Abstract: There is provided an air delivery device and method of moving and filtering air. The air delivery device comprises a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet. Between the air inlet and the air outlet is located an air delivery fan having at least two rotating air moving elements, the rotating air moving elements intersects the flow of air between the air inlet and the air outlet and establishes a higher pressure zone at the air outlet relative to the air inlet. The air delivery fan further comprises at lest one filter element, having at least one upstream filter face and at least one downstream filter face, defining at least one primary flow channel, and rotating along the same axis of rotation as the air moving elements and preferably forming the air moving elements at least in part.

Abstract: A novel microprismatic retroreflective film or sheeting is provided which comprises a transparent semicrystalline polymer. The microprismatic retroreflective film or sheeting of the present invention offers superior retroreflective brightness at large angles of incidence and at large observational angles. Syndiotactic vinyl aromatic polymers, especially syndiotactic polystyrene and copolymers thereof, are preferred semicrystalline polymers, as they impart good dimensional stability and resistance to moisture, and can be made resistant to UV radiation. Signing materials comprising these microprismatic retroreflective films provide improved performance for off-angle illumination and viewing in traffic control and other signing applications.

Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a shaped sorbent filter preferably having a three dimensional shape. The method generally entails: a) providing porous flexible tubular web structure having two open ends; b) sealing a first end of the tubular web structure; c) filling the sealed tubular web structure with flowable filter material of sorbent material and binder; d) sealing the opposite open end of the tubular web material; and e) heating the tubular web structure to active the binder and form a shaped sorbent filter. The tubular web structure preferably is deformed while it is heated so that there is provided at least one permanently deformed bending portion. The invention method provides a simple effective process for forming complex overwrapped shaped small sorbent filters for use in the electronics industry.

Abstract: Described are anisotropic films comprising a continuous elastic phase comprising a polyolefin elastomer; and a discontinuous phase oriented within the continuous phase such that the film exhibits anisotropic properties.

Abstract: A dust bag comprises a filter bag consisting of a filter material. In a first wall portion of the filter bag, an inlet opening is provided through which the air flow to be cleaned gets into the filter bag. On the inner surface of the wall portion opposite the inlet opening, there lies a protective layer of a resistant material of great tensile strength. This protective layer extends as a strip through the filter bag and prevents damage to the inner surface of the filter bag caused by particles striking the same.

Abstract: A composite article including a particle-loaded fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene web with a reinforcing screen or scrim partially embedded therein.

Abstract: A closure system and method of making a closure system for a disposable article. A substantially continuous closure system web is provided. One face of the web is provided with first fastening region at terminal end portion(s) of the web. A second fastening region, engagable with the first fastening region, is provided on a second face of the web in a region adjacent the terminal end portion(s). The closure system tab elements are cut from the web and attached to a second web, used in producing the disposable article, at longitudinally spaced locations. This second web is then cut at transverse cut lines separating the closure system tab element into two functional elements. A first functional element has a fastening tab portion and the second functional element has an attachment portion, The attachment portion of one closure system tab element interacts with a fastening tab portion of an adjacent closure system tab element to form a functional closure system on a disposable article made using the second web.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive article that includes a backing substrate and a discontinuous adhesive layer disposed thereon, wherein the backing substrate comprises a fibrous web and absorbent particulate material, and further wherein the article has an initial wet skin adhesion of at least 20 g/2.5 cm (0.08 N/cm).

Abstract: Tool rolls and methods of using the tool rolls to manufacture articles with one or more structured surfaces are disclosed. The tool rolls include an outer surface that, when used in connection with materials of the proper viscosity or formability, can form a structured surface on an article. Because the tools are manufactured in roll-form, they can be advantageously used in continuous manufacturing processes. Alternatively, discrete articles may be processed using the tool rolls. The tool rolls are constructed of a cylindrical base roll and are wrapped with one or more continuous wires in a helical pattern. The wires are used, in essence, to form a structured surface on the tool roll that is the negative of the structured surface to be formed on the articles processed using the tool roll. One of the wires wound around the base roll may include a plurality of voids formed therein that, when wound in helical coils about the base roll, form a plurality of mold cavities on the outer surface of the tool roll.

Abstract: A diaper construction is provided with an external porous reinforcement strip at the front part of the outside of the diaper, which strip provides reinforcement against an adhesive fastening tab and provides an oil contamination tolerant adhesion surface.

Abstract: A low trauma pressure-sensitive adhesive coated substrate comprising a sheet material, tape or laminate structure designed to adhere to skin or like surfaces. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of this adhesive coated substrate is a fibrous adhesive layer generally having a basis weight of from 5 to 200 g/m2 applied to a conformable backing or substrate. The fibrous adhesive layer has a textured outer face and persistent porosity between discrete adhesive fibers. Generally, the fibrous adhesive layer has a MVTR (measured by ASTM E 96-80 at 40° C.) of at least 1000 g/m2/day, preferably at least 6000 g/m2/day.

