Abstract A non-woven fabric is disclosed which comprises a highly water absorbent web of mixed long and short fibers that is through bonded throughout its dimensions with a binder (adhesive) to retain the fibers in their assembled relationship. In the final set stage of the binder it is hydrophobic in character and hence the resulting fabric is rendered more or less water repellent. In this invention the mid-portion of the bonded fabric is treated with a wetting agent (surfactant) to minimize the water-repellent effect of the binder and to make the mid-portion of the fabric readily wettable. The marginal side edges of the bonded fabric are not treated with a wetting agent, so that these portions of the fabric throughout their dimensions are more or less water repellent. By this is meant that the marginal side portions of the bonded fabric are difficultly wettable as compared to the mid-portion of the fabric. As indicated, the binder material at the side edges of the fabric is present throughout the thickness of the fabric, and hence it is effective to prevent liquid that is wetted into the central portion of the fabric from wicking readily outwardly. The fabric of the invention has particular utility as a facing layer in a disposable diaper that includes an absorbent pad and a water-repellent backing member, since it minimizes liquid leakage from the side edges of the diaper.
The diaper of claim 1 wherein said facing layer and said backing layer are rectangular and substantially coextensive, said pad is substantially rectangular, narrower than said facing layer and said backing layer and centrally disposed with respect thereto to provide marginal portions of said diaper in which said facing layer and said backing layer are in direct contact with each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
The diaper of claim 2 wherein said marginal portions of said facing layer and said backing layer are adhered to one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The diaper of claim 1 in which the short and long fibers of said facing layer are randomly dispersed and uniformly distributed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
150 words
A multi-layer diaper comprising: a porous facing layer in the form of a water-wettable web of mixed long and short fibers, said web being through bonded and treated with a rewetting agent to give it a desired degree of wettability for water, at least the marginal side edges of said web having a lesser amount of rewetting agent, whereby the marginal side edges of said web have less absorbency and less wettability for water than the mid-portion of said web; a highly porous, loosely compacted, cellulosic fibrous batt in face juxtaposition to said facing layer and having greater wettability to water than said facing layer; a paper-like, densified compacted cellulosic fibrous layer of relatively high wettability and relatively high fluid retentivity integral with said loosely compacted batt on the face thereof opposite the face in juxtaposition to said facing layer; anD a water-impervious backing sheet adhered to said densified layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The diaper of claim 1 wherein said backing sheet and said facing layer are substantially rectangular and substantially coextensive, said batt is substantially rectangular, narrower than said backing sheet and facing layer, and centrally disposed with respect thereto to provide marginal portions of said diaper in which said backing sheet and said facing web are in direct contact with each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The diaper of claim 1 wherein the fiber content of said facing layer comprises from about 75 to about 98 weight percent of short fibers having a fiber length less than one-fourth inch and from about 2 to about 25 weight percent of long fibers having a fiber length between about 1/2 and 2inches.