# US 10,501,877 B2 · Nettings, dies, and methods of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,877 B2 - Document ID: US10501877B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/772,117 - Filed: 2014-03-07 - Published: 2016-01-07 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-13 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Ronald W. Ausen; William J. Kopecky; Thomas P. Hanschen; Wei Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501877B2 ## CPC - B29C 48/08: flexible, e.g. films - B29C 48/05: Filamentary, e.g. strands - B29C 48/11: comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped - B29C 48/12: Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles - B29C 48/13: Articles with a cross-section varying in the longitudinal direction, e.g. corrugated pipes - B29C 48/131: {Curved articles} - B29C 48/21: the layers being joined at their surfaces - B29C 48/304: {specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die} - B29C 48/307: {specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die} - B29C 48/345: Extrusion nozzles comprising two or more adjacently arranged ports, for simultaneously extruding multiple strands, e.g. for pelletising - B29D 28/00: Producing nets or the like, {e.g. meshes, lattices}(by knotting D04G) - D04H 3/147: Composite yarns or filaments - D04H 13/00: Other non-woven fabrics - B29C 48/0021: {combined with joining, lining or laminating} - B29L 2028/00: Nets or the like - 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) - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The netting of claim 1, wherein the third material does not extend to the second major surface of the second plurality of strands. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The netting of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, third, or fourth materials comprises an adhesive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The netting of claim 1, wherein at least two of the first, second, third, or fourth materials comprises an adhesive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The netting of claim 3, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The netting of claim 4, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The netting of claim 1, wherein the array of polymeric strands comprises at least one of diamond-shaped or hexagonal-shaped openings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The netting of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third and fourth materials are different from each other.