Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/58—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives
  • D04H1/593—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives to layered webs
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/44—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling
  • D04H1/46—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres
  • D04H1/48—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres in combination with at least one other method of consolidation
  • D04H1/488—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres in combination with at least one other method of consolidation in combination with bonding agents
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/44—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling
  • D04H1/46—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres
  • D04H1/48—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres in combination with at least one other method of consolidation
  • D04H1/49—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres in combination with at least one other method of consolidation entanglement by fluid jet in combination with another consolidation means
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/44—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling
  • D04H1/46—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres
  • D04H1/492—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres by fluid jet

Definitions

• a reinforcing layer such as a scrim
• Reinforced wipes employing a scrim between layers of nonwoven materials are also known in the art.
• One such structure marketed as an industrial wipe, comprised a pulp-filled, long fiber, carded wipe with a floating scrim center, and specifically comprised a layer of long fibers, a pulp layer, the scrim, a pulp layer, and another layer of long fibers.
• the wipe contained binder material which extended through the layers of the wipe and anchored the scrim. The scrim was not separately bonded to the pulp.
• Another nonwoven reinforced fabric wipe comprised a reinforced fluid entangled fibrous wipe consisting of a layer of entangled fibers, a reinforcing scrim, and another layer of entangled fibers, said scrim being attached to the fibrous layers by heat sealing or adhesive. Entangled fiber fabrics are very expensive and difficult to produce.
• the reinforced fabric laminate of the present invention comprises a cloth-like nonwoven reinforced laminate which may be made at a relatively low cost, exhibits excellent abrasion resistance, dimensional stability and absorbency
• the fibrous layers used in manufacturing the laminate are lightly entangled layers with a low level of binder, sufficient to maintain the outer surface integrity of the layer. Such layers are less expensive to manufacture than the entangled fabric layers of the prior art wipes.
• the binder material is printed on one surface only of each of the fibrous layers which make up the fabric laminate, and according to the present invention, the fabric laminate is covered with thermoplastic material.
• the nonwoven, reinforced fibrous material of the present invention may be used as a wipe giving excellent abrasion resistance, dimensional stability and absorbency,
• the nonwoven, reinforced fabric laminate of the present invention utilizes lightly entangled fibrous layers having a pattern of high density regions interconnected by fibers extending between the regions.
• Such lightly entangled or entangled fibrous layers have a jet side disposed closer to the jets of fluid during the entangling process, and a belt side.
• The-jet side has greater abrasion resistance.
• To said lightly entangled layers is added an effective amount of binder to give the fibrous layer the sufficient abrasion resistance and cohesiveness for the intended end-use application.
• the fibrous layers making up the fabric laminate are produced by printing binder on the surface of the jet side of each of the lightly entangled fibrous layers.
• the layers are dried prior to print bonding.
• the method of the present invention involves assembling two fibrous layers by lightly entangling a web of fibers comprising absorbent fibers and high strength fibers utilizing high speed essentially columnar jets of fluid to . form the fabric layers. Binder is printed on the jet side of the layers prior to superimposing the layers in the laminate or after the layers are superimposed.
• the laminar structure is then assembled by superimposing the two fibrous layers with a reinforcing layer therebetween.
• the laminar structure is assembled so that the belt side of covered with thermoplastic material.
• the nonwoven, reinforced fibrous material of the present invention may be used as a wipe giving excellent abrasion resistance, dimensional stability and absorbency.
• the nonwoven, reinforced fabric laminate of the present invention utilizes lightly entangled fibrous layers having a pattern of high density regions interconnected by fibers extending between the regions.
• Such lightly entangled or entangled fibrous layers have a jet side disposed closer to the jets of fluid during the entangling process, and a belt side.
• The-jet side has greater abrasion resistance.
• To said lightly entangled layers is added an effective amount of binder to give the fibrous layer the sufficient abrasion resistance and cohesiveness for the intended end-use application.
• the fibrous layers making up the fabric laminate are produced by printing binder on the surface of the jet side of each of the lightly entangled fibrous layers.
• the layers are dried prior to print bonding.
• the method of the present invention involves assembling two fibrous layers by lightly entangling a web of fibers comprising absorbent fibers and high strength fibers utilizing high speed essentially columnar jets of fluid to . form the fabric layers. Binder is printed on the jet side of the layers prior to superimposing the layers in the laminate or after the layers are superimposed.
• the laminar structure is then assembled by superimposing the two fibrous layers with a reinforcing layer therebetween.
• the laminar structure is assembled so that the belt side of the entangled fibrous layers are next adjacent the reinforcing layer.
• the jet sides of the fibrous layers comprise the outer surfaces of the reinforced fabric laminate.
• the reinforcing layer is then secured to the first and second fibrous layers.
