Patent ID: 8591683

Claim:
A method for preparing a nonwoven fibrous web comprising establishing a stream of continuous oriented meltspun monocomponent fibers having a longitudinal axis, establishing a stream of meltblown microfibers that exit a meltblowing die at a point less than 25 centimeters from the longitudinal axis of the stream of meltspun fibers, the meltblown stream being aimed to merge with the meltspun stream and having a longitudinal axis that forms an angle of between 0 and 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the meltspun stream, capturing the meltblown fibers in the stream of meltspun fibers, and collecting the merged stream as a web on a collector spaced more than 10 cm and less than 40 centimeters from the intersection point of the meltspun and meltblown streams, wherein the stream of meltspun fibers travels at least 55 cm before contacting the collector, additionally wherein the continuous oriented meltspun monocomponent fibers are bonded at meltspun fiber intersections between the meltspun fibers during collection on the collector, and further wherein the meltblown fibers have limited bonding to the meltspun fibers.