Claims
- 1. A spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded elastomeric thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull.
- 2. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1, said spunbonded fabric further having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 70% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and two pulls.
- 3. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 65% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 50% elongation of the fabric and one pull.
- 4. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1, said spunbonded fabric further having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 60% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 50% elongation of the fabric and two pulls.
- 5. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1 wherein said elastomeric thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments comprise at least one thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer.
- 6. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1 wherein said elastomeric thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments comprise a polypropylene-based co- or terpolymer.
- 7. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic elastomeric filaments comprise an elastomer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, ABA block copolymers, ethylene-polybutylene copolymers, poly(ethylene-butylene) polystyrene block copolymers, polyadipate esters, polyester elastomeric polymers, polyamide elastomeric polymers, polyetherester elastomeric polymers, primarily crystalline heterophasic olefin copolymers, and polymer blends thereof with at least one other elastomeric or non-elastomeric polymer.
- 8. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 7 wherein said polymer blends comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and nylon.
- 9. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is an olefin-based elastomer having a melt flow rate of about 5 to about 500.
- 10. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 9 wherein said thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer has a swell index of about 1.8 to about 5.
- 11. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 9 wherein said thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer has a flexural modulus of about 200 to about 10,000 psi.
- 12. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 9 wherein said thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer has a flexural modulus of about 2000 to about 8000 psi.
- 13. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 1, said fabric having been prepared by a spunbonding process conducted at a rate of less than about 2000 meters per minute.
- 14. A spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded elastomeric thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull, wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, ABA block copolymers, ethylene-polybutylene copolymers, poly(ethylene-butylene) polystyrene block copolymers, polyadipate esters, polyester elastomeric polymers, polyamide elastomeric polymers, polyetherester elastomeric polymers, primarily crystalline heterophasic olefin copolymers, and polymer blends thereof with at least one other elastomeric or non-elastomeric polymer.
- 15. The spunbonded fabric of claim 14, said fabric having been prepared by a spunbonding process conducted at a rate of less than about 2000 meters per minute.
- 16. A spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded elastomeric thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments formed of a polymer comprising at least one thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull.
- 17. A spunbonded fabric according to claim 16 wherein said elastomeric thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments comprise a polypropylene-based co- or terpolymer.
- 18. The spunbonded fabric of claim 16, said fabric having been prepared by a spunbonding process conducted at a rate of less than about 2000 meters per minute.
- 19. A method for producing an elastic nonwoven spunbonded fabric, the method comprising:
- extruding molten thermoplastic elastomer through a spinneret to form a plurality of filaments,
- quenching said plurality of filaments sufficiently to produce substantially non-tacky filaments;
- drawing said non-tacky filaments by contacting the non-tacky filaments with a high velocity fluid; and
- collecting said filaments as a web of bonded filaments to form a spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull.
- 20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said molten elastomer comprises at least one thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer.
- 21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said molten elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene-based co- or terpolymers and ethylene-based co- or terpolymers.
- 22. A method according to claim 19 wherein said molten elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, ABA block copolymers, ethylene-polybutylene copolymers, poly(ethylene-butylene) polystyrene block copolymers, polyadipate esters, polyester elastomeric polymers, polyamide elastomeric polymers, polyetherester elastomeric polymers, primarily crystalline heterophasic olefin copolymers, and polymer blends thereof with at least one other elastomeric or non-elastomeric polymer.
- 23. A method according to claim 22 wherein said polymer blends comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and nylon.
- 24. A method according to claim 19, wherein said filaments are collected at a rate of at least about 100 meters per minute up to about 2000 meters per minute.
- 25. A method according to claim 19 wherein said filaments are collected at a rate of less than about 1,500 meters per minute.
- 26. A method for producing an elastic nonwoven spunbonded fabric, the method comprising:
- extruding a molten thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer comprising a polymer having a melt flow rate of about 5 to about 500, a swell index of about 1.8 to about 5, and a flexural modulus of about 200 to about 10,000 psi, through a spinneret to form a plurality of filaments,
- quenching said plurality of filaments sufficiently to produce substantially non-tacky filaments;
- drawing said non-tacky filaments by contacting the non-tacky filaments with a high velocity fluid; and
- collecting said filaments as a web of bonded filaments to form a spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull.
- 27. A disposable absorbent personal care product comprising a plurality of layers, at least one of said layers comprising a spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous elastomeric filaments, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull.
- 28. A disposable absorbent personal care product according to claim 27 wherein said thermoplastic elastomeric filaments comprise at least one thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer.
- 29. A disposable absorbent personal care product according to claim 27 wherein said thermoplastic elastomeric filaments comprise a polypropylene-based co- or terpolymer.
