Method of fabricating fibrous laminate structures with variable color

Abstract

A method of providing a color enhanced, patterned nonwoven based composite fabric wherein a hydroentangled, imaged nonwoven facing fabric exhibits variable fiber density in selected regions and where a colored backing material is laminated to the facing layer such that the color of the backing layer is observed as variable hues which coincide with regions of lower fiber density in the facing layer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making a colored non-woven composite material, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first non-woven layer having a heterogeneous fiber density described in a predetermined pattern or image and a first color,    providing a second non-woven layer having a different aesthetic quality than the first non-woven layer,    positioning said first and second non-woven layers in surface to surface juxtaposition,    applying high pressure fluid streams upon the second non-woven layer to induce relocation of the fibrous component of the second non-woven layer into the fibrous structure of the first non-woven layer,    whereby the fibrous component of the second non-woven layer is apparent on the face of the first non-woven fabric in the regions of the first nonwoven layer where the fiber density is lower than the surround areas of the first non-woven layer.    
     
     
         2 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first non-woven layer is a hydroentangled fabric.    
     
     
         3 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first non-woven layer is comprised of material selected from the group consisting of staple length natural fiber, staple length polymeric fiber, continuous polymeric filament, and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         4 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the different aesthetic quality of the second non-woven layer is selected from variations in color, tint, hue, brightness, opacity, or combinations thereof.    
     
     
         5 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the second non-woven layer is selected from the group consisting of a carded fibrous batt, an air-laid fiber web, a spun-laid filament web, a melt-blown filament web, a consolidated non-woven fabric, and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         6 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the second non-woven layer is comprised of material selected from the group consisting of staple length natural fiber, staple length polymeric fiber, continuous polymeric filament, and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         7 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 first non-woven layer is in the basis weight range of about 1.0 to 6.0 ounces per square yard.    
     
     
         8 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the second non-woven fabric layer is in the basis weight range of about 0.5 to 4.5 ounces per square yard.    
     
     
         9 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the second non-woven layer is fabricated having a heterogeneous fiber density described in a predetermined pattern or image.    
     
     
         10 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the high pressure fluid streams may be at equivalent or differing pressures.    
     
     
         11 . A non-woven composite material comprising: 
 first and second non-woven layers laminated together wherein the fibrous component of the second layer is relocated into the fibrous structure of the first non-woven layer and presented on the surface of the first layer in regions where the fiber density of the first layer are lower than the surrounding regions.    
     
     
         12 . A method of making a colored non-woven composite material, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a non-woven layer having a heterogeneous fiber density described in a predetermined pattern or image,    providing a polymeric material layer having a different aesthetic quality than the first non-woven layer,    applying the polymeric material layer onto the non-woven polymeric layer to induce relocation of the polymeric material into the fibrous structure of the first non-woven layer,    whereby the polymeric material layer is apparent on the face of the non-woven fabric in the regions of the first non-woven layer where the fiber density is lower than the surrounding regions of the first non-woven layer.    
     
     
         13 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the non-woven component layer is a hydroentangled fabric.    
     
     
         14 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the second non-woven layer is selected from carded fibrous batt, air-laid fiber, spun-laid filament, melt-blown filament, consolidated non-woven fabric or combinations thereof.    
     
     
         15 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the non-woven component layer is comprised of material selected from staple length natural fiber, staple length polymeric fiber, continuous polymeric filament, or mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         16 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the polymeric material layer is selected from extruded films, thermoset films, cast films, extruded foams, sprayed-on foams or combinations thereof.    
     
     
         17 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the different aesthetic quality of the polymeric material layer is selected from variations in color, tint, hue, brightness, opacity, or combinations thereof.    
     
     
         18 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the non-woven fabric layer is in the basis weight range of about 0.5 to 5.0 ounces per square yard.    
     
     
         19 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the polymeric material layer is in the basis weight range of about 0.25 to 6.0 ounces per square yard.    
     
     
         20 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the polymeric materials may have alternating or differing aesthetic qualities.    
     
     
         21 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the polymeric material layer is applied in a predetermined pattern.    
     
     
         22 . A method of making a non-woven composite material in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the polymeric material layer may be at equivalent or differing concentrations.    
     
     
         23 . A non-woven composite material comprising: 
 a nonwoven layer and a polymeric material layer laminated together wherein the polymeric material layer intrudes upon the fibrous structure of the non-woven layer and is presented the surface of the first layer in regions where the fiber density of the first layer are lower than the surrounding regions.