Nonwoven pads

Abstract

A nonwoven, fibrous, article including a plurality of entangled fibers is provided. The fibers can have at least one of an anti-microbial agent or a plurality of abrasive particles. A binder material may bond the fibers to each other at points of crossing and contact between the fibers. The fibers may be made from post-consumer materials, post-industrial materials, heavy denier fibers, biodegradable materials, or heat resistant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nonwoven article comprising:
 a plurality of entangled fibers;   the plurality of entangled fibers including a plurality of crossing points and contact points between the entangled fibers, the fibers bonded to one another at at least a portion of the plurality of crossing points and contact points.   
     
     
         2 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1 , wherein the entangled fibers comprise polymer resin formed from a material selected from at least one of a substance selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, nylon, hexamethylene adipamide, polycaprolactam, polyetheretherketone, polypropylene, acrylic, rayon, cellulose acetate, polyvinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymers, vinyl chloride-acrylonitrile copolymers, recycled post-consumer plastic products, and a starch based polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The nonwoven article of  claim 2 , wherein the material is polyethylene. 
     
     
         4 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1 , wherein the entangled fibers comprise heavy denier fibers formed from polyester or nylon. 
     
     
         5 . The nonwoven article of  claim 4 , wherein the heavy denier fibers are formed from polyester. 
     
     
         6 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1 , wherein the entangled fibers comprise polymer resin formed from recycled post consumer or post industrial materials. 
     
     
         7 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of entangled fibers are formed from a biodegradable starch based material. 
     
     
         8 . The nonwoven article of  claim 7 , wherein the biodegradable starch based material is from at least one source selected the group consisting of corn, sugar cane, grass, potatoes, or beets. 
     
     
         9 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1  further comprising a binder material that forms at least a portion of the bonds between the entangled fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The nonwoven article of  claim 9 , wherein the binder material is biodegradable and is a starch based material. 
     
     
         11 . The nonwoven article of  claim 10 , wherein the biodegradable starch based material is from at least one source selected from the group consisting of corn, sugar cane, grass, potatoes, or beets. 
     
     
         12 . The nonwoven article of  claim 9 , wherein the binder further comprises an anti-microbial agent. 
     
     
         13 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the bonds between the entangled fibers are melt bonds. 
     
     
         14 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of abrasive particles that are entirely within a circumference of the entangled fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of abrasive particles that are embedded in each of the entangled fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1  further comprising abrasive particles selected from at least one of a material selected from the group consisting of flint, silica, pumice, calcium carbonate, organic polymeric materials, polyester, polyvinylchloride, methacrylate, methylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, aluminum oxide, ceramic aluminum oxide, heat-treated aluminum oxide, white-fused aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, alumina zirconia, diamond, ceria, cubic boron nitride, and garnet. 
     
     
         17 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1  further comprising an anti-microbial agent as part of the entangled fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The nonwoven article of  claim 17 , wherein the anti-microbial agent includes at least one substance selected from the group consisting of 10, 16-oxybisphenoxy arsine (OBPA), n-(trichloro-methylthio)phthalimide, 2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, N-trichloro-methylthio-4-cyclohexene-1,2-dicarboximide, N-(trichloromethylthio) phthalimide, amine-neutralized phosphate, and zinc 2-pyidinethiaol-1-oxide. 
     
     
         19 . The nonwoven article of  claim 1  further comprising a plasticizer. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a nonwoven article, the method comprising:
 forming a combination including a polymer resin;   adding a plurality of abrasive particles to the combination;   extruding the combination through an extruder barrel, a spinneret, and spinneret head to form a plurality of fibers;   entangling the fibers;   bonding the fibers to each other at points of crossing and contact between the fibers; and   curing the nonwoven article.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising moving the combination through the extruder barrel prior to the step of adding the plurality of abrasive particles; wherein the extruder barrel includes openings prior to the spinneret head and the step of adding a plurality of abrasive particles is accomplished by adding the plurality of abrasive particles through the openings. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the spinneret head is resistant to the plurality of abrasive particles. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the spinneret head is harder than the abrasive particles. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the spinneret head is ceramic. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the spinneret head is flexible. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the combination further comprises an anti-microbial agent. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the combination further comprises a plasticizer.