Method of gravure printing elastomeric compositions

• US 20050214461A1
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Dalal, Urmish Popatlal, Desai, Fred Naval
• Granted Patent: US 8,551,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/256
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 1/10 Intaglio printing ; Gravure printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/006 Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1727 Plural indefinite length or running length workpieces

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process of manufacturing a stretch composite, said method comprising: a) providing a first substrate in a machine direction, wherein said substrate has opposing first and second surfaces; b) providing a gravure printing roll having an exterior surface that comprises one or more cells wherein at least a portion of the surface is relatively cool; c) depositing a molten, non-adhesive, elastomeric composition onto the exterior surface of the gravure printing device which comprises a gravure printing roll, wherein said composition is characterized as having a peel force of less than about 3 N/cm; d) causing said composition to be pushed into said cells; and e) contacting said first surface of said substrate with said gravure printing roll and substantially completely transferring said elastomeric composition from said cells of said exterior surface on said gravure printing roll to said first surface; wherein said process is substantially free of tackifier.

Claims

1. A process of manufacturing a stretch composite, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first substrate in a machine direction, wherein said substrate has opposing first and second surfaces;

b) providing a gravure printing device which comprises a gravure printing roll having an exterior surface that comprises one or more cells wherein at least a portion of the surface is relatively cool;

c) depositing a molten, non-adhesive, elastomeric composition onto the exterior surface of the gravure printing roll, wherein said composition is characterized as having a peel force of less than about 3 N/cm;

d) causing said composition to be pushed into said cells; and

e) contacting said first surface of said substrate with said gravure printing roll and substantially completely transferring said elastomeric composition from said cells of said exterior surface on said gravure printing roll to said first surface; and

wherein said process is substantially free of tackifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the exterior surface of said gravure printing roll has a temperature that is at least 10°

C. lower than the temperature of said elastomeric composition prior to deposition on the gravure printing roll.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said composition is applied as a layer to said roll by a delivery mechanism selected from the group consisting of a slot coater, a bath, a sprayer, and an extruder.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein excess composition present on said printing roll is removed via a doctor blade.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said elastomeric composition comprises thermoplastic elastomers and mineral oils.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said elastomeric composition is crosslinked.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said elastomeric composition comprises:

a) from about 1 to about 99 wt % a thermoplastic elastomer, which is a block copolymer having at least one soft block and at least one hard block;

b) from about 1 to about 70 wt % a phase change solvent having the general formula;

R′

—

P_y-(Q-P_x)_n-1-Q-P_y—

R;

 

 

(I)
R′

—

P_y-(Q-P_x)_n-R;

 

 

(II)
R′

-(Q-P_x)_n-R;

 

 

(III)
R′

-(Q-P_x)_n-1-Q-P_y—

R;

 

 

(IV)
R′

-(Q-P_x)_n-1-Q-R;

or 

 

(V)

(VI) mixtures thereof;

wherein Q is a substituted or unsubstituted difunctional aromatic moiety;

P is CH₂;

R and R′

are the same or different and are independently selected from H, CH₃, COOH, CONHR₁, CONR₁R₂, NHR₃, NR₃R₄, hydroxy, or C1-C30 alkoxy;

wherein R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are the same or different and are independently selected from H or linear or branched alkyl from C1-C30;

x is an integer from 1 to 30;

y is an integer from 1 to 30; and

n is an integer from 1 to 7.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said elastomeric composition further comprises from about 1 to about 70 wt % a processing oil.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said elastomeric composition further comprises from about 0.1 to about 50 wt % a nucleating agent.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said elastomeric composition further comprises from about 1 to about 50 wt % a thermoplastic polymer.

17. A disposable article comprising a stretch region selected from the group consisting of an ear, leg cuff, waist band, back panel, front panel, side panel, and combinations thereof, wherein said region comprises a stretch composite made according to the method of claim 1.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is stretched in said machine direction so as to neck said substrate in a cross machine direction prior to transfer of said composition.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is incrementally stretched after said transfer of said composition so as permanently elongate at least a portion thereof.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein a second substrate is contacted with said composition after said transfer of said composition.

11. A process of manufacturing a stretch composite, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first substrate in a machine direction, wherein said substrate has opposing first and second surfaces;

b) providing a gravure printing belt having an exterior surface that comprises grooves on said surface;

c) depositing a molten, non-adhesive elastomeric composition onto the exterior surface of the gravure printing belt, wherein said composition is characterized as having a peel force of less than about 3 N/cm;

d) causing said composition to be pushed into said grooves; and

e) contacting said first surface of said substrate with the exterior surface of said gravure printing belt and substantially completely transferring said elastomeric composition from said patterned structures on said gravure printing belt to said first surface; and

wherein said process is substantially free of tackifier.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of said gravure printing belt is heated prior to deposition of said elastomeric composition and wherein said portion is cooled prior to transfer of said elastomeric composition to the substrate.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the temperature of said portion of said gravure printing belt prior to deposition of said elastomeric composition is at least 10°

C. higher than the temperature of the belt prior to transfer of said elastomeric composition to the substrate.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said composition is applied as a layer to said belt by a delivery mechanism selected from the group consisting of a slot coater, a bath, a sprayer, or an extruder.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said elastomeric composition comprises thermoplastic elastomers and mineral oils.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said elastomeric composition is crosslinked.