Process stable nonwoven fabric
AssigneeFiberweb North America, Inc.
InventorsThomas E. Quantrille, Jared A. Austin, Scott L. Gessner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides elastic fabrics which are substantially non-extensible in the machine direction and have substantial elastic properties in the cross-machine direction. The process stable fabrics of the invention include a net and a fibrous layer which are secured together. The net is composed of a plurality of continuous machine direction strands and a plurality of cross-direction strands. The machine direction strands are substantially non-extensible and the cross-direction strands are substantially elastic. The fabrics of the invention can be manufactured and processed more readily than fabrics which are elastic in both the machine direction and the cross-machine direction.
Claims19
A process stable composite elastic fabric of predetermined width and having a length substantially greater than said width, said width defining the cross-machine direction of said fabric and said length defining the machine direction of said fabric, said composite fabric comprising:
- at least one fibrous layer;
- and
- a net combined with said fibrous layer, said net comprising a plurality of continuous machine direction strands oriented in substantially the machine direction of said fabric and a plurality of cross-machine direction strands oriented in substantially the cross-machine direction of said fabric, said machine direction strands having an extensibility of less than about 5% under an applied stress of 5 mg/den at temperatures of up to 70.degree. C. and said cross-machine direction strands being elastic.
A process stable composite elastic fabric of predetermined width and having a length substantially greater than said width, said width defining the cross-machine direction of said fabric and said length defining the machine direction of said fabric, said composite fabric comprising:
- at least one fibrous layer comprising staple fibers;
- and
- a net combined with said fibrous layer, said net comprising a plurality of continuous machine direction strands oriented in substantially the machine direction of said fabric and plurality of cross-machine direction strands oriented in substantially the cross-machine direction of said fabric, said machine direction strands being non-elastic and said cross-machine direction strands comprising at least about 20 wt. % of a thermoplastic elastomer;
- whereby said fabric is elastic in the cross-machine direction and is substantially non-extensible in the machine direction having an extensibility of less than about 5% under an applied stress of temperatures of up to 70.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.