Web materials exhibiting elastic-like behavior

• US 5,968,029 A
• Filed: 01/14/1998
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Curro, John J., Chappell, Charles W., Mansfield, Michele A., Lodge, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COGUT, CATHERINE A
• Application Number:
  US09/006,974
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 604/358, 604/373, 604/385.1, 604/387, 428/181, 428/179
• US Class Current: 604/385.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15707 Mechanical treatment, e.g. notching, twisting, compressing, shaping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5116 being formed of multiple layers A61F13/5123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/514 Backsheet, i.e. the impermeable cover or layer furthest from the skin A61F13/15211, A61F13/15252 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51466 providing stretchability without the use of elastic material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51476 being three-dimensional, e.g. embossed, textured, pleated, or with three-dimensional features, like gathers or loops
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51484 being inhomogeneous in the plane of the sheet, i.e. having zones of different properties or structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51322 being elastomeric or stretchable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51429 being elastomeric or stretchable sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/18 by squeezing between surfaces, e.g. rollers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24669 Aligned or parallel nonplanarities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24686 Pleats or otherwise parallel adjacent folds

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate including a first boundary zone having a first surface pathlength and a second boundary zone having a second surface pathlength. The first and the second surface pathlengths are preferably measured when the formed substrate is in a relaxed condition. The substrate also includes an elongated zone located at least partially between the first boundary zone and the second boundary zone. The elongated zone comprises incrementally stretched regions which result in the elongated zone being elongated in a first direction of elongation and having a third surface pathlength measured when the formed substrate is in the relaxed condition. The third surface pathlength is greater than either the first pathlength or the second pathlength such that the substrate takes on a macroscopic three-dimensional configuration when the backsheet is in a relaxed condition.

Claims

1. A macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate comprising:

(a) a first boundary zone having a first surface pathlength and a second boundary zone having a second surface pathlength, said first and said second surface pathlengths measured when said formed substrate is in a relaxed condition; and

(b) an elongated zone located at least partially between said first boundary zone and said second boundary zone, said elongated zone comprising incrementally stretched regions which result in said elongated zone being elongated in a first direction of elongation, said elongated zone having a third surface pathlength measured generally parallel to said first direction of elongation when said formed substrate is in said relaxed condition, said third surface pathlength being greater than either said first pathlength or said second pathlength such that said substrate takes on a macroscopic three-dimensional configuration when said substrate is in said relaxed condition.

2. The macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate of claim 1 wherein said third surface pathlength is greater than both said first surface pathlength and said second surface pathlength.

3. The macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate of claim 1 wherein said elongated zone of said formed substrate comprises regions of differential incremental stretching.

4. The macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate of claim 1 wherein said first and said second boundary zones of said formed substrate are elastomeric.

5. The macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate of claim 1 comprising at least three boundary zones, said first boundary zone, said second boundary zone and a third boundary zone.

6. The macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate of claim 5 wherein said boundary zones completely surround at least a portion of said elongated zone.

7. The macroscopically three-dimensional formed substrate of claim 5 wherein said elongated zone has regions of incremental stretching which elongate said elongated zone in said first direction of elongation and at least one other direction of elongation.

8. An absorbent article having a pair of opposed longitudinal edges,

an absorbent assembly having an inner facing side and an outer facing side;

a backsheet joined with said outer facing side of said absorbent assembly, said backsheet including a formed substrate comprising;

(a) a first boundary zone having a first surface pathlength and a second boundary zone having a second surface pathlength, said first and said second surface pathlengths measured when said formed substrate is in a relaxed condition; and

(b) an elongated zone located at least partially between said first boundary zone and said second boundary zone, said elongated zone comprising incrementally stretched regions which result in said elongated zone being elongated in a first direction of elongation, said elongated zone having a third surface pathlength measured generally parallel to said first direction of elongation when said formed substrate is in said relaxed condition, said third surface pathlength being greater than either said first pathlength or said second pathlength such that said backsheet takes on a macroscopic three-dimensional configuration when said backsheet is in said relaxed condition.

9. The absorbent article of claim 8 wherein said first boundary zone and said second boundary zone extend generally parallel to said longitudinal edges, and said first direction of elongation is generally parallel to said longitudinal edges.

10. The absorbent article of claim 8 wherein said absorbent assembly comprises a topsheet, said backsheet joined with said topsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, said topsheet comprising at least a portion of said inner facing side of said absorbent assembly, and said backsheet being positioned adjacent said outer facing side of said absorbent assembly.

