Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Paul Windsor Estey

Michael Tod Morman

Susan Elaine Shawver

Jay Sheldon Shultz

Leslie Warren Collier, Iv

Duane Girard Uitenbroek

William Bela Haffner

Linda A Connor

Deepak R Parikh

Susan Carol Paul

David Craige Strack

Kenneth B Stewart

Kenneth Bradley Close

Glynis Allicia Walton

David Jon Baer

Cindy Janja Blackstock

Richard C Beck

C Allen Smith

David Martin Jackson

Georgia Lynn Zehner

William S Pomplun

Lee Kirby Jameson

Pavneet Singh Mumick

James Russell Fitts, Jr

David Louis Zenker

John Philip Vukos

Ty Jackson Stokes

Darryl Franklin Clark

James Martin Kaun

Sandra Marie Rogers

Wendy Lynn Van Dyke

Jon Edward Tinsley

Dale Arthur Peterson

Stephen Clark Smith

Robert John Schwartz

James Richard Neely

Karen Hargett Bean

Diane Leilani Kilpatrick

Susan E Shawyer

Sandy Chi-Ching Ying

A nonwoven web made from a polymeric fiber blend comprising at least one elastomeric polyolefin and at least one nonelastomeric polyolefin useful as the elastic base sheet for a nonwoven laminate is disclosed. Preferably, the polymeric blend will comprise a nonelastomeric resin in the range of from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight, and an elastomeric resin of from about 90 to about 10 percent by weight. The elastomeric polyolefin will have a density of less than about 0.885 g/cmand the nonelastomeric polyolefin will have a density of at least about 0.890 g/cm. In one particular embodiment, the polymeric blend may comprise about 50 percent to about 90 percent by weight of a narrow molecular weight distribution polyethylene and about 50 percent to about 10 percent by weight of a nonelastomeric polyolefin such as a linear low density polyethylene.

Laminates of elastomeric and non-elastomeric polyolefin blend materials

An absorbent structure and method for making the absorbent structure including an absorbent core made from a matrix of fibers, wherein the matrix is reinforced with a stretchable reinforcing member, such as scrim. The absorbent matrix may be secured to the web of scrim with the scrim in a stretched condition. When the web of scrim is in an unstretched condition, the web of scrim partially gathers the absorbent core to form rugosities on the core. The reinforcing member can have a non-uniform transverse width to conform to the shape of the absorbent core. The absorbent structure can have multiple layers of reinforcing members. The reinforcing member has strands arranged in a pattern to facilitate stretching. A first set of strands can cross a second set of strands at junction in a non-orthogonal relationship.

Absorbent article having a stretchable reinforcement member

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 dynamic-fitting absorbent article that includes a liquid impermeable outer cover ( ), a liquid permeable bodyside liner ( ) in superimposed relation to the outer cover ( ) and a continuous elastic absorbent core ( ) disposed between the outer cover ( ) and the bodyside liner ( ). The continuous elastic absorbent core ( ) can extend from about 80 to about 400 percent upon application of a force of from about 60 to about 325 grams. The continuous elastic absorbent core ( ) can have a tension reducing geometry in the crotch section of the article. Additionally, the continuous elastic absorbent core can have a dry tensile strength and a wet tensile strength that is at least 95% of the dry tensile strength.

Continuous biaxially stretchable absorbent with low tension

A nonwoven web made from a polymeric fiber blend comprising at least one elastomeric polyolefin and at least one nonelastomeric polyolefin useful as the elastic base sheet for a nonwoven laminate is disclosed. Preferably, the polymeric blend will comprise a nonelastomeric resin in the range of from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight, and an elastomeric resin of from about 90 to about 10 percent by weight. The elastomeric polyolefin will have a density of less than about 0.885 g/cm and the nonelastomeric polyolefin will have a density of at least about 0.890 g/cm . In one particular embodiment, the polymeric blend may comprise about 50 percent to about 90 percent by weight of a narrow molecular weight distribution polyethylene and about 50 percent to about 10 percent by weight of a nonelastomeric polyolefin such as a linear low density polyethylene.

A method for stretching nonwoven sheet material in the cross-machine direction includes coursing a nonwoven sheet material through a deformable nip, the nip being formed between two rotating stretch surfaces having intermeshing peaks and troughs, the surfaces of the peaks and troughs being covered with a deformable material, and contemporaneously pressing the stretch surfaces together while rotating them, such that as the nonwoven material travels through the nip, the nip deforms from an initial flat formation into a convoluted formation.

