Fluid management composite

Abstract

A composite fabric for use in dewatering high solids content fluid materials comprising a multiplicity of corrugated strands of compression resistant material, and one or more sheets of porous material bonded along its length at sheet bonding locations to the strands, some of which strands have arcuate portions projecting from the strands between those sheet bonding locations. The sheet-like composite may be incorporated where there is a need to dewater high solids content fluids such as in disposable garments such as diapers or training pants.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A composite fabric comprising: 
 (a) a porous backing layer; and    (b) a plurality of mutually parallel thermoplastic filaments extending in a first direction bonded to the porous backing layer at spaced apart bonding locations along the lengths of the filaments where the filaments form compression resistant arcuate portions between the bonding locations.    
     
     
         2 . The composite fabric of  claim 1  wherein the porous backing layer is a nonwoven fibrous web formed of thermoplastic fibers.  
     
     
         3 . The composite fabric of  claim 2  wherein the fibrous backing layer is a bonded carded web.  
     
     
         4 . The composite fabric of  claim 2  wherein the nonwoven fibrous web has a basis weight of from 10 to 20 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         5 . The composite fabric of  claim 2  wherein the nonwoven fibrous web has a basis weight of from 20 to 100 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         6 . The composite fabric of  claim 2  wherein the arcuate portions of the filaments have a height from the front surface of the backing layer of greater than 0.2 mm.  
     
     
         7 . The composite fabric of  claim 6  wherein the arcuate portions of the filaments have a height from the front surface of the backing layer of less than 4.0 mm.  
     
     
         8 . The composite fabric of  claim 6  wherein the filaments diameter is from 10 to 100 mils.  
     
     
         9 . The composite fabric of  claim 6  wherein the filaments diameter is from 10 to 50 mils.  
     
     
         10 . The composite fabric of  claim 8  wherein the filaments are homogeneous polymers or polymer blends.  
     
     
         11 . The composite fabric of  claim 8  wherein the filaments are multi-component filaments.  
     
     
         12 . The composite fabric of  claim 11  wherein the filaments are sheath core filaments.  
     
     
         13 . The composite fabric of  claim 12  wherein the multicomponent filaments have sheath layers have a melting or softening point less than the core layer material.  
     
     
         14 . The composite fabric of  claim 8  wherein the filament is formed at least in part of a polymer having a softening point less than the softening point of the fiber forming the backing layer.  
     
     
         15 . The composite fabric of  claim 14  wherein the filament is a polyolefin fiber and the backing layer is a polyolefin.  
     
     
         16 . The composite fabric of  claim 8  wherein the filaments have a compression resistance such that it retains at least 50% of its initial caliper under a load of at least one pound per square inch.