# US 2013/0280481 A1 · Nonwoven fabric, absorbent article comprising the same, and method of forming the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0280481 A1 - Document ID: US20130280481A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/824,508 - Filed: 2011-09-30 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-30 - Assignees: Unicharm Corporation - Inventors: Satoshi Mitsuno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130280481A1 ## CPC - D04H 3/018: characterised by the shape - A61F 13/51104: {the top sheet having a three-dimensional cross-section, e.g. corrugations, embossments, recesses or projections} - A61F 13/51108: {the top sheet having corrugations or embossments having one axis relatively longer than the other axis, e.g. forming channels or grooves in a longitudinal direction} - A61F 13/51121: {characterised by the material} - A61F 13/513: {characterised by its function or properties, e.g. stretchability, breathability, rewet, visual effect;} having areas of different permeability - D02J 3/02: by abrading, scraping, scuffing, cutting, or nicking (preliminary roughening of fibres, e.g. for spinning, D01G3/00) - D04H 3/11: by fluid jet - D04H 3/14: with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding - D04H 3/16: with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion - D04H 5/03: by fluid jet - D04H 5/06: strengthened or consolidated by welding-together thermoplastic fibres, filaments, or yarns - D04H 5/08: characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres or yarns - D06C 23/04: by shrinking, embossing, moiréing, or crêping - D06C 29/005: {hydroentangling} - Y10T 428/24273: including aperture - Y10T 428/24479: including variation in thickness - Y10T 428/24612: Composite web or sheet - Y10T 428/2481: including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips - Y10T 428/24826: Spot bonds connect components - 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) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - D02J: FINISHING OR DRESSING OF FILAMENTS, YARNS, THREADS, CORDS, ROPES OR THE LIKE (curling or crimping D02G; by treatment with liquids, gases or vapours D06B; finishing other than by liquid treatment, of yarns in warp or sheet form D06C; for chemical matters, see D06L, D06M, D06P, D06Q; treatment during rope-making, apparatus for treating ropes auxiliary to rope-making D07B) - D06C: FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A nonwoven fabric that is easily deformed but resistant to collapse, and that has excellent air permeability in the planar direction. The nonwoven fabric comprises continuous fibers and bonded sections formed by bonding multiple fibers including the continuous fibers, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a first side and a second side on the side opposite the first side, the first side comprises a plurality of projections, each projection including at least one bonded section, a plurality of projections including no bonded section, and at least one recess, the second side comprises a plurality of recesses, each recess overlapping with at least a part of the projection of the first side, and the coefficient of variation of the diameters of the continuous fibers is at least 10%. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nonwoven fabric comprising continuous fibers and bonded sections formed by bonding multiple fibers including the continuous fibers, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a first side and a second side on the side opposite the first side, the first side comprises a plurality of projections (V11), each projection (V11) including at least one bonded section, a plurality of projections (V12) including no bonded section, and at least one recess (C11), the second side comprises a plurality of recesses (C21), each recess (C21) overlapping with at least a part of the projection (V11) of the first side, and the coefficient of variation of the diameters of the continuous fibers is at least 10%. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the second side comprises no recess overlapping the projection (V12) of the first side. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the second side further comprises a plurality of projections (V21) and a plurality of recesses (C22) which do not overlap with the projections (V11) of the first side. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, the nonwoven fabric has one or more open holes that connect one or more recesses (C11) of the first side and one or more recesses (C22) of the second side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers have a plurality of necks with partially narrowed diameters. ### Claim 6 A nonwoven fabric formed by non-homogeneous stretching a spunbond nonwoven fabric or meltblown nonwoven fabric comprising continuous fibers and bonded sections, which are formed by bonding between multiple fibers including the continuous fibers, so that a nonwoven fabric having high-stretch regions and low-stretch regions is formed, placing the nonwoven fabric having high-stretch regions and low-stretch regions on a support, and spraying a fluid onto the nonwoven fabric having high-stretch regions and low-stretch regions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet and an absorbent core between the liquid-permeable top sheet and liquid-impermeable back sheet, wherein the liquid-permeable top sheet is a nonwoven fabric according to claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) A method of forming the nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, comprising the steps of, providing a nonwoven fabric comprising continuous fibers and bonded sections formed by bonding multiple fibers including the continuous fibers, non-homogeneous stretching the nonwoven fabric comprising continuous fibers and bonded sections formed by bonding multiple fibers including the continuous fibers, so that a nonwoven fabric having high-stretch regions and low-stretch regions is formed, and placing the nonwoven fabric having high-stretch regions and low-stretch regions on a support and spraying a fluid onto the nonwoven fabric having high-stretch regions and low-stretch regions, so that the nonwoven fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is formed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the support has protrusions and depressions with predetermined shapes and arrangement on the side in contact with the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the fluid is heated air, saturated steam or superheated steam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprising continuous fibers and bonded sections formed by bonding the multiple fibers including the continuous fibers is a spunbond nonwoven fabric or meltblown nonwoven fabric.