Stabilizing a deformable fabric using an elastic nonwoven web

Abstract

A process for producing a stable fabric comprising: 1) providing a first fabric formed from reinforcing fibers, 2) providing an elastic nonwoven web produced from elastic fibers, having softening temperature lower than said reinforcing fibers, on at least lone side of said first fabric to form a structure, 3) heating said structure to a temperature between the softening temperature and melting temperature of said nonwoven web, and 4) cooling said structure to thereby provide a stable two-dimensional fabric. In the preferred embodiment, the structure of step 2) is put into a mold prior to heating step 3), heating said structure in the mold according to step 3), cooling said structure in the mold according to step 4) and thereby providing a three-dimensional shaped article. A product is also provided produced by these processes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.