Methods for making zoned apertured webs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10280543-B2
Application number	US-201414247276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2014
Priority date	Apr 8, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A method for making a zoned apertured nonwoven web comprises providing an unapertured nonwoven web having a first plurality of weakened locations in a first pattern in a first zone and a second plurality of weakened locations in a second pattern in a second zone. The method comprises applying a substantially cross machine directional tensioning force to the nonwoven web to cause the nonwoven web to rupture at some of the first and second pluralities of weakened locations. The applying step creates a plurality of first apertures in the nonwoven web coincident with the some of the first plurality of weakened locations and a plurality of second apertures in the nonwoven web coincident with the some of the second plurality of weakened locations. The cross machine directional width of the nonwoven web after the applying step is substantially the same in the first zone and the second zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making a zoned apertured nonwoven web, the method comprising:
advancing a nonwoven web in a machine direction;
overbonding the nonwoven web at a plurality of first locations in a first zone of the nonwoven web to create a first plurality of overbonds that are situated in a first pattern, wherein the first plurality of overbonds are substantially the same size;
overbonding the nonwoven web at a plurality of second locations in a second zone of the nonwoven web to create a second plurality of overbonds that are situated in a second pattern that is different than the first pattern, wherein the second plurality of overbonds are substantially the same size, wherein the first zone is positioned further upstream than the second zone relative to the machine direction;
wherein the first plurality of overbonds are free of overlap with the second plurality of overbonds in a cross machine direction, and wherein the nonwoven web remains unapertured;
incrementally stretching the nonwoven web to locally extend portions of the nonwoven web in a direction substantially parallel to a cross machine direction to cause the nonwoven web to rupture at some of the first and second pluralities of overbonds in the first and second zones; and
applying a substantially cross machine directional tensioning force to the nonwoven web to cause the nonwoven web to further rupture at the some of the first and second pluralities of overbonds in the first and second zones to create:
a plurality of first apertures in the nonwoven web coincident with the some of the first plurality of overbonds in the first zone; and
a plurality of second apertures in the nonwoven web coincident with the some of the second plurality of overbonds in the second zone;

wherein a cross machine directional width of the nonwoven web after the applying step is substantially the same in the first zone and the second zone, and wherein any cross machine directional line taken in the nonwoven web only intersects the first zone or only intersects the second zone.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apertures in the first zone are different in effective aperture area than the apertures in the second zone, and wherein the first zone is free of overlap with the second zone in the cross machine direction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern extends across a cross machine direction of the nonwoven web, and wherein the second pattern extends across the cross machine direction of the nonwoven web.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cross machine directional width of the nonwoven web in the first zone is within 2 mm of the cross machine directional width of the nonwoven web in the second zone after applying step.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overbonding step comprises overbonding the nonwoven web with an overbonding roll having a first pattern of radially outwardly extending protrusions positioned on a radial outer surface of the overbonding roll and a second pattern of radially outwardly extending protrusions positioned on the radial outer surface of the overbonding roll.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first pattern of radially outwardly extending protrusions extends around about 50% of a circumference of the overbonding roll in the direction of rotation of the roll, and wherein the second pattern of radially outwardly extending protrusions extends around about 50% of the circumference of the overbonding roll in the direction of rotation of the roll, and comprising using the overbonding roll to form a cross machine directionally extending boundary zone in the nonwoven web intermediate the first zone and the second zone.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first pattern of radially outwardly extending protrusions extends around less than 50% of a circumference of the overbonding roll in the direction of rotation of the roll.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising advancing the nonwoven web through a nip during the overbonding.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overbonding steps comprise applying heat or pressure to the nonwoven web.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cross machine directional tensioning force is in the range of about 13 grams to about 17 grams.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the incremental stretching is substantially constant in the first zone and the second zone.

12. A method for making a zoned apertured nonwoven web, the method comprising:
providing an unapertured nonwoven web comprising:
a first plurality of overbonds that are situated in a first pattern in a first zone, wherein the first plurality of the overbonds are substantially the same; and
a second plurality of overbonds that are situated in a second, different pattern in a second zone, wherein the second plurality of overbonds are substantially the same;
wherein the first plurality of overbonds are free of overlap with the second plurality of overbonds in a cross-machine direction;

advancing the nonwoven web in a machine direction such that the first zone is positioned further upstream relative to the second zone in the machine direction, wherein a boundary is present intermediate the first zone and the second zone, and wherein the boundary extends in a cross machine direction;
incrementally stretching the nonwoven web to locally extend portions of the nonwoven web in a direction substantially parallel to a cross machine direction to cause the nonwoven web to rupture at some of the first and second pluralities of overbonds in the first and second zones; and
applying a substantially cross machine directional tensioning force to the nonwoven web to cause the nonwoven web to further rupture at the some of the first and second pluralities of overbonds in the first and second zones to create:
a plurality of first apertures in the nonwoven web coincident with the some of the first plurality of overbonds in the first zone; and
a plurality of second apertures in the nonwoven web coincident with the some of the second plurality of overbonds in the second zone;

wherein the cross machine directional width of the nonwoven web after the applying step is substantially the same in the first zone and the second zone.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the apertures in the first zone are different in effective aperture area than the apertures in the second zone, and wherein the first zone is free of overlap with the second zone in the cross machine direction.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first pattern extends fully across the cross machine direction of the nonwoven web, and wherein the second pattern extends fully across the cross machine direction of the nonwoven web.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second plurality of overbonds are formed by overbonding the unapertured nonwoven web.

16. A method for making a zoned apertured nonwoven web, the method comprising:
providing an unapertured nonwoven web comprising:
a first plurality of overbonds that are situated in a first pattern in a first zone, wherein the first plurality of overbonds are substantially the same size; and
a second plurality of overbonds that are situated in a second, different pattern in a second zone, wherein the second plurality of overbonds are substantially the same size;
wherein the first plurality of overbonds are free of overlap with the second plurality of overbonds in a cross machine direction;

advancing the nonwoven web in a machine direction such that the first zone is positioned further upstream than the second zone relative to the machine direction, wherein the first zone is separated

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Galie Theresa Lynn
• Knapmeyer James Terry

Classifications

• A61F13/5122

  and comprising secondary apertures, e.g. macro-apertures in combination with microapertures · CPC title

• A61F13/15731

  Treating webs, e.g. for giving them a fibrelike appearance, e.g. by embossing · CPC title

• D06C7/00

  Heating or cooling textile fabrics · CPC title

• D10B2403/01

  Surface features · CPC title

• A61F13/15707

  Mechanical treatment, e.g. notching, twisting, compressing, shaping · CPC title