US 7,118,647 B2 · Process for producing a fibrous structure having increased surface area

Abstract

A process for making a fibrous structure including the steps of: providing a deflection member comprising a macroscopically monoplanar, patterned framework having a backside forming an X-Y plane and a web-side opposite to the backside, wherein the framework comprises a plurality of bases extending from the X-Y plane in a Z-direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, and a plurality of suspended portions laterally extending from the plurality of bases in at least one direction substantially parallel to the X-Y plane and elevated in the Z-direction from the X-Y plane to form void spaces between the X-Y plane and the suspended portions; providing a plurality of fibers on the deflection member, thereby forming a partly-formed fibrous structure; and separating the partly-formed fibrous structure from the deflection member, thereby forming the fibrous structure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process for making a fibrous structure, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a deflection member comprising a macroscopically monoplanar, patterned framework having a backside forming an X-Y plane and a web-side opposite to the backside, wherein the framework comprises a plurality of bases extending from the X-Y plane in a Z-direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, and a plurality of suspended portions laterally extending from the plurality of bases in at least one direction substantially parallel to the X-Y plane and elevated in the Z-direction from the X-Y plane to form void spaces between the X-Y plane and the suspended portions;
providing a plurality of fibers on the deflection member, thereby forming a partly-formed fibrous structure;
and
separating the partly-formed fibrous structure from the deflection member, thereby forming the fibrous structure.

1 more element

A process for making a fibrous structure having at least two regions disposed in a non-random repeating pattern, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a deflection member having a plurality of fibers thereon, the deflection member comprising a reinforcing element joined to a macroscopically monoplanar, patterned, and fluid-permeable framework having a web-side and a backside opposite to the web-side, wherein the framework comprises a plurality of bases outwardly extending from the reinforcing element, and a plurality of suspended portions laterally extending from the plurality of bases and elevated from the reinforcing element to form void spaces between the reinforcing element and the suspended portions;
deflecting a portion of the plurality of fibers into the deflection conduits so as to cause some of the deflected fibers or portions thereof to be disposed within the void spaces formed between the reinforcing element and the suspended portions, thereby forming a first region comprising fibers not deflected into the deflection conduits, and a second region comprising fibers deflected into the deflection conduits, the second region including fibrous cantilever portions formed by the fibers deflected into the void spaces formed between the reinforcing element and the suspended portions of the deflection member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process for producing a fibrous structure having increased surface area

Life of this patent

Process for producing a fibrous structure having increased surface area

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20