The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 14, 1978
Filed:
May. 13, 1976
Frederick K Mesek, Tinley Park, IL (US);
Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ (US);
Abstract
A method for preparing a non-woven fabric which is less wettable in its marginal portions than in its central portion. The fabric comprises a highly water-absorbent web of mixed long and short fibers that is through-bonded throughout its dimensions with a binder (adhesive) to retain the fibers in their assembled relationship. Since the binder, in its final set stage, is hydrophobic in character and renders the resulting fabric more or less water repellent, the invention involves treatment of the mid-portion of the bonded fabric with a wetting agent (surfactant) to minimize the water-repellent effect of the binder and to make the mid-portion of the fabric readily wettable. Marginal portions of the bonded fabric are not treated with a wetting agent, so that these portions of the fabric throughout their dimensions are more or less water repellent. By this is meant that the marginal portions of the bonded fabric are difficultly wettable as compared to the mid-portion of the fabric. As indicated, the binder material at the side edges of the fabric is present throughout the thickness of the fabric, and hence it is effective to prevent liquid that is wetted into the central portion of the fabric from wicking readily outwardly. The fabric of the invention has particular utility as a facing layer in a disposable diaper that includes an absorbent pad and a water-repellent backing member, since it minimizes liquid leakage from the side edges of the diaper.