Apparatus for making film laminated material
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Corporation
InventorMir I. Alikhan
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Abstract
This invention relates to a film laminated material wherein a first film layer comprising a thin film of a thermoplastic material and a second fibrous layer comprising a plurality of staple fibers or continuous filaments of two or more thermoplastic or other materials are bonded together in a spaced apart bonding pattern having apertures formed therein to form a film laminate having improved liquid distribution and management properties as well as enhanced comfort and softness when placed in contact with human skin. Also disclosed are a method and apparatus for making such a film laminate.
Claims11
An apparatus for forming a film laminated material comprising:
- means for providing a first film layer comprising a thermoplastic polymeric material;
- means for forming a second fibrous layer comprising a plurality of fibers or filaments of one or more thermoplastic polymeric materials;
- means for bonding said first and second layers at an interface between said layers in a spaced apart bonding pattern comprising compacted bonding regions having a first degree of bonding separated by second, lesser bonded fiber spans;
- said bonding means comprising a first thermal bonding roll and a second thermal bonding roll opposedly positioned relative to each other,
- each of said bonding rolls having an outer surface in contact with one of said first and second layers as said first and second layers pass therebetween,
- said first and second bonding rolls having different raised bonding patterns on said outer surfaces thereof,
- said first bonding roll having a spaced apart raised bonding pattern on the outer surface thereof and said second bonding roll having a plurality of raised bonding points on the outer surface thereof;
- means for operating said first bonding roll at a first rotational speed and means for operating said second bonding roll at a second rotational speed, said operating means ensuring that said first and second rotational speeds differ within a range of from about 4% to about 20%;
- means for maintaining said first bonding roll at a first bonding temperature within the range of from about 150.degree. F. to about 200.degree. F. and means for maintaining said second bonding roll at a second bonding temperature within the range of from about 190.degree. F. to about 225.degree. F., said maintaining means maintaining said first and second bonding rolls at different bonding temperatures;
- and
- said bonding rolls forming apertures within said bonding regions, said apertures being substantially free of fibers through the thickness of each said layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.