Nonwoven web with highly detailed and functionally advantageous bond pattern

Abstract

A nonwoven web having an advantageous bond pattern impressed by a bonding pattern on a roller is disclosed. The bonding pattern is selected to have a bonding area percentage from 6 to 14 percent, which provides a desirable level of bonding of filaments and/or fibers for mechanical strength, while retaining desirable pliability and/or liquid handling characteristics. The bonding area is also relatively highly dispersed, which provides for a relatively greater number of bonded areas for the selected bonding area percentage. The greater number of bonded areas is believed to provide improved structural integrity while still retaining pliability and/or liquid handling characteristics, and also provide for enhanced visual detail and complexity. The relatively highly dispersed bonding area is believed to be particularly effective for nonwoven web materials having three or more layers, with outer layers of polymeric filaments, and even more particularly, one or two outer layers of fine filaments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nonwoven web formed at least in part of filaments, libers or a combination thereof, comprising a pattern of bonded areas at which differing ones of the fibers and/or filaments are bonded together, the pattern of bonded areas having been impressed into the nonwoven web by one or more bonding rollers each having a cylindrical surface bearing a pattern of bonding surfaces, the bonding surfaces of the one or more rollers in combination forming a bonding area having a bonding area percentage from 6 to 14 percent, wherein the bonding area has an average bonding area dispersion distance of no greater than 5 mm; and the combination of the patterns of bonding surfaces of all of said bonding rollers includes at least one design element that is not substantially repeated on any two adjacent 100 mm×100 mm samples of the combined acting rolling surface areas. 
     
     
         2 . The nonwoven web of  claim 1  further comprising polymeric filaments that are thermally fused at the bonded areas. 
     
     
         3 . The nonwoven web of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric filaments comprise a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The nonwoven web of  claim 3  wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polyvinyl alcohol, polycaprolactone and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The nonwoven web of  claim 3  wherein the polymeric filaments comprise a polyolefin. 
     
     
         6 . The nonwoven web of  claim 1  having opposing first and second macroscopic planar outer surfaces, wherein polymeric filaments are present at the first outer surface and are bonded at the bonded areas to polymeric filaments that are present at the second outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . The nonwoven web of  claim 1  comprising fine filaments. 
     
     
         8 . The nonwoven web of  claim 1  comprising fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The nonwoven web of  claim 8  wherein the fibers are cellulose or wood pulp fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The nonwoven web of  claim 8  wherein the fibers are natural fibers. 
     
     
         11 . A nonwoven web comprising a first layer of polymeric filaments, a second layer of polymeric filaments, and third layer disposed at least partially between the first and second layers, and further comprising a pattern of bonded, areas at which polymeric filaments of the first layer are bonded with polymeric filaments of the second layer, the pattern of bonded areas having been impressed into the nonwoven web by one or more bonding rollers each having a cylindrical surface bearing a pattern of bonding surfaces, the bonding surfaces in combination forming a bonding area having a bonding area percentage from 6 to 14 percent, wherein the bonding area has an average bonding area dispersion distance of no greater than 5 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The nonwoven web of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the first and second layers comprises fine filaments. 
     
     
         13 . The nonwoven web of  claim 11  further comprising polymeric filaments that are thermally fused at the bonded, areas. 
     
     
         14 . The nonwoven web of  claim 11  wherein the polymeric filaments comprise a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The nonwoven web of  claim 14  wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polyvinyl alcohol, polycaprolactone and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The nonwoven web of  claim 14  wherein the polymeric filaments comprise a polyolefin. 
     
     
         17 . The nonwoven web of  claim 11  having opposing first and second, macroscopic planar outer surfaces, wherein polymeric filaments are present at the first outer surface and are bonded at the bonded areas to polymeric filaments that are present at the second outer surface. 
     
     
         18 . The nonwoven web of any of  claim 11  wherein the third layer comprises fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The nonwoven web of  claim 18  wherein the fibers are cellulose or wood pulp fibers. 
     
     
         20 . The nonwoven web of  claim 18  wherein the fibers are natural fibers.