CN104302257B - Apparatus and process for aperturing and stretching a web - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatuses and processes for aperturing and stretching a web are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method involves feeding a web into a nip that is formed between at least one pair of intermeshing rolls. The first roll is a raised ridge rotary knife aperturing roll and the second roll is a ring roll; both rolls comprise ridges and grooves. The first roll comprises a plurality of spaced-apart teeth extending outwardly from the top surface of the ridges, said teeth having tips, wherein the top surface of said ridges are disposed between the tips of said teeth and the bottom surface of said grooves. These apparatuses and processes enable a web to be formed which comprises apertures having greater open area than previously achievable with traditional processes and apparatuses.

Description

For carrying out the apparatus and method of perforate and stretching to fleece

Technical field

The present invention relates to perforate web material and for fleece is carried out perforate and stretching to form such material Apparatus and method.

Background technology

Disclose in patent document for carrying out perforate, deformation and/or the various methods and apparatus for stretching to fleece. In the case of boring method such as hobboing cutter perforate, it is difficult to produce the fleece with closely spaced hole, wherein this some holes There is desired width on horizontal (" CD ").It is close together in order to hole rows are partitioned into, it is possible to provide with very little The activation tooth of angle.However, this method can bring problem, because produced hole does not have in the horizontal enough hole width Degree, or even be also such under the high depth of engagement (interference of the activation discaling roll to pairing ring roll).The hole of gained is usually in the vertical Elongation, so as to cause slit sample outward appearance, low aperture area and potential stress concentration, so as to cause tear in use.When adopting During with more tough and tensile and more tear resistance fleece, slit sample, the generation especially individual problem in the hole of low aperture area.Circle Change or tapered hot pin perforate is common method, but it has the shortcomings that to need counter roller to have bigger alignment precision, And it typically results in bigger pitch of holes.Sphering or tapered hot pin perforate is generally carried out with relatively low linear velocity.

It is possible to carry out pillar ring-rolling to stretch it to perforate fleece, but the aperture size of alternate row may be caused, Because hole can not be registering with follow-up ring roll drawing process.Variable due to substrate is sprawled, it is difficult in the horizontal by structure It is aligned with subsequent technique.Pillar ring-rolling is likely to significantly weaken fleece, so that it is easier to tear.

Wish to produce a kind of fleece with discrete, closely spaced hole, wherein this some holes and the hole being previously possible Compare with larger transverse width.Need perforate fiber that is a kind of more firm in the horizontal thus being not easy tear in the horizontal Net.Need a kind of method for producing following perforate fleece, the perforate fleece that there is hole bigger, wider, that opening is bigger. Also need to allow fleece by perforate into the equipment with hole, the hole has in the horizontal desired larger width.

There is many known techniques for producing the fleece with ridge and groove, such as ring-rolling.There is also perhaps Many known techniques for producing the fleece with hole, such as hot pin perforate.However, it is difficult to corrugated web is produced, It has the alternate ridge and groove being aligned with specific sectional hole patterns.Exist for carrying out crack hole and then carrying out the work of ring-rolling Skill.However, this causes do not have ripply flat fleece.Can have to be formed via the jet on patterning belt or water spray The fleece (flat bar) of ridge and groove.However, compared with invention as herein described, jet or water spray be more slowly technique simultaneously And the more energy of needs.Additionally, the ridge is not hollow to be thus able to keep more fluid.

Wish to produce the fleece with alternate ridge and groove, wherein ad-hoc location of the hole position in fleece, for example, In the grooves or positioned at chi chung.Need a kind of perforate fleece of the wave pattern including alignment.

These are the targets of the present invention；Embodiment as herein described is capable of achieving the various combinations of these targets.Certain tool Body embodiment can with but not necessarily implement each target.

