Controlled delamination of laminate structures having enclosed discrete regions of a material
First Claim
1. A laminate structure comprising:
- a first substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer and a second substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer of said first substrate is fused together with the thermoplastic polymer of said second substrate to form fused portions and unfused portions located between said fused portions, said unfused portions defining elongated pockets that contain discrete regions of particles, said pockets having a length-to-width ratio of greater than about 2, wherein said fused portions define at least one perimeter region and at least one inner region, said inner region being bonded to an extent such that said inner region is capable of delaminating upon the application of a force thereto, said perimeter region withstanding substantial delamination upon the application of said force.
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Abstract
A laminate structure that is formed from a first substrate, a second substrate, and discrete regions of particles sandwiched therebetween is provided. In particular, the first and second substrates are bonded together at certain portions such that bonded portions and unbonded portions are formed. The unbonded portions form pockets that contain the particles. The pockets have a length-to-width ratio of greater than about 2. The resulting laminate structure of the present invention can have inner regions that delaminate upon the application of a certain force (e.g., swelling of superabsorbent particles), as well as perimeter regions that do not substantially delaminate upon the application of the same force.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A laminate structure comprising:
a first substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer and a second substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer of said first substrate is fused together with the thermoplastic polymer of said second substrate to form fused portions and unfused portions located between said fused portions, said unfused portions defining elongated pockets that contain discrete regions of particles, said pockets having a length-to-width ratio of greater than about 2, wherein said fused portions define at least one perimeter region and at least one inner region, said inner region being bonded to an extent such that said inner region is capable of delaminating upon the application of a force thereto, said perimeter region withstanding substantial delamination upon the application of said force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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16. An absorbent article comprising:
a first substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer and a second substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer of said first substrate is fused together with the thermoplastic polymer of said second substrate to form fused portions and unfused portions located between said fused portions, wherein said unfused portions define elongated pockets containing discrete regions of a superabsorbent material that is capable of swelling upon being contacted with a liquid, said pockets having a length-to-width ratio of between about 4 to about 100, and wherein said fused portions define at least one perimeter region and at least one inner region, said inner region being bonded to an extent such that said inner region is capable of delaminating upon the application of a force thereto by the swelling of said superabsorbent material, said perimeter region withstanding substantial delamination upon the application of said force.
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23. A method for forming a laminate structure comprising:
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providing a first substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer;
depositing particles onto said first substrate in discrete regions;
placing a second substrate containing a thermoplastic polymer adjacent said first substrate such that said particles are sandwiched between said first and said second substrates;
fusing the thermoplastic polymer of said first substrate with the thermoplastic polymer of said second substrate to form fused portions and unfused portions located between said fused portions, wherein said unfused portions define elongated pockets containing said discrete regions of particles, said elongated pockets having a length-to-width ratio of greater than about 2, and wherein said fused portions define at least one perimeter region and at least one inner region, said inner region being bonded to an extent such that said inner region is capable of delaminating upon the application of a force thereto, said perimeter region withstanding substantial delamination upon the application of said force.
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Specification