US3705070A - Nonwoven fabric and process for preparing - Google Patents

Nonwoven fabric and process for preparing Download PDF

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Publication number
US3705070A
US3705070A US3705070DA US3705070A US 3705070 A US3705070 A US 3705070A US 3705070D A US3705070D A US 3705070DA US 3705070 A US3705070 A US 3705070A
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filaments
monofilaments
network
fabric
warp
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Charles W Kim
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Hercules LLC
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Hercules LLC
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H3/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
    • D04H3/02—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments
    • D04H3/04—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments in rectilinear paths, e.g. crossing at right angles
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H13/00—Other non-woven fabrics
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
    • Y10T156/1056—Perforating lamina
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
    • Y10T156/1056—Perforating lamina
    • Y10T156/1057—Subsequent to assembly of laminae
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
    • Y10T156/1062—Prior to assembly
    • Y10T156/1067—Continuous longitudinal slitting
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
    • Y10T156/1062—Prior to assembly
    • Y10T156/1074—Separate cutting of separate sheets or webs
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
    • Y10T156/1084—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing of continuous or running length bonded web
    • Y10T156/1085—One web only
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
    • Y10T156/1084—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing of continuous or running length bonded web
    • Y10T156/1087—Continuous longitudinal slitting
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24058—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including grain, strips, or filamentary elements in respective layers or components in angular relation
    • Y10T428/24074—Strand or strand-portions
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24058—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including grain, strips, or filamentary elements in respective layers or components in angular relation
    • Y10T428/24074—Strand or strand-portions
    • Y10T428/24116—Oblique to direction of web
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24273—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including aperture
    • Y10T428/24298—Noncircular aperture [e.g., slit, diamond, rectangular, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24314—Slit or elongated
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24273—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including aperture
    • Y10T428/24322—Composite web or sheet
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/29—Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
    • Y10T428/2904—Staple length fiber
    • Y10T428/2907—Staple length fiber with coating or impregnation
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T442/00—Fabric [woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.]
    • Y10T442/60—Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
    • Y10T442/643—Including parallel strand or fiber material within the nonwoven fabric

