Pattern drawing of webs, and product produced thereby

Abstract

A process for differentially drawing films and non-woven fiberous webs for increased drapability and strength of webs including at least in part cold drawable polymeric materials or blends thereof including incompatible polymer blends and polymeric matrixes having inorganic fillers draws portions of the web and leaves other portions undrawn. The process involves the subjecting of the web to two or more pairs of meshing toothed rollers to produce a fabric having a pattern of spaced apart undrawn quadrilateral shaped islands bounded fully on each of their four sides by an axially drawn area. Each undrawn island is continguous at each of its four apices to a biaxially drawn area. The preferred tooth form for the rollers is involute or cycloidal. The processed film or web is larger in area than the original, has a lower basis weight, and has greatly enhanced strength, softness, bulk, texture and drapability.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.