Unitary shaped soft goods article having variable physical characteristics between different regions

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a shaped soft goods article that is unitary non-woven material having at least one three-dimensional shape. The article includes a first region substantially formed of a first formula and a second region substantially formed of a second formula. Between the first and second regions, there is an intermingling region that includes at least some of the first formula and the second formula. The first and second formulas are both comprised of at least one type of natural or synthetic fibers and at least one of crosslinkers, natural and/or synthetic adhesives, biobased and/or synthetic thermoplastics, including nanocellulose, and/or latex; however, the first and second formulas differ in at least one characteristic. An intermingling region exists where the first region (and first formula) intermingle with the second region (and second formula) meet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shaped soft goods article, comprising:
 a first region substantially comprised of a first formula;   a second region substantially comprised of a second formula;   an intermingling region that includes at least some of the first formula and the second formula;   wherein the first formula is comprised of at least one type of natural or synthetic fibers and at least one of crosslinkers, natural and/or synthetic adhesives, biobased and/or synthetic thermoplastics, including nanocellulose, and/or latex;   wherein the second formula is comprised of at least one type of natural or synthetic fibers and at least one of crosslinkers, natural and/or synthetic adhesives, biobased and/or synthetic thermoplastics, including nanocellulose, and/or latex;   wherein the first and second are different from each other in at least one characteristic; and   wherein the shaped soft goods article is unitary non-woven material having at least one three-dimensional shape.   
     
     
         2 . The shaped soft goods article of  claim 1  wherein the first region is visually different from the second region. 
     
     
         3 . The shaped soft goods article of  claim 2  wherein the first region is comprised of a different percentage of at least one colorant than the second region. 
     
     
         4 . The shaped soft goods article of  claim 1  wherein first region is structurally different from the second region. 
     
     
         5 . The shaped soft goods article of  claim 1  wherein the first region is comprised of a different percentage of at least one type of fibers than the second region. 
     
     
         6 . The shaped soft goods article of  claim 1  that also includes a third region comprised of a third formula, wherein the third formula is comprised of at least one type of natural or synthetic fibers and at least one of crosslinkers, natural and/or synthetic adhesives, biobased and/or synthetic thermoplastics, including nanocellulose, and/or latex. 
     
     
         7 . The shaped soft goods article of  claim 6  wherein the third formula is different from at least one of the first and second formulas in at least one characteristic. 
     
     
         8 . The shaped soft goods article of  claim 7  wherein the third formula is different from both of the first and second formulas in at least one characteristic. 
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a soft goods article comprising the following steps:
 mixing an amount of a first formula, the first formula including at least one type of natural or synthetic fibers, water and at least one of crosslinkers, natural and/or synthetic adhesives, biobased and/or synthetic thermoplastics, including nanocellulose, and/or latex into an aqueous slurry;   mixing an amount of a second formula, the second formula including at least one type of natural or synthetic fibers, water and at least one of crosslinkers, natural and/or synthetic adhesives, biobased and/or synthetic thermoplastics, including nanocellulose, and/or latex into an aqueous slurry, wherein the second formula is different from the first formula in at least one characteristic;   providing a mold form;   pouring the aqueous slurry of the first formula and the aqueous slurry of the second formula into the mold form such that the aqueous slurry of the first formula is in a first region and the aqueous slurry of the second formula is in a second region and the aqueous slurry of the first formula and the aqueous slurry of the second formula intermingle in an intermingling region generally between the first and second regions; and   removing at least some of the water from the mold form through at least one of a draining and drying process to leave behind a solid fibrous molded part that defines a first region formed from the slurry of the first formula and a second region formed from the slurry of the second formula.   
     
     
         10 . The method of forming a soft goods article of  claim 9  including the additional step of pressing the solid fibrous molded part into a desired shape in a press that includes at least one three-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         11 . The method of forming a soft goods article of  claim 9  wherein the first region of the solid fibrous molded part is visually different from the second region. 
     
     
         12 . The method of forming a soft goods article of  claim 11  wherein the first region of the solid fibrous molded part is comprised of a different percentage of at least one colorant than the second region. 
     
     
         13 . The method of forming a soft goods article of  claim 9  wherein first region of the solid fibrous molded part is structurally different from the second region. 
     
     
         14 . The method of forming a soft goods article of  claim 13  wherein the first region of the solid fibrous molded part is comprised of a different percentage of at least one type of fibers than the second region. 
     
     
         15 . The method of forming a soft goods article of  claim 9  including the additional step of at least initially positioning a divider between the first region and the second region in the mold form prior to pouring the aqueous slurry of the first formula and the aqueous slurry of the second formula into the mold form. 
     
     
         16 . The method of forming a soft goods article of  claim 9  including the additional step of agitating an intermingling region after pouring the aqueous slurry of the first formula and the aqueous slurry of the second formula into the mold form in order to cause a mixing of the first formula and second formula to intermingle.