Definitions

  • FIG. 3 INVENTOR BY MMJW ATTORNEY Dec. 5, 1972 c. w. KIM
  • Nonwoven fabrics are prepared by crosslaying an open network of fibril-interconnected substantially parallel continuous monofilaments with a similar network at an angle of 20-89 and bonding the same.
  • This invention relates to novel nonwoven fabrics and to a process for the preparation thereof.
  • Nonwoven fabrics are textile fabrics which are neither woven, spun, nor made by conventional wool felting processes. Rather, they consist of an aggregation of staple textile fibers interlocked to form a mat-like structure. Typical applications where these fabrics find utility include filter cloths, clothing insulation, carpet backing, gasket material, blankets, doilies, dish cloths, surgical dressings, pennants, inner-soles for shoes, and many others.
  • the fibers are slurried in water or a similar inert liquid, the slurry is spread uniformly on a fiat surface, the inert liquid is drained off and the web is dried under pressure to form a loosely associated web of randomly arranged fibers.
  • dry fibers are laid on a solid fiat surface, as a conveyor, by mechanical means such as, e.g., a carding machine. This dry process can be used to lay down the fibers in either a random or oriented arrangement.
  • a bonding step is carried out by chemical or mechanical means.
  • the new and improved nonwoven fabric is comprised of a plurality of substantially parallel, low denier, continuous monofilament strands of a synthetic thermoplastic polymer in the warp direction, having a plurality of substantially similar strands cross-laid on at least one surface thereof and making an angle between about 20 and 89 with said warp direction strands, said cross-laid strands being of the same or different thermoplastic composition and being bonded to said warp direction yarns at their crossover points therewith, said fabric having a weight between about 0.1 and '15 ounces per square yard.
  • the denier of the filaments will be between about 1.5 and 20 and more preferably no higher than about 15.
  • Higher denier filaments can be employed in the process, but fabrics resulting therefrom may be less desirable as they will be too stiff for most applications where nonwoven fabrics are employed.
  • Nonwoven fabrics meeting the above description are unique in the art in that they are made up entirely of United States Patent 0 "ice low denier, continuous monofilament yarns in both the warp and cross direction. This factor results in several property advantages over prior art nonwovens whether based on staple fibers, continuous multifilament yarns or spun yarns. For example, these fabrics have greater covering power per unit weight than would a similar fabric prepared from a multifilament yarn, due to individual monofilaments being situated side by side rather than in bundles as would be the case with a continuous filament yarn or with synthetic staple fibers. For this same reason, one can prepare a stronger product using this technique since each individual filament can be bonded at the crossover point rather than bonding just a relatively few filaments on the outside of a yarn bundle.
  • the unique nonwoven fabrics according to this invention can be prepared by a lamination process employing warp and cross-laying beams of substantially parallel continuous monofilament strands.
  • this process comprises laying down a warp of substantially parallel, low denier continuous monofilament strands and crosslaying said warp at an angle between about 20 and 89 with a plurality of similar substantially parallel continuous monofilament strands, and bonding said strands at their points of crossover with one another.
  • the substantially parallel continuous monofilament strands are the product resulting from fibrillation of striated film.
  • the concept of fibrillating a striated film has recently been introduced into the art as a method of preparing low denier monofilaments.
  • the striations in such a film provide precisely defined lines of weakness in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the film, i.e., parallel to the direction of orientation.
  • this film is subjected to mechanical working to cause splitting, such splitting is confined to the thin areas and the thick areas can be separated as continuous filaments.
  • These films can be either oriented parallel to the striations or unoriented when they are subjected to fibrillation. Whether or not they are oriented is determined by the intended end use.
  • the mechanical working can be suflicient to effect a complete fibrillation of the film.
  • the prodnot is a plurality of individual, unconnected, parallel continuous monofilaments.
  • the product is a network of parallel continuous filaments interconnected by means of tiny side fibrils, the fibrils being the residue of the thin web section of the striated film.
  • the resulting net-like structure is also useful in the process of this invention.