Abstract: A carrier delivered dressing is disclosed which has a conformable backing with a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on a bottom face and a low adhesion coating on a top face. The backing is supported during shipping and handling by a liner attached to the adhesive and a removable heat sealed carrier attached to the top face of the backing. The method according to the present invention discloses the steps of forming and optionally removing windows in a carrier material and nonpermanently heat sealing the carrier to the backing to form the dressings of the present invention.

Abstract: There is provided an extensible elastic tab designed to be adhered to the edge of an article, formed using a coextruded elastic film comprising at least one elastic layer and at least one second layer on at least a first face of the elastic layer with at least one face of the coextruded elastic film attached to at least a partially extensible nonwoven layer. The partially expandable, or extensible nonwoven layer has at least one first portion with limited extensibility in a first direction and at least one second inextensible portion in the first direction. The extensible elastic tab when stretched to the extension limit of the first portion or portions in the first direction will elastically recover at least 1.0 cm, preferably at least 2 cm providing an elastic tab having a Useful Stretch Ratio (as defined in the Examples) of at least 30 percent.

Abstract: There is provided a vacuum cleaner filer bag including at least two sidewalls which sidewalls are joined by seams. At least one first sidewall comprises a film laminate of a heat sealable film layer and a film support layer. At least one second sidewall comprises a filter laminate comprising at least a synthetic fiber filter layer and synthetic fiber support layer where the at least one first sidewall is joined to adjacent sidewalls by thermal seams. The filter layer is preferably a high efficiency microfiber filter media which provides HEPA level performance for the vacuum cleaner bag.

Abstract: A method for separation, identification, and quantification of radioactive species in an environmental fluid, such as surface or ground water, by passing the fluid through a sheet article. The sheet article is an essentially homogenous, fibrous or fibrillated, matrix or membrane that includes (1) ion-specific separators that sorb or react with the targeted radioactive species and (2) scintillators which emit light in response to radioactive emissions from the targeted species. The separators can be macrocyclic ligand-containing particles. The scintillators can be particles, fibers, a coating on the particles, or a coating on the fibrous matrix or membrane. The scintillator can be an organic scintillator or an inorganic crystalline scintillator. In one embodiment both the scintillator and the separator are incorporated into the same particle or fiber. A scintillation counter can be used to detect and quantify the emitted light.

Abstract: There is provided a method of deforming the hook head portions of hook elements on a web backing. The hook elements on the web backing are fed into a nip formed between a support surface and an upper heated surface having a durameter hardness of less than 90 Shore A. This upper heated surface compressively engages the hook head causing it to turn down and permanently deform. This increases the uniformity of the hook head elements forming a fiber engaging crook region.

Abstract: Articles having a complex geometric configuration have hydrophilicity imparted to at least a portion of surfaces of the articles while substantially retaining the complex geometric configuration. The hydrophilicity is imparted by an extremely thin, self-interlocking shell of tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) enveloping the surfaces. A tactic poly(vinyl alcohol) precursor applied to surfaces of the supporting structure is reacted in situ on the surfaces with a hydrolysis reagent to prepare the tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) shell. The article having the hydrophilic shell is highly resistant to solvent washout. Hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity can be reversibly provided on regio-specific surfaces of the article. Membranes to form permanent and undistorted images, and methods of preparing such images from image-forming substances in receptive media are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an article comprising a curable resin and a filler associated with the resin. The incorporation of fillers into the casting materials of the present invention adds substantially to the strength of the cured casting material as well as to the handling properties of the uncured casting tape or bandage. The incorporation of fillers into the casting materials of the present invention also imparts air and vapor porosity to the cured casting materials. If desired articles of the present invention may also incorporate fibers (either individually, bundled, or in the form of a light-weight scrim) to provide increased cohesiveness to the uncured article. Extremely moldable casting tapes are also provided which comprise a highly-filled composite material coated on a light-weight scrim. The casting tapes of this embodiment handle like traditional plaster of Paris casts yet cure to a weight-bearing cast in less than one hour.

Abstract: A dispensable nonwoven cohesive wrap that is generally dispensed from a self-wound roll. The nonwoven cohesive wrap comprises mutually entangled fibers at least some of which are pressure-sensitive adhesive fibers. The cohesive wrap also generally has a basis weight of from 40 to 200 grams/m.sup.2, a tensile strength of at least 100 grams/2.5 cm and a T-peel from itself of from 1 to 30 grams/2.5 cm. The wrap is preferably a single layer material without a separate adhesive coating or release coating where the adhesive fibers extend through the entire depth dimension of the wrap, such that a portion of the adhesive fibers are on both faces of the wrap, and preferably are uniformly distributed across the length and width dimensions of the wrap.

Abstract: An air filter device to filter fresh air for occupants of a vehicle is disclosed. The device includes a generally circular bottom base unit including a perimeter mounting portion to retain said device in an air conduit. The perimeter mounting portion includes a pair of mounting lips separated by an outwardly extending mounting groove. The lips resiliently flex over a rim formed in the vehicle to position the device in place. Extending from the base unit is an air filter which is sized and shaped to fit into a cavity located within a blower motor assembly. In this manner the device can be retrofit into a standard vehicle to provide air filtration without requiring extensive modification of the ducting and the like.