Abstract: An absorbent body formed of an absorbent web having a blend of multi-limbed regenerated cellulosic fibers and non-limbed cellulosic fibers has surprisingly improved specific absorption capacity. This absorbent body may be in the form of sanitary napkins, tampons, diapers, and adult incontinence devices.

Abstract: A breathable laminate comprises at least two porous webs laminated together with a porous adhesive matrix, preferably a random fibrous adhesive pattern having a coat weight of between 1.5 and 12 grams per square meter. The two or more porous webs comprise woven or non-woven materials and the resulting breathable fabric or laminate has good hand and flexibility. Breathable fabric is adhered to foam by such random fibrous adhesive patterns of similar coat weights. Coating widths of up to 80 inches or more are produced in a slot die fed by a selected plurality of recessed lands within the die, with motors and pumps controlled to maintain consistent, uniform coat weights regardless of coat widths and substrate speeds selected. Single ply coated webs, apparatus and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making beaded foam molded products with corrosion inhibitor incorporated therein includes the steps of expanding a foamable synthetic resin into puffed beads, spraying onto the puffed beads a liquid containing a vapor phase corrosion inhibitor to provide a coating thereon, and molding the coated puffed beads into a beaded foam molded product with the corrosion inhibitor dispersed throughout the thickness thereof and migratable to the surface thereof.

Abstract: A synthetic reinforcement having surface features that facilitate adhesion of the reinforcement to another surface and a process for making the same is disclosed. The synthetic reinforcement is comprised of a plurality of continuous fibers that are maintained in position by a resin encasement. An external surface of the synthetic reinforcement can be characterized by micro-recesses that are located in a generally random pattern, which increases the surface area of the resin encasement.

Abstract: A laminated assembly forming the female, loop portion of a self-gripping hook-and-loop fastener. The assembly includes a light-weight, open, mechanically fragile and dimensionally unstable knitted fabric adhered in a flat condition onto a support member, the knitted fabric including interknitted warp and weft yarns, and a multitude of loops having feet cooperating with the warp and weft yarns and a pair of elongate legs extending from the feet and forming a free loop top remote from the feet. The loops are sized in relation to the spacing of the warp and weft yarns of the fabric so that at least one of the two legs of the loop intersects at least one of the warp or weft yarns in spaced-apart relation from the foot of the at least one leg so that each of the loops bears on at least one warp or weft yarn to form an overlapping zone where the loop does not adhere to the support member, thus maintaining the self-gripping ability of the loops.

Abstract: A closure arrangement for a polymeric bag with first and second opposing films comprises first and second opposing base strips, a first peelable strip of a first color, and a second peelable strip of a second color. An outer surface of the first base strip is attached to an inner surface of the first film. An outer surface of the second base strip is attached to an inner surface of the second film. The first peelable strip is attached to the inner surface of the first base strip, and the second peelable strip is attached to the inner surface of the second base strip. The first and second peelable strips are disposed between the first and second base strips. The second peelable strip is generally parallel to and opposes the first peelable strip. The second color of the second peelable strip is lighter than the first color of the first peelable strip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a laminated non-woven fabric of a multi-layer structure comprising a layer of a composite, spun bond non-woven fabric composed of long fibers containing a low melting point resin component and a high melting point resin component, and a layer of a non-woven fabric of melt-blow ultrafine mixed fibers comprising low melting point ultrafine fibers and high melting point ultrafine fibers both of the fibers have an average fiber diameter of 10 .mu.m or less, both of the layers are laminated, and fibers in each of the non-woven fabrics and both of the layers are heat-melt adhered with each other. The laminated non-woven fabric has a good hand feeling and a high peeling strength of adjacent layers, but has no rough feeling.

Abstract: The present invention provides composite nonwoven fabric laminates and processes for producing such. The fabric is comprised of a web of thermoplastic filaments laminated to at least one other web. Preferably, the filaments are spunbonded continuous polyolefin filaments which have an oxidatively degraded outer sheath portion to promote better interfilamentary bonding and improved fabric laminate strength. In a preferred embodiment, two outer nonwoven webs comprise oxidatively degraded spunbonded filaments and are positioned around and laminated to a web of meltblown microfibers thus forming an spunbond/meltblown/spunbond fabric. Additionally, a stretch compatible fabric may be formed in which a web of oxidatively degraded filaments is laminated to an elastic web. The fabrics of the invention may be advantageously used in numerous applications such as medical garments and disposable adsorbent products.

Abstract: In a reflective warp-knit tape, a narrow-width warp-knit tape is knitted of chain-stitch yarns, which form loops along longitudinal wales of the warp-knit tape, and weft inlaid yarns. And a reflective film is knitted in the warp-knit tape at a selected interwale space by the weft inlaid yarns and additional weft inlaid yarns. A heat-melting film also is knitted in the warp-knit tape at another selected interwale space by the weft inlaid yarns. Alternatively, the heat-melting film may be substituted by heat-melting yarns inlaid in the wales. In another alternative form, all the knitting yarns of the warp-knit tape may be thermoplastic resin monofilament yarns so that the light-reflecting function of the tape can be improved.

Abstract: The reinforced wood piece of the present invention includes a wood body having a first wood panel adhered to a second wood panel. The wood body has a bottom and a top so that the first wood panel is disposed at the top of the laminated wood body. A laminated stock piece is adhered to the wood body. A second laminated stock piece may be adhered to the top of the wood body if the first laminated stock piece is adhered to the bottom of the laminated wood body. Each laminated stock piece includes a plurality of wood members and a fiber reinforced composite sheet material that are intermittently glued to one another. The stock piece is glued to the wood body so that the fiber reinforced polymer composite sheet material is perpendicular to a neutral plane disposed between a compression zone and a tension zone of the wood body.