• the reinforcing layer may comprise a thermoplastic material which r.ay be heat bonded to the first and second fibrous layers. It is essential that the reinforcing layer not be destroyed in the laminating process, but remain to lend dimensional stability to the laminate. It is not essential that the reinforcing layer be thermoplastic as it may be adhesively secured to the first and second fibrous layers.
• the reinforcing layer may comprise a scrim or a netting. In its most preferred embodiment, the reinforcing layer comprises a fibrous netting with a thermoplastic coating.
• the nonwoven, reinforced fabric laminate of the present invention and the method of making the same comprises a low cost alternative to reinforced entangled fabric laminates.
• the fabric laminate has good utility as a wipe, and in particular, possess excellent abrasion resistance, dimensional stability and absorbency.
• Each of the nonwoven fibrous layers of the reinforced fabric laminate of the invention is made by forming a web of overlapping, intersecting fibers, supporting the web on an apertured pattern member having apertures arranged in a pattern, directing high speed jets of fluid at the web to randomly and lightly entangle the web into a fibrous layer having a pattern of high density regions interconnected by fibers extending between regions, said layer having a jet side disposed nearest the jets, and applying adhesive binder material to the jet side of the layer of lightly entangled fibers.
• the fibrous layer may be dried before the application of binder, and the binder may be added before or after superimposing the fibrous layers to form the laminate.
• the fibrous web can be formed in any convenient known manner, as by air-laying or carding.
• the web is then lightly entangled using method and apparatus similar to those disclosed by Evans in U.S. Patent No. 3,485,706. It is an important feature of the invention that the fibrous layer is lightly entangled. For instance, it is preferred that the lightly entangled fibrous layer have a structural measure of fiber entanglement of less than 0.1.- (The test procedure for measuring the structural measure of fiber entanglement is set forth in published British patent application No.- 2 045 825.
• a typical apparatus for making the fibrous layer used in the process of the invention employs rows of orifices through which fluid (usually water) under pressure forms essentially columnar jets.
• a suitable apparatus has up t 20-25 rows of orifices, with about 30-50 orifices per linear inch.
• the orifices are preferably circular, with diameters of from 0.005 to 0.007 inch.
• the travelling fibrous web can be positioned about 1-2 inches below the orifices.
• representative conditions include a liquid pressure of about 200-7C psi and a web speed of up to 100 yards per minute, for a fibrous web weighing about 1/2 to 2-1/2 ounces per square yard. Routine experimentation that is well within the ordinary skill in the art will suffice to determine the desired conditions for particular cases.
• the fibrous layer after the fibrous layer has been lightly entangled, it is surface bonded, preferably print bonded, by passing the fibrous layer through a print bonding station employing a set of counterrotating rolls comprising the upper (back-up) roll which is adjustable, and the lower (applicator) roll which is engraved with a predetermined pattern to be printed.
• the lower roll is partially immersed in a bath of binder solution or suspension. As the roll rotates, it picks up binder, and a doctor blade wipes the roll clean except for the binder contained in the engraved pattern.
• the fibrous layer passes through the nip between the rolls, the binder is printed on the layer from the engraved pattern. This procedure is well known in the art. U.S.
• Patents which disclose such print bonding of nonwoven fibrous webs includes Nos. 2,705,498, 2,705,687, 2,705,688, 2,080,111, and 3,009,822. If desired the fibrous layer may also be overall saturation bonded. It is preferred that the fibrous layers be dried prior to the application of the binder material.
• the adhesive binder employed can be any of the aqueous latex binders that are conventionally employed as binders for nonwoven fabrics.
• binders include acrylics, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, SBR latex rubbers, and the like.
• the printed fibrous layer may be dried in the usual fashion, as by passing the web over a series of drying cans.
• the binder is employed in an effective amount, that is, that amount which will result in a fibrous layer having sufficient abrasion resistance for the intended end-use application.
• the binder prevents disentangling of the surface fibers, thereby maintaining the cohe- siveness of the fibrous layer and laminate.
• the exact amount of binder employed depends, in part, upon factors such as nature of binder, and the like. Usually, an effective amount will be found-within the range of from about 5 to about 30 weight percent, based upon weight of fibers plus binder.
• the fibers used in the reinforced fabric and process of the invention are a combination of absorbent or hydrophilic fibers such as rayon, cotton, and high strength fibers such as polyester, polyolefin, acrylic, or nylon fibers.
• the fibers may have a denier of from 1 to 1.5 or more and they may be in the form of short fibers such as 1/4 inch in length upto as long as continuous filament fibers. Preferably, fibers in the range of 3/4 to 2 inches in length are used.
• the weight of the fibrous layers used i the present invention may vary from 100 grains per square yard to a few thousand grains per square yard.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=23836599

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1984
  • 1984-01-20 NZ NZ206915A patent/NZ206915A/en unknown
  • 1984-01-30 DK DK41184A patent/DK41184A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1984-01-30 IE IE213/84A patent/IE55341B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1984-01-30 ZA ZA84696A patent/ZA84696B/xx unknown
  • 1984-01-30 EP EP84300564A patent/EP0120564B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1984-01-30 FI FI840359A patent/FI840359A7/fi not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1984-01-30 DE DE8484300564T patent/DE3481069D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1984-01-30 PT PT78035A patent/PT78035A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1984-01-30 ES ES529269A patent/ES8506120A1/es not_active Expired
  • 1984-01-31 AU AU23937/84A patent/AU565794B2/en not_active Ceased
• 1985
  • 1985-02-15 ES ES540474A patent/ES540474A0/es active Granted

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