Apparatus for forming a fibrous laminated material

An apparatus for forming a laminated fibrous material comprising:

• means for providing a fibrous layer comprising a plurality of fibers or filaments of one or more thermoplastic polymeric materials;
• means for providing a second fibrous layer comprising a plurality of fibers or filaments of two 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 of said first and second layers passing 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 percent to about 50 percent;
• means for maintaining said first bonding roll at a first bonding temperature within the range of from about 260.degree. F. to about 285.degree. F. and means for maintaining said second bonding roll at a second bonding temperature within the range of from about 270.degree. F. to about 320.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 said laminated fibrous material.