The content of the invention

The present invention relates to perforate and often corrugated web material, and for carrying out perforate to fleece To produce the apparatus and method of such material.Such material may be provided as the component of following product：Such as absorbent article is (such as Top flat, egative film, acquisition layer, liquid handling layer, and absorbent cores), pack (such as flow-wrapped, shrink wrapped and polybag), wipe Wipe thing, face tissue, toilet paper, paper handkerchief etc..There is the substantial amounts of non-limiting example of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a kind of equipment, two intermeshing shaping knots of the equipment including formation roll gap between the two Structure, the equipment includes：First shaped structure, it includes：Multiple first ridges and the first groove on the surface of shaped structure, its Described in the first ridge there is top surface, and first groove has lower surface；With multiple teeth spaced apart, the tooth Stretch out from the top surface of first ridge, each tooth can form hole, wherein the top surface position of first ridge Between the lower surface of the end of the tooth and first groove；With the second shaped structure, it includes multiple continuous Two ridges and the second groove.

The invention further relates to a kind of equipment, two intermeshing reversions of the equipment including formation roll gap between the two Roller, the equipment includes the first roller of general cylindrical, and first roller has surface, circumference and axis, the first roller bag Include：The ridge of multiple circumferences first and circumferential first groove on the surface of the roller, wherein first ridge has top surface, and And first groove has lower surface；With multiple teeth spaced apart, the tooth is outside from the top surface of first ridge Extend, each tooth is tapered to end from top surface, wherein the top surface of first ridge is located at the end of the tooth and institute State between the lower surface of the first groove；With the second roller of general cylindrical, second roller includes multiple continuous circumferences the Two ridges and circumferential second groove.

The invention further relates to a kind of use equipment makes the technique that fleece deforms, the technique include feeding precursor web To in the roll gap being formed between two intermeshing rollers, described two intermeshing rollers include：A) general cylindrical First roller, first roller has surface, circumference and axis, and first roller includes：Multiple first ridges and the first groove, it is described First ridge and the first groove extend around the circumference of roller on the surface of roller, wherein first ridge has top surface, and First groove has lower surface；With multiple teeth spaced apart, the tooth is from the top surface of first ridge to extension Stretch, the tooth has end, wherein the top surface of first ridge is arranged on the end of the tooth and first groove Between lower surface；And b) the second roller of general cylindrical, second roller includes multiple continuous circumferential ridges and circumferential recess, Wherein described second ridge has top surface, and second groove has lower surface；Wherein when the fleece is fed When being sent in the roll gap, at least some of top of the chi chung on the first roller extends inwardly to super towards the axis of second roller The depth at least some of top of the second chi chung crossed on second roller, and the fleece：

I () is by the tooth in multiple first position perforates spaced apart forming multiple holes spaced apart；And

(ii) in the horizontal by the intermeshing roller stretching.

Description of the drawings

Include accompanying drawing in order to more fully understand the present invention herein.Accompanying drawing shows invention as herein described, and together with Specification is used for illustrating claimed theme together.

Fig. 1 is the perspective view of a pair of ring rolls of the prior art for deforming fleece.

Fig. 2A is a pair of rolls for carrying out the prior art of perforate to fleece, i.e., hobboing cutter perforate (or " RKA ") roller and The perspective view of ring roll.

Fig. 2 B are the side view of the roller of a pair of prior arts shown in Fig. 2A.

Fig. 2 C are the enlarged side view of the roll gap between the roller shown in Fig. 2A.

Fig. 2 D are the top view of the example prior-art fleece that can be formed by using the roller shown in Fig. 2A.

Fig. 3 A are the perspective view of a pair of rolls that can be used for apparatus and method as herein described, and one of roller is staggeredly " convex ridge " hobboing cutter perforate roller, and another roller is ring roll.

Fig. 3 B are the enlarged side view of the roll gap between the roller shown in Fig. 3 A.

Fig. 4 A are the perspective view of the part on the surface of exemplary convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller.

Fig. 4 B are the perspective view of the part on the surface of exemplary ring roll.

Fig. 4 C are the perspective view of the part on the surface of exemplary convex ridge structuring elastic-like film roller.

Fig. 5 A are the perspective view of the part on the surface of another exemplary convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller.

