Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Jay Sheldon Shultz

Susan Elaine Shawver

Linda A Connor

Ann Louise McCormack

Deepak R Parikh

David Jon Baer

Michael Tod Morman

Bernard H Cohen

Eugenio Go Varona

Lawrence Howell Sawyer

David Michael Schertz

Duane Girard Uitenbroek

David Craige Strack

Paul Windsor Estey

Kenneth B Stewart

Ruth Lisa Levy

Kenneth Bradley Close

C Allen Smith

Richard C Beck

James Russell Fitts, Jr

Charles John Morell

Susan Carol Paul

Howard Martin Welch

Carol Ann Blaney

Henry Louis Griesbach, Iii

Debra Jean McDowall

Arthur Edward Garavaglia

Clifford Jackson Ellis

Robert J Roeder

William F Cartwright

John Joseph Sayovitz

Gregory Todd Sudduth

Robert David Wright

Leon E Chambers, Jr

Leslie Warren Collier, Iv

Edward P Bullwinkel

Simon Kwame Ofosu

Donald V Willitts

Robert G Geer

Sharon W Gwaltney

Leslie D Dobbins

Jason K Wehner

Stephen C Meyer

Raju Venkatapathy

Linda Jeanette Morgan

Joseph D Wahlquist

Nathan Allen Genke

Peter Michlovich Kobylivker

Tara Tryphena Steinke

Hughey Kenneth Jeffries

Dwyana Marchael Barrett

Patrick John Notheis

Susan E Shawyer

La-Donna Lynn Brown

Jessica M Rawls

Kenneth B Close

Sandy Chi-Ching Ying

Paul W Estey

A nonwoven web made from a polymeric fiber blend comprising at least one elastomeric polyolefin and at least one nonelastomeric polyolefin useful as the elastic base sheet for a nonwoven laminate is disclosed. Preferably, the polymeric blend will comprise a nonelastomeric resin in the range of from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight, and an elastomeric resin of from about 90 to about 10 percent by weight. The elastomeric polyolefin will have a density of less than about 0.885 g/cmand the nonelastomeric polyolefin will have a density of at least about 0.890 g/cm. In one particular embodiment, the polymeric blend may comprise about 50 percent to about 90 percent by weight of a narrow molecular weight distribution polyethylene and about 50 percent to about 10 percent by weight of a nonelastomeric polyolefin such as a linear low density polyethylene.

Laminates of elastomeric and non-elastomeric polyolefin blend materials

Disclosed herein are elastic laminate materials. The elastic laminate materials are laminates of extensible nonwoven fibrous webs and thermoplastic elastic materials. The laminate may be a two-layer composite material having a single nonwoven fibrous web bonded to one side of the thermoplastic elastic material, or it may be a three-layer composite having a nonwoven fibrous web bonded to each side of the thermoplastic elastic material. The extensible nonwoven fibrous webs may be staple fiber webs. The thermoplastic elastic material may be single-layer or multi-layer elastic films, or elastic fibrous layers. Where single- or multi-layer elastic films are used, the films may be breathable films. The elastic material, or some of the staple fibers, or both, may be selected such that the staple fiber webs are thermally compatible with the thermoplastic elastic material to facilitate laminate bonding. Processes for forming the elastic laminate material are also disclosed.

Low-cost elastic laminate material

New methods for and patterns of applying meltsprayed materials in single-layer web and laminate constructions so as to control various characteristics in the webs and laminates is provided. The patterns of adhesive produce scrim or cell-like patterns that allow for control of desirable characteristics. For example, the loft of a laminate may be enhanced, as well as strength properties.

Laminate and web characteristic control by varying bonding patterns

A process of forming a nonwoven fabric is disclosed which comprises the steps of forming a precursor web of multicomponent substantially continuous filaments, exposing the precursor web to a hydraulic arrangement treatment to form apertures without causing substantial filament entanglement, and thereafter forming inter-filament bonds and an integrated web. The resulting apertured nonwoven fabrics have good hand and tactile aesthetics and have a great variety of uses including use in absorbent personal care products, garments, medical applications, and cleaning applications.

Hydraulically arranged nonwoven webs and method of making same

A nonwoven web made from a polymeric fiber blend comprising at least one elastomeric polyolefin and at least one nonelastomeric polyolefin useful as the elastic base sheet for a nonwoven laminate is disclosed. Preferably, the polymeric blend will comprise a nonelastomeric resin in the range of from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight, and an elastomeric resin of from about 90 to about 10 percent by weight. The elastomeric polyolefin will have a density of less than about 0.885 g/cm and the nonelastomeric polyolefin will have a density of at least about 0.890 g/cm . In one particular embodiment, the polymeric blend may comprise about 50 percent to about 90 percent by weight of a narrow molecular weight distribution polyethylene and about 50 percent to about 10 percent by weight of a nonelastomeric polyolefin such as a linear low density polyethylene.

