Nonwoven fabric comprising needled and selectively fused fine and coarse filaments having differing softening temperatures which is useful as a backing in the production of tufted materials

摘要

A nonwoven fabric is comprised of a blend of fine staple fibers and coarse staple fibers randomly oriented with the fine staple fibers having a higher melt flow than the coarse staple fibers. In the manufacture of the nonwoven fabric, same is needled whereby the needles select the fine fibers and portions of same are positioned in a plane generally transverse to the plane of the fabric. Infrared heat is used to fuse the fine fibers at overlapping portions thereof to provide integrity for the fabric. The coarse staple fibers are held in the interstices of the fabric at least partially by frictional engagement with the fine staple fibers.