Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

William Bela Haffner

Ann Louise McCormack

Duane Girard Uitenbroek

Susan Elaine Shawver

Paul Windsor Estey

Jack Draper Taylor

Jon Edward Tinsley

Michael Tod Morman

Glynis Allicia Walton

Joy Francine Jordan

Cindy Janja Blackstock

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

David Arthur Fell

Frank Paul Abuto

Carol Ann Blaney

Howard Martin Welch

Sarah Jane Marie Freiburger

Stephen Michael Campbell

Lavada Campbell Boggs

Wanda Walton Jackson

Hannong Rhim

Mark John Beitz

Marianne Keevill Leick

Stephen Clark Smith

Hong Y Lin

Larry Ned Barnett, Jr

Douglas H Tulley, Jr

Jack D Taylor

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 blown film process for producing low gauge, latent elastic films with high cross-direction orientation includes preferentially regulating the temperature gradient of the film along the expansion length. The regulation of temperature along the bubble profile allows more effective &ldquo;down gauging&rdquo; of the film and improved melt strength of the hot film. The choice of raw materials is an important element in producing cross-direction-oriented, low gauge, latent elastic films. The method of this invention can be carried out as either a multiple-bubble process or a single-bubble process.

Method of producing latent elastic, cross-direction-oriented films

Pattern embossed low gauge films are disclosed having multiple microporous film layers with distinct coloration, such as a dark colored layer and a light colored layer, wherein the color of the underlying film causes a visible color contrast only at the embossed regions and yet does not discolor the outer most layer. Also disclosed are film laminates and personal care articles incorporating such multilayer films.

Pattern embossed multilayer microporous films

A breathable multilayer film including a breathable core layer and one or two skin layers is prepared by providing a core layer mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a particulate filler, providing a skin layer mixture of at least two incompatible polymers, coextruding the core and skin layer mixtures to form a multilayer film, and stretching the multilayer film to cause void formation in the core layer and crack formation in the one or two skin layers. By forming cracks in the skin layers during stretching, the skin layers can perform dual functions of alleviating die build-up of filler from the core layer during coextrusion, and bonding the film to a substrate subsequent to coextrusion, without unduly hindering the moisture vapor transmission rate of the film or laminate product. The breathable film, and laminates including the film, are useful in a wide variety of personal care absorbent articles, medical garments, and other products.

Breathable multilayer films with breakable skin layers

Disclosed is a composite material adapted for mechanical fastener use as the loop component complementary to a hook component. The composite material is made by laminating a film with an amorphous polymer layer to a prebonded nonwoven web, using a bond pattern different from the pattern on the nonwoven so as to provide loose filaments or fibers between the laminate bond points. Desirably, the composite also has a WVTR of at least about 100 g/m /24 hours and a hydrohead of at least about 50 mbar. In use as a component of a disposable personal care product such as a disposable diaper, the loop fastener component may be substantially the entire backing to provide comfort, protection and highly variable fit.

Stretch-pillowed bulked laminate useful as an ideal loop fastener component

Breathable microporous films are provided having controlled regional breathability with thick high WVTR regions and thinner low WVTR regions. The zoned breathable microporous films can be made by selectively applying heat and/or pressure to specific regions the microporous film such as by feeding a microporous film through a pair of heated nip rollers with one of the rolls having a raised surface area or by applying a focused stream of hot air. Monolayer microporous films and multilayer films having at least one microporous layer can be treated to impart zoned breathability to the film.

Microporous films having zoned breathability

A composite material adapted for barrier garment applications is made by laminating a film with an amorphous polymer layer to a prebonded nonwoven web under conditions producing laminate bonds corresponding to the prebond locations, and unbonded areas between the bonds while maintaining constant film thickness. The composite has enhanced resistance to viral penetration for use as a surgical gown material, for example, and also desirably has a MVTR of at least about 300 g/m,/24 hours and a hydrohead of at least about 50 mbar. In use as a component of a protective apparel such as a surgical gown or drape, the composite provides comfort and protection with reduced risk of film damage.

Laminate having improved barrier properties

The present invention is generally directed to elastic nonwoven webs and films made from thermoplastic polymers. In particular, the present invention is directed to forming nonwoven webs and films from an elastomeric polymer and then cross-linking the polymer in order to improve the stretch characteristics of the article. Cross-linking also makes the article more temperature resistant. in one embodiment, the elastomeric polymer is a metallocene-catalyzed copolymer of polyethylene. Elastic layers made in accordance with the present invention can be combined into laminates and used in various products, such as diapers and other personal care articles.

Elastic nonwoven webs and films

The present invention relates to a breathable, oriented microporous elastomeric film. The present invention also relates to a process for forming the breathable film including the step of stretching a filled film to produce a microporous film layer.

Elastomeric film and method for making the same

An elastic liquid impermeable laminate is disclosed having an extensible barrier film; an 8 g/m.sup.2 to 100 g/m.sup.2 elastomeric nonwoven web comprising fibers of low density polyethylene having a density less than 0.89 g/cm.sup.3 ; and an extensible cloth-like outer layer, such as a nonwoven web of spunbonded fibers. The barrier laminate can be laminated by thermal point bonding to create patterns having improved loft, excellent hand and while achieving peel strengths in excess of 500 grams.

Elastic film laminates

Uniaxially oriented microporous breathable films having exceptional toughness transverse to the direction of orientation are disclosed herein. Such films include a particulate filler and a nonelastic material including a copolymer of ethylene with at least one C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 .alpha.-olefin monomer, such copolymers being described in the trade as 'super tough', 'next generation', etc., and being prepared with 'new' or 'improved' catalyst systems or with metallocene or similar single-site catalysts. A method of manufacture is also disclosed.

Stable and breathable films of improved toughness and method of making

A breathable barrier laminate is disclosed having a first film layer comprising a microporous breathable barrier film; a second film layer comprising a breathable filled film which comprises about 50% to about 70% by weight filler and an amorphous polymer such as an elastomeric ethylene polymer having a density less than 0.89 g/cm.sup.3 ; and a third fibrous layer comprising a breathable outer layer, such as a nonwoven web of spunbonded fibers. The multiple layers can be thermally laminated wherein laminate has a peel strength in excess of 200 grams and a WVTR in excess of 300 g/m.sup.2 /day.

Breathable filled film laminate

The present invention relates to a breathable laminate including an oriented microporous elastomeric film and at least one support layer bonded to the film. The present invention also relates to a process for forming the breathable laminate including the step of stretching a filled film to produce a microporous film before bonding it to a support.

Microporous elastomeric film/nonwoven breathable laminate and method for

A composite material adapted for mechanical fastener use as a loop fastener component with a complementary hook component is made by laminating a film with an amorphous polymer layer to a prebonded nonwoven web under conditions producing laminate bonds corresponding to the prebond locations, and loose filaments or fibers between the bonds. The composite also desirably has a MVTR of at least about 100 g/m.sup.2 /24 hours and a hydrohead of at least about 50 mbar. In use as a component of a disposable personal care product such as a disposable diaper, the loop fastener component may be substantially the entire backing, providing comfort, protection and highly variable fit.

Growing community of inventors

Kennesaw, GA, United States of America

William Bela Haffner