Web materials exhibiting elastic-like behavior and soft, cloth-like texture

• US 5,650,214 A
• Filed: 05/31/1996
• Issued: 07/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Goulait, David J. K., Anderson, Barry J., Rodriguez, Sheila S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, James J.
• Application Number:
  US08/656,129
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 428/152, 428/156, 428/167, 428/212, 428/910, 428/913, 604/358
• US Class Current: 428/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/45 characterised by the shape cup-shaped type tampons A61F13/2045
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4902 characterised by the elastic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/91 Product with molecular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24446 Wrinkled, creased, crinkled or creped
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree

Abstract

A soft web material which exhibits an elastic-like behavior along at least one axis when subjected to an applied and subsequently released elongation. The web material includes a strainable network having a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions of the same material composition. A portion of the first regions extend in a first direction while the remainder extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to intersect one another. The first regions form a boundary completely surrounding the second regions. The second regions include a plurality of raised rib-like elements.

Claims

1. A soft web material comprising:

a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions being comprised of the same material composition, a portion of said first regions extending in a first direction while the remainder of said first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction to intersect one another, said first regions forming a boundary completely surrounding said second regions, said second regions comprising a plurality of raised rib-like elements, said first regions undergoing a molecular-level and geometric deformation and said second regions initially undergoing a substantially geometric deformation when said web material is subjected to an applied elongation along at least one axis.

2. The web material of claim 1, wherein said first regions and said second regions are distinct from one another.

3. The web material of claim 1, wherein said first region is substantially free of said rib-like elements.

4. The web material of claim 1, wherein said rib-like elements have a major axis and a minor axis.

5. The web material of claim 3, wherein said first region and said second region are comprised of at least one layer of film material.

6. The web material of claim 5, wherein said film material is comprised of polyethylene or blends thereof.

7. A soft web material exhibiting an elastic-like behavior along at least one axis, said web material comprising:

a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions, said first region and said second region being comprised of the same material composition and each having an untensioned projected pathlength, a portion of said first regions extending in a first direction while the remainder of said first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction to intersect one another, said first regions forming a boundary completely surrounding said second regions, said second regions comprising a plurality of raised rib-like elements, said first region undergoing a molecular-level and geometric deformation and said second region initially undergoing a substantially geometric deformation when said web material is subjected to an applied elongation in a direction substantial parallel to said axis, said first region and said second region substantially returning to their untensioned projected pathlength when said applied elongation is released.

8. The web material of claim 7, wherein said first regions and said second regions are distinct from one another.

9. The web material of claim 7, wherein said first region is substantially free of said rib-like elements.

10. The web material of claim 7, wherein said rib-like elements have a major axis and a minor axis.

11. The web material of claim 7, wherein said first region and said second region are comprised of at least one layer of film material.

12. The web material of claim 11, wherein said film material is comprised of polyethylene or blends thereof.

13. The web material of claim 7, wherein said web material has an available stretch.

14. The web material of claim 13, wherein said second region provides a limit to said available stretch.

15. The web material of claim 7, wherein said web material is a backsheet on a disposable absorbent article.

16. The web material of claim 7, wherein said web material is a portion of a backsheet on a disposable absorbent article.

17. The web material of claim 7, wherein said web material is a topsheet on a disposable absorbent article.

18. The web material of claim 7, wherein said web material is a portion of a topsheet on a disposable absorbent article.

19. The web material of claim 7, wherein said web material is a laminate of two or more materials.

20. A soft web material exhibiting at least two-stages of resistive forces to an applied axial elongation along at least one axis when subjected to the applied axial elongation in a direction substantially parallel to said axis, said web material comprising:

a strainable network of visually distinct regions, said strainable network including a plurality of regions and a plurality of second regions, said first region and said second region being comprised of the same material composition and each having a surface-pathlength, a portion of said first regions extending in a first direction while the remainder of said first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction to intersect one another, said first regions forming a boundary completely surrounding said second regions, said second regions comprising a plurality of raised rib-like elements, said surface-pathlength of said first region being less than that of said second region as measured parallel to said axis while said web material is in an untensioned condition, said web material exhibiting a Poisson lateral contraction effect less than about 0.4 at 20 percent elongation as measured perpendicular to said axis.

21. The web material of claim 20, wherein said web material exhibits a Poisson lateral contraction effect less than about 0.4 at 60 percent elongation as measured perpendicular to said axis.

22. The web material of claim 20, wherein said surface-pathlength of said second region is at least about 15 percent greater than that of said first region as measured parallel to said axis while said web material is in an untensioned condition.

23. The web material of claim 20, wherein said web material is a backsheet on a disposable absorbent article.

24. The web material of claim 20, wherein said web material is a fluid pervious topsheet on a disposable absorbent article.

25. A soft web material exhibiting at least two-stages of resistive forces to an applied axial elongation, D, along at least one axis when subjected to the applied axial elongation along said axis, said web material comprising:

a strainable network of visually distinct regions, said strainable network including a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions, a portion of said first regions extending in a first direction while the remainder of said first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction to intersect one another, said first regions forming a boundary completely surrounding said second regions, said second regions comprising a plurality of raised rib-like elements, said first regions having a first surface-pathlength, L1, as measured parallel to said axis while said web material is in an untensioned condition, said second region having a second surface-pathlength, L2, as measured parallel to said axis while said web material is in an untensioned condition, said first surface-pathlength, L1, being less than said second surface-pathlength, L2, said first region producing by itself a resistive force, P1, in response to an applied axial elongation, D, said second region producing by itself a resistive force, P2, in response to said applied axial elongation, D, said resistive force P1 being substantially greater than said resistive force P2 when (L1+D) is less than L2.

26. The web material of claim 25, wherein said first region has a cross-sectional area A1 and said second region has a cross-sectional area A2.

27. The web material of claim 25, wherein said first region has an elastic modulus E1 and said second region has an elastic modulus E2 when (L1+D) is greater than L2.

28. The web material of claim 25, wherein said first region provides an initial resistive force P1 to the applied axial elongation D generally satisfying the equation P1=(A1×

E1×

D)/L1 when (L1+D) is less than L2 and when (L1+D) is greater than L2 said first and second regions providing a combined resistive force PT to the applied axial elongation D generally satisfying the equation PT=((A1×

E1×

D)/L1)+((A2×

E2×

|L1+D-L2.vertline.)/L2).

29. A soft web material exhibiting an elastic-like behavior in response to an applied axial elongation along at least one axis thereof, said web material comprising:

a strainable network having first and second regions formed of the same material composition, a portion of said first regions extending in a first direction while the remainder of said first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction to intersect one another, said first regions forming a boundary completely surrounding said second regions, said second regions comprising relieved elements, said first regions providing a first, elastic-like resistive force to said applied elongation, and said second regions providing a second distinctive resistive force to further applied axial elongation, thereby providing at least two stages of resistive forces in use.

30. The web material of claim 29, wherein said web material comprises a transition region.