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 co-formed nonwoven web comprising:
 an inner layer comprising natural fibers,   a first outer layer comprising a plurality of first filaments, wherein the first outer layer is disposed on a first side of the inner layer,   a second outer layer comprising a plurality of second filaments, wherein the second outer layer is disposed on a second side of the inner layer, and   a pattern of bonded areas at which differing ones of the first filaments and/or second filaments are bonded together to form bonded areas, wherein the bonded areas form at least a portion of an irregular design pattern, and wherein the design pattern comprises one or more design elements; and   wherein the co-formed nonwoven web has an average bonding area dispersion of from about 1.0 mm to about 5 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , wherein the irregular design pattern comprises variation in the pattern with respect to pattern repeat distance in the machine and/or cross direction, in design elements, in spacing of design elements, and/or in rotational orientation of design elements. 
     
     
         3 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second filaments are polymeric filaments that are thermally fused at the bonded areas. 
     
     
         4 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric filaments comprise one of: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polyvinyl alcohol, polycaprolactone, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric filaments comprise a polyolefin. 
     
     
         6 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first filaments and/or the plurality of second filaments are meltblown. 
     
     
         7 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , wherein the inner layer comprises cellulose and/or wood pulp fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , wherein the bonded areas comprise between about 6% and about 14% of the total surface area of the co-formed nonwoven web. 
     
     
         9 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first filaments are bonded to at least a portion of the second filaments at a portion of the bonded areas. 
     
     
         10 . A packaged stack of wipes comprising the co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , comprising a first wipe and a second wipe, wherein the first wipe and the second wipe are in immediately preceding and succeeding relationship respectively, and wherein the one or more design elements of the first wipe are not substantially repeated on the second wipe. 
     
     
         11 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more design elements are selected from an image of an object, an image of an animal, a figure, an alphanumeric character or icon, and a logo. 
     
     
         12 . A co-formed nonwoven web comprising:
 an inner layer comprising natural fibers,   a first outer layer comprising a plurality of first fine filaments and disposed on a first side of the inner layer,   a second outer layer comprising a plurality of second fine filaments and disposed on a second side of the inner layer, and   a pattern of bonded areas at which differing ones of the first fine filaments and/or second fine filaments are bonded together to form bonded areas, wherein the bonded areas form at least a portion of an irregular design pattern,   wherein the irregular design pattern is not substantially repeated on any two adjacent 100 mm×100 mm samples of the co-formed nonwoven web, and   wherein the co-formed nonwoven web has an average bonding area dispersion of from about 1.0 mm to about 5 mm.   
     
     
         13 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 12 , wherein the first and/or second fine filaments comprise a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 12 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is one of: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polyvinyl alcohol, polycaprolactone, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 12 , wherein the inner layer comprises cellulose and/or wood pulp fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 12 , wherein the bonded areas form between about 6% and about 14% of the total surface area of the co-formed nonwoven web. 
     
     
         17 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the first fine filaments are bonded to at least a portion of the second fine filaments at a portion of the bonded areas. 
     
     
         18 . The co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 12 , wherein the inner layer further comprises at least one of: viscose, lyocell, cotton, hemp, and flax. 
     
     
         19 . A co-formed nonwoven web comprising:
 an inner layer comprising natural fibers,   a first outer layer comprising a plurality of first filaments and disposed on a first side of the inner layer,   a second outer layer comprising a plurality of second filaments and disposed on a second side of the inner layer, and   a pattern of bonded areas at which differing ones of the first filaments and/or second filaments are bonded together to form bonded areas, wherein the bonded areas form at least a portion of an irregular design pattern;   wherein at least a portion of the first filaments are bonded to at least a portion of the second filaments at a portion of the bonded areas;   wherein the first filaments and/or the second filaments have an average diameter from about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm;   wherein the bonded areas comprise between about 6% and about 14% of the total surface area of the co-formed nonwoven web; and   wherein the co-formed nonwoven web has an average bonding area dispersion of from about 1.0 mm to about 5 mm.   
     
     
         20 . A packaged stack of wipes comprising the co-formed nonwoven web of  claim 19 , comprising a first wipe and a second wipe, wherein the first wipe and the second wipe respectively are in immediately preceding and succeeding relationship, and wherein an irregular design pattern of the first wipe is not substantially repeated on the second wipe.