Fig. 5 B are the side view of the gear mutation shown in Fig. 5 A.

Fig. 5 C are the end-view of the gear mutation shown in Fig. 5 A.

Fig. 5 D are the top view of the gear mutation shown in Fig. 5 A.

Fig. 5 E are the profile intercepted along the line D-D of the gear mutation shown in Fig. 5 B.

Fig. 5 F are the profile intercepted along the line E-E of the gear mutation shown in Fig. 5 B.

Fig. 6 A are the front view of the first example teeth group, and wherein these teeth are tapered and truncation.

Fig. 6 B are the front view of the second example teeth group, and wherein these teeth are tapered and half truncation.

Fig. 6 C are the front view of the second example teeth group, and wherein these teeth are tapered and non-truncation.

Fig. 7 is the schematic diagram of tooth pattern, wherein end facet angle can be realized in single helical form machining steps γ and ridge finishing.

Fig. 8 is the enlarged side view of the part on the surface of alternative convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller.

Fig. 9 A are the top view of an example of the fleece that can be formed by using the modification of the roller in Fig. 3 A.

Fig. 9 B are the zoomed-in view in one of the hole shown in Fig. 9 A.

Figure 10 is the side view for carrying out another embodiment of the equipment of perforate to fleece, wherein three rollers are in row Planetary is arranged.

Figure 11 for 25gsm PE film webs top view (film is stretched/it is flattened to illustrate high basis weight regions and low base Weight region).

Figure 12 for 60gsm PP non-woven webs top view (non-woven material is stretched/it is flattened to illustrate Gao Ji Weight region and low basis weight regions).

Figure 13 is the profile of the fleece shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is the side perspective view of another non-woven webs.

Figure 15 is the top perspective of non-woven webs.

Figure 16 is the profile of film web.

Figure 17,18A and 18B are the top view of the perforate film web described in example 1.

Figure 19 A are the top perspective of the apertured nonwoven web as described in example 2.

Figure 19 B are the bottom perspective view of the fleece of Figure 19 A.

Specific embodiment

The broad description of the numerous different embodiments of the present invention is set forth below.It is only exemplary that this explanation is intended to be understood to , and and non-depicted each possible embodiment because describe each possible embodiment be it is impossible be also not cut Actual.And it is to be understood that any feature as herein described, characteristic, component, constitute, composition, product, step or method are equal Can be deleted, entirely or in part with any other feature as herein described, characteristic, component, composition, composition, product, step Rapid or Combination of Methods is replaced by the latter.The technology that can be developed using current techniques or after the submission date of this patent comes real Numerous alternative embodiments are applied, the technology developed after the submission date of this patent will still fall within this right will The scope asked.Herein cited all announcements and patent are herein incorporated by reference.

It is also understood that unless term in this manual using sentence " it is as used herein, term ' _ _ _ _ _ _ ' accordingly by Be defined as referring to ... " or similar sentence explicitly define, otherwise and be not intended to the clear of the term or impliedly limit Should not be construed as limited in any portion based on this patent beyond its usual or common implication, and such term In within the scope of done any sentence (in addition to the language of claims).Without any term to the present invention Speech is requisite, unless be specified that.When in this patent to meet single implication in the way of referring to appended by this patent During the either term described in claims, so as not to cause confusion to reader for the sake of being intended merely to clearly, and it is not intended to Impliedly or in other words this claim terms are limited to into the single implication.Finally, except non-claimed element Defined by describing wording " device " and function without describing any structure, be otherwise not intended based on 35U.S.C. The application that the 6th section of § 112 is explaining the scope of any claim key element.

The invention allows to form perforate fiber that is a kind of more firm in the horizontal thus being not easy tear in the horizontal Net.The present invention describes a kind of technique for producing the perforate fleece with discrete closely spaced hole, and the hole exists Transversely there is desired larger width.The technique can also produce the structure with alternate ridge and groove, its mesopore bag Containing in a groove.Invention also describes a kind of equipment, it will allow fleece desired into having in the horizontal by perforate The hole of discrete closely spaced larger width.

