Ato Findley, Inc.

Bostik Findley, Inc.

Russell P Stuczynski

Mark D Alper

Diane M Strelow

James D Carper

The present invention provides a method of making a laminated, gathered, elastic web. The method includes the steps of feeding a first substrate in a machine direction, feeding a second substrate aligned with the first substrate in the machine direction, and feeding an array of elastomeric strand material between the first and second substrates in such a manner that the elastomeric strand material is stretched in the machine direction and aligned with the first and second substrates. A hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive, such as a styrene-isoprene-styrene based adhesive, is applied to one substrate, and a curable adhesive, such as a polyurethane based adhesive, is applied to the other substrate. Thereafter, the two substrates and the elastomeric strand material are compressed to form a laminate elastic web while maintaining the elastomeric strand material in its stretched state. Machine direction tension is maintained on the laminate until the hot melt adhesive cools and bonds the layers together. Thereafter, the machine direction tension is released to permit the elastic web to contract to form a gathered elastic web.

Dual adhesive application for laminating elastic webs

The fabrication of multi-layered laminated structures involves a high strength through-bonding technique. In its preferred embodiment, the structure is a nonwoven trilaminate structure which has outer layers of nonwoven material, and an inner elastomeric layer which has a plurality of openings therethrough, (e.g., an elastomeric mesh). During fabrication, beads of through-bonding adhesive (e.g., oil resistant, polybutylene-based hot melt adhesive) is applied to at least one of the nonwoven webs. The inner elastomeric mesh web and the two outer nonwoven webs are then aligned and fed into a compression nip. The compression nip compresses the webs together to obtain intimate contact of the two outer nonwoven webs through the openings in the inner elastomeric mesh web. In the resultant trilaminate web, the inner elastomeric mesh layer is mechanically secured within the trilaminate structure via the through-bonding even if bonds directly between the inner elastomeric mesh and either of the outer nonwoven webs fail. Preferably, the beads of through-bonding adhesive are applied only in regions of the web where strength enhancement is desired to insure the integrity and durability of the finished product, e.g. adjacent the longitudinal edges of the finished nonwoven trilaminate product.

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South Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Russell P Stuczynski