Nettings, dies, and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501877-B2
Application number	US-201414772117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

Netting ( 100 ) comprising an array of polymeric strands ( 121, 122 ) periodically joined together at bond regions ( 113 ) throughout the array, and methods and dies for making the same. Nettings described herein have a variety of uses, including wound care and other medical applications, filtration, absorbent articles, pest control articles, and geotextile applications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A netting comprising an array of filamentous collinear polymeric strands, wherein the array comprises a first plurality of strands having first and second, generally opposed major surfaces, wherein the array comprises a second plurality of strands having first and second, generally opposed major surfaces, wherein a first major surface of the netting comprises the first major surfaces of the first and second plurality of strands, wherein a second major surface of the netting comprises the second major surfaces of the first and second plurality of strands, wherein the first major surface of the first plurality of strands comprises a first material, wherein the second major surface of the first plurality of strands comprises a second material, wherein the first major surface of the second plurality of strands comprises a third material, wherein the second major surface of the second plurality of strands comprises a fourth material, wherein the first and second materials are different, and wherein the first material does not extend to the second major surface of the first plurality of strands, wherein the first polymeric strands and the second polymeric strands alternate and do not substantially cross over each other, and an exterior surface of the first polymeric strands and an exterior surface of the second polymeric strands are periodically bonded together to form bond regions throughout the array, wherein the bond regions are perpendicular to the first major surface of the netting and the second major surface of the netting, and wherein the bond regions comprise each of the first material, the second material, the third material and the fourth material and wherein at least three of the first, second, third, or fourth materials are different.

2. The netting of claim 1 , wherein the third material does not extend to the second major surface of the second plurality of strands.

3. The netting of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third, or fourth materials comprises an adhesive.

4. The netting of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the first, second, third, or fourth materials comprises an adhesive.

5. A method of making the netting of claim 1 , the method comprising:
providing an extrusion die comprising a plurality of shims positioned adjacent to one another, the shims together defining at least a first cavity, a second cavity, and a dispensing surface, wherein the dispensing surface has a first array of dispensing orifices alternating with a second array of dispensing orifices, wherein at least the first dispensing orifices are defined by an array of first vestibules, and wherein the plurality of shims comprises a plurality of a repeating sequence of shims, wherein the repeating sequence comprises: shims that provide a fluid passageway between the first cavity and one of the first vestibules, shims that provide a second passageway extending from the second cavity to the same vestibule, such that the area where the second fluid passageway enters the first vestibules is below the area where the first fluid passageway enters the first vestibules; and
dispensing first polymeric strands from the first dispensing orifices at a first strand speed while simultaneously dispensing second polymeric strands from the second dispensing orifices at a second strand speed, wherein one of the strand speeds is at least 2 times the other strand speed to provide the netting.

6. The netting of claim 3 , wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

7. The netting of claim 4 , wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

8. The netting of claim 1 , wherein the array of polymeric strands comprises at least one of diamond-shaped or hexagonal-shaped openings.

9. The netting of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth materials are different from each other.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Ausen Ronald W
• Kopecky William J
• Hanschen Thomas P
• Zhang Wei

Classifications

• B29L2028/00

  Nets or the like · CPC title

• B29C48/21

  the layers being joined at their surfaces · CPC title

• B29C48/11

  comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped · CPC title

• B29C48/12

  Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles · CPC title

• B29C48/131

  Curved articles · CPC title