Abstract: The invention relates to a nonwoven fabric which is bonded at selected points by use of a binder containing particles composed of filler material (a phase change material, among others) and which is not bonded at other selected points. The nonwoven fabric is characterized by a soft touch and good flexibility, and may be used as an interlining material or an intermediate layer.

Abstract: To provide a nonwoven fabric containing ultra-fine fibers suitable as a leather-like sheet, and also a leather-like sheet with an excellent compactness. A nonwoven fabric containing ultra-fine fibers, characterized in that it contains staple fibers with a fiber fineness of 0.0001 to 0.5 decitex and a fiber length of 10 cm or less, and has a weight per unit area of 100 to 550 g/m2, an apparent density of 0.280 to 0.700 g/cm3, a tensile strength of 70 N/cm or more, and a tear strength of 3 to 50 N.

Abstract: In one embodiment the invention is an article comprising at least two layers, a first or low crystallinity layer comprising a low crystallinity polymer and a second or high crystallinity layer comprising a high crystallinity polymer. The high crystallinity polymer has a melting point as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) that is about the same or within less than 25 C of the melting point of the low crystallinity polymer. The article is elongated at a temperature below the melting point of the low crystallinity polymer in at least one direction to an elongation of at least about 50% of its original length or width, to form a pre-stretched article. Preferably, the high crystallinity layer is capable of undergoing plastic deformation upon the elongation.

Abstract: An arrangement for producing a fibrous mat from a heated die source wherein the produced mat includes a first layered, preselected fiber portion of substantially straight fibers produced by directing such fibers directly to a collector source and a second layered preselected fiber portion of substantially curled fibers produced by diverting and exerting an external vortically creative curling force thereon before reaching the collector source.

Abstract: Methods of making a sheet-form loop product are provided. One method includes placing a layer of staple fibers against a first side of a substrate comprising a nonwoven web; needling fibers of the layer through the substrate by penetrating the substrate with needles that drag portions of the fibers through the substrate, leaving exposed loops of the fibers extending from a second side of the substrate; and anchoring fibers forming the loops by fusing the fibers to each other and to filaments of the nonwoven web on the first side of the substrate, while substantially preventing fusion of the fibers on the second side of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing sheath-core staple fibers with a three-dimensional crimp and to a sheath-core staple fiber of this type. In this case, the fiber is extruded with a symmetrical sheath-core arrangement consisting of two different polymer melts with a first polymer component for the core and with a second polymer component for the sheath. In order to generate an as far as possible intensive three-dimensional crimp in the fiber, the cooling of the fiber takes place by means of a sharp cooling air stream with a blowing air velocity of at least 3 m/sec., after the combining of the fibers into a tow the multistage treatment in a fiber line taking place under a maximum temperature load which lies below the glass transition temperature of the second polymer component in the sheath of the fiber. A high degree of three-dimensional crimping can consequently be achieved after the multistage treatment and before the cutting of the fiber.

Abstract: Improved staple fibers and processes for producing them are provided. The processes are particularly useful for forming staple fibers from poly(trimethylene terephthalate), especially carpet staple fibers. The processes include prewetting undrawn yarns and drawing the fibers under wet and warm conditions, thermo-fixing the texture, and drying at relatively low temperatures. Fibers produced according to the processes disclosed herein have improved properties and reduced brittleness as compared to fibers prepared using conventional processes.

Abstract: Methods of making a sheet-form loop product are provided. One method includes placing a layer of staple fibers against a first side of a substrate comprising a nonwoven web; needling fibers of the layer through the substrate by penetrating the substrate with needles that drag portions of the fibers through the substrate, leaving exposed loops of the fibers extending from a second side of the substrate; and anchoring fibers forming the loops by fusing the fibers to each other and to filaments of the nonwoven web on the first side of the substrate, while substantially preventing fusion of the fibers on the second side of the substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stain-masking cut resistant fabrics and articles including gloves and methods for making articles, the fabrics and articles comprising a yarn comprising an intimate blend of staple fibers, the blend comprising 20 to 50 parts by weight of a lubricating fiber, 20 to 40 parts by weight of a first aramid fiber having a linear density of from 3.3 to 6 denier per filament (3.7 to 6.7 dtex per filament), 20 to 40 parts by weight of a second aramid fiber having a linear density of from 0.50 to 4.5 denier per filament (0.56 to 5.0 dtex per filament), and 2 to 15 parts by weight of a third aramid fiber having a linear density of from 0.5 to 2.25 denier per filament (0.56 to 2.5 dtex per filament), based on the total weight of the lubricating and first, second and third aramid fibers. The difference in filament linear density of the first aramid fiber to the second aramid fiber is 1 denier per filament (1.