There is disclosed a nonwoven web/film laminate for use as a fabric in personal care products. The laminate is formed of at least two layers in an SF formation. The spunbond (S) layer of the laminate is formed of preferably metallocene catalyzed polypropylene. The film (F) layer is formed of a polyolefin which may be metallocene-catalyzed.

Nonwoven web and film laminate with improved strength and method of making the same

A nonwoven material including at least a meltblown web is stretched by about 1-35% in at least one direction using a short-distance drawing process, to provide a fabric having improved softness and liquid barrier compared to otherwise similar fabrics prepared using longer drawing distances. The drawing process may include one or multiple stages. When multiple stages are employed, the fabric has adequate liquid barrier at a lower basis weight.

Nonwoven webs having improved softness and barrier properties

There is provided a laminate having at least one layer of meltblown elastic fibers bonded on either side with a layer of soft non-elastic fibers of greater than 7 microns in average diameter. The laminate has a drape stiffness less than half of a similar fabric having a layer of meltblown non-elastic fibers in place of the layer of meltblown elastic fibers.

Nonwoven fabric laminate with good conformability

A self-regulating breathable microporous film layer transmits water vapor at normal use conditions, and reduces or eliminates the vapor transmission when the vapor in the environment becomes excessive. The film layer includes a voided polymer matrix and a plurality of fine water-swellable filler particles disposed within the voids. When there is an excess of vapor, the filler particles swell to block or partially block transmission of vapor through the voids and the film layer.

Microporous film with liquid triggered barrier feature

The present invention provides a liquid distribution layer for absorbent articles which exhibits directional liquid distribution properties and has desirable physical integrity. The liquid distribution layer is a nonwoven web of substantially continuous microfibers that has its fibers substantially aligned along one planar dimension of the web, wherein the fibers are hydrophilically modified or hydrophilic. Additionally, the liquid distribution layer may have an increasing fiber alignment gradient as well as a decreasing fiber thickness gradient in the direction of the web thickness. Further provided are suitable processes for producing the liquid distribution layer.

Liquid distribution layer for absorbent articles

The invention provides a perforated nonwoven web fabricated from a bonded thermoplastic polymer web. The perforated nonwoven web contains a multitude of self-sustaining sustaining perforations that are substantially free of melt-fused edges and can be characterized as stretch-opened perforations. The invention further provides a process for producing the perforated nonwoven web.

Perforated nonwoven fabrics

There is provided a laminate material having stretchability and recovery, breathability and barrier properties, and being made from a nonwoven elastomeric web having at least one web of textile material discontinuously adhesively bonded to each side thereof. The laminate material is free of an elastomeric film, the elastomeric web is substantially flat when the laminate is unstretched, and the nonwoven elastomeric web provides recovery to the laminate. The nonwoven elastomeric web is preferably a web of meltblown elastomeric fibers and the other webs may be knits, wovens or scrim materials. These laminates are well suited for infection control products, personal care products and garments.

Flat elastomeric nonwoven laminates

A loop material for a hook and loop fastening system composed of: 1) a backing material; and 2) a layer of a nonwoven spunbond web attached to the backing material, the nonwoven spunbond web comprising a plurality of continuous intertwined filaments, each having a diameter of about 25 to about 100 microns, the plurality of filaments laid randomly to define a plurality of intertwined loop springs, each having a diameter of about 0.5 to about 3 millimeters.

Spunbond loop material for hook and loop fastening systems

Disclosed is a lanate composite elastic material made by a method including the steps of applying a tensioning force to elongate at least one pressure sensitive elastomer adhesive sheet; inserting substantially individualized fibrous materials into the elastic sheet by mechanical needling the elastomer sheet while it is maintained in an elongated condition; and releasing the tensioning force so the attached fibrous materials are positioned closer together by the recovery of the elastic sheet. The resulting lanate composite elastic material has stretch and recovery properties, bulk, and desirable insulation properties. One or more layers of the lanate composite material may be combined with other layers of material to create a multi-layer structure. Also disclosed is a method of making in increased pile density composite elastic material including the step inserting substantially individualized fibrous materials into an elongated pressure sensitive elastomer adhesive sheet by stitchbonding, malipole stitchbonding, or tufting or adhering substantially individualized fibrous materials to the elongated elastomer sheet by flocking techniques. The density of attached fibrous materials in the resulting increased pile density composite elastic material is greater than could be achieved by conventional fiber insertion or adherence techniques while still maintaining desirable elastic properties and bulk.

Increased pile density composite elastic material

A nonwoven fabric made with multicomponent polymeric strands includes a blend of a polyolefin and elastomeric thermoplastic material in one side or the sheath of the multicomponent polymeric strands. The fabric has improved abrasion resistance and comparable strength and softness properties. The thermoplastic elastomeric copolymer is preferably A-B-A' block copolymer wherein A and A' are each a thermoplastic endblock which includes a styrenic moiety and wherein B is an elastomeric poly(ethylene-butylene) mid block. Composite materials including such multicomponent material bonded to both sides of an inner meltblown layer are also disclosed.

Nonwoven fabric made with multicomponent polymeric strands including a

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Roswell, GA, United States of America

Jay Sheldon Shultz