# US 10,442,104 B2 · Method for making an apertured web > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,442,104 B2 - Document ID: US10442104B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/732,117 - Filed: 2015-06-05 - Published: 2016-02-11 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-06 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company - Inventors: Pietro Cecchetto; Xue Wang; Jihua Xie; Shihuang Li; Jan Fuhrmann-Evers; Yue Tang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10442104B2 ## CPC - B26F 1/20: with tools carried by a rotating drum or similar support (B26F1/22 takes precedence) - A61F 13/5121: {characterised by the vertical shape of the apertures, e.g. three dimensional apertures, e.g. macro-apertures} - A61F 13/5126: {characterised by the planar distribution of the apertures, e.g. in a predefined pattern} - B29C 51/082: {by shaping between complementary mould parts} - B29C 51/20: having movable moulds or mould parts - A61F 2013/5127: {characterized by the dimension of apertures} - B29C 51/10: Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum - B29C 51/266: {Auxiliary operations after the thermoforming operation (B29C51/42, B29C51/44, B29C51/46 take precedence)} - B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials - B29L 2009/00: Layered products - B29L 2031/7128: {Bags, sacks, sachets (tea bags B29L2031/7122; medical bags B29L2031/7148)} - B29L 2031/756: {Microarticles, nanoarticles} - Y10T 428/24281: Struck out portion type - B26F: PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING (marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; shoemaking A43D; surgery A61B; punching metal B21D; drilling metal B23B; cutting of metal by applying heat locally, e.g. flame cutting, B23K; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; details common to machines for severing B26D; drilling wood B27C; drilling stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; of glass C03B; of leather C14B; of textile materials D06H; for light guides G02B6/25; of tickets G07B) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The present invention relates to a method for making an aperture web, comprising moving a micro-textured web through a first member comprising male elements and a second member comprising discontinuous female elements, wherein the male elements are arranged in a staggered pattern, and have a shape to form quadrilateral apertures in the micro-textured web. The present invention also relates to a method for making an aperture web, comprising forming microtextures on a web, and continuously moving the web through a first member comprising male elements and a second member comprising discontinuous female elements, wherein the male elements are arranged in a staggered pattern, and have a shape to form quadrilateral apertures in the micro-textured web. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making an apertured web, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a precursor web having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, comprising a plurality of discrete extended elements on the first surface, the discrete extended elements comprising open proximal ends, open or closed distal ends, and sidewalls, b) providing a forming apparatus for macro apertures comprising a first member and a second member, wherein the first member comprises male elements on its surface and the second member comprises discontinuous female elements on its surface, and c) moving the precursor web through the first and second members so that macro apertures are formed in the precursor web as the male elements and the female elements are engaged, wherein the macro apertures have a quadrilateral shape, wherein the male elements comprising teeth having a shape to form the macro apertures having a quadrilateral shape on the precursor web, and being arranged in a staggered pattern; and wherein each of the teeth comprise a proximal part joined to the surface of the first member and a distal part directly adjacent to the proximal part, the distal part tapering to a tip, and wherein the proximal part and the distal part have a different degree of taper, wherein the teeth have a tooth-to-tooth spacing between two adjacent teeth located along a line that is not parallel either to the cross-sectional length dimension or to the cross-sectional width dimension not greater than about 1.9 mm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the teeth further comprises a middle part between the proximal part and the distal part, the middle part having a degree of taper different from the proximal part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the each of the teeth has a base having a polygonal shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the each of the teeth has a base having a shape selected from the group consisting of a quadrilateral shape, a hexagonal shape, an octagonal shape and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the precursor web comprises the discrete extended elements selected from discrete extended elements having a diameter of less than about 500 microns, discrete extended elements having an aspect ratio of at least about 0.2, at least about 95 discrete extended elements per square centimeter, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the teeth has a base having a ratio of a cross-sectional length to a cross-sectional width not greater than about 3.3. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first member comprises male elements with a male element density of from about 5 to about 60 male elements/cm2. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second members is a generally cylindrical roll. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the teeth are arranged so that the cross-sectional length dimension is parallel to a machine direction or a cross direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the teeth are arranged so that the cross-sectional length dimension is not parallel either to a machine direction or to a cross direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the precursor web is a polymeric film or a laminate having a polymeric film layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first member and the second member is heated. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the first member and the second member have a clearance between a top surface of the second member and a bottom surface of the first member when the first member and the second member are in maximum engagement so that the discrete extended elements are substantially intact from heat-induced damages after the step c). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the clearance is no less than about 1.5 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the discrete extended elements are formed by a vacuum formation process.