Zoned and/or layered substrates and method and apparatus for producing the same
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsJian Qin, Sridhar Ranganathan, Francis P. Abuto, Vikram Kaul
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for producing a zoned and/or layered substrate are described. A substrate can include a first layer including a first zone, a second zone, and an interface between zones. The first zone can include a plurality of fibers. The second zone can include a plurality of fibers and can be offset from the first zone in a cross-direction. The interface can include at least some of the plurality of fibers of the first zone and at least some of the plurality of fibers of the second zone to provide a purity gradient with a transition width less than 3.8 cm as defined by the Purity Gradient Test Method as described herein.
Claims20
A substrate including a machine direction, a cross-direction, and a z-direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the machine direction and the cross-direction, the substrate comprising:
- a first layer, the first layer comprising:
- a first zone comprising a plurality of fibers;
- a second zone comprising a plurality of fibers, the second zone being offset from the first zone in the cross-direction;
- and
- an interface between the first zone and the second zone, the interface between the first zone and the second zone comprising at least some of the plurality of fibers of the first zone being mixed with at least some of the plurality of fibers of the second zone to provide a purity gradient with a transition width less than 3.8 cm as defined by a Purity Gradient Test Method.
A substrate including a machine direction, a cross-direction, and a z-direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the machine direction and the cross-direction, the substrate comprising:
- a first layer, the first layer comprising:
- a first zone comprising a plurality of fibers;
- a second zone comprising a plurality of fibers, the second zone being offset from the first zone in the cross-direction;
- and
- an interface between the first zone and the second zone, the interface between the first zone and the second zone comprising at least some of the plurality of fibers of the first zone being mixed with at least some of the plurality of fibers of the second zone to provide a purity gradient with a transition slope greater than 28 gray/cm as defined by a Purity Gradient Test Method.
A substrate including a machine direction, a cross-direction, and a z-direction, the z-direction being perpendicular to a plane defined by the machine direction and the cross-direction, the substrate comprising:
- a first layer comprising:
- a first zone comprising a plurality of fibers;
- a second layer being offset from the first layer in the z-direction, the second layer comprising:
- a second zone comprising a plurality of superabsorbent material particles;
- and
- an interface between the first layer and the second layer, the interface between the first layer and the second layer comprising at least some of the plurality of fibers of the first zone of the first layer being mixed with at least some of the plurality of superabsorbent material particles of the second zone of the second layer;
- wherein the superabsorbent material particles of the second layer are controlled such that a relative thickness of the second layer is less than 70% of a total thickness of the substrate as measured by the Layer Relative Thickness Test.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.