Extrusion bonded laminates for absorbent articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016015576-A1
Application number	US-201514867046-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2008
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An absorbent article of the present invention may comprise a topsheet, an outer cover, and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. The outer cover may comprise an extrusion bonded laminate. The EBL may comprise a multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film and a nonwoven. The film may comprise a core layer, a first outer layer, and a second outer layer, wherein the core layer is between the first and second outer layers. The nonwoven may comprise fibers and/or filaments. The first outer layer may be non-adhesively joined to the nonwoven via extrusion coating. Further, the outer cover may be elastic to at least about 50% engineering strain. The nonwoven may have high chemical affinity for the first outer layer. The first outer layer may have a low chemical affinity for the core layer; and the multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film may have a basis weight no greater than about 40 gsm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An absorbent article comprising:
a topsheet; an outer cover; an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and outer cover; wherein the outer cover comprises an extrusion bonded laminate, the extrusion bonded laminate comprising: a multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film, comprising a core layer, a first outer layer, and a second outer layer, wherein the core layer is between the first and second outer layers; a nonwoven consisting of fibers and/or filaments; wherein the first outer layer is non-adhesively joined to the nonwoven via extrusion coating, such that the first outer layer is a tie layer between the core layer and the nonwoven; wherein the second outer layer is non-adhesively joined to the core layer, such that the second outer layer is a skin layer; wherein the first and second outer layers comprise polyolefin elastomers (POEs); wherein the first and second outer layers comprise a blend of two ethylene rich copolymers, wherein ethylene is between 10% and 97%; wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is mechanically activated using intermeshing gears; wherein the outer cover is elastic at 50% engineering strain; wherein the nonwoven has a high chemical affinity for the first outer layer; wherein the first outer layer has a low chemical affinity for the core layer; wherein the laminate bond strength is from 1 N/cm to 3.5 N/cm; and wherein the core layer comprises at least one thermoplastic elastomeric polymer.

2 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers, thermoplastic elastomers based on polyurethanes, polyesters, polyether amides, elastomeric polyolefins, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, elastomeric polyolefin blends, and combinations thereof.

3 . The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers are copolymerized rubber elastomeric blocks with polystyrene blocks, selected from the group consisting of styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, and styrene-butadiene/isoprene-styrene, including their hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated forms, and combinations thereof.

4 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the outer cover is substantially free of holes having a diameter of greater in size than about 1 mm.

5 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer layers have a fusion index from 10% to 20%.

6 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven comprises bicomponent fibers, the fibers comprising a core and a sheath.

7 . The absorbent article of claim 6 , wherein the sheath comprises polyethylene and the core comprises polypropylene.

8 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the core of the elastomeric film is selected from the group consisting of an ethylene copolymer having a fusion index from about 5% to about 20%, a propylene copolymer having a fusion index from about 5% to about 20%, and combinations thereof.

9 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion bonded laminate has a basis weight from about 30 gsm to about 70 gsm.

10 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion bonded laminate further comprises an adhesive.

11 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , further comprising a second nonwoven joined to the second outer layer.

12 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is adhesive free.

13 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises at least about 20% to about 80%, by weight, of a styrenic block copolymer elastomer resin.

14 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer layers are compositionally identical.

15 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises:
at least one olefin-based elastomeric polymer; at least one styrene block copolymer elastomer resin; and at least one draw down polymer; and wherein the elastomeric film has a permanent set from 8 to 15% as measured by the Two-Cycle Hysteresis Test Method using 100% maximum engineering strain.

16 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the level of stretch of the activated laminate (% engineering strain at 1 N/cm force, as measured by the tensile test) is about 50% to about 144%.

17 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film has a basis weight from 10 gsm to 40 gsm.

18 . An absorbent article comprising an extrusion bonded laminate, wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is at least a portion of one or more components of the article, said components selected from the group consisting of a backsheet, an outer cover, a side panel, a waistband, a front ear, a back ear, and combinations thereof;
wherein the extrusion bonded laminate comprises: a multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film, comprising a core layer, a first outer layer, and a second outer layer, wherein the core layer is between the first and second outer layers; a nonwoven consisting of fibers and/or filaments; wherein the first outer layer is non-adhesively joined to the nonwoven via extrusion coating, such that the first outer layer is a tie layer between the core layer and the nonwoven; wherein the second outer layer is non-adhesively joined to the core layer, such that the second outer layer is a skin layer; wherein the first and second outer layers comprise polyolefin elastomers (POEs); wherein the first and second outer layers comprise a blend of two ethylene rich copolymers, wherein ethylene is between 10% and 97%; wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is mechanically activated using intermeshing gears; wherein the component comprising the extrusion bonded laminate is elastic at 50% engineering strain; wherein the nonwoven has a high chemical affinity for the first outer layer; wherein the first outer layer has a low chemical affinity for the core layer; wherein the laminate bond strength is from 1 N/cm to 3.5 N/cm; and wherein the core layer comprises at least one thermoplastic elastomeric polymer.

19 . The absorbent article of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the components of the article comprising the extrusion bonded laminate has apertures.

20 . The absorbent article of claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers, thermoplastic elastomers based on polyurethanes, polyesters, polyether amides, elastomeric polyolefins, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, elastomeric polyolefin blends, and combinations thereof; and
wherein the thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers are copolymerized rubber elastomeric blocks with polystyrene blocks, selected from the group consisting of styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, and styrene-butadiene/isoprene-styrene, including their hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated forms, and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Autran Jr Jean-Philippe Marie
• Muslet Lyad
• Bland David G
• Cancio Leopoldo V
• Neton Janet
• Mansfield Todd Leon

Classifications

• B32B27/34

  comprising polyamides · CPC title

• Y10T442/659

  Including an additional nonwoven fabric · CPC title

• B32B2262/0292

  Polyurethane fibres · CPC title

• B32B7/12

  using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties · CPC title

• C08L2205/02

  containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group · CPC title