Abstract: This invention relates to a nonwoven article comprising a heterogeneous blend comprising: 1) from 60 to 99 weight percent of one or more semi-crystalline polymers (based upon the weight of the semi-crystalline and semi-amorphous polymers), each semi-crystalline polymer comprising propylene and from 0 to 5 weight % alpha-olefin comonomer (based upon the weight of the polymer), said semi-crystalline polymers each having a melting point between 100 and 170° C. and a melt flow rate of 2000 dg/min or less; and 2) from 1 to 40 weight % of one or more semi-amorphous polymers (based upon the weight of the semi-crystalline and semi-amorphous polymers), each semi-amorphous polymer comprising propylene and from 10 to 25 weight % of one or more C2 and or C4 to C10 alpha-olefin comonomers, said semi-amorphous polymers each having: a) heat of fusion of 4 to 70 J/g; b) a Melt Flow Rate of 0.

Abstract: A bulky sheet material having three-dimensional protrusions 10 is disclosed. The sheet material comprises a first layer 1 and a second layer 2 adjacent to the first layer 1. The first layer 1 and the second layer 2 is partly joined together at joints 3 in a prescribed pattern. The first layer 1 has a number of raised portions which are located among the joints 3. The second layer 2 comprises a material which exhibits elastomeric behavior. The bulky sheet material 10 exhibits elastomeric behavior as a whole and breathability.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a nonwoven material made of a bicomponent fiber in which the first polymer is a cellulose ester polymer, preferably cellulose acetate, and the second polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides and polyimides. The bicomponent fiber can be either a side-by-side or a core-and-sheath fibers. When core-and-sheath, the cellulose acetate is the sheath polymer. The nonwoven material of the invention can be used to prepare grips, materials for use in absorbent products such as diapers and personal hygiene products, disposable towels and other products. The nonwoven of the invention has particular utility for disposable diaper products due to the superior fluid acquisition, retention and distribution properties of the cellulose ester, yet avoids the high cost of all cellulose acetate fibers by use of a much less expensive second polymer to form part the bicomponent fiber.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method for preparing stretchable multiple-component bonded composite sheets which involves bonding a fibrous layer of spirally-crimpable multiple-component continuous filaments or staple fibers to one or more non-spirally-crimpable layers using an array of intermittent mechanical, chemical, or thermal bonds, and heating the bonded composite to activate the spiral crimp of the fibers in the spirally-crimpable layer. Multi-layer nonwoven fabrics prepared according to the method of the current invention have an improved combination of strength, aesthetics, stretch-recovery properties, and textile hand and drape compared to multiple-component nonwoven fabrics known in the art.

Abstract: A laminate of a thermally pointbonded nonwoven base fabric and a coating of polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride on at least one surface of the base fabric, and a footwear upper made from the laminate and wherein the upper functions additionally as a lining for the footwear.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to nonwoven barrier fabrics, and more specifically, to medical, hygiene and industrial articles comprised of nonwoven compound fabrics with improved barrier to basis weight performance, wherein the improved nonwoven compound fabrics are prepared by forming an intermediate nonwoven construct by supplying a strong and durable substrate layer followed by deposition of a frangible fibrous layer onto the substrate layer thereby providing nonwoven barrier materials. The so formed intermediate construct is subsequently subjected to mechanical energy which induces the frangible fibrous layer to fragment into sub-fibers exhibiting an equivalent denier as the frangible fibrous component, said sub-fibers becoming inter-engaged in the strong and durable substrate layer, thereby providing nonwoven barrier materials exhibit useful barrier performance.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a novel non-woven fabric characterized by high stretch recovery and a process for preparing said fabric by employing fibers of latent crimp.

Abstract: New nonwoven fibrous webs are taught which comprise a collected mass of a) directly formed fibers disposed within the web in a C-shaped cross-sectional configuration and b) staple fibers having a crimp of at least 15% dispersed among the directly formed fibers in an amount of at least 5% the weight of the directly formed fibers. The web is lofty but free of macrovoids. Preferably, the web has a filling ratio of at least 50 and a light transmittance variation of about 2% or less. Typically, fibers within the web are bonded together at points of fiber intersection, preferably with autogenous bonds, to provide a compression-resistant matrix. The webs are especially useful as acoustic and thermal insulation.

