The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 08, 2020
Filed:
Jun. 06, 2014
Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Appleton, WI (US);
Ryan J McEneany, Appleton, WI (US);
Neil T. Scholl, Neenah, WI (US);
Antonio J. Carrillo, Appleton, WI (US);
Mark M. Mleziva, Appleton, WI (US);
KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
A technique for initiating the formation of pores in a polymeric material that contains a thermoplastic composition is provided. The thermoplastic composition contains microinclusion and nanoinclusion additives dispersed within a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer. To initiate pore formation, the polymeric material is mechanically drawn (e.g., bending, stretching, twisting, etc.) to impart energy to the interface of the continuous phase and inclusion additives, which enables the inclusion additives to separate from the interface to create the porous network. The material is also drawn in a solid state in the sense that it is kept at a temperature below the melting temperature of the matrix polymer.