Abstract: An article can be releasably attached to a fabric or other foraminous substrate by means of a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape fastener, the backing of which has an array of bluntly pointed stems protruding beyond the pressure-sensitive adhesive. The back face of the fastener can have an adhesive layer by which it can be adhered to a sanitary napkin, and the napkin can be releasably attached to an undergarment by allowing the stems to penetrate into openings in the fabric of the undergarment until the pressure-sensitive adhesive becomes releasably bonded to the fabric. The fastener can be more supple and less obtrusive than are "Velcro" fasteners and can be produced at significantly lower cost.

Abstract: Elastomeric embedded-lens retroreflective sheeting comprises a monolayer of non-stretchable microspheres; a sheet in which the microspheres are embedded which comprises a spacing layer of transparent elestomeric material underlying the back surface of the microspheres and a cover layer of transparent elastomeric material covering the front surface of the microspheres; and a specularly reflective layer disposed on the back surface of the spacing layer.

Abstract: An elastically stretchable fabric having enhanced thermal insulation properties comprising at least one elastically stretchable carrier web having substantially uniform stretch properties and a thin coherent coated layer of melt-blown microfibers carried on at least one surface of the carrier web, said melt-blown microfibers being selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: In encapsulated-lens reflective sheeting of the prior art, a monolayer of glass microspheres is embedded in a binder layer, a specularly reflective layer underlies the microspheres, and a cover film encapsulates the microspheres, within a plurality of hermetically sealed cells. In the invention, a HMW thermoplastic binder film, affords improved structural integrity, greater toughness, and better conformability to irregular surfaces without cracking. The cover film preferably is of the same polymer family as said binder film.

Abstract: The invention provides a filtration face mask which has an expanded filtration surface area and high filter efficiency. The mask includes at least two sidewall portions generally extending away from the face of the wearer and away from an annular base. A frontal portion bridges the sidewall portions and at least two supporting arche structures are disposed at the junction of the sidewall and frontal portions.

Abstract: A fibrous electret filter better sustains electret filtration enhancement upon exposure to aerosol oils when made of fibers containing polypropylene and at least one percent by weight of poly(4-methyl-1-pentene). Even better stability is attained when the poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) content of the electret filter is ten percent by weight of total polyolefin. When used as an air filter, such as in a respirator, the electret filter has surprisingly better filtration performance than does a comparable electret filter made of 100% polypropylene fibers. The electret filter can be made either of melt-blown microfibers or of fibers of fibrillated film.

Abstract: A permeable sheet material comprised of particle-loaded, melt-blown fiber web having a plurality of reinforcing fibers extending therethrough is provided. The reinforcing fibers are needled through the web of melt-blown fibers and are then bonded to fibers on the opposing faces of the layer of melt-blown fibers to hold the reinforcing fibers in position. Solid particles dispersed in the layer of melt-blown fibers are preferably vapor-sorptive particles, e.g., activated carbon, so that the sheet material will sorb vapors passing therethrough. The sheet material is particularly useful as a component of a chemical protective garment.

Abstract: A pressure-sesnsitive adhesive closure for a disposable diaper can exhibit high peel resistance both at low and high speeds while its peelability at high speeds is not excessively shocky when it employs a pressure-sensitive adhesive of a certain rheology and it has, covering the fastening area, a polyolefin layer having microtopographical features as in FIGS. 1-6 of the drawing. As seen in FIGS. 1-6, suitable microtopographical features are provided by a large number of closely spaced asperities at least two micrometers in height that have a jagged appearance at 500X. A pressure-sensitive adhesive of suitable rheology can be provided by a blend of an AB block copolymer, such as a copolymer of styrene and either isoprene or butadiene, and tackifying resin, preferably a mixture of liquid and solid tackifying resins.

Abstract: New, high surface area per unit volume, generally cylindrical filter cartridge for gaseous or liquid filter applications are described. These filter cartridges which comprise a nested arrangement of substantially disk shaped layers having a radial pleat pattern embossed therein, are capable of achieving higher surface areas per unit volume than can be achieved with conventionally pleated filter cartridges. Utilization of the filter media is extremely high as blocking of adjacent layers of filter media is avoided and fluids are evenly distributed over the total area of the filter media as a result of the series of channels created by the nesting of the disk shaped pleated layers.

Abstract: The invention provides a filtration face mask which has an expanded filtration surface area and high filter efficiency. The mask includes at least two sidewall portions generally extending away from the face of the wearer and away from an annular base. A frontal portion bridges the sidewall portions and at least two supporting arche structures are disposed at the junction of the sidewall and frontal portions.

Abstract: New molded fibrous filtration face masks that are highly resilient and shape-retaining are provided using one or more molded fibrous shaping layers, with a fibrous filtration layer disposed on one side of or between the molded fibrous shaping layers; the molded fibrous shaping layers having a total basis weight of at least 150 g/m2, and at least one of the fibrous shaping layers having an average density over the central area of the face mask of no greater than about 0.2 g/cc, such that at bends of the layer during deformation of the face mask the layer elastically deforms and tends to return to its original thickness and shape when the deforming pressure is removed.

