(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,319,342 Bi
Riddell (45) Date of Patent: Nov. 20,2001
(54) METHOD OF FORMING MELTBLOWN WEBS CONTAINING PARTICLES
(75) Inventor: Wilfred Eugene Riddell, Neenah, WI (US)
(73) Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.,
Neenah, WI (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/419,039
(22) Filed: Oct. 15, 1999
Related U.S. Application Data
(60) Provisional application No. 60/114,307, filed on Dec. 31, 1998.
(51) Int. CI.7 A61F 13/15; B32B 27/02
(52) U.S. CI 156/62.4; 156/167; 156/181;
264/6; 264/113; 264/121
(58) Field of Search 156/62.4, 167,
156/181, 276; 264/113, 121, 6-8
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
A method ol forming a meltblown web having meltblown fibers and particles is provided. The particles are heated to a temperature approximating that ol the meltblown fibers as they are being extruded. As a portion ol any heated particle impacts the skin ol one or more solidilying meltblown fibers, that portion ol any heated particle penetrates into one or more solidilying particles. Although a portion ol any particle becomes embedded in and retained by one or more meltblown fibers, such surface penetration is generally slight desirably leaving a substantial amount ol surface area ol any particle available lor interaction with any medium to which a web may be exposed.
15 Claims, 13 Drawing Sheets
