# US 10,500,801 B2 · Polymeric netting of strands and first and second ribbons and methods of making the same

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- Number: US 10,500,801 B2
- Document ID: US10500801B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/122,006
- Filed: 2015-02-26
- Published: 2017-01-12
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-02-28
- Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Inventors: Michelle L. Legatt; Ronald W. Ausen; William J. Kopecky; Wei Zhang; Lori-Ann S. Prioleau; Delony L. Langer-Anderson; Leigh E. Wood; Thomas B. Galush
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500801B2

## CPC

- B29D 28/00: Producing nets or the like, {e.g. meshes, lattices}(by knotting D04G)
- B29C 48/05: Filamentary, e.g. strands
- B29C 48/08: flexible, e.g. films
- B29C 48/16: Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers
- B29C 48/18: the components being layers
- B29C 48/305: having a wide opening, e.g. for forming sheets
- B29K 2105/0032: {Pigments, colouring agents or opacifiyng agents}
- B29K 2995/0046: Elastic
- B29L 2028/00: Nets or the like
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- 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

## Abstract

A polymeric netting includes polymeric strands and first and second polymeric ribbons. The first and second ribbons each independently have a height-to-width aspect ratio of at least three to one and a major surface that is intermittently bonded to a polymeric strand, with first and second edges symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a center line bisecting the major surface. The netting has first and second opposing major surfaces transverse to the major surfaces of the first and second ribbons. The first major surface of the netting includes the first edges of the first ribbons, and the second major surface includes the second edges of the second ribbons. The first ribbons do not extend to the second major surface, and the second ribbons do not extend to the first major surface. Articles including the netting, an extrusion die, and a method useful for making the netting are also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A polymeric netting comprising first and second polymeric ribbons and polymeric strands, each of the first and second polymeric ribbons and polymeric strands having a length and width, wherein the length is the longest dimension and the width is the shortest dimension, wherein the first and second polymeric ribbons each independently have a height-to-width aspect ratio of at least three to one, a major surface that is intermittently bonded to a polymeric strand, with a center line bisecting the major surface and first and second edges symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the center line, wherein the polymeric netting has first and second opposing major surfaces transverse to the major surfaces of the first and second polymeric ribbons, wherein the first major surface of the polymeric netting comprises the first edges of the first polymeric ribbons, wherein the second major surface comprises the second edges of the second polymeric ribbons, wherein the first polymeric ribbons do not extend to the second major surface of the polymeric netting, and wherein the second polymeric ribbons do not extend to the first major surface of the polymeric netting.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein the height of at least one of the first and second polymeric ribbons is greater than the height of the polymeric strands for at least a portion of the polymeric netting.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein neither the first nor second major surface of the polymeric netting comprises a portion of the polymeric strands.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein the major surface of the first polymeric ribbons is bonded to its polymeric strand at a location closer to the second edge than the first edge, and the major surface of the second polymeric ribbons is bonded to its polymeric strand at a location closer to the first edge than the second edge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the first or second polymeric ribbons the first edges comprise a different polymeric composition than the second edges in at least a portion of the polymeric netting.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein polymeric strands alternate with at least one of the first or second polymeric ribbons in at least a portion of the polymeric netting.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein the height-to-width aspect ratio of at least one of the first polymeric ribbons or second polymeric ribbons is independently at least 5 to 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following conditions is met:
wherein at least some of the first and second polymeric ribbons have a different color than at least some of the polymeric strands; or
wherein at least some of the first polymeric ribbons have a different color than at least some of the second polymeric ribbons.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein the first polymeric ribbons are elastic, the second polymeric ribbons are elastic, the polymeric strands are elastic, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

An absorbent article comprising a polymeric netting of claim 1, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core is between the polymeric netting and the backsheet, wherein the polymeric netting is between the absorbent core and the backsheet, or wherein the polymeric netting is within the absorbent core.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A method of making the polymeric netting of claim 1, the method comprising:
providing an extrusion die comprising at least one cavity, a dispensing surface, and fluid passageways between the at least one cavity and the dispensing surface, wherein the dispensing surface has an array of first and third dispensing orifices interspersed with an array of discrete, substantially vertically aligned second dispensing orifices, wherein the first, second, and third dispensing orifices each have a height and a width, wherein the first and third dispensing orifices each independently have a height-to-width aspect ratio of at least three to one, and wherein the array of first dispensing orifices is vertically and horizontally offset from the array of third dispensing orifices; and
simultaneously dispensing first polymeric ribbons from the first dispensing orifices at a first speed, polymeric strands from the second dispensing orifices at a second speed, and second polymeric ribbons from the third dispensing orifices at a third speed to provide the polymeric netting, wherein the second speed is at least twice the first speed and at least twice the third speed.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first polymeric ribbons or the second polymeric ribbons are substantially straight.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the height of at least one of the first and third dispensing orifices is larger than the height of the second dispensing orifices.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the extrusion die comprises at least a first and second cavity, first fluid passageways between the first cavity and the first dispensing orifices, second fluid passageways between the second cavity and the second dispensing orifices, and third fluid passageways between the first cavity, the second cavity, or a third cavity and the third dispensing orifices.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the polymeric strands oscillate to at least partially alternately bond to two adjacent first and second polymeric ribbons.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second polymeric ribbons are substantially straight.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second polymeric ribbons do not have a uniform height.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein in at least a portion of the polymeric netting, the major surface of at least one of the first or second polymeric ribbons is bonded to more than one polymeric strand.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The polymeric netting of claim 1, wherein in at least a portion of the polymeric netting, the major surface of at least one of the first or second polymeric ribbons is bonded to only one polymeric strand.