Process for making three-dimensional foam-laid nonwovens

US11313061B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Davis Dang H. Nhan · Menasha, US
• Cathleen Mae Uttecht · Menasha, US
• Lori A. Eslinger · Appleton, US
• Neil T. Scholl · Neenah, US
• Jian Qin · Appleton, US
• Charles W. Colman · Roswell, US
• Deborah J. Calewarts · Appleton, US
• Vasily A. Topolkaraev · Appleton, US
• Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda · Appleton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 25, 2018
• Grant date: Apr 26, 2022
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61F2013/51134
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for making a high topography nonwoven substrate includes generating a foam including water and synthetic binder fibers; depositing the foam on a planar surface; disposing a template form on the foam opposite the planar surface to create a foam/form assembly; heating the foam/form assembly to dry the foam and bind the synthetic binder fibers; and removing the template from the substrate after heating the foam/form assembly, wherein the substrate includes a planar base layer having an X-Y surface and a backside surface opposite the X-Y surface; and a plurality of projection elements integral with and protruding in a Z-direction from the X-Y surface, wherein the projection elements are distributed in both the X- and Y-directions, and wherein the density of a projection element is the same as the density of the base layer.