(54) NONWOVEN WEBS HAVING IMPROVED SOFTNESS AND BARRIER PROPERTIES
(75) Inventors: Gregory Todd Sudduth, Cumming;
John Joseph Sayovitz, Marietta; Jay
Sheldon Shultz, Roswell, all of GA
(US)
(73) Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.,
Neenah, WI (US)
( * ) Notice: This patent issued on a continued prosecution application filed under 37 CFR 1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(a)(2).
Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 08/994,668
(22) Filed: Dec. 19, 1997
(51) Int. CI.7 D04H 1/56; D04H 13/00
(52) U.S. CI 264/289.3; 264/115; 264/122;
264/288.4; 264/291; 428/198; 442/400;
442/401; 442/402
(58) Field of Search 442/361, 392,
442/398, 401, 402, 382, 400; 428/198; 264/115, 122, 288.4, 291, 289.3
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
EP 586924 3/1994
EP 602 613 6/1994 D04H/1/56
WO 97/30843 8/1997 B32B/5/26
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Manson, John A. and Sperling, Leslie H., Polymer Blends and Composites, Plenum Press, New York, NY, 1976, pp. 273-277.
Primary Examiner—Blaine Copenheaver
Assistant Examiner—-John J. Guarriello
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Pauley Peterson Kinne &
Erickson
(57) ABSTRACT
A nonwoven material including at least a meltblown web is stretched by about 1-35% in at least one direction using a short-distance drawing process, to provide a fabric having improved softness and liquid barrier compared to otherwise similar fabrics prepared using longer drawing distances. The drawing process may include one or multiple stages. When multiple stages are employed, the fabric has adequate liquid barrier at a lower basis weight.
19 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
