Hydraulic patterning of a fibrous, sided nonwoven web

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a reflectively patterned, fibrous, sided nonwoven material comprising a first set of fibers hydraulically needled with a web of a second set of fibers, the first set of fibers primarily containing short fibers and the second set of fibers primarily containing one of (a) substantially continuous filaments, (b) long fibers, and (c) short fibers having an average fiber length at least twice the average fiber length of the first set of fibers. The material has a first surface predominately comprising the first set of fibers and an opposing second surface predominately comprising the second set of fibers. A method of patterning a sided nonwoven web and a reflectively patterned, sided nonwoven material also are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fibrous, sided nonwoven material comprising a first set of fibers hydraulically needled with a web of a second set of fibers, the first set of fibers primarily containing short fibers having a length of 0.7 mm to 25 mm and the second set of fibers primarily containing one of (a) substantially continuous filaments, (b) long fibers, and (c) short fibers having an average fiber length at least twice the average fiber length of the first set of fibers, the material having a first surface predominately comprising the first set of fibers and an opposing second surface predominately comprising the second set of fibers, one of the first surface and the second surface being reflectively patterned to have a visual and tactile appearance depending on a support pattern on which the patterning is performed. 
     
     
         2 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers in the first set have lengths in the range of 0.7 mm to 12. 
     
     
         3 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90 weight % of the fibers in the second set are substantially continuous filaments. 
     
     
         4 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90 weight % of the fibers in the second set are long fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90 weight % of the fibers in the second set are short fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second surfaces of the composite material has portions that have been directly impacted by a fluid stream and the other of the surfaces has portions that have been impacted by a reflected fluid stream. 
     
     
         7 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein both the first and second surface of the material are patterned and the pattern is more pronounced on the first surface than on the second surface. 
     
     
         8 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the short fibers in the first set comprise cellulose fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the short fibers in the first set comprise a blend of cellulose fibers and man-made fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of fibers primarily contains substantially continuous filaments formed from at least one of polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, polylactic acid and polyolefin. 
     
     
         11 . A wiping substrate comprising the nonwoven material of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A wiping substrate formed by a method comprising:
 (i) providing a sided nonwoven web comprising a first set of fibers hydraulically needled with a web of a second set of fibers, the first set of fibers primarily containing short fibers having a length of 0.7 mm to 25 mm and the second set of fibers primarily containing one of (a) substantially continuous filaments, (b) long fibers, and (c) short fibers having an average fiber length at least twice the average fiber length of the first set of fibers, the sided nonwoven web having a first surface predominately comprising the first set of fibers and an opposing second surface predominately comprising the second set of fibers,   (ii) disposing the nonwoven web between a surface of a non-porous patterned support and a hydraulic needling manifold so at least one of the surface and the second surface is orientated toward the hydraulic needling manifold and the other of the first surface and the second surface is orientated toward the support surface,   (iii) discharging fluid from the hydraulic needling manifold to rearrange fibers on at least one of the first and second surfaces,   (iv) passing fluid discharged from the hydraulic needling manifold through the nonwoven web to impact the support surface, and   (v) patterning the nonwoven web by discharging fluid from the hydraulic needling manifold and impacting the fluid on a non-porous support surface and reflecting the fluid into the surface of the nonwoven web that is oriented toward the non-perforated support surface.