Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Glynis Allicia Walton

Duane Girard Uitenbroek

Susan Elaine Shawver

James Russell Fitts, Jr

Patricia Hwang Calhoun

Janis Wilson Hughes

Wing-Chak Ng

Kevin George Hetzler

William Bela Haffner

Paul Windsor Estey

Richard Macferran Shane

Cindy Janja Blackstock

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

Ann Louise McCormack

Roger Bradshaw Quincy, Iii

Oomman Painummoottil Thomas

Phillip A Schorr

Charles John Morell

Tamara Lee Mace

Michael T Heffelfinger

Charles Allen Smith

Christopher Dale Fenwick

Patricia A Stern

Lance James Garrett, Jr

Karen Lynn English

Glen Thomas Mildenhall

Billy Ray Jones, Jr

Sandy Chi-Ching Ying

Kevin Matthew Harrington

Wiliam Bela Haffner

Jennifer Rebecca Reavis

Roger Bradshaw Quincy Iii

An elastic-powered shrink laminate includes a shrinkable layer and an elastic layer bonded together while the elastic layer is in a dimensionally unstable, stretched state. The elastic layer remains substantially in the stretched state prior to shrinkage of the shrinkable layer. When the shrinkable layer is activated, the laminate retracts, and the retraction is aided (i.e. powered) by the elastic layer. The elastic-powered shrink laminate is useful in personal care absorbent articles where latent, post-assembly retraction of a waistband region is desired.

Elastic-powered shrink laminate

A nonwoven composite that exhibits latent elastic properties is provided. The composite is formed from an elastic strand layer laminated to a nonwoven web facing. Latent elasticity may be imparted to the elastic strand layer through the combination of a thermoplastic elastomer and a polyolefin capable of forming semi-crystalline domains among the elastomeric chains. More specifically, the elastic strand layer may be stretched in one or more directions to orient the elastomer chains. Without intending to be limited by theory, the present inventors believe that the oriented state of the chains may be held in place by the relatively stiff semi-crystalline domains of the polyolefin. The stretched elastic strand layer may subsequently be relaxed and bonded to a nonwoven web facing to form the composite. The composite may be later activated (e.g., heated) to shrink the elastic strand layer and provide it with 'latent' stretchability. For instance, the composite may be heated at or above the softening temperature of the polyolefin to soften the crystalline domains and allow the chains to return to their unoriented state. As a result of the present invention, the elastic strand layer may be extended and recover from its unoriented state.

Strand composite having latent elasticity

A thermal covering that comprises a thermoregulatory substrate is provided. The thermoregulatory substrate contains an exothermic coating formed from an oxidizable metal. The exothermic coating is generally free of moisture prior to activation. Exposure of the exothermic coating to oxygen and moisture activates an exothermic reaction to generate heat, such heat being transferable to a patient or user through an outer surface defined by the thermal covering.

Thermal coverings

A composite nonwoven fabric having latent elasticity is provided having a latently elastic core comprising a first component that includes a thermoplastic elastomer and a second component that includes a single site catalyzed polyolefin, and at least one gatherable facing material laminated to the elastic core. The first and second components may be, for example, in the form of alternating filaments of styrenic block copolymer and single site catalyzed polyolefin or in the form of conjugate filaments having a first section of styrenic block copolymer and a second section of single site catalyzed polyolefin. Also disclosed are methods of making the latently elastic stretch bonded laminates and personal care articles containing the latently elastic stretch bonded laminates.

Latent elastic articles and methods of making thereof

An elastomeric, breathable laminate having enhanced breathability is formed by bonding a breathable, microporous, extendible/elastic film to a nonwoven facing material. The facing material can be necked to impart cross-directional stretchability. Once the film and the facing material are bonded together, the resulting laminate is stretched in one or more areas to impart higher breathability to selected areas of the laminate. The breathable laminate with enhanced breathability is particularly useful as an outer cover for diapers and other personal care products.

Elastomeric, breathable laminate with enhanced breathability upon extension

A thermally stable microporous breathable film is provided comprising at least 35% filler, by weight of the filled-film, and a thermoplastic polymer blend of a first polyethylene polymer and a second polyethylene polymer. The first polyethylene polymer comprises 30%-70% by weight of the polymer blend and can have a density between about 0.86 g/cmand 0.89 g/cmand the second polyethylene polymer can have a density between about 0.90 g/cmand 0.92 g/cm. The filled-film can be uniaxially or biaxially oriented to form a microporous film and/or film laminate having good body conformance and which retains a high WVTR at 37&#xb0; C. and above.

Stable breathable elastic garments

A breathable, elastic film including a high performance elastomer, such as a styrenic copolymer, and a low performance elastomer, such as a polyolefin, filled with a plurality of particles suitable for forming pores in the film upon stretch-thinning of the film, the film having been stretch-thinned, whereby the low performance elastomer portion of the film forms a plurality of micropores. Also disclosed are laminates employing this breathable, elastic film.

Styrenic block copolymer breathable elastomeric films

A breathable, elastic multilayered film including a core layer of a first elastomer and at least one filler and at least one skin layer of a second elastomer; wherein the first elastomer is a polyolefin and the second elastomer is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyetheramides, block copolymers, and combinations thereof. Alternatively, at least one support layer may be bonded to the multilayered film.

Coextruded, elastomeric breathable films, process for making same and articles made therefrom

A breathable film having improved processing properties and reduced cost includes a breathable film-forming layer composition including a matrix polymer, a particulate organic filler, and a compatibilizer. The particulate organic filler is incompatible with the matrix polymer and tends to agglomerate when mixed with the matrix polymer alone. The compatibilizer achieves thermodynamic equilibrium between the matrix polymer and filler within a defined filler particle size range suitable for producing stretched breathable film. The film processes more easily than breathable films containing inorganic fillers, and is less expensive to manufacture.

Breathable film having organic filler

Disclosed herein is a low gauge, multilayer film which may be laminated to other materials such as, for example, fibrous nonwoven webs. The multilayer film may include one or more skin layers which in certain configurations comprise no more than about 15 percent of the overall thickness and in other configurations no more than about 10 percent of the overall thickness of the multilayer film. Such films and laminates have a wide variety of uses including, but not limited to, personal care absorbent products, articles of clothing and health care related items such as surgical drapes and gowns.

Low gauge films and film/nonwoven laminates

Growing community of inventors

Roswell, GA, United States of America

Glynis Allicia Walton