As used herein, term " absorbent article " includes disposable product, such as sanitary napkin, panty liner, tampon, labia Between device, wound dressing, diaper, adult incontinence product, cleaning piece etc..Additionally, by these methods disclosed herein and setting The standby absorption component for being produced could be applicable to other fleeces such as scouring pad, be dried mop pads (such as Pad) etc..At least some in such absorbent article is intended to for absorbing body fluid, such as menses or blood, vaginal fluid, urine And excrement.Cleaning piece can be used to absorb body fluid, or can be used for other purposes, such as clean surface.Above-mentioned various absorptions Product will generally include the top flat of fluid permeable, engage to the egative film of the liquid impermeable of top flat and in top flat and egative film Between absorbent cores.

As used herein, term " absorption component " refers to that the commonly provided one or more liquid handling function such as liquid is adopted The component of the absorbent article of collection, liquid distribution, liquid transmission, fluid storage etc..If absorption component includes absorbing core assembly, The absorption component may include whole absorbent cores or the only a part of the absorbent cores.

As used herein, term " hole " refers to hole.Hole can cleanly punch through fleece so that the material around hole exists Hole is located at and (" two dimension " hole) in fleece identical plane before being formed, or forms hole, wherein around the material of the opening In at least some be pulled to outside the plane of fleece.In the case of the latter, this some holes can be similar to " three-dimensional " hole.Three-dimensional apertures In applied load it is next as keep bigger aperture area.As used herein, term " perforate " refers to the fibre in multiple holes Dimension net.

As used herein, " component " of term absorbent article refers to each component of absorbent article, such as top flat, collection Layer, liquid handling layer, absorbent cores or absorbent core layer, egative film, and barrier such as barrier layer and obstruct hoop.

As used herein, term " corrugated " or " ripple " refer to almost parallel alternate multiple ridges and groove Three-dimensional network shape characteristic, its median ridge and groove rise and fall around (drawing horizontally across the cross section of fleece) axis X. Ridge and groove can comparably rise and fall on the either side of axis, or can lopside.

As used herein, term " horizontal " or " CD " refer to the path being transversely to the machine direction in the plane of fleece.

As used herein, term " deformable material " for can in response to applied stress or strain and change its shape or close The material of degree.

As used herein, term " depth of engagement " (" DOE ") refers to the mesh degree between two rollers.The distance is from The outermost end of tooth or ridge on one roller measures the outermost end of the tooth to the second roller or ridge.As used herein, term " is nibbled Conjunction " or " intermeshing " refer to following arrangement：At this moment tooth/the ridge on one of roller extends towards the surface of another roller, and these Extend between tooth/ridge of at least some of some parts of tooth/chi chung on the surface of another roller and be located across another The lower section of the imaginary plane that the end of the tooth/ridge on the surface of roller draws.

As used herein, term " discrete " refers to different or not connected.When the tooth being relevant on convex ridge roller is used During term " discrete ", it refers to that remote (or radially) end of tooth is in all directions (including in machine and transverse direction) Different or not connected (even if the base portion of tooth can be shaped as the identical surface of such as roller).For example, the ridge in ring roll is not It is considered as discrete.

As used herein, " disposable " description of term is not intended to be washed or recover or as absorbent article or product Absorbent article that product are reused and other products (that is, they are intended to be dropped after use, and are preferably de-allocated utilization, In other words compost treatment is processed in the compatible mode of environment).

As used herein, " hollow " description of term is deposited in the fleece prepared by apparatus and method as herein described Ridge and groove.Ridge and groove include the not neutral gear with web material.For example, fleece includes ridge, groove, and level The X-axis line that ground draws through the cross section of fleece；Positioned at X-axis line top but region below crestal culmination portion be it is hollow, Or including hollow region.Equally, the region below X-axis line but above bottom portion of groove is hollow, or including in Empty region.

As used herein, term " longitudinal direction " or " MD " refer to the road that material such as fleece advances along whole manufacture process Footpath.