  • This partially fibrillated film can be expanded up to about five times its initial width without breaking the interconnecting fibrils. Obviously, the extent to which it is expanded or opened out will affect the porosity of the nonwoven fabric prepared therewith.
  • Nonwoven fabrics can be prepared in this manner having a variety of porosity levels, depending upon the degree to which the partially fibrillated films are expanded to open out their net-like structure or upon the number of layers which are laid up.
  • FIG. 1 is a view of a section of a striated film with the size of the striations greatly exaggerated;
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one method of fibrillating a striated film for use in the invention
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an expanded network structure produced by the partial fibrillation of a striated film
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of one method of accomplishing the laminating process and subsequent bonding of the laminated structure
  • FIG. 5 depicts a typical nonwoven fabric which can be prepared by the process of the invention showing one section somewhat magnified;
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of another process which can be employed.
  • FIG. 7 depicts another alternative method of laying up the strand.
  • the striated film which is fibrillated for use in this invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. It comprises a thin strip of thermoplastic material 1 such as polypropylene, which is provided with a series of substantially uniformly spaced parallel ribs or striations 2 running longitudinally thereof and interconnected by webs 3 of reduced thickness.
  • the film can be oriented uniaxially in the direction parallel to the striations. With uniaxial orientation, the tensile strength in the direction of the axis of orientation is greatly increased while the strength transversely is reduced so that the film can be readily split lengthwise.
  • the striations have a relatively high resistance to splitting, so that lengthwise splitting of the film is confined to the webs and the resulting filaments correspond generally to the striations.
  • FIG. 2 there is illustrated schematically a method and apparatus for carrying out the fibrillation of the striated film for use in this invention.
  • the striated film 1 is advanced by draw rolls 4 from feed rolls 5, these two sets of rolls defining between them a fibrillation zone.
  • the section of striated film within this fibrillation zone is held under tension and angled over a triangle-shaped rotatable bar 6, having serrated edges 7, mounted in a suitable framework and driven by suitable drive means (not shown).
  • the serrated edges are successively brought into engagement with the ribbon along lines transversely thereof with each successive line of engagement spaced upstream of the ribbon from the preceding line of engagement.
  • the serrated edge is advanced along the ribbon and then carried out of engagement with it.
  • the teeth of the serrated edges bear upon and penetrate the ribbon, separating it into filaments which are thereupon taken up on a beam (not shown).
  • the degree of fibrilliation effected on the film is regulated or controlled by the amount of contact between the serrated edges of the beater bar and the film.
  • the apparatus is operated in such a way that the serrated edges of the bar are not in contact with the film continuously. This can be accomplished, e.g., by rotating the bar at a low rate as compared to the linear rate of advancement of the film.
  • the precise ratio of speeds is dependent upon the number of serrations per inch along the edge 7 relative to the spacing of the striations on the film and the number of such serrated edges on the bar.
  • the degree of fibrillation can also be varied by varying the are through which the teeth travel while in contact with the film. To effect complete fibrillation, these factors are combined in such a way as to assure substantially continuous contact between the film and the beater bar, or contact between them at substantially every point along the surface of the film.
  • the product of partial fibrillation shown in FIG. 3 comprises backbone filaments '8 which correspond to the thick sections 2 of the striated film and interconnecting fibrils 9 which correspond to the webs 3 adjacent to said thick sections, which webs have been split but not completely severed from their respective backbone filaments.
  • These parallel backbone filaments are thus readily aligned in spaced apart relation, as they are shown in FIG. 3, by simply spreading the net-like structure.
  • a plurality of substantially parallel monofilaments indicated generally at 10 are drawn from one or more supply beams 11 by means of pinch rolls 18 onto a stationary mandrel 13 to form a warp.