Abstract: A cleaning cloth is described made of a microfilament nonwoven weighing from 30 g/m2 to 500 g/m2, the nonwoven being made from melt-spun, stretched continuous multicomponent filaments having a titer of 1.5 to 5 dtex, which are immediately laid down to form a nonwoven, and the continuous multicomponent filaments, optionally after pre-bonding, being split at least to 80% to form continuous micro-filaments having a titer of 0.05 to 1.0 dtex and bonded.

Abstract: An elastically stretchable nonwoven fabric including thermoplastic elastomer filaments; the filaments being heat-sealed and/or mechanically intertwined together to form the nonwoven fabric that has crimped regions and non-crimped regions wherein each of the crimped regions has fine crimps in the rate of 50/cm or higher.

Abstract: Fibers and fibrous materials are disclosed that comprise a functional fiber and a binder fiber. The functional fiber can be a continuous or a staple fiber, while the binder fiber is a staple bicomponent fiber. Uses of the fibers and fibrous materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to carbon-matrix composites, such as carbon-carbon composites, and a method for forming them by forming a fabric of fusible and infusible fibers which can be processed and carbonized to form a composite. The methods disclosed herein permit preparation of composites which are particularly thin, uniform, and highly pure. The invention also relates to preprocessed fabrics and precarbonized composites, such as those comprising carbon or oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers and fusible polyacrylonitrile fibers.

Abstract: A meltblown web having meltblown fibers and particles is provided. The particles are embedded in and retained by one or more meltblown fibers as a result of surface penetration of the particles into one or more meltblown fibers. The surface penetration of any particle into one or more meltblown fibers is generally slight thus leaving a substantial amount of the surface area of any particle available for interaction with any medium to which the web is exposed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a nonwoven fabric that is formed of polyethylene glycol modified copolyester staple fibers. The copolyester staple fibers include polyethylene terephthalate in amount sufficient for the copolyester staple fibers to possess dimensional stability properties substantially similar to those of conventional, unmodified polyethylene terephthalate fibers, polyethylene glycol in an amount sufficient for the copolyester staple fibers to possess wicking characteristics that are superior to those of conventional, unmodified polyethylene terephthalate fibers, and chain branching agent in an amount less than about 0.0014 mole-equivalent branches per mole of standardized polymer. Also disclosed are methods for making such nonwoven fabrics.

Abstract: A staple fiber web is disclosed which contains pleats having staple fibers which are commingled with staple fibers from adjoining pleats. The commingling permits denser packing of pleats on the web and increases filtering efficiency and stability of the web. Methods of manufacturing the pleated staple fiber web are disclosed.

Abstract: Fabrics containing melamine fibers are rendered more comfortable by carding the melamine fibers under vacuum so as to exhibit a narrower fiber diameter distribution (.delta..sub.d) and/or a narrower staple length distribution (.delta..sub.1) as compared to melamine fibers which are carded in the absence of vacuum. In addition, more comfortable melamine fiber-containing yarns are produced by spinning the staple fiber at a lower twist multiplier (TM) as compared to conventional melamine fiber yarns. Most preferably, the melamine fiber-containing fabrics and yarns will be blended with at least one other type of synthetic fibers, such as aramid fibers.

Abstract: Hydrophobic polyolefin fibers are provided with an internal hydrophobic polysiloxane of the formula X--?Si(R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)--O--!.sub.z --Y, in which X, Y, R.sup.1, and R.sup.2, which may be the same or different, or substituted or unsubstituted independently of each other, are aliphatic groups having not more than about sixteen carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 also being selected from among aryl groups, and z being a positive number sufficiently high that the polysiloxane is hydrophobic (z is generally at least 10). The invention also provides a novel polymer melt for spinning these hydrophobic fibers. The fibers can be cut into staple lengths and carded and bonded to form hydrophobic woven and nonwoven products suitable for use in hygiene devices such as diapers.

Abstract: A method of producing self-texturing filaments that exhibit a desirable tendency to coil rather than to bend sharply or zig zag. The method includes directing a quenching fluid at extruded hollow filaments of a liquid polymer predominantly from one side of the hollow filaments to thereby produce hollow filaments with different orientations on each side. Thereafter the temperature of the hollow filaments is raised to a temperature sufficient for the filaments to relax, but less than the temperature at which the filaments would shrink. When the relaxed filaments are cut into staple lengths, they tend to assume a form that provides a favorable degree of mechanical entanglement that is useful in forming resilient solid structures.

Abstract: The present invention provides a filter medium, which contains an electretized nonwoven web of crimped fibers selected from the group consisting of spunbond filaments and staple fibers, wherein the nonwoven web has a Frazier permeability equal to or greater than about 100 ft.sup.3 /min/ft.sup.2 and a density between about 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 and about 0.095 g/cm.sup.3.