Abstract: Described is a rollable thermal insulation comprising synthetic fiber material and having a thermal conductivity of not more than 0.04 W/m*K (determined in accordance with DIN 4108 Part 1) and a DIN 4102 Part 1 fire behavior corresponding to building material class B1, wherein the synthetic fiber material is composed of carrier and bonding fibers made of polyester, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, the bonding fibers consisting in at least parts of the surface of a polyester having a melting point which is below the melting point of the carrier fibers.

Abstract: A method of making a non-woven web of melt blown polymeric fibers wherein the melt blown fibers have particles introduced into the stream of microfibers after the microfibers have been extruded. If the particles are of super absorbent material they are distributed substantially individually and spaced throughout the web and provide effective results when used for example in a sanitary napkin, diaper or incontinence pad. If the particles are for example, clay, calcium carbonate, kaolin chalk or the like, then a wiper product made from the web has improved wiping properties.

Abstract: An improved method for producing hydrophobic polyolefin-containing staple fiber for processing, with reduced waste and improved crimp by sequential treatment with two finish compositions comprising at least one neutralized phosphoric acid ester and at least one polysiloxane of defined classes and amounts.

Abstract: A quantity of fluid resin material is rendered into a flowable state without the use of solvents. The fabric then is beaded with at least one elongate bead of the flowable resin, wherein at least a portion of bead remains on the surface of the fabric to tackify the fabric and facilitate lay-up of the beaded fabric in the composite molding process. The fabric then is laid-up into a molding apparatus, wherein the bead adheres to surfaces in the molding apparatus and assists in positioning of the fabric therein. A further quantity of resin is disposed or injected under pressure into the molding apparatus and into contact with the fabric and contours of the mold. The resin then is cured to form the composite body.

Abstract: A composite cellulose fiber reinforced polyolefin is enclosed. The polyolefin is manufactured by a process that includes preparing and mixing a blend of molten polyolefin, a coloring concentrate and a coupling agent in a kneading extruder, preheating cellulose fibers in an enclosed cram feed and mixing the blend of polyolefin, preheated cellulose fibers and ozone gas in a ozone chamber to form a polyolefin and fiber matrix. The polyolefin and fiber matrix is then fed to a twin screw extruder where it is further heated, mixed and then conveyed to a die to extrude the mixer to a desired shape.

Abstract: There is provided herein a multilayer material comprised of layers of elastomeric films, fiber, or webs wherein at least one layer is comprised of an elastomeric polyolefin and at least one additional layer is comprised of an elastomer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, copolyether esters, polyamide polyether block copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetates (EVA), and block copolymers having the general formula A-B-A', A-B-A-B or A-B like copoly(styrene/ethylene-butylene), (polystyrene/poly(ethylene-butylene)/polystyrene), and poly(styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene). Such a material also includes at least one gatherable web to which the elastic webs are joined and may be made into a personal care product, an infection control product, a protective cover or a garment.

Abstract: Method to produce a nonwoven needled fabric in which the needled fabric includes 15-30% of low melt nylon 6 and nylon 12 fusible fibers to aid in holding the nonwoven fabric together when passed through an oven to melt the fusible fibers and then allow them to cool and bind the fabric together.

Abstract: A cellulose acetate fiber excellent in gloss and feeling, formed from a mixture which consists essentially of (a) 100 parts by weight of cellulose acetate and (b) 5 to 40 parts by weight of a polymer substance which can plasticize the cellulose acetate, wherein, in a cross-sectional form at right angles with the lengthwise direction of the fiber,(i) the cross-sectional form is non-circular,(ii) the cross-sectional form has 1 to 4 axes of symmetry, and(iii) the cross-sectional form has a contour formed of smooth curves or formed of smooth curves and straight lines.The above cellulose acetate fiber can be produced by dry-spinning a spinning dope consisting essentially of(a) 100 parts by weight of cellulose acetate,(b) 5 to 40 parts by weight of a polymer substance which is soluble in solvent and can plasticize the cellulose acetate, and(c) a solvent which can dissolve the above (a) and (b).

Abstract: A multi-layered structure having improved liquid barrier properties is provided. The multi-layered structure includes a porous hydrophobic layer and a spacing layer adjacent to and in juxtaposition with the porous hydrophobic layer. The function of the spacing layer is to provide sufficient channels for a liquid while supporting all or substantially all of a compressive pressure exerted against the spacing layer. As such, when the spacing layer is contacted with a liquid, such as water, saline or a bodily fluid such as blood, and subjected to a compressive pressure, of at least 2 psi, applied generally perpendicularly to the spacing layer, the channels are available within the bulk of the spacing layer for such liquid to flow therein or therebetween, while all or substantially all of the compressive pressure is supported by the spacing layer. In this way, the liquid in contact with the spacing layer flows into these channels without passing through the porous hydrophobic layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are multicomponent fibers wherein at least one component forms an exposed surface on at least a portion of the multicomponent fiber which will permit thermal bonding of the multicomponent fiber to other fibers. The multicomponent fibers comprise two poly(lactic acid) polymers with different L:D ratios which provide biodegradable properties to the multicomponent fiber yet which allow the multicomponent fiber to be easily processed. The multicomponent fiber is useful in making nonwoven structures that may be used in a disposable absorbent product intended for the absorption of fluids such as body fluids.