US 11,446,916 B2Granted

Stretch laminate

AssigneeGolden Phoenix Fiberweb, Inc.

InventorKenneth Cheng

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A method to manufacture an elastic laminate is disclosed. Thermoplastic Elastomeric Material (TEM) is selected from a polymer supply and fed into an extruder. The TEM film is extruded by the extruder by passing the TEM polymer through an extrusion die head to form a TEM film layer on a carrier web provided by a carrier supply. The TEM film layer is allowed to solidify on the carrier web, thereby forming a first laminate. The first laminate is stored in a first storage prior to being delivered to a delamination unit, which delaminates the first laminate by separating the TEM layer from the carrier web. The delaminated TEM layer is stretched at least in its Machine Direction (MD) in a stretching station via a plurality of web guide means. The stretched TEM layer is positioned between a first envelope web and optionally a second envelope web prior to being delivered to a bonding unit, which connects them to form a second bonded laminate. The second bonded laminate is unstretched and stored in a second storage for a predetermined time. The stored second bonded laminate is wound under controlled tension to form a roll or spool, thereby forming the elastic laminate.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing an elastic laminate, the method comprising:

selecting and feeding a Thermoplastic Elastomeric Material (TEM) from a polymer supply into an extruder;
extruding said TEM by said extruder through an extrusion die head to form a TEM film layer on a carrier web provided by a carrier supply;
solidifying said TEM film layer on said carrier web (101) to form a first laminate;
storing said first laminate in a first storage;
delivering said first laminate from said first storage to a delamination unit and delaminating said first laminate by separating said TEM layer from said carrier web,
stretching said delaminated TEM layer in its machine direction (MD) in a stretching station via a plurality of tentering, rounded bars;
positioning said stretched TEM layer adjacent to a first envelope web supplied by a first envelope web supply,
feeding said stretched TEM layer, said first envelope web and a second envelope web to a bonding unit and bonding them to form a second bonded laminate;
releasing stretch of said second bonded laminate via a plurality of rolls
storing said unstretched second laminate in a second storage for at least 6 hours;
and
winding said second laminate under controlled tension to form a roll or spool, thereby forming said elastic laminate.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/729,296Filed 27 Dec 2019
Published: US 2022/0161540 A126 May 2022
Granted: 20 Sep 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification34 codes

B05D 1/265
Performed by applying the liquid or other fluent material from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface: extrusion…
B32B 38/0012
Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes: mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching
B05D 3/12
Pretreatment of surfaces to which liquids or other fluent materials are to be applied; After-treatment of applied coatings, e.g. intermediate…: by…
B32B 3/266
Characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or…