Composite elastic nonwoven fabric
AssigneeFiberweb North America, Inc.
InventorsJared A. Austin, G. Stanley Zimmerman, Jr.
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Abstract
The invention provides composite elastic nonwoven fabrics and processes of making the same. The composite elastic fabrics of the invention include a plurality of longitudinally extending elastomeric filaments and at least one fibrous web including staple fibers and anchoring fibers entangled with the elastomeric filaments. The anchoring fibers strengthen the attachment of the staple fibers to the elastomeric filaments, so that the entire fibrous mass extends as a unit when the fabric is extended. The resultant product is a coherent, substantially unitary structure encompassing the elastomeric filaments.
Claims31
A composite elastic nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a warp of individual elastomeric filaments oriented substantially parallel to one another extending longitudinally in the machine direction;
- and
- a fibrous web entangled with said warp of individual elastomeric filaments to form a unitary elastic nonwoven fabric, said fibrous web comprising staple fibers and anchoring fibers, said anchoring fibers being secured to said elastomeric filaments throughout the fabric to keep the fibrous web attached to the filaments upon stretching and recovery of the elastomeric filaments and to thereby maintain the coherent substantially unitary structure of the composite elastic nonwoven fabric.
A composite elastic nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a warp of individual elastomeric filaments oriented substantially parallel to one another extending longitudinally in the machine direction;
- and
- a fibrous web entangled with said warp of individual elastomeric filaments to form a unitary elastic nonwoven fabric, said fibrous web comprising staple fibers and anchoring fibers selected from the group consisting of wood pulp fibers, meltblown thermoplastic fibers, and thermally activated binder fibers, said anchoring fibers being mechanically secured to said elastomeric filaments throughout the fabric to keep the fibrous web attached to the filaments upon stretching and recovery of the elastomeric filaments and to thereby maintain the coherent substantially unitary structure of the composite elastic nonwoven fabric.
A process for producing a composite elastomeric nonwoven fabric comprising:
- forming a layered structure comprising a warp of individual elastomeric filaments oriented substantially parallel to one another in the machine direction and a fibrous web comprising staple fibers and anchoring fibers;
- and
- entangling said warp of individual elastomeric filaments and said fibrous web to form a unitary elastic nonwoven fabric, said anchoring fibers being secured to said elastomeric filaments throughout the fabric to keep the fibrous web attached to the filaments upon stretching and recovery of the elastomeric filaments and to thereby maintain the coherent substantially unitary structure of the composite elastic nonwoven fabric.
A process for producing a composite elastomeric nonwoven fabric comprising the steps:
- stretching in the longitudinal direction a warp of individual elastomeric filaments oriented substantially parallel to one another;
- forming a layered structure comprising said warp of individual elastomeric filaments and a fibrous web comprising staple fibers and anchoring fibers selected from the group consisting of wood pulp fibers, meltblown thermoplastic fibers, and thermally activated binder fibers;
- and
- entangling said warp of individual elastomeric filaments and said fibrous web to form a unitary elastic nonwoven fabric, said anchoring fibers being mechanically secured to said elastomeric filaments throughout the fabric to keep the fibrous web attached to the filaments upon stretching and recovery of the elastomeric filaments and to thereby maintain the coherent substantially unitary structure of the composite elastic nonwoven fabric.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.