Nonwoven wiping fabrics having variable surface topography

Abstract

The invention provides for a nonwoven fabric wipe having a variance in surface topography. The variance in surface topography is provided by two or more projections of differing height extending from the surface of the fabric or two or more projections in stacked formation. The projections may be disposed on the surface of the wipe in a patterned, array-like arrangement or the projections may be randomly disposed on the surface. The variance in projection height will typically provide for the projections to perform differing cleaning functions based upon the height, geometry, size and distribution of the projections.

1 . A nonwoven wiping fabric having a variance in surface topography, the fabric comprising: 
 a plurality of first surface projections extending a first height from a surface of the fabric that perform a first cleaning function; and    a plurality of second surface projections extending a second height from the surface of the fabric that perform a second cleaning function.    
   
   
       2 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections and the plurality of second surface projections are disposed on the surface of the fabric in a patterned array arrangement.  
   
   
       3 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections and the plurality of second surface projections are disposed on the surface of the fabric in a random arrangement.  
   
   
       4 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections and the plurality of second surface projections have similar geometry.  
   
   
       5 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections have a first geometry and the plurality of second surface projections have a second geometry.  
   
   
       6 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections and the plurality of second surface projections have similar-surface direction cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       7 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections have a first surface-direction cross-sectional area and the plurality of second surface projections have a second surface-direction cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       8 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections extend a first height that is greater than the second height and perform a micro particulate cleaning function.  
   
   
       9 . The fabric of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of second surface projections extend a second height that is less than the first height and perform a macro particulate cleaning function.  
   
   
       10 . The fabric of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third projections extending from a distal portion of the second surface projections.  
   
   
       11 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first surface projections includes a first cleaning performance additive.  
   
   
       12 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second surface projections includes a second cleaning performance additive.  
   
   
       13 . The fabric of  claim 1 , further comprising a support layer underlying the surface of the fabric.  
   
   
       14 . The fabric of  claim 1 , further comprising staple length fibers.  
   
   
       15 . The fabric of  claim 1 , further comprising continuous filaments.  
   
   
       16 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first and second surface projections are imparted by hydroentangling the wiping fabric on a foraminous surface.  
   
   
       17 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first and second surface projections are imparted by hydroentangling the wiping fabric on a three-dimensional image transfer device.  
   
   
       18 . A nonwoven wiping fabric having a variance in surface topography, the fabric comprising: 
 a plurality of first projections extending a first height from a surface of the fabric that perform a first cleaning function; and    one or more second projections extending from a distal portion of one or more of the first projections that perform a second cleaning function.    
   
   
       19 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of first projections are disposed on the surface of the fabric in a patterned array arrangement.  
   
   
       20 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of first projections are disposed on the surface of the fabric in a random arrangement.  
   
   
       21 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more second projections are disposed on the distal portion of the first projections in a patterned arrangement.  
   
   
       22 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of first projections and the one or more second projections have similar geometry.  
   
   
       23 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of first projections have a first geometry and the one or more second projections have a second geometry.  
   
   
       24 . The fabric of  claim 18  wherein the one or more second projections are disposed on the distal portion of the first projections in a random arrangement.  
   
   
       25 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the first projections perform a macro particulate cleaning function and the second projections perform a micro cleaning function.  
   
   
       26 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the first projections include a first cleaning performance additive.  
   
   
       27 . The fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the second projections include a second cleaning performance additive.  
   
   
       28 . The fabric of  claim 18 , further comprising third projections extending a second height from the surface of the fabric that perform a third cleaning function.  
   
   
       29 . A method of making a nonwoven wiping fabric having a variance in surface topography comprising the steps of: 
 carding a fibrous matrix;    pre-entangling the fibrous matrix on a foraminous surface to form a fibrous batt;    advancing and hydroentangling the fibrous batt upon a three-dimensional image transfer device, wherein the three-dimensional image transfer device imparts a plurality of first surface projections extending a first height from the fibrous batt and a plurality of second surface projections extending a second height from the fibrous batt.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , furthering comprising the step of juxtaposing a support layer in face-to-face position with the pre-entangled fibrous batt.