Tredegar Film Products Corporation

Tredegar Industries, Inc.

Tredegar Corporation

Ethyl Corporation

Fitesa Film Products LLC

Tredgar Film Products Corporation

Paul Eugene Thomas

Andrew D Maschino

Thomas Patrick Marsh

Garland E Raley

Carl D Ray

Robert K McBride

Brian C Loomis

Rickey J Seyler

Darrel L Wilhoit

Todd R Skochdopole

Gregory M Rieker

Shailesh Chunilal Patel

Timothy L Clark

Bankim Bhupendra Desai

Michael A Francis

Peter I Chang

Gary Michael Balakoff

Lee F Guthrie

Sean W Bower

Stephen G Junker

James Marion Myers

Robert Kimball McBride

J Wayne Barron

Sean Bower

Gary M Balakoff

A film for use in an absorbent article includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of apertured protuberances arranged in a pattern having 60 to 120 protuberances per linear inch in at least one direction. Each of the protuberances includes a continuous sidewall extending from the first side. The second side has a plurality of apertures aligned with the plurality of apertured protuberances and land areas in between the apertures. The film has a melt index of at least about 8 g/10 min, and an air permeability of at least about 80 m/m/min.

Films and laminates for absorbent articles

An apertured extrusion coated nonwoven web for use as a topsheet in an absorbent article includes a nonwoven material having a user-facing side and a garment-facing side opposite the user-facing side. The nonwoven material includes a plurality of fibers. The apertured extrusion coated nonwoven web also includes a polymer coating on the garment-facing side of the nonwoven material, the polymer coating having a basis weight of about 2 gsm to about 6 gsm, and a plurality of three-dimensional apertures that extend through the nonwoven material and the polymer coating. Each of the plurality of three-dimensional apertures includes a continuous sidewall extending from a garment-facing side of the polymer coating. The apertured extrusion coated nonwoven web has an open area of greater than 5% when subjected to a pressure of 0.6 psi.

Apertured extrusion coated nonwoven web for absorbent articles and absorbent articles including same

An absorptive device includes a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet, and an acquisition distribution layer between the topsheet and the absorbent core. The acquisition distribution layer includes a formed film having a plurality of lands that contact a bottom surface of the topsheet and define an irregular array of cells.

Formed film acquisition distribution layer and absorptive device therewith

A hydro-formed film includes a polymeric web having a first substantially planar surface and a second substantially planar surface opposite the first substantially planar surface, and a plurality of three-dimensional micro-apertures extending from the first substantially planar surface. The plurality of three-dimensional micro-apertures have a mesh count in a range of about 40 to about 75 apertures per linear inch. The hydro-formed film has a Compression Sensor Point (CSP) count of at least about 80.

Hydro-formed film with three-dimensional micro-apertures

A process of constructing a forming screen through metal deposition in a nonconductive preform structure to achieve a desired aspect ratio of the forming screen thickness to open area.

Method of making forming screens

A formed film with micro-cells and macro-cells or depressions may be disclosed. For example, the film may include a lands. Each of the lands may include micro-cells thereon. The micro-cells may have a first orientation. The film may further include macro-depressions adjacent to at least one respective land. Each of the macro depressions may include additional second micro-cells. Those additional micro-cells may have a second orientation. The second orientation includes an orientation that is an inverse of the first orientation (e.g., is in an opposite direction of the first orientation).

Formed film with micro-cells and macro-depressions

A method of processing a polymeric web includes providing a forming screen configured for supporting and moving with the web in a machine direction. The forming screen has a plurality of elliptical screen openings, each having a major axis perpendicular to the machine direction and a minor axis parallel to the machine direction. The method includes continuously depositing the web onto the forming screen and passing the web and forming screen through a water stream having a pressure level sufficient to cause the web to be forced into the screen openings, thereby forming protrusions extending from the planar surface of the web. Each protrusion has an apex, an opening at the apex, and an elliptical cross-section parallel to the planar surface of the web. The elliptical cross-section has a protrusion axis ratio that may be selected so as to produce a desired protrusion axis ratio.

Films () for use in protecting surfaces are disclosed and comprise at least one release layer () and optionally an adhesion layer () and/or an intermediate layer, the release layer () having a plurality of three-dimensional protrusions () that are either formed integral with the release layer or are discrete polymer beads applied to the release layer.

Protective film with release surface

An apertured film with a reduced gloss through the use of light trap micro-pits uniformly distributed on the lands of the film in a random pattern and a method of making the same.

Apertured formed film with a pattern of apertures and a plurality of light trap micro-pits

Systems and methods for forming a vacuum formed, apertured film with micro-aberrations may be disclosed. For example, a polymer web such as a molten polymer web may be received at an engagement point between a screen with a positive aberration and a roller comprising a surface with a negative depression. The roller may have a diameter of no more than about 5.5 inches. A micro-aberration may be expanded, for example, on a land of the polymer web at the engagement point by inserting the positive aberration on the screen into the negative depression on the surface of the roller at a pressure of about 1.5 to about 3.5 pounds per linear inch (PLI). Additionally, one or more apertures are formed in the polymer web adjacent to a micro-aberration on a land.

Systems and methods for providing micro-aberrations on film

Composite forming screens comprise a layer of hard rubber with a Shore D hardness of 12-90, preferably 33-90 and most preferably 46-60 and in preferred embodiments, comprise a support layer of plastic or metal bonded to the hard rubber to form a composite. The forming screens may be planar or cylindrical and are provided with a plurality of apertures or through holes and a pattern of fine scale structures. Methods of making the forming screens are also disclosed.

Forming screens

Embodiments of a thin web comprising a plurality of channels extending through the film are disclosed. The channels are in a substantially closed position but are capable of being in an open position to allow flow from the female side through the film to the male side. In certain applications, a greater pressure on the female side than the male side is capable of opening the channels. Embodiments may also include a thin web comprising a plurality of three dimensional apertures extending through the plastic film. The apertures may form a substantially closed channel defined by a sidewall and the channels being disposed at an angle greater than 70&#xb0; with respect to a female side of the film. The thin web may be a plastic film or a thermoplastic film comprising a polyolefin, for example, or any other suitable material. The polyolefin may comprise at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, low density polyethylene, or high density polyethylene, for example.

Thin web

An apertured material comprising a web and a plurality of apertures in the web, each aperture having at least two vertices with a convex flap of the web spanning a pair of the vertices.

Web having apertures with convex sides

An absorbent article having a topsheet and an absorbent core material. The acquisition distribution layer is located between the topsheet and the absorbent core material. The acquisition distribution layer is made of a three dimensional apertured film that defines a large void volume space between the acquisition distribution layer and the absorbent core material. The acquisition distribution layer provides high void volume for lateral spillage during repeated insult moments because the topsheet, which is in contact with the user, is held away from dispersing fluid that is unabsorbed by saturated core material. The void volume space provides a pathway for unabsorbed fluid to flow over the top plane of saturated core regions to unsaturated regions of the core material for absorption. The void volume space allows this migration of fluid to occur without the fluid coming into contact with the topsheet, thereby avoiding a feeling of wetness for a wearer.

Acquisition distribution layer having void volumes for an absorbent article

An apertured vacuum formed film for use as a topsheet in an absorbent article has raised lands in a stroking direction to impart a silky tactile impression. The stroking direction lands are raised between 15 &#x3bc; and 145 &#x3bc; relative to the transverse lands. The stroking direction lands may also include a microtexture to enhance the silky tactile impression. Also, the apertures may form boat shape cells to enhance the silky tactile impression.

Growing community of inventors

Terre Haute, IN, United States of America

Paul Eugene Thomas