Selective-area fusion of non-woven fabrics

A method for physically fusing preselected areas by the application of heat while leaving unfused adjacent, nonselected areas of an extended, flat body of nonwoven, fibrous material, containing at least some thermoplastic fibers;

• comprising, exposing said fibrous material to heat, from a source of radiant energy adapted to produce heat in said body of fibrous material, spaced from said body of fibrous material and radiating over an area of said body of fibrous material including both said preselected and said nonselected areas, at a temperature and for a time at least sufficient to fuse at least some of said thermoplastic fibers and concentrating the heat from said source of energy in said preselected areas by (a) modifying the heat absorptivity of said preselected areas of said body of fibrous material, (b) modifying the heat absorptivity of said nonselected areas of said body of fibrous material, (c) interposing between said body of fibrous material and said source of energy a mask having areas of increased radiant energy transmission corresponding to said preselected areas of said body of fibrous material, (d) interposing between said body of fibrous material and said source of energy a mask having areas of decreased radiant energy transmission corresponding to said nonselected areas of said body of fibrous material or (e) any combination of at least two of (a), (b), (c) and (d).