Apertured polymeric film webs and absorbent articles using such webs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10272635-B2
Application number	US-201815992647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2018
Priority date	Apr 7, 2000
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

Methods for making an apertured polymeric film web or a composite structure web are disclosed. These webs may be utilized as a topsheet in an absorbent article and can provide fluid handling and softness benefits.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making an apertured polymeric film web for use in an absorbent article, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a forming structure;
providing a polymeric film web to the forming structure;
forming a plurality of three dimensional structures having a first size, wherein the plurality of three dimensional structures are formed via hydroforming or vacuum forming; and
subsequently forming a plurality of apertures having a second size that is greater than the first size, wherein the plurality of apertures is formed via needles or heatable pins.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a composite web comprising the polymeric film web and a carrier web, and wherein the composite web has a wearer-facing surface and an opposing garment-facing surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of providing the carrier web to the forming structure.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the carrier web comprises a nonwoven web layer.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of extruding the polymeric film web onto the carrier web.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of providing the carrier web in conjunction with the polymeric film web to the forming structure as the composite web.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the carrier web is a nonwoven web layer.

8. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of orienting the composite web in an absorbent article such that the polymeric film web forms a portion of the wearer-facing surface of the composite web.

9. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of orienting the composite web in an absorbent article such that the polymeric film web forms a portion of the garment-facing surface of the composite web.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric film web is hydrophobic.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric film web is hydrophilic.

12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the polymeric film web and the carrier web have different air permeability.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a composite web, the composite web comprising a tie layer disposed between the polymeric film web and a carrier web.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric film web comprises a whitening agent.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the whitening agent is titanium dioxide which is present in an amount of about 1 to 15 weight percent.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tie layer is hydrophilic.

17. The method of claim 4 , wherein the polymeric film web has a basis weight of from between 5 to 30 gsm, and wherein the carrier web has a basis weight of from between 7 to 40 gsm.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the carrier web is a nonwoven web.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures comprises a second diameter in a range from 0.4 mm to 1.5 mm.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a composite web, wherein the polymeric film web is disposed on a nonwoven carrier web, and wherein the polymer film web has a thickness of less than 25 microns.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the nonwoven carrier web comprises a plurality of fibers having a denier of between 3 to 15.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of three dimensional structures extend in a first direction from the polymeric film web and the plurality of apertures extend in a second direction, opposite the first direction, from the polymeric film web.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of three dimensional structures comprises a sidewall which extends from the polymeric web, at least a portion of which are in a first direction, and wherein each of the plurality of apertures comprise a sidewall which extends in a second direction opposite the first direction.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein there are on average at least 1000 three dimensional structures per square cm.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the three dimensional structures comprise apertures.

26. The method of claim 2 , wherein a surface energy gradient exists between the wearer-facing surface and the garment-facing surface of the composite web.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 50 percent of the plurality of three dimensional structures comprise an open area of greater than 2000 square micrometers.

28. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 30 percent of the plurality of three dimensional structures comprise an open area of greater than 3000 square micrometers.

29. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 25 percent of the plurality of three dimensional structures comprise an open area of greater than 4000 square micrometers.

30. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 20 percent of the plurality of three dimensional structures comprise an open area of greater than 6000 square micrometers.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Lee Yann-Per
• Fereshtehkhou Saeed
• Stone Keith Joseph

Classifications

• B29C48/0022

  combined with cutting · CPC title

• B32B3/28 Primary

  characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet {, i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane}, e.g. corrugated, crumpled (B32B29/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F13/512

  characterised by its apertures, e.g. perforations · CPC title

• A61F2013/51366

  with hydrophilic lower face · CPC title

• A61F13/5116

  being formed of multiple layers (A61F13/5123 takes precedence) · CPC title