Incrementally-Stretched Thermoplastic Films With Enhanced Look and Feel and Methods for Making The Same
AssigneeThe Glad Products Company
InventorsMichael G. Borchardt, Robert T. Dorsey
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Abstract
Methods of increasing the perceived thickness and strength of a thermoplastic film include incrementally stretching thermoplastic films in the machine direction. In one or more implementations, methods of incrementally stretching thermoplastic films include reducing the gauge of the films while increasing a loft of at least a portion of the film. The methods can involve cold stretching the films and imparting rib patterns and alternating peaks and valleys into the film. The linear ribs can have alternating thick and thin gauges.
Claims25
A machine-direction incrementally-stretched film with increased loft formed by stretching an un-stretched thermoplastic film, comprising:
- a thermoplastic material;
- a ribbed pattern including:
- a plurality of thick linear ribs extending in the transverse direction across the machine-direction incrementally-stretched film, and
- a plurality of thin linear ribs extending in the transverse direction across the machine-direction incrementally-stretched film;
- and
- a plurality of undulations extending across the film generally in the transverse direction, wherein the plurality of undulations are positioned within the thin linear ribs.
A thermoplastic bag, comprising:
- first and second opposing sidewalls joined together along a first side edge, an opposite second side edge, and a bottom edge, the first and second sidewalls being un-joined along at least a portion of their respective top edges to define an opening;
- a plurality of thick and thin linear ribs in at least one of the first and second opposing sidewalls, the thick and thin linear ribs extending in the transverse direction;
- and
- a plurality of peaks and valleys in at least one of the first and second sidewalls, the plurality of peaks and valleys extending generally in the transverse direction.
A method of creating a machine-direction incrementally-stretched film with one or more of increased loft, perceived strength, and an improved tactile fee, the method comprising:
- providing a film of a thermoplastic material;
- and
- cold machine direction ring rolling the film, thereby creating:
- a ribbed pattern including thick and thin linear ribs extending in the transverse direction across the film, and
- a plurality of peaks and valleys extending generally in the transverse direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.