Applied Extrusion Technologies, Inc.

Nomaco Inc.

Eric D. Johnson

Michael J. Schroeder

Edward E. Hovis

Edward E Hovis

Eric Donald Johnson

Michael J Schroeder

Joseph V Marra

D Timothy Cullen

An apertured film extruded from a crystalline, thermoplastic, extrudable fluoroplastic material. The film includes spaced-apart strand segments defining apertures therebetween and has at least 10 strand segments per inch. The film has a thickness of 2-12 mils and a Frazier air permeability number in the range of 200-2,000. The invention includes a process for preparing an apertured thermoplastic film by a single-sided embossing method. The process includes the steps of extruding in the machine direction, a film of a molten, crystalline, thermoplastic, extrudable, fluoroplastic material. The molten extruded film is passed in the machine direction through the nip of two metal rollers. One of the rollers has a substantially smooth surface, having a convex configuration as viewed from a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the roll, such that the diameter in the center of the roll is in the range of 8-12 mils greater than the diameter at the ends of the roller for a 40 inch roller. The other roller includes a plurality of discrete, raised projections disposed in a pattern. Each of the projections terminates in a distal end. The ends are separated from each other and are completely surrounded by continuous surface regions located proximate of the distal ends. A sufficient pressure is applied at the nip to cause a plurality of small apertures and/or thin areas to be formed in the extruded film in substantially the same pattern as the pattern of discrete, raised projections of the other of the rollers. The film is stretched in both the cross-machine direction and in the machine direction to increase the open area of the apertures and cause the thin areas to open into apertures. The invention also includes a laminated structure.

Fluoroplastic apertured film fabric, structures employing same and

Disclosed is an extruded, low density, non-outgassing ethylenic polymer foam containing 30-85% open cells and the remainder closed cells and having an essentially integral surface. The foam possesses superior compression recovery and lower compression resistance when compared with similarly comprised ethylenic closed cell foams and superior moisture resistance and handling characteristics when compared to open cell foams.

Extruded ethylenic polymer foam containing both open and closed cells

An apertured thermoplastic fabric is formed by extruding, in the form of a film, a molten thermoplastic polymer having a secant modulus of no greater than 50,000 psi, embossing the film in a nip provided between a smooth surfaced roll and a patterned roll, wherein the patterned roll includes a plurality of discrete, raised projections disposed in a pattern and each of which includes a sharp distal end; applying sufficient pressure at the nip of the patterned and smooth surfaced rolls for causing a plurality of small apertures to be formed in the extruded film in substantially the same pattern as the pattern of discrete, raised projections; orienting the apertured film in both the cross-machine direction and in the machine-direction, and thereafter embossing the oriented film on at least one surface with a plurality of raised members spaced closer to each other than the spaces between the apertures in the oriented film, to thereby provide a matte-type finish on at least one surface. The formed fabric also forms a part of the present invention.

Method of making apertured film fabrics

An apertured thermoplastic fabric is formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic polymer film having a secant modulus of no greater than 50,000 psi, embossing the film in a nip provided between a smooth surfaced roll and a patterned roll, wherein the patterned roll includes a plurality of discrete, raised projections disposed in a pattern and each of which includes a sharp distal end; applying sufficient pressure at the nip of the patterned and smooth surfaced rolls for causing a plurality of small apertures to be formed in the extruded film in substantially the same pattern as the pattern of discrete, raised projections; orienting the apertured film in both the cross-machine direction and in the machine-direction, and thereafter embossing the oriented film on at least one surface with a plurality of raised members spaced closer to each other than the spaces between the apertures in the oriented film, to thereby provide a matte-type finish on at least one surface. The formed fabric also forms a part of the present invention.

Disclosed is an extruded, low density, non-outgassing ehtylenic polymer foam containing 30-85% open cells and the remainder closed cells and having an essentially integral surface. The foam posseses superior compression recovery and lower compression resistance when compared with similarly comprised ehtylenic closed cell foams and superior moisture resistance and handling characteristics when compared to open cell foams.

A method of making apertured films including the step of perforating films of thermoplastic materials with embossing rolls engraved with patterns which form small slits or incipient slits in the sheet. The patterns are such that the design on the roll includes lands, or raised areas, which cross lands of the opposing roll at an acute angle. The perforated or partially perforated film formed may then be further processed by orientation, uniaxial or biaxial, simultaneous or sequential; by heat treatment; or both to modify the porosity, hole size, or other properties as desired.

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Newark, DE, United States of America

Edward E Hovis