Apparatus and method for cross-directional stretching of polymeric film and other nonwoven sheet material and materials produced therefrom

There is provided a laminate having at least one layer of meltblown elastic fibers bonded on either side with a layer of soft non-elastic fibers of greater than 7 microns in average diameter. The laminate has a drape stiffness less than half of a similar fabric having a layer of meltblown non-elastic fibers in place of the layer of meltblown elastic fibers.

Nonwoven fabric laminate with good conformability

There is provided a fully elastic, breathable, barrier fabric comprising a nonwoven web layer of fibers of less than 40 microns in average diameter, where the web has a hydrohead of at least 10 mbar, a Frazier Permeability of at least 100 CFM, a basis weight of less than 68 gsm and which is made from an elastic polymer. If the fabric is a laminate it may be an SMS, SBL or NBL laminate. This fabric is particularly well suited to use as a containment flap for personal care products such as diapers, incontinence products and feminine hygiene products and in infection control products.

Fully elastic nonwoven fabric laminate

Disclosed herein are multicomponent fibers wherein at least one component will permit bonding of the fibers to themselves and other types of fibers and wherein the same first component is also degradable in an aqueous medium. Such fibers can be used to form fibrous nonwoven webs which can be used as components in such end-use products as medical and health care related items, wipes and personal care absorbent articles.

Water-degradable multicomponent fibers and nonwovens

A composite elastic material is provided having improved hysteresis comprising a layer of an elastic material bonded to a layer of nonelastic material at least one side. The elastic material layer is made from a blend of a narrow polydispersity number polymer and a conventional elastomer, and the blend is essentially free of low molecular weight polyethylene processing aids. The composite elastic material laminate should have a hysteresis at least 15 percent better than a similar laminate made without the narrow polydispersity number elastomer but with the processing aid.

Elastic laminates with improved hysteresis

There is provided a fully elastic, breathable, barrier fabric comprising a nonwoven web layer of fibers, where the web has a hydrohead of at least 4 mbar, a basis weight of less than 68 gsm and which is made from an elastic polyolefin. If the fabric is a laminate it may be an SMS, SBL or NBL laminate. This fabric is particularly well suited to use as a containment flap for personal care products such as diapers, incontinence products and feminine hygiene products and in infection control products. The fabric may also be used as a liner in personal care products.

Elastic, breathable, barrier fabric

There is disclosed fibers and fabrics formed from a polymer which is a 'hand enhancing' polymer. The 'hand enhancing' polymer is a copolymer of polypropylene which contains ethylene, 1-butene, or 1-hexene or a terpolymer of propylene, ethylene and butene. If the polymer is an ethylene copolymer, the copolymer may be random or random and block and the ethylene must be present in an amount between greater than 5 and 7.5 weight percent of the copolymer. If the copolymer contains 1-butene, it must be present in an amount between 1 and 15.4 weight percent of the copolymer. If the copolymer contains 1-hexene, it must be present in an amount between 2 and 5 weight percent of the copolymer. If the polymer is a terpolymer of propylene, ethylene and butylene, the polypropylene is present in an amount between 90 and 98 weight percent, the ethylene is present in an amount between 1 and 6 weight percent and the butylene is present in an amount between 1 and 6 weight percent. The fibers may additionally have a second polymer adjacent the first polymer in a sheath/core, islands-in-the-sea or side-by-side conjugate orientation.

Nonwoven fabric from polymers containing particular types of copolymers

There is provided a nonwoven fabric laminate having cross-directional stretch properties. The laminate is comprised of at least three layers. The outer layers are spunbond nonwoven fiber webs which are made of crimped or crimpable fibers. The inner layer is an elastomeric polymer layer which may itself be composed of one or more thinner layers. The layers are preferably produced by sequentially depositing them onto a moving forming wire and bonding them together by a method excluding hydroentanglement to form the laminate.

Nonwoven laminate with cross directional stretch

A nonwoven fabric made with multicomponent polymeric strands includes a blend of a polyolefin and elastomeric thermoplastic material in one side or the sheath of the multicomponent polymeric strands. The fabric has improved abrasion resistance and comparable strength and softness properties. The thermoplastic elastomeric copolymer is preferably A-B-A' block copolymer wherein A and A' are each a thermoplastic endblock which includes a styrenic moiety and wherein B is an elastomeric poly(ethylene-butylene) mid block. Composite materials including such multicomponent material bonded to both sides of an inner meltblown layer are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Cumming, GA, United States of America

Paul Windsor Estey