Tow-based wipes

1 ) A method of manufacturing a tow-based wipe comprising:

a) at least one tow blooming means for blooming tow material;

b) at least one sheet forming means for forming the bloomed tow into a sheet and for projecting the sheet onto a processing path; and

c) at least one cutting means to cut the sheet into individual wipes of a pre-determined dimension while on the processing path;

wherein the tow is continuously fed from the tow supply into the tow blooming means during the manufacturing of the tow-based wipes.

2 ) The product produced by the process of claim 1 .

3 ) The method of claim 1 , further comprising an embossing means for applying an embossing pattern on said sheet while on the processing path.

4 ) The method of claim 1 , further comprising a crimping means for crimping the edges of the sheet while on the processing path.

5 ) The method of claim 1 , further comprising a point bonding means for applying point bonding to the sheet while on the processing path.

6 ) The method of claim 5 , wherein the point bonding means is an ultrasonic point bonder.

7 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein tow comprises one or more polyolefin material.

8 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the tow has a denier per fiber measurement within the range of about 5 to 30 dpf.

9 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the tow has a total denier measurement in the range of about 5,000 to 60,000 dpf.

10 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the tow supply means comprises at least one jet.

11 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet forming means uses a vacuum draw roll to form the sheet.

12 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet has a total basis weight in the range of about 30 grams per square meter to about 100 grams per meter.

13 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises more than one layer.

14 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises three layers including:

a) a first layer comprising tow having a denier per fiber is in the range of about 5 to about 15 dpf;

b) the second layer comprising tow having a denier per fiber in the range from about 10 to about 30 dpf; and

c) a third layer comprising tow having a denier per fiber that is about equal to the denier per fiber of the first layer, wherein the second layer is disposed between the first and third layers.

15 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises two layers including:

a) a first layer comprising tow having a denier fiber in the range from about 5 to about 15 dpf; and

b) a second layer comprising tow having a denier per fiber in the range from about 10 to about 30 dpf.

16 ) A method of manufacturing wipes comprising:

a) at least one tow supply means for blooming polyolefin tow;

b) at least one sheet forming means for forming the tow into said a sheet prior to being applied to a processing path;

c) at least one embossing means for embossing the sheet;

d) at least one point bonding means for point bonding the sheet;

e) at least one crimping means for crimping the edges of the sheet; and

f) at least one cutting means for cutting the sheet into wipes of a predetermined dimension.

17 ) The product produced by the process of claim 16 .

18 ) The method of claim 16 , wherein the polyolefin tow comprises polypropylene.

19 ) An apparatus for fabricating tow-based wipes comprising:

a) a tow supply component wherein draw rolls moves tow into a tow blooming means and wherein the tow exits the tow blooming means bloomed;

b) a sheet forming component wherein a vacuum draw roll moves tow from a tow blooming means and wherein the bloomed tow exits the tow blooming means in the form of a sheet and is projected on to a processing path;

c) a sheet cutting component wherein the sheet is cut into individual wipes of a predetermined dimension while on the processing path;

wherein the tow is continuously fed from the tow supply into the tow blooming means during the manufacturing of the tow-based wipes.