Binders for binding water soluble particles to fibers
AssigneeWeyerhaeuser Company
InventorsMichael R. Hansen, Richard H. Young, Sr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved fibers are provided that may be incorporated into absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, feminine hygiene appliances, and bandages. Water soluble particles are bound to fibrous material by a binder in which the particles are sparingly soluble and which has a volatility less than water. The binder has a functional group capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers, and a functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles. The binder can be activated or reactivated by addition of heat, liquid, or mechanical energy such that fibers treated with binder may be shipped to a distribution point before particles are bound to the fibers.
Claims32
Fibers with adhered particles, comprising:
- particles with a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality, the particles being water soluble;
- fibers that have hydrogen bonding functional sites;
- and
- a binder on the fibers, the binder having a volatility less than water, the binder comprising binder molecules, the binder molecules having at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers, and at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or coordinate covalent bond with the particles, wherein the particles are sparingly soluble in the binder, and the binder being present in an amount of at least 1 percent by weight of the fibers and which is sufficient to bind a substantial portion of the particles to the fibers primarily by a hydrogen bond or coordinate covalent bond.
A fiber product, comprising:
- fibers that have hydrogen-bonding functional sites;
- a binder having a volatility less than water, the binder comprising binder molecules, the binder molecules having a first functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers, and a second functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond;
- and
- particles that have a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality wherein the particles are soluble in water and sparingly soluble in the binder, a substantial portion of the particles being bound in particulate form to the fibers primarily by a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond.
A fiber product comprising:
- individualized fibers that have hydrogen bonding functional sites;
- and
- a binder having a volatility less than water, the binder comprising binder molecules, the binder molecules having a first functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers, and a second functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with particles that are soluble in water and sparingly soluble in the binder, the binder selected from polymeric binders selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, a poly(lactone) polyol, a polysulfonic acid, a polysulfonate, a polyamide, and copolymers thereof, nonpolymeric binders, and combinations of the polymeric and nonpolymeric binders with each other or with other binders wherein the binders do not react to block the functional groups.
Fibers with adhered particles produced by the method comprising:
- providing fibrous material comprising fibers that have hydrogen bonding functional sites;
- applying a binder to the fibers, the binder having a volatility less than water, the binder comprising binder molecules, the binder molecules having at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers, and at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with particles that have a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality;
- and
- adding the particles with a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality to the fibers wherein the particles are soluble in water and sparingly soluble in the binder, whereby a substantial portion of the particles are bound in particulate form to the fibers primarily by a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond.
Fibers with adhered particles, comprising:
- particles with a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality, the particles being water soluble;
- fibers that have hydrogen bonding functional sites;
- and
- a binder on the fibers, the binder having a volatility less than water, the binder comprising binder molecules, the binder molecules having at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers, and at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, wherein the particles are soluble in the binder, the binder being present in an amount of at least one percent by weight of the fiber and which is sufficient to bind a substantial portion of the particles to the fibers primarily by a hydrogen bond or coordinate covalent bond.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.