Stretchable film laminates and methods and apparatus for making stretchable film laminates

• US 20040182499A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Farag, Rasha Wafik Zaki, Zhou, Peiguang, Lake, Matthew Boyd, Palmer, Randall James, Fitts, James Russell Jr., Shawver, Susan Elaine, Potnis, Prasad Shrikrishna, Day, Bryon Paul, Morman, Michael Tod, Matela, David Michael, Morell, Charles John, Neculescu, Cristian M., May, Raymond Jeffrey, Collier, Leslie Warren IV, Sudduth, Gregory Todd, Varriale, Monica
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/164
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4902 characterised by the elastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/20 in the form of a non-woven mat
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/04 comprising rubber as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/043; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/044; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/042; next to a metal layer B32B15/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/063; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/043; next to a wood layer B32B21/045; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/046
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2555/02 Diapers or napkins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/153 at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/04 Punching, slitting or perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/04 characterised by a layer being specifically extensible by reason of its structure or arrangement , e.g. by reason of the chemical nature of the fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/08 the fibres or filaments of a layer being of different substances , e.g. conjugate fibres, mixture of different fibres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23 Sheet including cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/162 Including a natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/184 Nonwoven scrim
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/195 Including a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/197 Including a nonwoven fabric which is not a scrim
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/198 Coated or impregnated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2049 Each major face of the fabric has at least one coating or impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2377 Improves elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3024 Including elastic strand or strip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/601 : Nonwoven fabric has an elastic quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/602 : Nonwoven fabric comprises an elastic strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/647 : Including a foamed layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/651 : Plural fabric layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/659 : Including an additional nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/66 : Additional nonwoven fabric is a spun-bonded fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/67 : Multiple nonwoven fabric layers composed of the same inorganic strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/671 : Multiple nonwoven fabric layers composed of the same polymeric strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/674 : Nonwoven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/68 : Melt-blown nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/681 : Spun-bonded nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/69 : Autogenously bonded nonwoven fabric

Abstract

Stretchable film laminates including a layer of elastomeric openwork, such as a plurality of elastic strands or an elastomeric mesh structure. The stretchable film laminates may include a film layer bonded to the layer of elastomeric openwork, with the film layer having cross-directional stretch and the laminate having a multi-phase stretchability profile. The stretchable film laminates may be made by extruding a film from a die, stretching the film, forming and stretching a layer of elastomeric openwork, conveying the stretched elastomeric openwork onto the film while the film is stretched, and passing the film and the elastomeric openwork through a nip. The invention also includes a machine capable of producing machine-direction, cross-direction, and biaxial stretch materials. The machine includes at least one extruder, at least one filament die and at least one film die both attached to the extruder(s), and at least one nip downstream of the extruder(s).

Claims

1. A stretchable laminate, comprising:

a first layer

a second layer; and

an elastomeric layer bonded to the first and second layers;

wherein the laminate has a multi-phase stretchability profile.

2. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the laminate has a multi-phase stretchability profile in a machine direction.

3. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the laminate has a multi-phase stretchability profile in a cross direction.

4. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second layer comprises at least one of the group consisting of a necked material, a nonwoven web, a film, a spunbond web, a meltblown web, and combinations thereof.

5. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the first and second layers are both necked, and the first layer is necked to a greater extent than the second layer.

6. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the first layer can withstand greater tension without failure than the second layer.

7. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second layers is elastomeric.

8. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric layer comprises an elastomeric adhesive film.

9. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric layer comprises a plurality of elastic strands.

10. The stretchable laminate of claim 9, wherein the elastomeric strands are zoned.

11. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric layer comprises an elastomeric mesh structure.

12. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric layer comprises an elastomer printed in a pattern on the first layer.

13. The stretchable laminate of claim 1, wherein the laminate is incorporated into a garment in at least one of the group consisting of side panels, ears, waistbands, leg elastics, outer covers, and combinations thereof.

14. A method of making a stretchable laminate, comprising the steps of:

extruding a first film from a first die;

stretching the first film;

forming and stretching a layer of elastomeric openwork;

conveying the stretched elastomeric openwork onto the first film while the first film is stretched; and

passing the first film and the elastomeric openwork through a nip.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising stretching the first film and the elastomeric openwork to different extents.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of laminating at least one facing layer to the first film and the elastomeric openwork.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of necking the at least one facing layer.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of necking first and second facing layers, necking the first facing layer to a greater extent than the second facing layer, and laminating the necked first and second facing layers to the first film and the elastomeric openwork.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first film comprises at least one of the group consisting of a plurality of film ribbons, a foamed elastomer, an elastomeric adhesive film, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of zoning the first film.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the elastomeric openwork comprises at least one of the group consisting of a plurality of elastic strands, an elastomeric mesh structure, and an elastomer printed in a pattern on a substrate.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of zoning the elastomeric openwork.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of passing the first film from a first roll onto a second roll, and conveying a second film from a second die onto the second roll on top of the first film and the elastomeric openwork.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of laminating a facing layer to a surface of the second film.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of zoning at least one of the first and second films.

26. A machine capable of producing machine-direction, cross-direction, and biaxial stretch materials, comprising:

at least one extruder;

at least one filament die attached to at least one extruder;

at least one film die attached to at least one extruder; and

at least one nip downstream of at least one of the filament die and the film die.

27. The machine of claim 26, further comprising at least one oven upstream of the nip.

28. The machine of claim 26, further comprising at least one adhesive application zone upstream of the nip.

29. The machine of claim 26, further comprising a first roll downstream of at least one of the at least one film die and the at least one filament die, and a second roll downstream of the first roll.

30. The machine of claim 29, wherein the first roll comprises a chill roll.

31. The machine of claim 29, wherein the second roll comprises a chill roll.

32. The machine of claim 26, further comprising a relaxation zone downstream of the at least one nip.