Shaped nonwoven

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12343244-B2
Application number	US-202318192765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2023
Priority date	Dec 15, 2016
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property, wherein the intensive property is one or more of thickness, basis weight, or volumetric density, and wherein the first surface has a TS7 value different than a TS7 value of the second surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonwoven fabric formed of continuous fibers, the nonwoven comprising:
a first surface on a first side of the nonwoven fabric,
a second surface on a second side of the nonwoven fabric opposite the first side, and
a visually discernible zone on the second surface and extending from the first surface, the visually discernible zone having a pattern of three-dimensional features,
each of the three-dimensional features in the visually discernible zone defining individual microzones, each individual microzone comprising a first region and a second region visually distinct from the first region,
wherein each first region and each second region extend from the first side of the nonwoven fabric to the second side of the nonwoven fabric,
wherein the first surface of the nonwoven fabric in each individual microzone has greater fiber to fiber bonding than the second surface of the nonwoven fabric in each individual microzone, and
wherein a minimally-bonded portion of the second surface of the nonwoven fabric in the second region of each individual microzone has little fiber to fiber bonding,
the first and second regions in each individual microzone having a difference in values for an intensive property;
wherein the nonwoven fabric is not formed from separate layers.

2. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the intensive property is thickness, and wherein the thickness of every region is greater than zero.

3. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the intensive property is basis weight, and wherein the basis weight of every region is greater than zero.

4. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the intensive property is volumetric density, and wherein the volumetric density of every region is greater than zero.

5. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein fibers at the first surface of the nonwoven fabric are thermally bonded in the second regions of the individual microzones.

6. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is hot-air through bonded.

7. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein fibers at the first surface of the nonwoven fabric are thermally bonded in the second regions of the individual microzones, and wherein the second regions of the individual microzones are fluid permeable.

8. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the continuous fibers are continuous spunbond fibers.

9. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein a first plurality of the three-dimensional features have different Z-direction maximum dimensions relative to the first surface, and wherein a second plurality of the three-dimensional features have substantially the same Z-direction maximum dimensions relative to the first surface.

10. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is made on a drum.

11. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first surface or the second surface has a TS7 value of less than or equal to about 15 dB V 2 rms.

12. An absorbent article comprising the nonwoven fabric of claim 1 .

13. The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is a topsheet.

14. The absorbent article of claim 12 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is an outer cover.

15. A nonwoven fabric formed of continuous fibers, the nonwoven comprising:
a first surface on a first side of the nonwoven fabric,
a second surface on a second side of the nonwoven fabric opposite the first side, and
a visually discernible zone on the second surface and extending from the first surface, the visually discernible zone having a pattern of three-dimensional features,
each of the three-dimensional features in the visually discernible zone defining individual microzones, the first and second regions having a difference in values for basis weight, and wherein the basis weight of every region is greater than zero;
wherein each first region and each second region extend from the first side of the nonwoven fabric to the second side of the nonwoven fabric,
wherein the first surface of the nonwoven fabric in each individual microzone has greater fiber to fiber bonding than the second surface of the nonwoven fabric in each individual microzone, and
wherein a minimally-bonded portion of the second surface of the nonwoven fabric in the second region of each individual microzone has little fiber to fiber bonding,
wherein the first regions and the second regions in each individual microzone have different values for basis weight;
wherein the basis weight of every first region and of every second region is greater than zero; and
wherein the nonwoven fabric is not formed from separate layers.

16. The nonwoven fabric of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is hot-air through bonded.

17. The nonwoven fabric of claim 15 , wherein fibers of the nonwoven fabric are thermally bonded at the second-region first-side surface, and wherein the second regions are fluid permeable.

18. The nonwoven fabric of claim 15 , wherein a first plurality of the three-dimensional features have different Z-direction maximum dimensions relative to the first surface, and wherein a second plurality of the three-dimensional features have substantially the same Z-direction maximum dimensions relative to the first surface.

19. The nonwoven fabric of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is made on a drum, wherein the first surface or the second surface has a TS7 value of less than or equal to about 15 dB V 2 rms.

20. A nonwoven fabric formed of continuous fibers, the nonwoven comprising:
a first surface on a first side of the nonwoven fabric,
a second surface on a second side of the nonwoven fabric opposite the first side, and
a visually discernible zone on the second surface and extending from the first surface, the visually discernible zone having a pattern of three-dimensional features,
each of the three-dimensional features in the visually discernible zone defining individual microzones, each individual microzone comprising a first region and a second region visually distinct from the first region,
wherein each first region and each second region extend from the first side of the nonwoven fabric to the second side of the nonwoven fabric,
wherein the first surface of the nonwoven fabric in each individual microzone has greater fiber to fiber bonding than the second surface of the nonwoven fabric in each individual microzone, and
wherein a minimally-bonded portion of the second surface of the nonwoven fabric in the second region of each individual microzone has little fiber to fiber bonding,
wherein the first regions of the individual microzones have different values in basis weight from the second regions of the individual microzones;
wherein the basis weight of every first region and of every second region is greater than zero, and
wherein the nonwoven fabric is not formed from separate layers.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Ashraf Arman
• Weisman Paul Thomas

Classifications

• D04H11/08

  formed by creation of a pile on at least one surface of a non-woven fabric without addition of pile-forming material, e.g. by needling, by differential shrinking (needling machines D04H18/00) · CPC title

• D01D5/30

  Conjugate filaments; Spinnerette packs therefor · CPC title

• D01D5/22

  with a crimped or curled structure; with a special structure to simulate wool (producing crimped or curled effects in filaments or threads after formation D02G1/00) · CPC title

• D01D5/08

  Melt spinning methods {(D01D5/0023 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61F2013/5395

  with thermoplastic agent, i.e. softened by heat · CPC title