Nonwoven fabrics having raised portions
AssigneeMcNeil-PPC, Inc.
InventorsWilliam A. James, William G F Kelly, Susan Lynn Suehr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Nonwoven fabrics having a fibrous background portion in one plane thereof and raised fibrous portions in another plane thereof. There may be two types of raised portions. In one type, the basis weight of the raised portion is substantially the same as the basis weight off the background portion. In another type of raised portion, the basis weight is greater than the basis weight of the background portion. The raised portions are joined to the background portion try a fibrous transition region.
Claims42
A nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a substantially planar background portion;
- and
- at least one raised potion integrally forming a three-dimensional pattern projected out of the planar background portion, said background portion and said at least one raised portion having a equal basis weight and density.
A nonwoven fabric having at least one slub portion comprising:
- a substantially planar background portion:
- and
- at least one raised portion forming a three-dimensional pattern projected out of the planar background of portion, said at least one raised portion having a higher basis weight than said background portion and having a equal density as said background portion.
A nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of fibers and having a background portion and a raised portion, said background portion being located in and defining a first plane of said nonwoven fabric and said raised portion being located in a second plane which is above and parallel to said first plane, said raised portion being joined to said background portion by a fibrous transition region, the basis weight of said raised portion being the same as the basis weight of said background portion.
A nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of fibers and having a background portion and a raised portion, said background portion being located in and defining a first plane of said nonwoven fabric and said raised portion being located in a second plane which is above and parallel to said fast plane, said raised portion being joined to said background portion by a fibrous transition region, the basis weight of said raised portion being greater than the basis weight of said background portion and the density of said raised portion being equal to the density of said background portion.
A nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of fibers and having a background portion, a first raised portion, and a second raised portion, said background portion being located in and defining a first plane of said nonwoven fabric, said first raised portion and said second raised portion being located in a plane which is above and parallel to said first plane, each of said raised portions being joined to said background portion by a fibrous transition region, the basis weight of said first raised portion being substantially the same as the basis weight of said background portion and the basis weight of said second raised portion being greater than the basis weight of said background portion and the density of said second raised portion being equal to the density of said background portion.
A hydroentangled nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a substantially continuous planar background portion;
- and
- at least one raised portion forming a three-dimensional pattern projected out of the planar background portion, said at least one raised portion having a higher basis weight than said background portion, said at least one raised portion being comprised of a plurality of substantially parallel fibers wherein said substantially parallel fibers are parallel in the longitudinal direction of the three-dimensional pattern formed by said raised portion.
A hydroentangled nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a substantially continuous planar background portion;
- and
- at least one raised portion forming a three-dimensional pattern projected out of the planar background portion, said at least one raised portion having a higher basis weight than said background portion, and further including a transition region between said at least one raised portion and said background portion, said transition region having a fiber-poor region having a basis weight less than said background portion, wherein said fiber-poor region of said transition region is comprised of fiber segments that are substantially parallel to each other.
A hydroentangled nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a substantially continuous planar background portion;
- and
- at least one raised portion forming a three-dimensional pattern projected out of the planar background portion, said at least one raised portion having a higher basis weight than said background portion, and further including a transition region between said at least one raised portion and said background portion, said transition region having a fiber-poor region having a basis weight less than said background portion, said at least one raised portion including fibers in bundles that are twisted and turned upon each other and are substantially parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the raised portion.
A hydroentangled nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a substantially continuous planar background portion;
- and
- at least one raised portion forming a three-dimensional pattern projected out of the planar background portion, said at least one raised portion having a higher basis weight than said background portion, and further including a transition region between said at least one raised portion and said background portion, said transition region having a fiber-poor region having a basis weight less than said background portion, wherein said fiber-poor region of said transition region comprises a plurality of bundles of fiber segments wherein said bundles are oriented generally transversely of said transition region.
A hydroentangled nonwoven fabric comprising:
- a substantially continuous planar background portion;
- and
- at least one raised portion forming a three-dimensional pattern projected out of the planar background portion, said at least one raised portion having a higher basis weight than said background portion, said background portion have a textured design comprised of a plurality of substantially parallel fiber bundles, said fiber bundles being comprised of fibers that are twisted and turned upon each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.