# US 9,751,280 B2 · Rugged elastic nonwoven fabric and method for manufacturing the same

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,751,280 B2
- Document ID: US9751280B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/456,209
- Filed: 2012-04-25
- Published: 2012-11-01
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-28
- Assignees: Jnc Corporation; Jnc Fibers Corporation
- Applicants: Hirokazu Terada
- Inventors: Hirokazu Terada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751280B2

## CPC

- B32B 5/26: another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)}
- D04H 1/4374: using different kinds of webs, e.g. by layering webs
- D04H 1/50: by treatment to produce shrinking, swelling, crimping or curling of fibres (in combination with needling D04H1/482)
- D04H 1/54: by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving (in combination with needling D04H1/485)
- D04H 1/5412: {sheath-core}
- D04H 1/5414: {side-by-side}
- D04H 1/559: the fibres being within layered webs
- D04H 13/00: Other non-woven fabrics
- Y10T 428/2481: including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- 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)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

To provide a rugged elastic nonwoven fabric, in which a first fibrous layer containing heat-shrinkable fibers (1A) being latent crimp conjugate fibers, and a second fibrous layer containing heat-fusible heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) or non-heat-shrinkable fibers (2B) both having smaller shrinkage as compared with the fibers (1A) are laminated, and both of the fibrous layers are partially bonded and united with a number of bonded parts arranged at intervals, wherein a maximum shrinkage development temperature of the first fibrous layer is 135° C. or higher, a melting or softening point of a heat-fusible component of the fibers (2A) or (2B) is 70° C. or higher to 130° C. or lower, the second fibrous layer between the bonded parts is projected in a convex by shrinking of the first fibrous layer, and fibers constituting the first fibrous layer are not bonded with each other.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A nonwoven fabric in which a first fibrous layer and a second fibrous layer are laminated using the first fibrous layer containing heat-shrinkable fibers (1A) being latent crimp conjugate fibers and the second fibrous layer containing heat-fusible heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) having a smaller shrinkage as compared with the heat-shrinkable fibers (1A), a difference in shrinkage between the heat-shrinkable fibers (1A) and the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) is 10% or more, and a portion of fibers constituting the first fibrous layer are bonded to a portion of fibers constituting the second fibrous layer by a plurality of bonded parts between the first fibrous layer and the second fibrous layer, which are arranged at intervals, such that the two fibrous layers are united, wherein an area of one of the bonded parts is in the range of 0.5 to 20 mm2, a distance between the bonded parts is in the range of 2 to 20 millimeters, a maximum shrinkage development temperature of the first fibrous layer is 145° C. or higher, and a melting point or a softening point of a heat-fusible component of the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) is in the range of 70° C. or higher to 125° C. or lower, a melt mass flow rate of the heat-fusible component of the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) is in the range of approximately 0.1 g/10 min to approximately 80 g/10 min, the second fibrous layer between the bonded parts is projected in a convex by shrinking of the first fibrous layer, fibers constituting the first fibrous layer are not substantially bonded with each other by thermal melting, the first fibrous layer comprises a combination of polypropylene (PP) and ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM), the second fibrous layer comprises a combination of polypropylene (PP) and olefin-based elastomer, and the bonded parts are formed by heat-press bonding.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) are latent crimp conjugate fibers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the melting point or the softening point of the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) is lower than a melting point of the heat-shrinkable fibers (1A).

### Claim 4

A method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric, comprising the following steps (1) to (3):
the step (1) for laminating a second fibrous layer containing heat-fusible heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) having a smaller shrinkage as compared with heat-shrinkable fibers (1A) onto at least one side of a first fibrous layer containing the heat-shrinkable fibers (1A), the first fibrous layer comprises a combination of polypropylene (PP) and ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM), the second fibrous layer comprises a combination of polypropylene (PP) and olefin-based elastomer, a melting point or a softening point of a heat-fusible component of the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) is in the range of 70° C. or higher to 125° C. or lower, a melt mass flow rate of the heat-fusible component of the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) is in the range of approximately 0.1 g/10 min to approximately 80 g/10 min;
the step (2) for performing bonding processing of both of the fibrous layers laminated in the step (1) and uniting both of the fibrous layers in a thickness direction with a large number of bonded parts arranged at intervals such that a portion of fibers constituting the first fibrous layer are bonded to a portion of fibers constituting the second fibrous layer by the bonded parts, wherein the bonded parts are formed by heat-press bonding, an area of one of the bonded parts is in the range of 0.5 to 20 mm2, a distance between the bonded parts is in the range of 2 to 20 millimeters, fibers constituting the first fibrous layer are not substantially bonded with each other by thermal melting; and
the step (3) for performing shrinking processing of both of the fibrous layers united in the step (2) to shrink the heat-shrinkable fibers (1A) contained in the first fibrous layer, a difference in shrinkage between the heat-shrinkable fibers (1A) and the heat-shrinkable fibers (2A) is 10% or more, a maximum shrinkage development temperature of the first fibrous layer is 145° C. or higher, and the second fibrous layer between the bonded parts is projected in a convex by shrinking of the first fibrous layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method for manufacturing the nonwoven fabric according to claim 4, wherein bonding processing in the step (2) and shrinking processing in the step (3) are performed at a temperature equal to or lower than a melting point of the heat-shrinkable fibers (1A) contained in the first fibrous layer.