  • the strands are aligned in a horizontal plane as they leave the beam, but are passed through an annular former 12 which conforms them to the shape of the mandrel 13 so that the complete surface of the mandrel is covered by the filaments as shown in the area designated by the letter M.
  • a plurality of small denier monofilaments 14 is laid on them from one or more supply beams 15, supported on a rotatable carrying means 16 and adapted to orbit the mandrel 1'3 at a rate correlated with the rate of advancement of the warp monofilaments 10.
  • the cross filaments are laid on the warp filaments at an angle between about 2.0 and 89.
  • the now-laminar structure is drawn off the mandrel and compressed by pinch rolls 18 into a fiat structure 17 composed of a center layer comprising the parallel warp-type filaments and a surface layer of parallel continuous filaments disposed at an angle to the center layer.
  • the pinch rolls employed to advance the fabric structure from the mandrel and compress the same can be heated to a temperature sufiicient to effect the necessary degree of bonding at filament crossover points if bonding can be effected without the addition of an extraneous adhesive material.
  • the fabric comprises a mixture of thermoplastic materials, such as a mixture of polypropylene and a propyleneethylene copolymer which softens at a lower temperature.
  • an extraneous adhesive In a case where an extraneous adhesive is to be employed, it can conveniently be added following flattening of the structure by means of, e.g., spray nozzles 19, followed by drying and baking in an oven 20. Upon leaving the oven, the completed fabric 21 is collected into a mill roll 22 at a take-up station 23.
  • FIG. 5 A section of the completed fabric shown in FIG. 5.
  • the warp yarns 25 are shown substantially parallel to one another along the longitudinal axis of the fabric with cross-direction filaments 26 substantially parallel to one another but disposed at an angle, 0, to the warp filaments.
  • the dotted lines represent the extremities of the crosslaying beams on the opposite surface of the fabric.
  • Useful nonwovens can be prepared according to this invention-when the cross-laid filaments are disposed at an angle between about 20 and 89 to the warp filaments. Preferably the angle should be at least 45. As the angle gets smaller, the fabric gets weaker, since the reinforcement alforded by the crossing filaments becomes less.
  • the angle between the filaments in the warp and cross directions is determined by the ratio of the speed at which the warp filaments are advanced to that at which the cross-direction filaments are wrapped around them.
  • the dimension R is the pattern repeat distance, i.e., the linear distance of the warp which will be cross-laid by a single cross-laying beam in making one complete orbit around the forming mandrel, which is expressed by:
  • Warp filaments X speed of cross-laid filaments width of fabric (Wf) cot 6:
  • the fabric can be bonded by heat alone which can be applied by means of the pinch rolls 18, or they can be bonded by means of an adhesive.
  • the adhesive can be an emulsion, dispersion, or solution of a heat activated material which will adhere to the polymer. This adhesive is activated by heat applied in the drying oven.
  • small particles or fibers of a thermoplastic resin can be employed as the adhesive. These are dusted onto the fabric, then melted in the oven and they then fuse to bond the fabric upon cooling.
  • Bonding can also be effected by the ultrasonic technique.
  • the unbonded structure is contacted with an ultrasonic horn which causes melting at only the point of contact of the horn. Such contact at points where filaments cross causes fusion of the filaments at that point.
  • Other bonding techniques are known to the art and any technique suitable according to prior art practice is useful with the materials of this invention.
  • Chemical bonding is preferred, i.e., where an adhesive material in solution or suspension is applied to the structure and cured by heating.
  • the adhesive to be used can be selected from a wide variety of commercially available materials depending upon the identity of the thermoplastic polymer being employed in the fabric.
  • the small denier monofilament 10 are drawn from supply beams 11, over a coating roll 30 where an adhesive solution, emulsion or dispersion is applied thereto. They are then drawn over forming mandrel 13 and overlaid with cross-direction strands in the manner described above.
  • the mandrel is heated to cure the adhesive and bonding of the layers is effected while the structure is intubul-ar form in contact with the mandrel.
  • the former and the forming mandrel should be treated as with an inert, non-adherent coating, to prevent the adhesive from adhering the filaments thereto.
  • the tubular structure Upon leaving the mandrel, the tubular structure can be slit along one or both edges by means of a slitting knife 31 installed immediately ahead of pinch rolls 18. This form of the structure can then be opened out to form a fabric comprising parallel longitudinal filaments overlaid with continuous cross-direction filaments on only one of its surfaces.
