Stretchable meltblown fabric with barrier properties
US5492753A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 8, 1993 |
| Grant date | Feb 20, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T442/637
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of producing a barrier fabric having stretch and recovery properties. The method includes the steps of heating at least one nonwoven web containing meltblown non-elastic thermoplastic polymer fibers to a temperature at which the peak total energy absorbed by the nonwoven web of meltblown fibers is at least about 250 percent greater than the amount absorbed by the nonwoven web of meltblown fibers at room temperature; applying a tensioning force to neck the heated nonwoven web; and cooling the necked nonwoven web so that the nonwoven web has at least the same hydrostatic head and/or particulate barrier properties as the nonwoven web before necking. Also disclosed is a stretchable barrier fabric composed of a nonwoven web of meltblown non-elastomeric thermoplastic polymer fibers, the nonwoven web being heat treated so that it is adapted to stretch at least about 10 percent more than an identical untreated nonwoven web of meltblown non-elastomeric thermoplastic polymer fibers. The stretchable barrier fabric is adapted to provide a hydrostatic head of at least about 20 cm and/or a particle holdout efficiency of at least about 40 percent for particles having an aver…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.