Fiberweb North America, Inc.

Lloyd E Trimble

Scott L Gessner

Leon M Zeldin

John V Francis

William J Grubbs

The present invention provides composite nonwoven fabric laminates and processes for producing such. The fabric is comprised of a web of thermoplastic filaments laminated to at least one other web. Preferably, the filaments are spunbonded continuous polyolefin filaments which have an oxidatively degraded outer sheath portion to promote better interfilamentary bonding and improved fabric laminate strength. In a preferred embodiment, two outer nonwoven webs comprise oxidatively degraded spunbonded filaments and are positioned around and laminated to a web of meltblown microfibers thus forming an spunbond/meltblown/spunbond fabric. Additionally, a stretch compatible fabric may be formed in which a web of oxidatively degraded filaments is laminated to an elastic web. The fabrics of the invention may be advantageously used in numerous applications such as medical garments and disposable adsorbent products.

Composite nonwoven fabrics

A slot draw attenuator apparatus and method are provided for producing webs of spunbonded thermoplastic filaments having improved cover even at low basis weights. The filaments are introduced to a slot draw attenuator having corona electrodes mounted in an elongate insulator bar and staggered and spaced along one wall of the attenuator slot near the exit end thereof. The corona electrodes are electrically connected to a high voltage source. The opposing wall of the slot is grounded. A corona is created in the attenuator slot so that the filaments are charged as they exit the attenuator. The electrostatic charge induces repelling forces in the filaments so that the filaments spread before they are randomly deposited upon a forming belt.

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Greenville, SC, United States of America

Lloyd E Trimble