Non-woven fabric comprising buds and bundles connected by highly entangled fibrous areas and methods of manufacturing the same

Claim 1

A non-woven fabric with a plurality of patterns of groups of fiber segments that alternate and extend throughout the fabric which comprises: groups of fiber segments in discontinuous portions of the fabric, said discontinuous portions forming a first pattern, each of said groups including at least one nub of fiber segments interentangled in helter-skelter arrangement, said nub protruding out of the plane of the fabric, each of said groups also including at least one yarn-like bundle of fiber segments wherein the fiber segments are in close proximity and substantial parallelism to one another, said first discontinuous portions of the fabric being bound and interconnected by a continuous highly entangled, interlaced fibrous area, said continuous portion forming a second pattern and the fibers in said continuous portion being entangled in substantially all directions including the thickness of the fabric, said fabric having a bulk density of from 0.04 grams per cubic centimeter to 0.084 grams per cubic centimeter and a tenacity of at least 0.5 pounds per inch per 100 grains per square yard.

Claim 9

The method of producing a non-woven fabric having a plurality of patterns of groups of fiber segments that alternate and extend throughout said fabric from a layer of starting fibrous material the individual fibrous elements of which are capable of movement under applied fluid forces which comprises: (a) supporting said starting material on a foraminous member having a predetermined topography, (b) treating said starting material while so supported with a first pattern of longitudinally and transversely spaced and simultaneously flowing fluid streams, (c) removing said fluid streams while maintaining said treated material on said foraminous member, and (d) treating said material a second time with a second pattern of longitudinally and transversely spaced and simultaneously flowing fluid streams, said second pattern being out of register with the first pattern of longitudinally and transversely spaced fluid streams.

Claim 10

The method of producing a non-woven fabric having a plurality of patterns of groups of fiber segments that alternate and extend throughout said fabric from a layer of starting fibrous material the individual fibrous elements of which are capable of movement under applied fluid forces which comprises: (a) supporting said starting material on a foraminous member having a predetermined topography, (b) treating said starting material while so supported with a first pattern of longitudinally and transversely spaced and simultaneously flowing fluid streams, (c) removing said fluid streams while maintaining said treated material on said foraminous member, and (d) treating said material a second time with a second pattern of longitudinally and transversely spaced and simultaneously flowing fluid streams, said second pattern being out of register with the first pattern of longitudinally and transversely spaced fluid streams.