Abstract: Provided is a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric having improved in air permeability in the thickness direction thereof, formed on its surface with ridges and troughs extending in parallel to each other in one direction. A nonwoven fabric formed of thermoplastic synthetic short fibers fused together is formed on its upper surface with ridges and troughs extending in parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction. In a cross section of each ridge taken in the transverse direction, the ridge includes opposite lateral regions in which the short fibers are densely distributed and a central region defined between the opposite lateral regions and in which the short fibers are sparsely distributed. The short fibers in the central region include short fibers in a crest of the ridge adapted to connect the opposite lateral regions to each other. This invention also discloses a method for manufacturing of the nonwoven fabric.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric which, even when having a low basis weight, has a wide stretch range at time of use. It is inhibited from breaking or decreasing in strength upon stretching. It feels good to the touch and has excellent cushioning properties and high air permeability. The nonwoven stretch fabric has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. It has, arranged on each side, strip-form sparse regions extending in the longitudinal direction and strip-form dense regions extending likewise, the two kinds of regions being alternately and successively arranged in the transverse direction. The strip-form dense regions on one side and those on the other side are alternately arranged in the transverse direction. The nonwoven stretch fabric is constituted of a mixture of stretched fibers and stretchable fibers or is composed of stacked layers of these two kinds of fibers.

Abstract: Nonwoven fabric includes thermoplastic elastomer fiber and thermoplastic polyolefin fiber. A variation of b-value appearing in laboratory color specifying system before and after irradiation of the thermoplastic elastomer fiber with 5000 KJ/m2 of UV radiation is 20 or higher, a variation of b-value appearing in the laboratory color specifying system before and after irradiation of the nonwoven fabric with 5000 KJ/m2 of UV radiation is 10 or less.

Abstract: Nonwoven fabric includes thermoplastic elastomer fiber and thermoplastic polyolefin fiber. A variation of b-value appearing in laboratory color specifying system before and after irradiation of the thermoplastic elastomer fiber with 5000 KJ/m2 of UV radiation is 20 or higher, a variation of b-value appearing in the laboratory color specifying system before and after irradiation of the nonwoven fabric with 5000 KJ/m2 of UV radiation is 10 or less.

Abstract: Component thermoplastic synthetic fiber having inelastic extensibility as well as fiber diameter of 5-20 ?m constituting a fibrous web is obtained by melt spinning a mixture of two or more thermoplastic synthetic resins each having a number-average molecular weight in a range of 20000-150000 at a draft ratio of 200-2300. In the case of the mixture consisting of at least two types of thermoplastic synthetic resin Ra, Rb having number-average molecular weights Ma, Mb, respectively, wherein a ratio Ma/Mb is 1.1 or higher, Ra is of 20-80 wt %, Rb is of 80-20 wt % and a sum of Ra and Rb makes up 50-100 wt % of the mixture.

Abstract: An elastically stretchable composite sheet includes an elastically stretchable first web and an inelastically stretchable second web of thermoplastic synthetic resin fiber which is intermittently bonded to the first web in a y-direction. Component fiber of the second web has its cress-section cut in a direction orthogonal to the y-direction defined by a width w and a height h dimensioned to be at a ratio h/w less than 0.5. The composite sheet having such a structure improve its flexibility.

Abstract: Component thermoplastic synthetic fiber having inelastic extensibility as well as fiber diameter of 5-20 &mgr;m constituting a fibrous web is obtained by melt spinning a mixture of two or more thermoplastic synthetic resins each having a number-average molecular weight in a range of 20000-150000 at a draft ratio of 200-2300. In the case of the mixture consisting of at least two types of thermoplastic synthetic resin Ra, Rb having number-average molecular weights Ma, Mb, respectively, wherein a ratio Ma/Mb is 1.1 or higher, Ra is of 20-80 wt %, Rb is of 80-20 wt % and a sum of Ra and Rb makes up 50-100 wt % of the mixture.

Abstract: A composite sheet adapted to be used as a stock material for disposable garments comprises a film-like upper layer and a lower layer formed by a fibrous assembly. The upper layer is formed with a first surface region having plane zones and aperture arrays and a second surface region in the form of a depression. The lower layer has its density higher in a region immediately underlying the second surface region than in a region immediately underlying the first surface region. The composite sheet including such constituent features is suitable as stock material for disposable garments which require a soft touch and a rapid permeation of body fluids discharged on the garments.

Abstract: A body absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin including a topsheet having a skin-contactable surface, a skin-noncontactable surface and a plurality of liquid passages extending through the topsheet from the skin-contactable surface to the skin-noncontactable surface, wherein the topsheet comprises a base layer made of a hydrophilic thermoplastic synthetic resin film or nonwoven fabric and formed with the liquid passages and a flocked layer formed on a top surface of the base sheet.

