Low-density, non-woven structures and methods of making the same
View Patent ↗Provided are fibrous, non-woven structures having a drapeability of greater than about 4 gsm/g and a density less than about 0.08 g/cc, personal care articles comprising such structures, methods of making such structures including methods comprising: stabilizing a thin layer of non-woven fibers into a stabilized web; moving the stabilized web in a machine direction; and contacting the stabilized web with a stream of liquid that is directed at least partially along or against said machine direction.
1. A method of producing a fibrous, non-woven structure, comprising:
stabilizing a thin layer of non-woven fibers into a stabilized web;
moving said stabilized web in a machine direction; and
contacting said stabilized web with a stream of liquid that is directed from a jet at a pressure of about 400 psi or greater at least partially along or against said machine direction to entangle fibers.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibers comprise cellulose, polyester, rayon, polyolefin, polyvinyl alcohol, or a combination of two or more thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said thin layer is unbonded prior to said stabilization.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing step comprises contacting said thin layer of fibers with a stream of liquid that is substantially perpendicular to said machine direction at the point of contact.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said stream of liquid is urged from a jet at a pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said stream of said contacting step is directed at least partially along said machine direction.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said stream of said contacting step is directed at least partially against said machine direction.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said stream of said contacting step is directed such that the stream contacts the stabilized web at an angle from about 1 degree to about 45 degrees, wherein said angle is an angle between a first ray that is normal to said machine direction at the point of contact and a second ray that is along the direction of said stream and projected into a plane perpendicular to said machine direction.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the angle is between about 15 degrees and about 30 degrees.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting step comprises urging said liquid stream from a jet at a pressure from about 1000 psi to about 5000 psi.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting step is sufficient to increase a thickness of said stabilized web.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting step is sufficient to increase a thickness or decrease a density of said stabilized web by at least about 10%.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting step is sufficient to increase a thickness or decrease a density of said stabilized web by at least about 40%.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to said stabilizing, said thin layer of fibers are carded.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting step is sufficient to provide a fibrous, non-woven structure with a drapeability of at least about 4 gsm/g and a density less than about 0.08 g/cc.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting comprises urging said liquid stream from a jet at a pressure of about 750 psi or greater.