As used herein, term " macroscopic view " is referred to when the vertical range between the eyes and fleece of observer is for about 12 English When very little (30cm), can be by the easy visible and obvious recognizable architectural feature of the people with 20/20 eyesight or element.On the contrary, As used herein, term " microcosmic " refers to and is not readily visible in such condition and can not substantially distinguish another characteristic.

As used herein, term " ring roll " or " ring-rolling " is referred to using the technique of deformation element, the deformation element bag The reverse roll of at least some part containing continuous ridge and groove is included, band, or intermeshing plate is intermeshed, wherein deforming structure The intermeshing ridge (or protuberance) and groove (or depressed part) of part engage and stretch insertion they between fleece.Unless Otherwise indicated, ring roll is not individually to fleece perforate.For ring-rolling, depending on ridge and the orientation of groove, deformation element can Be arranged on horizontal, longitudinal direction or in the hand of spiral/with stretch fleece laterally or longitudinally at an anglely.It is described herein The example in a relevant direction be intended to be understood to that the direction of non-depicted can be applied to.

As used herein, term " hobboing cutter perforate " (RKA) refer to using intermeshing deformation element or roller method and Equipment, wherein one or more rollers include multiple teeth.Tooth can be it is sharp with cut through fleece and make fleece deformation so as to Perforate fleece is produced, or in some cases, produces three-dimensional open pores fleece, such as US 2005/0064136A1 and US Disclosed in 2006/0087053A1.

Term " structuring elastic-like film " or " structuring class elasticity film forming " refer to Procter＆Gamble technologies, wherein SELF (structuring elastic-like film) is representedStructural Elastic Like Film.Method, equipment and via structuring class The pattern that elastic film forming is produced illustrates and is described in United States Patent (USP) 5,518,801；5,691,035；5,723,087；5, 891,544；5,916,663；6,027,483；In 7,527,615B2.Although the technique is originally to become polymer film Shape and do not produce what the tooth geometry in hole was developed, but have been developed over other tooth geometries, they are more beneficial for shape Cluster (for non-woven material), or the tent-shapaed part with hole on front-end and back-end (for film).Using structure Change class elasticity membrane formation process forms the technique of the cluster with hole in non-woven webs and is disclosed in United States Patent (USP) 7,682,686B2 In.

As used herein, term " tooth " is to refer to any element in the roller surface to fleece perforate.

I. perforate web material

Although there is used herein term " perforate web material ", purpose is to produce use by this class perforate web material In the component such as absorption component (or non-absorbing component) of absorbent article.In such cases, perforate web material will be cut It is cut into each component (such as top flat, egative film, acquisition layer, absorbent cores) for absorbent article.Just it is used for the fiber of absorbent article For net, such new construction may include to be provided in the predetermined part of fleece the characteristic of improvement, and (what is such as improved is soft It is soft, fluid process, or other characteristics) those.These perforate fleeces can be cut to form the product for encapsulation Various other components (for example, flow-wrapped, shrink wrapped and polybag), cleaning piece, face tissue, toilet paper, paper handkerchief etc..

There is provided in the component that can be formed in fleece and by them in a lateral direction with larger width it is discrete between Every the hole of very little, the hole is impossible to be produced with current method and mould.Compared to what is can obtained via prior art The hole (see Fig. 2 D) of equivalent aperture area, new bore includes bigger aperture area and lower aspect ratio (hole length:Hole width), This (for film) causes fleece intensity to increase.

Additionally, the fleece produced with this new technology also has unique outward appearance for more texturing.The veining Fleece may include alternate ridge and groove, and its mesopore is intentionally included in groove.The perforate for being just used for absorbent article is fine For dimension net, fleece can provide more preferable fluid acquisition, gas permeability, or separate with body, dryer and comfortableer, more clear so as to be lifted Clean sensation.For example, in sanitary napkin, hole in the grooves helps guide fluid and fluid is transferred to into bottom from top flat inhale Receive component.Not only hole provides these beneficial effects, and is present in any ripple in final fleece and also can in addition support this A little beneficial effects.For example, ripple provides at least part of noncontact with body, which improves gas permeability, produces dry and comfortable sense Feel, and contribute to less contacting possible stimulation skin or make one the wetting/dirty surfaces for doing not feel like oneself.With regard to sanitary napkin Speech, ripple can guide fluid and keep fluid away from the lateral edges of sanitary napkin either longitudinally or along sanitary napkin.

