Granted Patent B2

US 6,843,871 · App. 10/298,200 · Granted Jan 18, 2005

Abstract

Claims (12)

1. A process for preparing a fibrous web, comprising:

providing a polymeric melt comprising a thermoplastic polymer; melt-blowing a body of fibers from said solution, said body comprising a plurality of fibers, said fibers being at a temperature sufficient to render said fibers tacky;

cooling said body with a cooling medium, said cooling medium including a cooling liquid and discrete plural particles of an adherent, whereby at least some of said discrete particles adhere to said body; and

collecting said body on a collector thereby forming a web.

2. A process according to claim 1 , said body of fibers being sufficiently permeable to said cooling medium such that said at least some of said particles of adherent adhere to fibers within said body.

3. A process according to claim 1 , said polymeric melt comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and polylactic acid.

4. A process according to claim 3 , said polymeric melt comprising polypropylene.

5. A process according to claim 1 , said polymeric melt comprising a nylon.

6. A process according to claim 1 , said adherent comprising a temperature stabilizing agent.

7. A process according claim 6 , said temperature stabilizing agent comprising a microencapsulated moderate temperature phase change material.

8. A process according claim 7 , said phase change material being selected from the group consisting of n-docosane, n-eicosane, n-heneicosane, n-heptacosane, n-heptadecane, n-hexacosane, n-hexadecane, n-nonadecane, n-octacosane, n-octadecane, n-pentacosane, n-pentadecane, n-tetracosane, n-tetradecane, n-tricosane, and n-tridecane.

9. A process according claim 7 , said microcapsules comprising said phase change material contained within a polyacrylate wall material.

Assignments (29)