Process for making fluid-entangled laminate webs with hollow projections and apertures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11365495-B2
Application number	US-201716487185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	Feb 28, 2017
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for formation of a fluid-entangled laminate web. The laminate web includes a support layer and a nonwoven projection web having a plurality of projections which are preferably hollow. The laminate web also includes a plurality of apertures interspersed with the projections. As a result of the fluid-entangling process, entangling fluid is directed through the support layer and into the projection web which is situated on a forming surface. The force of the entangling fluid causes the two layers to be joined to one another and the fluid causes a portion of the fibers in the projection web to be forced into openings present in a forming surface thereby forming the hollow projections. The force of the entangling fluid also causes the fibers of the two layers to be moved around protrusions present in the forming surface thereby forming the apertures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for forming a fluid-entangled laminate web having projections comprising the steps of:
(i) providing a projection forming surface defining a plurality of forming holes therein, said forming holes being spaced apart from one another and having land areas therebetween; said projection forming surface further defining a plurality of protrusions, said protrusions having an adjacent land area; said projection forming surface being capable of movement in a machine direction at a projection forming surface speed;
(ii) providing a projection fluid entangling device having a plurality of projection fluid jets capable of emitting a plurality of pressurized projection fluid streams of entangling fluid from said plurality of projection fluid jets in a direction towards said projection forming surface;
(iii) providing a support layer, said support layer having a first surface and an opposed second surface;
(iv) providing a nonwoven projection web comprising fibers, said projection web having an opposed inner surface and an outer surface;
(v) feeding said projection web onto said projection forming surface with said outer surface of said projection web positioned adjacent said projection forming surface;
(vi) feeding said opposed second surface of said support layer onto said inner surface of said projection web;
(vii) directing said plurality of pressurized projection fluid streams of said entangling fluid from said plurality of projection fluid jets in a direction from said first surface of said support layer towards said projection forming surface to cause a) a first plurality of said fibers in said projection web in a vicinity of said forming holes in said projection forming surface to be directed into said forming holes to form a plurality of projections extending outwardly from said outer surface of said projection web, b) formation of apertures through said support layer and said projection web at contact points with said protrusions; and c) a second plurality of said fibers in said projection web to become entangled with said support layer to form a laminate web;
(viii) providing a secondary forming surface located between two of said projection fluid jets after directing said plurality of pressurized projection fluid streams wherein said laminate web passes between said projection forming surface and said secondary forming surface, the secondary forming surface including a plurality of receiving holes positioned to engage with said protrusions of said projection forming surface; and
(ix) removing said laminate web from said projection forming surface,
wherein at least one of said projection fluid jets is positioned in relation to said projection forming surface to focus said entangling fluid against said protrusions of said projection forming surface.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein fibers of said projection web become entangled with fibers of said support layer along circumferences of said apertures.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said protrusions have a contact shape selected from pointed, domed and flat.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said projection forming surface comprises a texturizing drum.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein said land areas of said projection forming surface are not fluid permeable to said entangling fluid.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein said direction of said plurality pressurized projection fluid streams causes the formation of projections which are hollow.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein said projection web is fed onto said projection forming surface at a speed that is greater than a speed said support layer is fed onto said projection web.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein said projection web is fed onto said projection forming surface at an overfeed ratio of between about 10 and about 50 percent.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein said support layer and said projection web are fed onto said projection forming surface at a speed that is greater than said projection forming surface speed.

10. A process for forming a fluid-entangled laminate web having hollow projections comprising the steps of:
(i) providing a lamination forming surface which is permeable to fluids, said lamination forming surface being capable of movement in a machine direction at a lamination forming surface speed;
(ii) providing a projection forming surface defining a plurality of forming holes therein, said forming holes being spaced apart from one another and having land areas therebetween; said projection forming surface further defining a plurality of protrusions, said protrusions having an adjacent land area; said projection forming surface being capable of movement in a machine direction at a projection forming surface speed;
(iii) providing a lamination fluid entangling device having a plurality of lamination fluid jets capable of emitting a plurality of pressurized lamination fluid streams of an entangling fluid from said lamination fluid jets in a direction towards said lamination forming surface;
(iv) providing a projection fluid entangling device having a plurality of projection fluid jets capable of emitting a plurality of pressurized projection fluid streams of an entangling fluid from said projection fluid jets in a direction towards said projection forming surface,
(v) providing a support layer, said support layer having an opposed first surface and a second surface;
(vi) providing a nonwoven projection web comprising fibers, said projection web having an opposed inner surface and an outer surface;
(vii) feeding said support layer and said projection web onto said lamination forming surface;
(viii) directing said plurality of pressurized lamination fluid streams from said plurality of lamination fluid jets into said support layer and said projection web to cause at least a portion of said fibers from said projection web to become entangled with said support layer to form a laminate web;
(ix) feeding said laminate web onto said projection forming surface with said outer surface of said projection web adjacent said projection forming surface;
(x) directing said plurality of pressurized projection fluid streams of said entangling fluid from said plurality of projection fluid jets into said laminate web in a direction from said first surface of said support layer towards said projection forming surface to cause a first plurality of said fibers in said projection web in a vicinity of said forming holes in said projection forming surface to be directed into said forming holes to form a plurality of projections extending outwardly from said outer surface of said projection web and to cause formation of apertures through said laminate web at contact points with said protrusions;
(xi) removing said laminate web from said projection forming surface; and
providing a secondary forming surface located between two of said projection fluid jets between step (x) and the step of removing said laminate web wherein said laminate web passes between said projection forming surface and said secondary forming surface, wherein said secondary forming surface includes a plurality of receiving holes positioned to engage with said protrusions of said projection forming surface.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein fibers of said laminate web become entangled with each other to a greater degree along circumferences of said apertures.

12. The process of claim 10 wherein said protrusions have a contact shape selected from pointed, domed and flat.

13. The process of claim 10 wherein at least one of said projection fluid jets is positioned in relation to said projection forming surface to focus said entangling fluid

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Beitz Mark J
• Evenson Stacy E
• Hammond Andrew T
• Kleuskens Sarah
• Feng Amy Q
• Abney Patrick D
• Dolan Kevin G
• Hill Robert M
• Johnson Kroy D
• Finn Niall
• Butler Andy
• Kirby Danielle
• Penaia Phil

Classifications

• D04H1/495 Primary

  for formation of patterns, e.g. drilling or rearrangement · CPC title

• A61F13/51 Primary

  characterised by the outer layers of the pads (A61F13/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F13/15577

  Apparatus or processes for manufacturing · CPC title

• A61F2013/15983

  by hydroentangled technique · CPC title

• D04H1/498 Primary

  entanglement of layered webs · CPC title