11. The absorbent article of claim 10 wherein said topsheet includes a second formed substrate comprising a first boundary zone and a second boundary zone each extending generally parallel to said longitudinal edges, said first boundary zone having a first surface pathlength and said second boundary zone having a second surface pathlength, both said first and said second surface pathlength measured when said second formed substrate is in a relaxed condition;

and an elongated zone located between said boundary zones, said elongated zone comprising incrementally stretched regions which result in said elongated zone being elongated in a first direction, said elongated zone having a third surface pathlength measured generally parallel to said first direction of elongation when said second formed substrate is in said relaxed condition, said third surface pathlength being greater than either said first pathlength or said second pathlength such that said topsheet takes on a macroscopic three-dimensional configuration when said topsheet is in said relaxed condition.

12. The absorbent article of claim 8 wherein said first boundary zone and said second boundary zone extend generally perpendicular to said longitudinal edges and said first direction of elongation is generally perpendicular to said longitudinal edges.

13. The absorbent article of claim 12 wherein said absorbent assembly comprises a topsheet, said backsheet joined with said topsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, said topsheet comprising at least a portion of said inner facing side of said absorbent assembly, and said backsheet being positioned adjacent said outer facing side of said absorbent assembly.

14. The absorbent article of claim 13 wherein said topsheet includes a second formed substrate comprising a first boundary zone and a second boundary zone each extending generally perpendicular to said longitudinal edges, said first boundary zone having a first surface pathlength and said second boundary zone having a second surface pathlength, both said first and said second surface pathlength measured when said second formed substrate is in a relaxed condition;

and an elongated zone located between said boundary zones, said elongated zone comprising incrementally stretched regions which result in said elongated zone being elongated in a first direction, said elongated zone having a third surface pathlength measured generally parallel to said first direction of elongation when said second formed substrate is in said relaxed condition, said third surface pathlength being greater than either said first pathlength or said second pathlength such that said topsheet takes on a macroscopic three-dimensional configuration when said topsheet is in said relaxed condition.

15. The absorbent article of claim 14 wherein said elongated zone of said formed substrate comprises regions of differential incremental stretching.

16. The absorbent article of claim 15 wherein said first and said second boundary zones of said formed substrate are elastomeric.

17. A sanitary napkin having a pair of opposed longitudinal edges,

a topsheet;

a backsheet joined with said topsheet; and

an absorbent assembly positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, said absorbent assembly having an inner facing side and an outer facing side, said topsheet being positioned adjacent said inner facing side of said absorbent assembly and said backsheet being positioned adjacent said outer facing side of said absorbent assembly;

said backsheet including a formed substrate comprising;

(a) a first boundary zone extending generally parallel to said longitudinal edges, one of said boundary zones having a first surface pathlength and a second boundary zone having a second surface pathlength, said first and said second said boundary zones extending generally parallel to said longitudinal edges, said first and said second surface pathlengths measured when said formed substrate is in a relaxed condition, each said boundary zone having a width between about 0.1 cm and about 3.0 cm, said boundary zones being spaced apart between about 1.0 cm and about 30.0 cm; and

(b) an elongated zone located at least partially between said first boundary zone and said second boundary zone, said elongated zone comprising incrementally stretched regions which result in said elongated zone being elongated in a first direction of elongation, said elongated zone having a third surface pathlength measured generally parallel to said first direction of elongation when said formed substrate is in said relaxed condition, said third surface pathlength being greater than either said first pathlength or said second pathlength such that said backsheet takes on a macroscopic three-dimensional configuration when said backsheet is in said relaxed condition.

18. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein said third surface pathlength is greater than both said first surface pathlength and said second surface pathlength.

19. The sanitary napkin of claim 17 wherein said width of said boundary zones is between about 0.2 cm and about 1.5 cm.

20. The sanitary napkin of claim 17 wherein said boundary zones are spaced apart between about 2.0 cm and about 15.0 cm.

21. The sanitary napkin of claim 17 wherein said boundary zones are spaced apart between about 4.0 cm and about 10.0 cm.

22. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein said topsheet includes a second formed substrate comprising a first boundary zone and a second boundary zone each extending generally parallel to said longitudinal edges, said first boundary zone having a first surface pathlength and said second boundary zone having a second surface pathlength, both said first and said second surface pathlength measured when said second formed substrate is in a relaxed condition;

and an elongated zone located between said boundary zones, said elongated zone comprising incrementally stretched regions which result in said elongated zone being elongated in a first direction, said elongated zone having a third surface pathlength measured generally parallel to said first direction of elongation when said second formed substrate is in said relaxed condition, said third surface pathlength being greater than either said first pathlength or said second pathlength such that said topsheet takes on a macroscopic three-dimensional configuration when said topsheet is in said relaxed condition.

23. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein said elongated zone of said formed substrate comprises regions of differential incremental stretching.

24. The absorbent article of claim 17 wherein said boundary zones are elastomeric.