# US 2010/0163162 A1 · Apparatus for Producing Elastomeric Nonwoven Laminates

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- Number: US 2010/0163162 A1
- Document ID: US20100163162A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/719,336
- Filed: 2010-03-08
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2004-04-30
- Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Inventors: Uwe Schneider; Randall Allen Myers; Christoph Johann Schmitz; Martin Geoffrey Scaife
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100163162A1

## CPC

- B32B 5/08: the fibres or filaments of a layer being of different substances {, e.g. conjugate fibres, mixture of different fibres}
- B32B 5/022: {Non-woven fabric}
- B32B 37/144: {using layers with different mechanical or chemical conditions or properties, e.g. layers with different thermal shrinkage, layers under tension during bonding (constructional features for tensioning B32B38/1825)}
- B32B 38/0012: {Mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching}
- B32B 37/153: {at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state}
- B32B 2041/06: {Starting the lamination machine or method}
- B32B 2305/20: in the form of a non-woven mat
- B32B 2307/51: Elastic
- B32B 2309/14: Velocity, e.g. feed speeds
- Y10T 156/1722: Means applying fluent adhesive or adhesive activator material between layers
- Y10T 156/1727: Plural indefinite length or running length workpieces
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An apparatus for producing an elastomeric nonwoven laminate including a plurality of elastomeric strands joined to a nonwoven web in a controlled distribution is provided. The apparatus includes an extruder for extruding a plurality of elastomeric strands onto a cooled surface of a rotating drum, which transports the strands in parallel alignment to a nip formed between two rollers rotating about parallel axis. The drum transfers the plurality of strands to the nip in a controlled distribution where it is bonded with the nonwoven. The apparatus also includes elements which automate the apparatus for creating the elastomeric nonwoven laminate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for making an elastomeric nonwoven laminate from a plurality of elastomeric strands and a nonwoven layer, the method comprising:
a. providing an apparatus comprising
i. a drum having a cooled surface rotating about an axis and having a surface speed V1, the drum having an upper half and a lower half;
ii. an extruder extruding a plurality of molten streams of polymer onto the cooled surface of the upper half of the drum at a point of extrusion to form a plurality of elastomeric strands;
iii. a transferring device positioned proximate to the cooled surface of the drum, the transferring device having a surface speed V2 which is greater than the surface speed V1 of the drum, whereby the drum transfers the plurality of elastomeric strands to the transferring device wherein the span of unsupported strands between the cooled surface of the drum and the transferring device is less about 200 mm to provide a controlled distribution of elastomeric strands entering the transferring device;
iv. a first nonwoven source supplying a first nonwoven web to the transferring device;
v. an adhesive source for applying adhesive in advance of the transferring device; and
b. joining the plurality of elastomeric strands to the first nonwoven web at a point of lamination thereby forming a nonwoven elastomeric laminate wherein at least two adjacent strands of the elastomeric laminate are separated by a distance of less than about 3 mm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a startup device disposed adjacent to the drum downstream of the extruder adaptable for engaging or disengaging the cooled surface of the drum such that when the startup device engages the cooled surface of the drum, the plurality of elastomeric strands travel along the cooled surface of the drum at the surface speed V1 of the drum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a scraper engaged with the startup device such that the elastomeric strands are precluded from winding around the startup device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a scraper positioned adjacent to the cooled surface of the drum and adjacent the transferring device, the scraper being adaptable for engaging the cooled surface of the drum so that the scraper removes elastomeric strands from the cooled surface of the drum that inadvertently fail to transfer to the transferring device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a deflector device disposed adjacent to the cooled surface of the drum such that snap back distances of broken strands are minimized.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring device comprises a roller positioned proximate to the cooled surface of the drum, wherein the first nonwoven is tensioned such that the first bonding surface contacts the roller thereby creating a nip force to form the elastomeric nonwoven laminate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the span of unsupported strands between the cooled surface of the drum and the transferring device is between about 20 mm and about 50 mm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a second nonwoven web source supplying a second nonwoven having to the transferring device, wherein the first and nonwoven webs are joined in a face-to-face arrangement at the transferring device sandwiching the plurality of elastomeric strands therebetween.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the apparatus includes a second adhesive source located between the second nonwoven source and the transferring device for applying adhesive to the second nonwoven web in advance of reaching the transferring device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a first bonding surface of the first nonwoven is directed to make contact with the cooled surface of the drum so that the first bonding surface removes strands from the cooled surface of the drum that inadvertently fail to transfer to the transferring device and wherein a second nonwoven source supplies a second nonwoven having a second bonding surface to the transferring device, wherein the adhesive source applies adhesive to the second bonding surface in advance of the transferring device such that the second nonwoven can be bonded to the first nonwoven.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric strands are strained when the strands are joined to the first nonwoven web.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of allowing the resulting elastomeric laminate to relax at least partially after the elastomeric strands are joined to the first nonwoven web thereby causing the formation of corrugations on the elastomeric laminate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the first nonwoven web has a basis weight of between about 10 gsm and about 30 gsm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the elastomeric strands are strained when the strands are joined to the first and second nonwoven webs.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of allowing the resulting elastomeric laminate to relax at least partially after the elastomeric strands are joined to the first and second nonwoven webs thereby causing the formation of corrugations on the elastomeric laminate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the second nonwoven web has a basis weight of between about 10 gsm and about 30 gsm.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the distance between two adjacent stands is not the same as the distance between two other adjacent strands of the elastomeric laminate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein an elastomeric strand of the elastomeric laminate has a diameter of between about 0.15 mm and about 0.5 mm.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the elastomeric laminate has a strain of between about 20% and about 500%.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second nonwoven webs comprise fibers chosen from at least one of spunbond fibers, and carded fibers and wherein the fibers of the first and second nonwoven webs are made of a material chosen from at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, nylon, cellulose, and polyamide.