  • This fabric will have only half the thickness and half the strength of that prepared according to FIG. 4, but will likewise be more flexible and more drapeable.
  • the filaments are drawn off supply beam 33 by a set of pinch rolls 34 to form a warp between a pair of continuous endless wire belts or cables 35 and 35.
  • the cross filaments are supplied from beams 36 adapted to rotate around the warp yarns and the belts 35 and 35' where they are held to prevent their puckering the warp.
  • the structure thus prepared is compressed by pinch rolls 34 to retain it and the cross filaments are slit to remove them from the belts, allowing the belts to continue their revolution, while the fabric is advanced away from them.
  • the fabric can be bonded by the pinch rolls, if desired, or the fabric can be advanced and bonded chemically as previously described.
  • a striated film can be completely fibrillated to the point where each filament is an entity totally unconnected to any neighboring filament, or it can be only partially fibrillated to form an expandable network structure as depicted in FIG. 3.
  • Either the partially or completely fibrillated product can be employed as the low denier monofilament strands employed in this invention. They can be handled in the same manner and they perform in the same manner except that the incompletely fibrillated product results in a slightly stiffer fabric than that prepared from completely fibrillated, completely separate filaments.
  • Nonwoven fabrics according to the invention can be prepared from filaments of any of the conventional thermoplastic fiber-forming polymers.
  • Exemplary of such materials are polypropylene, nylon, polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) and acrylics such as polyacrylonitrile and the like.
  • blends of these various polymeric filaments can also be employed when specific combinations of properties are desired.
  • bi-component filaments having components of differing properties as, e.g., differential shrinkage to increase the bulk of the product or different melting points to facilitate bonding.
  • the composite or bi-component technique also can be advantageous in imparting latent crimp to the fibers. When such fibers are heated and their bulk increase, they exhibit substantially higher covering power. It is also possible, if desired, to employ foamed filaments.
  • Nonwoven fabrics prepared by the process of this invention can be employed in any of the applications where nonwovens are conventionally employed.
  • One such application is in the preparation of reinforced paper wher a web of pulp is laid on either side of the nonwoven fabric and calendered to the proper thickness.
  • Such reinforced paper is attractive in, e.g., preparation of certain types of disposable garments, in that it has excellent drape properties due to the long, fine denier filaments in the reinforcing fabric.
  • Other applications for the nonwovens prepared by the process of the invention include bagging, filter fabrics, and carpet backing.
  • a method of making a nonwoven fabric which comprises:
  • each layer having a uniform thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the individual monofilaments of the layer.
  • each layer having a uniform thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the individual monofilaments of the layer.
  • a nonwoven fabric comprising a first open network having a plurality of substantially parallel continuous synthetic thermoplastic polymer monofilaments in a single layer in spaced apart side-by-side relationship with adjacent monofilaments being interconnected by a plurality of fibrils, and a second open network having a plurality of substantially parallel continuous synthetic thermoplastic polymer monofilaments in a single layer in spaced apart side-by-side relationship with adjacent monofilaments being interconnected by a plurality of fibrils, said second network being cross-laid on at least one surface of said first network so that the plurality of monofilaments of said second network are disposed at an angle of about 20 to 89 to the plurality of monofilaments of said first network, said first plurality of monofilaments being bonded to said second plurality of monofilaments at their crossover points to form a multi-layer nonwoven fabric, each layer of which has a uniform thickness substantially equal to the thickness of a single monofilament in said layer.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
US3705070D 1969-07-22 1969-07-22 Nonwoven fabric and process for preparing Expired - Lifetime US3705070A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US84356169A 1969-07-22 1969-07-22
US88559569A 1969-12-16 1969-12-16
US29637472 US3841951A (en) 1969-07-22 1972-10-10 Nonwoven fabrics

