Nonwoven web with improved cut edge quality, and process for imparting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10329711-B2
Application number	US-201414316859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A process for producing a nonwoven web material with improved edge quality, and the product thereof, are disclosed. The process may include the steps of forming a batt of polymeric fibers; consolidating the batt in a z-direction and thereby forming a nonwoven web material, conveying the nonwoven web material to a nip between a bonding roller and anvil roller, and impressing a pattern of bond impressions into the nonwoven web material, the bond impressions lying along a cut path. When the web is subsequently cut along the cut path, fibers proximate the cut path are immobilized by the bonds, providing for relatively neater, cleaner cut edges and reducing the number of loose fibers that may be released into the plant environment in downstream processing operations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for producing a nonwoven web material having a cut edge, comprising the steps of:
forming a batt of polymeric fibers;
consolidating the batt in a z-direction and thereby forming a nonwoven web material;
conveying the batt or the nonwoven web material along a machine direction to one or more nips between one or more pairs of bonding rollers and anvil rollers rotating about axes lying substantially along a cross direction;
impressing a first pattern of bond impressions into the batt or the nonwoven web material in a first nip, the pattern of bond impressions lying along a cut path, and thereby bonding the batt or the nonwoven web material along the cut path, the first pattern of bond impressions having a first bond area percentage and a density, wherein:
the density varies in a cross direction across a surface of the nonwoven web, wherein the density is relatively higher at a first location relatively proximate the cut path, and relatively lower at second location farther away from the cut path; and
the first bond area percentage varies in the cross direction across the surface of the nonwoven web, wherein the first bond area percentage is relatively higher at the first location relatively proximate to the cut path, and relatively lower at the second location farther away from the cut path;

cutting the nonwoven web material along the cut path and within the first pattern of bond impressions;
impressing a second pattern of bond impressions into the batt or the nonwoven web material in a second nip, the second pattern of bond impressions being distinct from the first pattern of bond impressions and having a second bond area percentage, and bonding the batt to form a bonded nonwoven web material;
wherein the second bond area percentage is between 3 and 45 percent; and
wherein at least a portion of the fibers are multicomponent fibers.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein heating energy is applied to the batt or nonwoven web material at at least one of the one or more nips, thereby creating thermal bonds in the nonwoven web material.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the first pattern of bond impressions is discrete and does not continue across the entirety of the nonwoven web material in a cross direction thereof, and the first bond area percentage is greater than the second bond area percentage.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the first bond area percentage is between 20 and 80 percent.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the first pattern of bond impressions extends to the cut path, and comprises bond impressions in the shape of discrete bars that are continuous to the cut path.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the discrete bar shapes extend along lines that form angles with a machine direction axis along the web, the angles being between 10 degrees and 90 degrees.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said lines comprise at least two sets of lines that cross such that the bar shapes form a pattern of crossing bar shapes.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Xu Han
• Bales Andrew Starr
• Wiedmann Peter
• Dirama Taner
• Herron Carlisle Mitchell

Classifications

• Y10T156/1043

  Subsequent to assembly · CPC title

• B32B37/24

  with at least one layer not being coherent before laminating, e.g. made up from granular material sprinkled onto a substrate (B32B37/15 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F13/15739

  Sealing, e.g. involving cutting · CPC title

• D04H1/542

  Adhesive fibres · CPC title

• D06H7/005 Primary

  characterized by means or processes to avoid or reduce fraying of the cut edge · CPC title