- 30. A disposable absorbent personal care product according to claim 27 wherein said thermoplastic elastomeric filaments comprise an elastomer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, ABA block copolymers, ethylene-polybutylene copolymers, poly(ethylene-butylene) polystyrene block copolymers, polyadipate esters, polyester elastomeric polymers, polyamide elastomeric polymers, polyetherester elastomeric polymers, primarily crystalline heterophasic olefin copolymers, and polymer blends thereof with at least one other elastomeric or non-elastomeric polymer.
- 31. A disposable absorbent personal care product according to claim 30 wherein said polymer blends comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and nylon.
- 32. A disposable absorbent personal care product according to claim 27 wherein said disposable absorbent personal care is a diaper or incontinence pad.
- 33. A disposable absorbent personal care product according to claim 27 wherein said disposable absorbent personal care is a sanitary napkin.
- 34. A disposable personal care product according to claim 27 wherein said bonded thermoplastic elastomeric filaments are prepared by a spunbonding process conducted at a rate of less than 2000 meters per minute.
- 35. A method of making a disposable absorbent personal care product, the method comprising:
- providing a spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous elastomeric filaments, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull; and
- combining said web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments with an absorbent laminate comprising an absorbent body layer located in facing relationship with the inner surface of a substantially liquid impermeable backsheet layer.
- 36. A method of making a disposable absorbent personal care product, the method comprising:
- providing a spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous elastomeric filaments, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull;
- stretching said web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments by at least about 10% of its original size;
- providing barrier properties to said web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments; and
- combining said web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments with an absorbent article comprising an absorbent body located in facing relationship with the inner surface of a substantially liquid permeable topsheet layer.
- 37. A method according to claim 36 wherein the step of providing barrier properties to said web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments comprises the step of laminating a polyolefin film to the web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments.
- 38. A method of making a disposable absorbent personal care product, the method comprising:
- providing a spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous elastomeric filaments, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull;
- stretching said first web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments by at least about 10%;
- providing barrier properties to said first web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous filaments while said web is in the stretched condition;
- providing a second spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded thermoplastic elastomeric substantially continuous filaments, said spunbonded fabric having a root mean square average recoverable elongation of at least about 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values of the fabric after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull; and
- combining said first web and said second web with an absorbent body to form a structure having a substantially liquid impermeable backsheet layer, an absorbent inner layer and a substantially liquid permeable topsheet layer.
- 39. A medical barrier composite fabric comprising at least one meltblown fabric layer bonded to and sandwiched between opposing spunbonded fabric layers, wherein at least one of said opposing spunbonded fabric layers is an elastic spunbonded fabric comprising a web of bonded thermoplastic substantially continuous elastomeric filaments and having a root means square average recoverable elongation of at least 75% based on machine direction and cross direction recoverable elongation values after 30% elongation of the fabric and one pull.
- 40. A medical barrier composite fabric according to claim 39 wherein said elastic spunbonded layer is maintained in a stretched condition during bonding to said meltblown layer.
- 41. A medical barrier composite fabric according to claim 39 comprising a plurality of thermal spot bonds for bonding of said opposing spunbonded layers and said meltblown layer to each other.
- 42. A medical barrier composite fabric according to claim 39 wherein said bonded thermoplastic elastomeric filaments are prepared by a spunbonding process conducted at a rate of less than 2000 meters per minute.
- 43. A medical barrier composite fabric according to claim 39 wherein said thermoplastic elastomeric filaments comprise at least one thermoplastic olefin-based elastomer.
- 44. A medical barrier composite fabric according to claim 43 wherein said thermoplastic elastomeric filaments are formed of a polypropylene-based co- or terpolymer.
- 45. A medical barrier composite fabric according to claim 39 wherein said thermoplastic elastomeric filaments are formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, ABA block copolymers, ethylene-polybutylene copolymers, poly(ethylene-butylene) polystyrene block copolymers, polyadipate esters, polyester elastomeric polymers, polyamide elastomeric polymers, polyetherester elastomeric polymers, primarily crystalline heterophasic olefin copolymers, and polymer blends thereof with at least one other elastomeric or non-elastomeric polymer.
- 46. A medical barrier composite fabric according to claim 45 wherein said polymer blends comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and nylon.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/484,235, filed Jun. 7, 1995, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/829,932, filed Feb. 3, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,639.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 342 927 A2 |
Nov 1989 |
EPX |
0 416 379 A2 |
Mar 1991 |
EPX |
WO 8705952 |
Oct 1987 |
WOX |
WO 9003258 |
Apr 1990 |
WOX |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
484235 |
Jun 1995 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
829923 |
Feb 1992 |
|