Abstract: The novel retroreflective sheeting has a flat transparent top coat which is as tough and as resistant to solvents and abrasion as are alkyd resins, and as weather resistant as are acrylic polyesters. That top coat is made from a mixture of hydroxy-functional acrylic polyol and a curing agent which is an aliphatic polyfunctional isocyanate such as the biuret of 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate. The retroreflective sheeting may have a dual-layer top coat, the outer layer being relatively hard to provide good resistance to solvents, abrasion and weathering, and the inner layer being softer to make the sheeting more conformable.

Abstract: Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes which have improved toughness for use as diaper closure tapes are provided. The tapes have a backing of a substantially untensilized, tough, ductile film that is a blend of crystalline isotactic polypropylene and a compatible flexible polymer, i.e. a polymer having a flexural modulus lower than said crystalline isotactic polypropylene to increase the toughness of the film, and a coating of a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side of the film.

Abstract: Biocomponent fibers, and webs made therefrom, are taught in which one component of the fibers is a crystallizable material. When a web of the fibers is heated in a mold above the temperature at which crystallization occurs, the fibers tend to be set in the position they are held in the mold. A preferred fiber comprises blown fibers comprising as one component amorphous, crystallizable polyethylene terephthalate, and as the other component polypropylene. A web of such fibers not only becomes formed into a shape-retaining form by crystallization during the molding process, but also can be further established in its shape-retaining character by heating the web above the softening point of the polypropylene, whereupon the fibers become bonded at their points of intersection.

Abstract: A filtering device is made by inserting into an injection mold a porous, rigid or semi-rigid filtration element that has inflow and outflow faces separated by a peripheral surface and then injecting resin into the flow channel of the mold at a pressure and temperature such that the resin does not significantly penetrate into the peripheral surface beyond its surface pores. The resin can be a thermoplastic rubber and can form the facepiece of the resirator mask. An inhalation plenum for the mask can be formed at the same time by inserting into the flow channel of the mold a thin layer of a second resin which substantially does not melt at the pressure and temperature at which the first resin is injected. A complete respirator mask can be produced at a single station in a single insert-molding operation by inserting an exhalation valve and harness attachments together with said filtration element before injecting the first resin.

Abstract: A composite adhesive closure tape comprising an assembly of sheets laminated one over the other including a central elastomeric sheet having at least one stretching axis; anchor strips disposed over the elastomeric sheet and adhered to opposite marginal end portions of the elastomeric sheet, each anchor strip having one end portion adhered to the elastomeric sheet and an unadhered end portion extending along the stretching axis in opposite directions away from the elastomeric sheet, the unadhered end portions being covered on their bottom surfaces with adhesive; a release strip underlying the elastomeric sheet, the bottom of the release strip being at least partially covered with adhesive; and an attachment sheet underlying and adhered to a portion of one of the anchor strips and underlying end adhered to the adhesive of the release strip. The composite adhesive tape may be provided in a roll or attached to the edge of a diaper.

Abstract: Cube-corner retroreflective article having improved divergence profiles. The three lateral reflecting faces of the cube-corner retroreflective elements are formed by three intersecting sets of parallel V-shaped grooves, and at least one of the sets includes, in a repeating pattern, at least two groove side angles that differ from one another. Thereby the array of cube-corner retroreflective elements is divided into repeating sub-arrays that each comprise a plurality of cube-corner retroreflective elements in a plurality of distinctive shapes that retroreflect incident light in distinctively shaped light patterns.

Abstract: A transparent cover film better protects enclosed-lens retroreflective sheeting and can be applied more economically when it is extruded and is a thermoplastic polymer which has good elongation and minimal elastic memory. Preferred polymers are (a) aliphatic urethanes, (b) copolymers of ethylene or propylene, and (c) homopolymers of ethylene and propylene.

Abstract: The present invention makes possible fabrics stitchbonded with or knitted from brittle yarns by providing a composite yarn which is able to be used in commercial stitchbonding and knitting machines, the new composite yarn comprising a load-bearing core yarn, a brittle yarn and a wrap yarn which secures the core yarn and the brittle yarn together. The wrap yarn may be helically wrapped around the load-bearing core yarn and the brittle yarn, or the wrap yarn may secure the load-bearing core yarn and the brittle yarn together with a series of connected loops forming a knitted pillar of chain stitches.

Abstract: Novel hollow inorganic spheres are prepared by(1) tumbling together a mixture comprising(a) solidifiable liquid globules that comprise a fugitive organic binder material and a source of volatile void-forming agent and(b) a mass of free-flowing inorganic sinterable parting agent particles that are at least partially absorbed into the globules during the tumbling action;(2) providing conditions under which hollow spheres form in which the sphere walls contain the sinterable particles; and(3) firing the spheres to remove the binder material and sinter the parting agent particles to form shape-retaining spheres having sintered inorganic walls.