Method of forming meltblown webs containing particles
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorWilfred Eugene Riddell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a meltblown web having meltblown fibers and particles is provided. The particles are heated to a temperature approximating that of the meltblown fibers as they are being extruded. As a portion of any heated particle impacts the skin of one or more solidifying meltblown fibers, that portion of any heated particle penetrates into one or more solidifying particles. Although a portion of any particle becomes embedded in and retained by one or more meltblown fibers, such surface penetration is generally slight desirably leaving a substantial amount of surface area of any particle available for interaction with any medium to which a web may be exposed.
Claims15
A method of forming a meltblown web, the method comprising:
- (a) forming at least one layer by the steps of:
- (i) forming a first primary stream containing meltblown fibers;
- (ii) forming a first secondary stream comprising staple fibers;
- (iii) merging the first primary stream and the first secondary stream so that the first primary stream comprises the staple fibers entangled with the meltblown fibers;
- and
- (iv) thereafter directing the first primary stream comprising the staple fibers entangled with the meltblown fibers onto a moving forming surface to form a first layer comprising the staple fibers entangled with the meltblown fibers;
- (b) forming at least one particle-containing layer by the steps of:
- (i) forming a second primary stream containing meltblown fibers;
- (ii) forming a first tertiary stream comprising heated particles;
- (iii) merging the second primary stream and the first tertiary stream so that the second primary stream comprises particle-containing meltblown fibers;
- (iv) forming a second secondary stream comprising staple fibers;
- (v) merging the second primary stream comprising particle-containing meltblown fibers and the second secondary stream so that the second primary stream comprises the staple fibers entangled with the particle-containing meltblown fibers;
- and
- (vi) thereafter directing the second primary stream comprising the staple fibers entangled with the particle-containing meltblown fibers onto the first layer on the moving forming surface to form a second layer comprising the staple fibers entangled with the particle-containing meltblown fibers.
A method of forming a meltblown web, the method comprising forming at least one layer by the steps of:
- (a) forming a primary stream containing meltblown fibers;
- (b) forming a tertiary stream comprising heated particles;
- (c) merging the primary stream and the tertiary stream so that the primary stream comprises particle-containing meltblown fibers;
- (d) forming a secondary stream comprising staple fibers;
- (e) merging the primary stream comprising particle-containing meltblown fibers and the secondary stream so that the primary stream comprises staple fibers entangled with the particle-containing meltblown fibers;
- and
- (f) thereafter directing the primary stream comprising the staple fibers entangled with the particle-containing meltblown fibers onto a moving forming surface to form a layer comprising the staple fibers entangled with the particle-containing meltblown fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.