Highly textured non-woven composite wipe

Abstract

A wipe comprising a non-woven composite material including at least one non-woven inner layer and at least one non-woven outer layer. The outer layer is textured and has a Layer Peak To Valley Ratio greater than 1 and less than about 4 and is bonded to the inner layer at at least two points. The composite material has a Wipe Peak To Valley Ratio greater than 1 and less than about 4.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Fibrous non-woven materials and fibrous non-woven composite materials are widely used as products, or as components of products, such as dry wipes and wet wipes because they can be manufactured inexpensively and made to have specific characteristics. These products can be manufactured so inexpensively that they can be viewed as disposable, as opposed to reusable. [0002] One approach to making fibrous non-woven materials for wipes is the use of homogeneous mixtures of materials such as air laid webs of fibers mixed with cellulosic fibers or another absorbent material. Other wipes have been prepared by joining different types of non-woven materials in a laminate or formed as a layered structure. These products can be prepared from plastic materials such as plastic sheets, films and non-woven webs, prepared by extrusion processes such as, for example, slot film extrusion, blown bubble film extrusion, meltblowing of non-woven webs and spinbonding. [000...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023] As used herein, the term “wet wipe” refers to a fibrous sheet which, during its manufacture, has a liquid applied thereto so that the liquid can be retained on or within the fibrous sheet until its utilization by a consumer. The liquid may include a fragrance and / or an emollient and may serve to aid the fibrous sheet in retention of materials which are to be wiped up during its utilization.

[0029] The present invention provides for increasing the amount of thickness, texture and flexibility of the wipe, without the characteristic increase in basis weight that usually follows, thus allowing for less raw material utilization while obtaining enhance functionality (i.e., a better wipe for less money). Further, the invention provies a highly textured outer layer with an inner layer whereby retraction of the outer layer(s) causes it to pucker and gather in between points bonding the outer layer(s) and inner layer. As such texture upon texture is created, first from the outer layer(s) and then by the composite, which together form wipes of the invention.

[0031] The problem of lack of softness or cloth-like feel associated with previous disposable wipes has been addressed by the wipes of the present invention, e.g., composite elastic material of the present invention, which are adapted to provide a more cloth like feel than otherwise available. This can be accomplished by providing, e.g., a non-woven composite material or SBL, having a low bending stiffness (i.e., increased flexibility) and an increased thickness at a relatively lower basis weight (i.e., maximum bulk per unit mass), while maintaining a desired level of strength (i.e., sufficient tensile strength in both machine direction, MD, and in cross-machine direction, CD).

Problems solved by technology

However, if one of these parameters is changed this can affect another of the parameters.

Producing a high quality disposable wipe that is soft, thick and textured like a woven wash cloth, but at a low cost, can be difficult.

Images