US2002180092A1PendingUtilityA1

Process for making textured airlaid materials

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Assignee: KIMBERLY CLARK COPriority: Oct 14, 1999Filed: Dec 21, 2001Published: Dec 5, 2002
Est. expiryOct 14, 2019(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Rodney L. AbbaRobert J. MakolinDavid NickelCharles W. ColmanJeffrey Dean LindsayFung-Jou ChenJulie Bednarz
A61F 2013/1543D21G 9/00A61F 2013/53778A61F 13/53717A61F 13/533D04H 1/76D04H 1/732A61F 2013/15943A61F 13/5376A61F 2013/4958D04H 1/542D04H 1/54A61F 13/15626D21F 11/006D04H 1/558
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Claims

Abstract

A textured airlaid web is disclosed. The textured web is formed on a three-dimensional fabric under sufficient force to cause the web to conform to the surface of the fabric. The textured web includes, on a minute scale, peak areas and valley areas. The peak areas and valley areas can improved the liquid handling properties of the web. For instance, webs can be produced having improved absorbency characteristics and/or wicking characteristics.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A process for forming a textured airlaid fibrous web comprising the steps of: 
 combining discrete fibers with a gas;    directing the gas and fiber mixture onto a moving conveyer, the fibers thereby forming a non-woven web;    contacting the web with a fabric having a three-dimensional surface under sufficient force to cause the web to conform to the surface of the fabric thereby forming a textured surface on the airlaid web, the textured surface including a repeating pattern of peak areas and valley areas; and    bonding the airlaid and textured web together, the formed airlaid web having a height that is at least 25% greater than the average caliper of the formed web.    
     
     
         2 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fabric having the three-dimensional surface comprises a forming fabric.  
     
     
         3 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fabric having the three-dimensional surface comprises a transfer fabric.  
     
     
         4 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fabric having the three-dimensional surface comprises a bonding fabric.  
     
     
         5 . As process as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of calendaring the airlaid web having the textured surface in order to increase the density of the peak areas in comparison to the density of the valley areas.  
     
     
         6 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the airlaid and textured web is thermally bonded together.  
     
     
         7 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the textured and airlaid web is bonded together by applying an adhesive to the surfaces of the web.  
     
     
         8 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the web includes at least 2 peaks per inch in one direction of the web.  
     
     
         9 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the airlaid web includes at least 9 peaks per square inch over the textured surface.  
     
     
         10 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the textured surface of the airlaid web has a surface area that is at least 25% greater than the surface area of a planar web made from the same fibers and at the same basis weight.  
     
     
         11 . A process as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the web includes at least 5 peaks per inch in one direction of the web.  
     
     
         12 . A process as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the web includes at least 10 peaks per inch in one direction of the web.  
     
     
         13 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the airlaid web includes at least two peaks per square inch over the textured surface.  
     
     
         14 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the textured surface of the airlaid web has a surface area that is at least 50% greater than the surface area of a planar web made from the same fibers and at the same basis weight.  
     
     
         15 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the textured surface of the airlaid web has a surface area that is at least 100% greater than the surface area of a planar web made from the same fibers and at the same basis weight.  
     
     
         16 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the web is formed to include a substantially planar surface opposite the textured surface.  
     
     
         17 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of contacting the web with a second fabric having a three dimensional surface under sufficient force to cause the web to conform to the surface of the fabric thereby forming a second textured surface opposite the first textured surface.  
     
     
         18 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of directing further fiber and gas mixtures onto the non-woven web in order to form a multi-layered web.  
     
     
         19 . A process as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the density of the peak areas is at least 25% greater than the density of the valley areas.  
     
     
         20 . A process as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the density of the peak areas is at least 50% greater than the density of the valley areas.  
     
     
         21 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the airlaid web consists essentially of synthetic fibers.  
     
     
         22 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the airlaid web comprises pulp fibers.  
     
     
         23 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the formed airlaid web has a height that is at least 50% greater than the average caliper of the formed web.  
     
     
         24 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the formed airlaid web has a height that is at least 100% greater than the average caliper of the formed web.  
     
     
         25 . A process as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the airlaid web is bonded together by thermally bonding the web and by supplying an adhesive to the web.  
     
     
         26 . A process for forming a textured airlaid fibrous web comprising the steps of: 
 combining fibers with a gas, the fibers comprising synthetic fibers, natural fibers or mixtures thereof;    directing the gas and fiber mixture onto a moving forming fabric, the forming fabric having a three-dimensional surface, the fibers contacting the three-dimensional surface of the forming fabric under sufficient force to cause the fibers to conform to the surface of the fabric and form an airlaid web, the airlaid web including a textured surface facing the forming fabric, the textured surface including a repeating pattern of peak areas and valley areas, the textured surface including at least three peaks per inch in one direction of the web; and    bonding the airlaid web together, the formed airlaid web having a height that is at least 25% greater than the average caliper of the formed web.    
     
     
         27 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the airlaid web has a height that is at least 50% greater than the average caliper of the formed web.  
     
     
         28 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the textured surface includes at least 10 peak areas per inch in one direction of the web.  
     
     
         29 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the textured surface includes at least 9 peak areas per square inch.  
     
     
         30 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the airlaid web comprises synthetic fibers.  
     
     
         31 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the airlaid web includes pulp fibers.  
     
     
         32 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the airlaid web includes binder fibers, the web being bonded together by heating the web containing the binder fibers.  
     
     
         33 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , further comprising the step of calendaring the airlaid web having the textured surface in order to increase the density of the peak areas in comparison to the density of the valley areas.  
     
     
         34 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , further comprising the step of contacting the web with the three-dimensional forming fabric under a compression roll.  
     
     
         35 . A process as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the textured surface has a surface area that is at least 50% greater than the surface area of a planar web made from the same fibers and at the same basis weight.  
     
     
         36 . A process for forming an airlaid fibrous web comprising the steps of: 
 combining discreet fibers with a gas;    directing the gas and fiber mixture onto a moving conveyor, the fibers thereby forming a non-woven web;    contacting the web with a fabric having a three-dimensional surface under sufficient force to cause the web to conform to the surface of the fabric thereby forming a textured surface on the airlaid web including peak areas and valley areas;    calendaring the airlaid web having the textured surface in order to increase the density of the peak areas in comparison to the density of the valley areas; and    bonding the airlaid web together.    
     
     
         37 . A process as defined in  claim 36 , wherein the web is calandared an amount sufficient to create a substantially planar web.  
     
     
         38 . A process as defined in  claim 36 , wherein the calendared peak areas have a density that is at least 25% greater than the density of the valley areas.  
     
     
         39 . A process as defined in  claim 36 , wherein the calendared peak areas have a density that is at least 50% greater than the density of the valley areas.  
     
     
         40 . A process as defined in  claim 36 , wherein the textured surface includes at least 9 peak areas per square inch.

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