# US 7,406,755 B2 · Hydroentanglement of continuous polymer filaments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,406,755 B2 - Document ID: US7406755B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/101,817 - Filed: 2005-04-07 - Published: 2005-09-15 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 1999-04-07 - Assignees: Polymer Group, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Putnam; Richard Ferencz; Marlene Storzer; Jian Weng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7406755B2 ## CPC - D04H 3/11: by fluid jet - Y10S 428/903: Microfiber, less than 100 micron diameter - Y10T 428/249922: Embodying intertwined or helical component[s] - Y10T 442/2238: Fluorocarbon containing - Y10T 442/227: Fluorocarbon containing - Y10T 442/2484: Coating or impregnation is water absorbency-increasing or hydrophilicity-increasing or hydrophilicity-imparting - Y10T 442/2525: Coating or impregnation functions biologically [e.g., insect repellent, antiseptic, insecticide, bactericide, etc.] - Y10T 442/633: Synthetic polymeric strand or fiber material is of staple length - Y10T 442/659: Including an additional nonwoven fabric - Y10T 442/66: Additional nonwoven fabric is a spun-bonded fabric - Y10T 442/663: Hydroentangled - Y10T 442/668: Separate nonwoven fabric layers comprise chemically different strand or fiber material - Y10T 442/671: Multiple nonwoven fabric layers composed of the same polymeric strand or fiber material - Y10T 442/681: Spun-bonded nonwoven fabric - Y10T 442/689: Hydroentangled nonwoven fabric - Y10T 442/697: Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials - D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A nonwoven fabric comprises continuous polymer filaments of 0.5 to 3 denier that have been hydroentangled in a complex matrix for interconnecting filament loops, and that is otherwise substantially free of knotting, or of otherwise wrapping about one another. A process for making a nonwoven fabric comprises continuously extruding polymer filaments of 0.5 to 3 denier onto a moving support, pre-entangling the filaments with water jets, and entangling the filaments with a second set of water jets on a three-dimensional image transfer device. An apparatus for making a nonwoven fabric comprises means for continuously extruding substantially endless polymer filaments of 0.5 to 3 denier onto a moving support to form an unbonded web, a pre-entangling station for entangling the web with a plurality of water jets, and a plurality of water jets for final entanglement of the filament web on a three-dimensional image transfer device. In another aspect of the present invention, plural precursor webs, each comprising polymeric filaments, can be employed to form a laminated nonwoven fabric. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric of continuous filaments, comprising the steps of: a) superimposing at least two layers of continuous filaments spunbond fabrics, said fabrics bonded by thermal point bonds, supporting said layers on a three-dimensional image transfer device to form an unbonded laminate; and b) subjecting at least a first side of said laminate to fine water jets at high pressure, said water jets causing disruption of said thermal point bonds and causing the filaments of said at least two layers to become entangled to form a coherent final fabric. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers have a basis weight of 15 to 100 g/m2, and said coherent final fabric has a basis weight of between about 50 to 600 g/m2. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers have a basis weight of 50 to 75 g/m2, and said coherent final fabric having a basis weight of 250 to 600 g/m2. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers have a basis weight of 15 to 25 g/m2, and said coherent final fabric having a basis weight of 50 to 100 g/m2. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers comprise a member of the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamide, polyesters, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers comprises polyesters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers comprise fibers of 0.2 to 3.0 denier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers have thermal bonds covering from 5% to 45% of layer area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers have thermal bonds covering from 10% to 30% of layer area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein said coherent final fabric is substantially free of thermal bonds. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein said coherent final fabric is characterized by continuous filaments hydroentangled into an arrangement of packed loops and spirals that are substantially free of filament breakage and knotting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, further comprising hydroentangling at least an additional prebonded nonwoven web of staple fibers with said at least two spunbond layers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein said image transfer device comprises a porous forming drum having a three-dimensional surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein said water jets operate at greater than 1,500 psi pressure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein said water jets operate at greater than 2,000 psi pressure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein said water jets operate at about 4,500 psi pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein said layers are hydroentangled at a rate of at least 125 m/min. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, further comprising the step of subjecting a second side of said laminate to fine water jets operating at high pressure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A method of making a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric as in claim 1, wherein each of said layers comprise polyester, and the method further comprises the step of jet dyeing said coherent final fabric. ### Claim 20 A method of making hydroentangled nonwoven fabric of continuous filaments, comprising the steps of: a) superimposing at least a first and a second layer of continuous filament spunbond fabrics, said fabrics bonded by thermal point bonds, said fabrics comprising polyester filaments of about 0.2 to 3.0 denier, said layers each having a basis weight of between about 15 to 100 g/m2, supporting said layers on a three-dimensional image transfer device to form an unbonded laminate; b) subjecting a first side of said laminate to fine water jets operating at a pressure of at least 1,500 psi, subjecting a second side of said laminate to fine water jets operating at a pressure of at least 3,000 psi, said water jets causing disruption of substantially all of said thermal point bonds and causing the filaments of said at least two layers to become entangled and to form a coherent final fabric having a basis weight of between about 50 to 600 g/m2, said coherent final fabric characterized by an arrangement of packed loops and spirals subsequently free of filament breakage and knotting; and jet dyeing said final coherent fabric.