Method and apparatus for deforming a web

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279535-B2
Application number	US-201514806681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Apr 26, 2011
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for deforming a web are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method involves feeding a web into a nip that is formed between at least two intermeshing rolls. The rolls are configured for deforming a web with at least two sets of deformations that are oriented in different directions relative to the surfaces of the web.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonwoven web comprising:
a first side and a second side;
land areas having a web density;
formed discrete first protrusions disposed in a plurality of spaced apart first locations, wherein the formed discrete first protrusions have a density that is permanently altered to be different than the web density in response to an applied stress or strain; and
formed discrete second protrusions disposed in a plurality of spaced apart second locations that are different locations than the first locations, such that the second protrusions are distributed between the first protrusions, with respect to an X-Y dimension in a plane of the web, wherein the formed discrete second protrusions have a density that is permanently altered to be different than the web density in response to an applied stress or strain;
apertures defined at distal ends of the formed discrete second protrusions; and
wherein the first protrusions extend out from a first side of the web and the second protrusions extend out from a second side of the web.

2. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different shapes when taken from a plan view.

3. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different sizes.

4. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different aspect ratios.

5. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different spacings.

6. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different heights.

7. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different densities.

8. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different surface treatments.

9. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions include different numbers of layers from the web.

10. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions are tufts and the second protrusions have a columnar shape.

11. The nonwoven web of claim 10 wherein the tufts are open on at least one end.

12. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions are tufts and the second protrusions have a shape selected from the group including: dome-shaped, tent-shaped, and volcano-shaped.

13. The nonwoven web of claim 12 wherein the tufts are open on at least one end.

14. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the first protrusions have a columnar shape and the second protrusions have a shape selected from the group including: dome-shaped, tent-shaped, and volcano-shaped.

15. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein a center-to-center spacing between the first and the second protrusions is less than or equal to 10 millimeters.

16. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein a center-to-center spacing between the first and the second protrusions is less than or equal to 5 millimeters.

17. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein, for at least a portion of the web, the total number of protrusions is 4-100 protrusions per square inch.

18. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein, for at least a portion of the web, the total number of protrusions is 4-25 protrusions per square inch.

19. A nonwoven web comprising:
a first side and a second side;
land areas having a web density;
formed discrete first protrusions disposed in a plurality of spaced apart first locations, wherein the formed discrete first protrusions have a density that is permanently altered to be different than the web density in response to an applied stress or strain;
formed discrete second protrusions disposed in a plurality of spaced apart second locations that are different locations than the first locations, such that the second protrusions are distributed between the first protrusions, with respect to an X-Y dimension in a plane of the web, wherein the formed discrete second protrusions have a density that is permanently altered to be different than the web density in response to an applied stress or strain;
apertures defined at distal ends of the formed discrete second protrusions;
wherein the first protrusions extend out from a first side of the web and the second protrusions extend out from a second side of the web; and
wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions have different densities.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Lake Kirk Wallace
• Orr Jill Marlene
• Curro John Joseph
• Strube John Brian
• Mullane Timothy Ian
• Kocher Leroy Joseph

Classifications

• B31F2201/0738

  Cross sectional profile of the embossments · CPC title

• B29C53/24 Primary

  of plates or sheets · CPC title

• Y10T428/24628

  Nonplanar uniform thickness material · CPC title

• B31F2201/0797

  Perforating · CPC title

• Y10T428/24694

  Parallel corrugations · CPC title