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US3705070D Expired - Lifetime US3705070A (en) 1969-07-22 1969-07-22 Nonwoven fabric and process for preparing
US3713942D Expired - Lifetime US3713942A (en) 1969-07-22 1969-12-16 Process for preparing nonwoven fabrics
US29637472 Expired - Lifetime US3841951A (en) 1969-07-22 1972-10-10 Nonwoven fabrics

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US29637472 Expired - Lifetime US3841951A (en) 1969-07-22 1972-10-10 Nonwoven fabrics

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BE (1) BE753777A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
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FR (1) FR2053079B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1324661A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
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Cited By (20)

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US3864198A (en) * 1970-11-23 1975-02-04 Hercules Inc Interconnected network structures
US3874970A (en) * 1972-02-03 1975-04-01 Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp Method and apparatus for producing flattened flexible tube stock
US3902953A (en) * 1973-01-30 1975-09-02 Stanley G Yount Apparatus for making scrim fabric
US3969561A (en) * 1974-09-17 1976-07-13 The Kendall Company Biaxially oriented nonwoven fabrics and method of making same
DE2626874A1 (de) * 1975-06-16 1976-12-30 Smith & Nephew Plastics Netzstoff und verfahren zu dessen herstellung
FR2323400A1 (fr) * 1975-09-15 1977-04-08 Ethicon Inc Ruban adhesif chirurgical
US4144368A (en) * 1973-01-16 1979-03-13 Hercules Incorporated Network structures having different cross-sections
US5084121A (en) * 1988-08-04 1992-01-28 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Method of making fibrillated tape
US6277282B1 (en) * 1996-04-11 2001-08-21 Toray Industries, Inc. Reverse osmosis element utilizing a fabric composed of substantially oriented fibers
US20070144123A1 (en) * 2005-12-22 2007-06-28 Angadjivand Seyed A Filter Element That Has Plenum Containing Bonded Continuous Filaments
US20090062763A1 (en) * 2007-08-31 2009-03-05 Catherine Marguerite Hancock-Cooke Elastic Member For A Garment Having Improved Gasketing
US20090211163A1 (en) * 2008-02-22 2009-08-27 Smith Stirl R Heat Resistant Insulation Seal for Mine Doors and Accesses
US20120018371A1 (en) * 2009-03-26 2012-01-26 Pierre Lucien Cote Non-braided reinforced holow fibre membrane
US20120097604A1 (en) * 2009-06-26 2012-04-26 Pierre Lucien Cote Non-braided, textile-reinforced hollow fiber membrane
US20130153490A1 (en) * 2011-12-16 2013-06-20 Steven Kristian Pedersen Hollow fibre membrane with compatible reinforcements
US8999454B2 (en) 2012-03-22 2015-04-07 General Electric Company Device and process for producing a reinforced hollow fibre membrane
US9022229B2 (en) 2012-03-09 2015-05-05 General Electric Company Composite membrane with compatible support filaments
US9221020B2 (en) 2010-09-15 2015-12-29 Bl Technologies, Inc. Method to make yarn-reinforced hollow fiber membranes around a soluble core
US9227362B2 (en) 2012-08-23 2016-01-05 General Electric Company Braid welding
US9643129B2 (en) 2011-12-22 2017-05-09 Bl Technologies, Inc. Non-braided, textile-reinforced hollow fiber membrane

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US3932247A (en) * 1970-09-25 1976-01-13 Yasuhiro Oshima Method of making thermoplastic resin mattings
US4274251A (en) * 1973-01-16 1981-06-23 Hercules Incorporated Yarn structure having main filaments and tie filaments
US4207375A (en) * 1975-06-26 1980-06-10 Hercules Incorporated Network structures and methods of making same
US4294876A (en) * 1979-04-27 1981-10-13 The Buckeye Cellulose Corporation Tufted material having a laminated film primary tufting substrate
EP0030418B1 (en) 1979-12-07 1983-05-04 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Process for producing a non-woven fabric
US5645933A (en) * 1994-04-22 1997-07-08 Nippon Petrochemicals Company, Limited Polypropylene monoaxially oriented material, woven or non-woven fabric, laminated product and preparation method
CA2267790C (en) * 1996-10-18 2007-10-16 E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Rapid fabric forming
GB2358593B (en) * 2000-01-27 2002-07-24 Eco Filters Ltd A filter assembly for use in a press mould
US6989125B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2006-01-24 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Process of making a nonwoven web
AT413546B (de) * 2003-03-11 2006-03-15 Starlinger & Co Gmbh Gelege aus kunststoffbändchen sowie verfahren und vorrichtung zu dessen herstellung
NO321116B1 (no) * 2004-04-27 2006-03-20 Vft Inc Fremgangsmåte og anordning for å tilvirke en kryssoverlappende flatrørsstruktur bestående av krympede kontinuerlige filamenter
US8822357B2 (en) * 2007-05-21 2014-09-02 Automotive Technologies International, Inc. Film airbags made from ribbons
US7820566B2 (en) * 2007-05-21 2010-10-26 Automotive Technologies International, Inc. Film airbags
WO2017004115A1 (en) * 2015-06-30 2017-01-05 The Procter & Gamble Company Enhanced co-formed/meltblown fibrous web

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL251452A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1959-05-11
FR1554510A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1967-06-05 1969-01-17
DE1816830A1 (de) * 1967-12-29 1969-07-24 Avisun Corp Ungewebter thermoplastischer Stoff und Verfahren zur Herstellung desselben