Abstract: An elastically stretchable composite sheet includes an elastically stretchable first web and an inelastically stretchable second web of thermoplastic synthetic resin fiber which is intermittently bonded to the first web in a y-direction. Component fiber of the second web has its cress-section cut in a direction orthogonal to the y-direction defined by a width w and a height h dimensioned to be at a ratio h/w less than 0.5. The composite sheet having such a structure improve its flexibility.

Abstract: A topsheet for body fluids absorbent article is made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers mechanically entangled so as to extend substantially in a desired one direction and formed with liquid-permeable openings. The openings comprise a first group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by its major axis extending substantially in parallel to the direction in which the fibers extend and its minor axis extending orthogonally to the major axis and a second group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by its minor axis extending substantially in parallel to the direction in which the fibers 11 extend and its major axis extending orthogonally to the minor axis.

Abstract: An elastically stretchable sheet used, for example, as stock material for front and rear waist regions includes an elastically stretchable first sheet, a third sheet longer than said first sheet and bonded to said first sheet so as to form pleats, and a second sheet longer than said first and third sheets and bonded directly or indirectly to said first sheet so as to form pleats.

Abstract: An elastically stretchable sheet used, for example, as stock material for front and rear waist regions includes an elastically stretchable first sheet, a third sheet longer than said first sheet and bonded to said first sheet so as to form pleats, and a second sheet longer than said first and third sheets and bonded directly or indirectly to said first sheet so as to form pleats.

Abstract: A method for making an apertured nonwoven fabric includes the steps of: obtaining wet sheet from slurry containing 0.5˜20% by weight of fibrous component in water, which comprises, in turn, thermoplastic synthetic fibers having a length of 7˜30 mm and a fineness of 0.1˜0.8 d, and subjecting the wet sheet to a processing for fiber entangling by high velocity water jet streams and to a processing for aperture forming by aperture forming elements having predetermined configurations adapted to be followed by individual fibers.

Abstract: A topsheet for body exudates absorbent article includes a hydrophilic nonwoven fibrous sheet and a plurality of thermoplastic synthetic resin filaments extending in one direction parallel to one another and continuously bonded to an upper surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet so that a composite sheet of these sheet and filaments have crests and troughs alternately repeating longitudinally of the filaments and respectively extend transversely of the filaments. An apparatus and a method for manufcturing the topsheet are also disclosed, wherein a pair of mutually engageable embossing rolls are used for forming the crests and the troughs onto the coposite sheet.

Abstract: A topsheet for body exudates absorbent article includes a hydrophilic nonwoven fibrous sheet and a plurality of thermoplastic synthetic resin filaments extending in one direction parallel to one another and continuously bonded to an upper surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet so that a composite sheet of these sheet and filaments have crests and troughs alternately repeating longitudinally of the filaments and respectively extend transversely of the filaments. An apparatus and a method for manufcturing the topsheet are also disclosed, wherein a pair of mutually engageable embossing rolls are used for forming the crests and the troughs onto the coposite sheet.

Abstract: A topsheet for body fluids absorbent article is made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers mechanically entangled so as to extend substantially in a desired one direction and formed with liquid-permeable openings. The openings comprise a first group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by its major axis extending substantially in parallel to the direction in which the fibers extend and its minor axis extending orthogonally to the major axis and a second group of openings each having a substantially oval shape defined by its minor axis extending substantially in parallel to the direction in which the fibers 11 extend and its major axis extending orthogonally to the minor axis.

Abstract: A liquid-permeable topsheet used in a disposable body fluids absorbent garment has planar portions substantially extending in a horizontal plane, a plurality of ribs rising from the planar portions and extending parallel one to another, each presenting a cross-section in an inverted v-shape, and liquid-passages extending downward from the planar portions and thereby eliminate any appreciation that eruption and/or stuffiness might be caused by contact of the topsheet with the skin of a wearer.

Abstract: A topsheet for body exudates absorbent article includes a hydrophilic nonwoven fibrous sheet and a plurality of thermoplastic synthetic resin filaments extending in one direction parallel to one another and continuously bonded to an upper surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet so that a composite sheet of these sheet and filaments have crests and troughs alternately repeating longitudinally of the filaments and respectively extend transversely of the filaments. An apparatus and a method for manufcturing the topsheet are also disclosed, wherein a pair of mutually engageable embossing rolls are used for forming the crests and the troughs onto the coposite sheet.

Abstract: A body fluids absorbent article has a liquid-permeable topsheet formed by a nonwoven fabric of thermoplastic synthetic fibers. The topsheet is formed with a plurality of openings each having a diameter of 0.5.about.3 mm. These openings queue up so as to form plural columns of openings extending in parallel one to another. One half or more of a total number of the openings are reinforced by strands of thermoplastic synthetic resin each having a diameter of 0.1.about.0.5 mm and extending circumferentially of the respective openings.