Inventors:
John H. Baker - Philadelphia PA
Assignee:
Scott Paper Company - Philadelphia PA
International Classification:
B29C 1704
Abstract:
A nonwoven, self-sustaining, absorbent fabric comprising a batt of randomly arranged, intermingled cellulosic fibers has a plurality of high loft, loosely compacted regions separated from each other by highly compressed regions. An adhesive material penetrates through the compressed regions to form bonded fiber networks extending completely through the batt, and said adhesive material only partially penetrates through said high loft regions whereby the fibers in the interiors of said high loft regions are unbonded by said adhesive so that said regions are highly absorbent. A method of manufacturing the above-described nonwoven fabric by moistening opposed surfaces of a loosely compacted, randomly oriented cellulosic fiber batt, embossing said moistened batt for providing a pattern in said surfaces, applying an adhesive to the patterned surfaces of the batt and setting said adhesive.