International Paper Company

Walter E Schortmann

John M Greenway

Dennis Metrick

Timothy J Connolly

Peter Mancini

Breathable barrier fabrics are made by sizing a substrate, made of bonded fibers forming void spaces therein, with a film-forming material that fills the voids of the substrate to form a solid film between the fibers. The resulting non-porous breathable material provides a high strength fabric which is permeable to water vapor, such as body moisture, but impermeable to air and aqueous liquids. The non-porous breathable barrier fabric acts as a barrier against wind, dust or other airborne contaminants, e.g. bacteria, viruses, pesticides, etc., as well as against aqueous liquids such as blood. Alternatively, porous barrier fabrics can be made by incorporating air into the film-forming filler material to obtain greater comfort at lowered barrier qualities. The barrier fabrics of the invention are suitable for industrial, hospital and other protective covering uses.

Nonporous breathable barrier fabrics and related methods of manufacture

A nonwoven laminate, having a barrier property, is made of at least one thermoplastic fiber layer bonded with a wet-laid fabric layer, made of a uniform distribution of cellulose fibers, polymeric fibers, and a binder, which is treated with a water-repellent finish. Alternatively, the wet-laid fabric layer can be made without the addition of any binders to form a tissue-type core fabric layer. In a preferred form, spunbond polyester fiber layers are ultrasonically bonded on each side of a wet-laid barrier fabric made of about 20% eucalyptus pulp, 45% staple polyester fibers of 1.5 denier, and 35% polyester fibers of finer denier of about 0.6 denier, which is bonded with an acrylic latex binder and treated with a water-repellent finish that includes a fluorocarbon compound. The resulting laminate has a desired drapability and soft hand. Combined with the low unit cost, air permeability and water-resistant barrier properties, the wet-laid barrier fabrics of the invention are suitable for industrial, hospital, and other protective or covering uses.

Nonwoven laminate with wet-laid barrier fabric and related method

An apparatus and related process for entangling a staple fibrous web which employs divergent fluid jets. The web is advanced through an entangling station on a conveying means which supports an entangling member having a symmetrical pattern of fluid pervious void areas. The divergent jet sprays which are disposed above the entangling member direct a continuous curtain of fluid onto the web, coacting with the entangling member to entangle web fibers into a coherent lattice structure. The divergent jet sprays are provided by nozzles having wide orifice diameters which accommodate less complex fluid recirculation and filtration systems than employed in prior art columnar jet processes.

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Cumberland, RI, United States of America

Walter E Schortmann