Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Robert John Schwartz

Michael Tod Morman

Howard Martin Welch

Patricia Hsiaoyin Hwang

Thomas Harold Roessler

Lee Kirby Jameson

James Russell Fitts, Jr

Ty Jackson Stokes

Paul Windsor Estey

Darryl Franklin Clark

Varunesh Sharma

James Richard Neely

Diane Leilani Kilpatrick

The present invention is directed to a necked laminate and a process for making the laminate. The necked laminate is formed from sheet layers of at least one non-elastic neckable material laminated to at least one non-elastic film defining a longitudinal and transverse dimension wherein the laminate is extensible and retractable in at least one dimension without significantly reducing the breathability and/or liquid barrier properties of the film layer. This laminate extensibility and retractability is the result of striated rugosities in, for instance, the longitudinal dimension of the film layer which enables the necked laminate to have an amount of extensibility and retractability in the transverse dimension. The laminate is made by first partially stretching the non-elastic film layer, attaching a non-elastic neckable layer to form a laminate and then stretching the laminate to neck the laminate and stretch the film to its desired fully stretched configuration.

Transversely extensible and retractable necked laminate of no-elastic sheet layers

A method for application of a fluid on a substrate formed as a film or web or laminate in which the substrate is located between two spaced apart electrodes for generating an electrostatic field. An electrostatic field is generated on each side of substrate and a fluid is introduced as droplets for application to the substrate into the electrostatic field on at least one side of the substrate, forming electrostatically charged droplets. The electrostatically charged droplets are directed based upon a predetermined pattern onto the at least one side of the substrate. In accordance with one embodiment, the electrode on the side opposite to the side on which the droplets are introduced is used to cause the droplets to migrate into the interior of the substrate.

Method for application of a fluid on a substrate formed as a film or web

The present invention is directed to a composite material and a process for making the material. The composite material may be breathable and is formed from at least one layer of an elastic material and a necked laminate of sheet layers. The sheet layers include at least one non-elastic neckable material laminated to at least one non-elastic film defining a longitudinal and transverse dimension wherein the laminate is extensible and retractable in at least one dimension without significantly reducing the breathability and/or liquid barrier properties of the film layer. This laminate extensibility and retractability is the result of striated rugosities in, for instance, the longitudinal dimension of the film layer which enables the necked laminate to have an amount of extensibility and retractability in the transverse dimension. A breathable laminate may be made by first partially stretching a filled non-elastic film layer, attaching a non-elastic neckable layer to form a laminate and then stretching the laminate to neck the laminate and lengthen the film to its desired fully stretched configuration. Attachment of at least one layer of an elastic material to the necked laminate further provides stretch and recovery in at least one dimension.

Composite material having stretch and recovery including a layer of an elastic material and a transversely extensible and retractable necked laminate of non-elastic sheet layers

The present invention is directed to a liquid transfer material formed from a necked laminate and a process for making the laminate. The necked laminate is formed from sheet layers of at least one non-elastic neckable material laminated to at least the film non-elastic film defining a longitudinal and transverse dimension. At least the film layer of the laminate is apertured in an area where liquid transfer through the laminate is desired. The entire laminate may also be apertured. The non-apertured part of the laminate remains extensible and retractable in at least one dimension without significantly reducing the breathability and/or liquid barrier properties of the film layer. This laminate extensibility and retractability is the result of striated rugosities in, for instance, the longitudinal dimension of the film layer which enables the necked laminate to have an amount of extensibility and retractability in the transverse dimension. A breathable laminate may be made by first partially stretching the non-elastic film layer, attaching a non-elastic neckable layer to form a laminate and then stretching the laminate to neck the laminate and lengthen the film to its desired fully stretched configuration.

Liquid transfer material of a transversely extensible and retractable necked laminate of non-elastic sheet layers

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.

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Cumming, GA, United States of America

Robert John Schwartz