# US 11,441,252 B2 · Microfiber-containing nonwoven fabrics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,252 B2 - Document ID: US11441252B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/702,748 - Filed: 2019-12-04 - Published: 2020-06-11 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-06 - Assignees: Berry Global, Inc. - Applicants: Berry Global, Inc. - Inventors: Dionne Pots; Matthijs Van Hunen; James Taylor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441252B2 ## CPC - D04H 5/02: strengthened or consolidated by mechanical methods, e.g. needling (needling machines D04H18/00) - A47L 13/16: Cloths; Pads; Sponges (metal scraping sponges A47L13/07) - A47L 13/22: with liquid-feeding devices - A47L 13/256: for mops made of cloth - D04H 5/03: by fluid jet - D04H 13/001: {Making non-woven fabrics from staple fibres, filaments or yarns, bonded to at least one web-like material, e.g. woven, knitted non-woven fabric, paper, leather, during consolidation} - D04H 13/002: {characterised by the disposition or nature of their elements} - D10B 2331/04: polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET] - D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); 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}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B) - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES ## Abstract Nonwoven fabrics including (i) continuous fibers and (ii) a blend of staple fibers comprising polyester staple fibers, bicomponent staple fibers, microfiber staple fibers, and wettable staple fibers, in which the continuous fibers are mechanically entangled with the blend of staple fibers. The continuous fibers and the blend of staple fibers may be mechanically entangled via a hydroentangling process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nonwoven fabric, comprising: (i) continuous fibers; and (ii) a blend of staple fibers comprising (a) polyester staple fibers, (b) bicomponent staple fibers substantially devoid of micro-pores, micro-channels, or both, (c) microfiber staple fibers having a plurality of micro-pores and/or micro-channels defined by a plurality of split portions having a decitex (dtex) value of less than 1 dtex, and (d) wettable staple fibers; wherein the continuous fibers are mechanically entangled with the blend of staple fibers to define the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers comprise spunbond fibers; wherein the spunbond fibers comprise a polyolefin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers comprise from 3% to 30% by weight of the nonwoven fabric, and the blend of staple fibers comprises from 70% to 97% by weight of the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the polyester staple fibers comprise from 10% to 40% by weight of the nonwoven fabric, the bicomponent staple fibers comprise from 10% to 40% by weight of the nonwoven fabric, the microfiber staple fibers comprise from 10% to 40% by weight of the nonwoven fabric, and the wettable staple fibers comprise from 10% to 40% by weight of the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the blend of staple fibers comprise a component weight ratio between the polyester staple fibers, the bicomponent staple fibers, the microfiber staple fibers, and the wettable staple fibers according to the formula A:B:C:D, wherein ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘D’ each comprises a value from 0.75 to 1.25. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the polyester staple fibers comprise at least 70% by weight of one or more polyester polymers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the bicomponent staple fibers comprise a sheath/core configuration, a side-by-side configuration, a pie configuration, an islands-in-the-sea configuration, a multi-lobed configuration, or any combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The nonwoven fabric of claim 7, wherein the bicomponent fibers comprise crimps; wherein the crimps increase a loft of the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the microfiber staple fibers comprise natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein wettable staple fibers comprise viscose. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the wettable staple fibers comprise hydrophilic-modified polyester staple fibers; wherein the hydrophilic-modified polyester staple fibers comprise a hydrophilic finish coated thereon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a first surface and a second surface, and a first quantity of the continuous fibers is located at the first surface and a second quantity of the continuous fibers is located at the second surface; wherein the first quantity is greater than the second quantity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a three-dimensional pattern on at least one surface of the nonwoven fabric; wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of recessed portions having an average depth from 1.5 mm to 3 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a cleaning ability to dust and/or disinfect an area of at least 900 to 3000 m2 per 1 m2 of the nonwoven fabric as determined by the ratio between a surface area cleaned to a macroscopic area of the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 15 A cleaning system, comprising: (i) a cleaning implement including a mop frame; and (ii) a nonwoven fabric comprising (a) continuous fibers; and (b) a blend of staple fibers; wherein the blend of staple fibers comprises (1) of polyester staple fibers, (2) bicomponent staple fibers substantially devoid of micro-pores, micro-channels, or both, (3) microfiber staple fibers having a plurality of micro-pores and/or micro-channels defined by a plurality of split portions having a decitex (dtex) value of less than 1 dtex, and (4) wettable staple fibers; wherein the continuous fibers are mechanically entangled with the blend of staple fibers to define the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The cleaning system of claim 15, wherein the nonwoven fabric is releasably engaged by the mop frame and the cleaning implement further comprises a liquid reservoir and spraying mechanism configured to controllably dispense a liquid housed within the liquid reservoir. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The cleaning system of claim 16, wherein the cleaning implement further comprises a handle directly or indirectly attached to the mop frame, and wherein the liquid reservoir is mounted directly or indirectly onto the handle. ### Claim 18 A method of forming a nonwoven fabric, comprising: (i) forming or providing a web of continuous fibers having a top surface; (ii) forming or providing a carded web comprising a blend of staple fibers comprising (a) polyester staple fibers, (b) bicomponent staple fibers, (c) microfiber staple fibers, and (d) wettable staple fibers; (iii) positioning the carded web directly or indirectly onto the top surface of the web of continuous filaments; and (iii) mechanically entangling the carded web with the continuous fibers to define a nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the step of mechanically entangling comprises hydroentangling the carded web with the continuous fibers to form a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprises positioning a first surface of the nonwoven fabric directly or indirectly onto an image transfer device having a three-dimensional pattern and applying jets of fluid directly or indirectly to a second surface of the nonwoven fabric to impart a three-dimensional pattern onto the nonwoven fabric.