fibers are capable of being highly elongated upon mechanical stretching without adversely impacting fiber tie down. Accordingly, a smooth, strong, coherent fabric is obtained, which is especially well suited for incorporation into disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, incontinence briefs and feminine hygiene products.

Nonwoven fabric useful for preparing elastic composite fabrics

Multicomponent thermoplastic continuous filaments are provided, including hollow core multicomponent filaments. The filaments are at least partially splittable into smaller filaments in the absence of mechanical treatment or application of high pressure water jets. The surface energy of the components can be controlled to control separation of the multi-component filaments. Sub-denier and micro-denier filaments of low orientation can be produced from relatively high molecular weight polymers to produce nonwovens of surprising strength, barrier, and cover.

Meltspun multicomponent thermoplastic continuous filaments, products

The invention is directed to composite nonwoven fabrics and processes for producing the same. The fabric includes a layer of inelastic continuous or staple fibers formed from a blend of polyethylene and polypropylene laminated to an extensible web, such as a polyolefin film. Preferably, the composition of the fibers ranges between 5 to 50 percent by weight of polypropylene with the balance made up of polyethylene. The nonelastic fibers are capable of being highly elongated upon mechanical stretching without adversely impacting fiber tie down. Accordingly, a smooth, strong, coherent fabric is obtained, which is especially well suited for incorporation into disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, incontinence briefs and feminine hygiene products.

Nonwoven composite fabrics

The invention is directed to a composite nonwoven fabric comprising first and second nonwoven webs of spunbonded substantially continuous thermoplastic filaments, and a nonwoven hydrophobic microporous web of thermoplastic meltblown microfibers sandwiched between the first and second nonwoven webs. The filaments of the nonwoven spunbond webs are formed of continuous multiconstituent filaments which include a lower melting gamma radiation stable polyethylene polymer component and one or more higher melting gamma radiation stable polymer constituents, wherein a substantial portion of the surfaces of the multiconstituent filaments consists of the lower melting gamma radiation stable polyethylene constituent. The nonwoven hydrophobic microporous web is formed from a gamma radiation stable polyethylene polymer. The webs are bonded together to form the composite nonwoven fabric by discrete point bonds in which the polyethylene constituent of said multiconstituent filaments and the polyethylene of said third nonwoven web are fused together.

Composite nonwoven fabric and articles produced therefrom

Tufted carpets which are conformable and stretchable make use of a stretchable carpet backing formed from a composite fabric. The stretchable carpet backing fabric is formed of a stretchable elastic net and at least one nonwoven fibrous layer overlying the stretchable elastic net. The fibers of the fibrous layer extend through said elastic net to mechanically secure the fibrous layer to the elastic net and form a unitary coherent elastic fabric.

Stretchable tufted carpet and stretchable nonwoven carpet backing

Growing community of inventors

Greer, SC, United States of America

Jared A Austin