Cited By (28)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3864198A (en) * 1970-11-23 1975-02-04 Hercules Inc Interconnected network structures
US3874970A (en) * 1972-02-03 1975-04-01 Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp Method and apparatus for producing flattened flexible tube stock
US4144368A (en) * 1973-01-16 1979-03-13 Hercules Incorporated Network structures having different cross-sections
US3902953A (en) * 1973-01-30 1975-09-02 Stanley G Yount Apparatus for making scrim fabric
US3969561A (en) * 1974-09-17 1976-07-13 The Kendall Company Biaxially oriented nonwoven fabrics and method of making same
DE2626874A1 (de) * 1975-06-16 1976-12-30 Smith & Nephew Plastics Netzstoff und verfahren zu dessen herstellung
FR2323400A1 (fr) * 1975-09-15 1977-04-08 Ethicon Inc Ruban adhesif chirurgical
US5084121A (en) * 1988-08-04 1992-01-28 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Method of making fibrillated tape
US6277282B1 (en) * 1996-04-11 2001-08-21 Toray Industries, Inc. Reverse osmosis element utilizing a fabric composed of substantially oriented fibers
US9216306B2 (en) * 2005-12-22 2015-12-22 3M Innovative Properties Company Filter element that has plenum containing bonded continuous filaments
US20070144123A1 (en) * 2005-12-22 2007-06-28 Angadjivand Seyed A Filter Element That Has Plenum Containing Bonded Continuous Filaments
US8226624B2 (en) * 2007-08-31 2012-07-24 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Elastic member for a garment having improved gasketing
US20090062763A1 (en) * 2007-08-31 2009-03-05 Catherine Marguerite Hancock-Cooke Elastic Member For A Garment Having Improved Gasketing
US20090211163A1 (en) * 2008-02-22 2009-08-27 Smith Stirl R Heat Resistant Insulation Seal for Mine Doors and Accesses
US9132390B2 (en) * 2009-03-26 2015-09-15 Bl Technologies Inc. Non-braided reinforced holow fibre membrane
US20120018371A1 (en) * 2009-03-26 2012-01-26 Pierre Lucien Cote Non-braided reinforced holow fibre membrane
CN104941459B (zh) * 2009-03-26 2017-09-22 Bl 科技公司 非编织的增强中空纤维膜
AU2010228091B2 (en) * 2009-03-26 2016-06-16 Bl Technologies, Inc. Non-braided reinforced hollow fibre membrane
CN104941459A (zh) * 2009-03-26 2015-09-30 Bl科技公司 非编织的增强中空纤维膜
US9061250B2 (en) * 2009-06-26 2015-06-23 Bl Technologies, Inc. Non-braided, textile-reinforced hollow fiber membrane
US20120097604A1 (en) * 2009-06-26 2012-04-26 Pierre Lucien Cote Non-braided, textile-reinforced hollow fiber membrane
US9221020B2 (en) 2010-09-15 2015-12-29 Bl Technologies, Inc. Method to make yarn-reinforced hollow fiber membranes around a soluble core
US9321014B2 (en) * 2011-12-16 2016-04-26 Bl Technologies, Inc. Hollow fiber membrane with compatible reinforcements
US20130153490A1 (en) * 2011-12-16 2013-06-20 Steven Kristian Pedersen Hollow fibre membrane with compatible reinforcements
US9643129B2 (en) 2011-12-22 2017-05-09 Bl Technologies, Inc. Non-braided, textile-reinforced hollow fiber membrane
US9022229B2 (en) 2012-03-09 2015-05-05 General Electric Company Composite membrane with compatible support filaments
US8999454B2 (en) 2012-03-22 2015-04-07 General Electric Company Device and process for producing a reinforced hollow fibre membrane
US9227362B2 (en) 2012-08-23 2016-01-05 General Electric Company Braid welding

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1324661A (en) 1973-07-25
BE753777A (fr) 1971-01-22
FR2053079A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-04-16
DE2036417A1 (de) 1971-02-25
NL7010723A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-01-26
US3841951A (en) 1974-10-15
FR2053079B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-08-23
US3713942A (en) 1973-01-30

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