Patent GB-1071191-A (GB)
Title: Absorbent non-woven fibrous product
IPC: A61F13/20
Filed: 1964-04-23
Abstract: A unitary fluid-absorbent product such as a disposable diaper comprises a fluffy batt of randomly arranged, short, non-cardable fibres, which batt would be flimsy and could not be handled without fibre separation in the absence of a binder.  An adhesive bonding material originally applied as a foam is distributed through the fibres of one or both surface layers, but does not extend into the batt for more than 25% of its total thickness. The surface fibres are so converted into strong skins mechanically locked to the unbonded interior by fibres that lie partly in the unbonded interior and partly in the bonded skin. The bonding agent may be deposited uniformly over the surface or in a pattern of spaced areas, or one surface of the batt may be bonded over the entire area and the other in a patterned manner and the bonding agent in the former case may include a water-repellent material, such as a silicone; alternatively where one surface of the batt is to be liquid-repellent or impervious a waterproof paper or plastics film may be laminated thereto.  The batt may be strengthened and its abrasion-resistance improved by the inclusion, either in the surface thereof or as a middle layer in the body of the batt, of long fibres or continuous filaments. To improve the ability of the product to distribute fluids within itself the batt may be compressed along a number of longitudinal and/or transverse lines.  Suitable fibres of which the batt may be formed include wood pulp, cotton linters and other cellulosic vegetable fibres, wool, nylon, cellulose acetate and rayon. Suitable bonding agents include acrylic resins; urea-, melamine- or phenol-formaldehyde; vinyl resins; polyolefines; styrene resins; polyurethane resins; synthetic and natural rubbers; cellulosic materials, such as cellulose xanthate and hydroxyethyl-cellulose; starches; natural glues and gums.  In the production of the absorbent products the batt may be lightly compressed before and possibly also during the application of the binder, and is subsequently dried in air at ambient or elevated temperature.  The drying step may additionally effect curing or cross linking of the bonding agent. The product is also useful for sanitary pads, surgical dressings and the like.ALSO:A unitary fluid-absorbent product comprises a fluffy batt of randomly arranged, short, noncardable fibres, which batt would be flimsy and could not be handled without fibre separation in the absence of a binder.  An adhesive bonding material originally applied as a foam is distributed through the fibres of one or both surface layers, but does not extend into the batt for more than 25% of its total thickness.  The surface fibres are converted into strong skins mechanically locked to the unbonded interior by fibres that lie partly in the unbonded interior and partly in the bonded skin.  The bonding agent may be deposited uniformly over the surface or in a pattern of spaced areas, or one surface of the batt may be bonded over the entire area and the other in a patterned manner and the bonding agent in the former case may include a water-repellent material, such as a silicone.  The batt may be strengthened and its abrasion-resistance improved by the inclusion, either in the surface thereof or as a middle layer in the body of the batt, of long fibres or continuous filaments.  To improve the ability of the product to distribute fluids within itself the batt may be compressed along a number of longitudinal and/or transverse lines.  Suitable fibres of which the batt may be formed include wood pulp, cotton linters and other cellulosic vegetable fibres, wool, nylon, cellulose acetate and rayon. Suitable bonding agents include acrylic resins; urea-, melamine- or phenolformaldehyde, vinyl resins; polyolefines; styrene resins; polyurethane resins; synthetic and natural rubbers; cellulosic materials; such as cellulose xanthate and hydroxyethyl-cellulose; starches; natural glues and gums.  In the production of the absorbent products the batt may be lightly compressed before and possibly also during the application of the binder, and is subsequently dried in air at ambient or elevated temperature.  The drying step may additionally effect curing or cross linking of the bonding agent.  The bonding agent may be applied to the surface of the batt by means of a plain, embossed or perforated roll or through a foraminous belt with the aid of suitable rolls co-operating therewith.ALSO:An absorbent fibrous product which is useful for sanitary pads, surgical dressings, diapers and the like is prepared by applying an adhesive bonding agent in the form of a foam to one or both surfaces of a batt of short, non-cardable fibres, to form a bended surface layer of fibres which renders the otherwise flimsy batt coherent and stable.  The bonding agent may be deposited uniformly over the surface or in a pattern of spaced areas the maximum thickness of the bonded layer being 25% of the batt thickness.  Where desired one surface of the batt may be bonded over the entire area and the other in a patterned manner and the bonding agent in the former case may include a water repellent material, such as a silicone; alternatively where one surface of the batt is to be liquid-repellent or impervious a waterproof paper or plastics film may be laminated thereto.  The batt may be strengthened and its brasion resistance improved by the inclusion either in the surface thereof or as a middle layer in the body of the batt of long fibres or continuous filaments.  To improve the ability of the product to distribute fluids within itself the batt may be compressed along a number of longitudinal and/or transverse lines.  Suitable fibres of which the batt may be formed include wood pulp, cotton linters and other cellulosic vegetable fibres, wool, nylon, cellulose acetate and rayon.  Suitable bonding agents include acrylic resins; urea-, melamine-, or phenol formaldehyde; vinyl resins; polyolefines; styrene resins; polyurethane resins; synthetic and natural rubbers; cellulosic materials, such as viscose and hydroxyethyl cellulose; starches; natural glues and gums.