Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.

Sandy Chi-Ching Tan

Mary Lucille DeLucia

Eugenio Go Varona

Jessica B King

Michael Tod Morman

Susan Elaine Shawver

Kevin George Hetzler

Lavada Campbell Boggs

Glen Thomas Mildenhall

Dan Kenneth Schiffer

A method for producing an apertured structured material for accommodating passage of fluids, particularly high viscosity fluids, through the apertured structured material. In one embodiment, the apertured structured material is a composite material formed by differential shrinkage of a shrinkable second layer, for example an ethylene-propylene copolymer, which is laminated to a first layer, for example a polypropylene polymer. During the differential shrinkage process, a plurality of slits which are formed in the second layer open to form uniformly-shaped apertures. In another embodiment, an apertured structured heterogenous material is made of a heterogeneous mixture of at least two homogeneous fiber sets or components having different shrinkage extents.

Structured material having apertures and method of producing the same

A method for producing a structured material for accommodating passage of fluids, particularly high viscosity fluids, through the structured material. In one embodiment, the structured material is a composite material formed of a first layer, for example a polypropylene polymer, having a first shrinkage extent and a second layer bonded to the first layer, for example an ethylene-propylene copolymer, having a second shrinkage extent different from the first shrinkage extent. In another embodiment, a structured heterogenous material is made of a heterogeneous mixture of at least two homogeneous fiber sets or components having different shrinkage extents.

Structured material and method of producing the same

A liner system suitable for use in personal care absorbent products having a composite material including a substructure applied to a first layer. The first layer and the substructure define a plurality of voids for accommodating passage of fluids through the composite material. In one embodiment, high viscosity fluids including the particles contained therein pass through a plurality of apertures in the first layer. The voids defined by the first layer and the substructure entrap the particles to accommodate passage of fluids through the composite material.

Composites material with improved high viscosity fluid intake

Composite nonwoven webs are provided having two distinct regions extending adjacent one another in the machine direction of the web; the first region is formed from first continuous filaments and the second region is formed from second continuous filaments. The interface of the first and second region is formed from a mixture the first and second continuous filaments in a confluent relationship with one another and such that the two distinct regions form a unitary nonwoven web. The respective first and second regions can have distinct physical attributes as a result of utilizing first and second filaments which are different from one another. The first and second continuous filaments can vary with respect to average fiber denier, cross-sectional shape, cross-sectional configuration, polymer composition, crimp level, and additive composition.

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Roswell, GA, United States of America

Sandy Chi-Ching Tan