Any suitable deformable material will be may include by the fleece of perforate (or " precursor web "), such as weave material Material, non-woven material, film, flat film, the film of microtexture, the combination of any previous materials or lamilate.Art as used herein Language " non-woven webs " refers to following fleece：The fleece has the knot of the single fiber or line being caught in the middle Structure, but the not repeat patterns in such as weaven goods or in knitted fabric, the weaven goods or knitted fabric generally do not have randomly-oriented Fiber.Non-woven webs may include or may not include hot sticky node.This may include ground paper, such as thin paper, dry pulp material, liner plate, Filter paper and combinations thereof.Non-woven webs or fabric are formed by many techniques, for example, meltblown method, spun-bond process, water Acupuncture manipulation, air lay, wet-laying, aeration-drying paper technology and bonding carded fibers network process, including carded thermal bond.Take Certainly in forming technology, non-woven webs may or may not include hot sticky node.Membrane material can be individual layer, multilayer, impressing or it is micro- Veining.The Woven fabric, supatex fabric, film, combination or layered product can be made up of any suitable material, including but It is not limited to natural material, synthetic material and combinations thereof.Suitable natural material include but is not limited to cellulose, velveteen, Bagasse, wool fibre, silk fiber etc..In certain embodiments, web material can be substantially free of cellulose, and/or not include Paper material.In other embodiments, method described herein can be performed to the precursor material containing cellulose.Suitable synthesis material Material includes but is not limited to artificial silk and polymeric material.Suitable polymeric material is included but is not limited to：Polyethylene (PE) is (for example, LLDPE (LLDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE) (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE) (HDPE) etc.), polyester gathers to benzene Dioctyl phthalate second diester (PET), and polypropylene (PP).Any one in above-mentioned material may each comprise material recyclable after consumption Material.Equipment as herein described is applied to material and lower-cost material in extensive range.For example, spunbond non-can be knitted using daily Producing material material, multiple layers with different chemistry and mechanical properties (and control the journey that described two or more layers are mutually mixed Degree), the non-woven material with various fiber prescription ＆ formations；Or film.Additionally, the equipment can also direct-on-line operation (and And because of roll compaction/storage do not lose fluffy degree).

Various polymer can be used for producing fleece interested.Potential material includes biopolymer, the life Thing polymer is made up of non-petroleum sources, such as biologically-derived polyethylene (bio-PE), biologically-derived polypropylene (bio- PP), biologically-derived polyethylene terephthalate (bio-PET) and biologically-derived poly- (2,5- furandicarboxylic acids second two Alcohol ester) (bio-PEF).These materials can partially or even wholly derived from least one renewable resource, wherein renewable money Source refers to the natural resources that can be regenerated within 100 years.Renewable resource include plant, animal, fish, bacterium, fungi and Forestry products, and can be the biology of naturally occurring, crossbred or genetic engineering.Need to spend the time longer than 100 years Natural resources such as crude oil, coal and peat to be formed is not qualified as renewable resource.From non-petroleum sources other Polymer includes starch-based polymer and cellulose.In addition, 100% or the recyclable tree with various kinds of resin blending can be used Fat, r-HDPE, r-LLDPE, r-LDPE, r-PET, r-PEF or the r-PP crushed again after such as consuming.From renewable resource Can be independently operated, with the polymer of recyclable resin or be mixed into oil based polyalcohol to control cost with different content.By Non-petroleum sources prepares the source of polymer and method is found in the B1 of the US 8,063,064 and A1 of US 2011/0319849.

The present invention relates to perforate web material and for fleece is carried out perforate and stretching to produce such material Apparatus and method, the apparatus and method overcome one or more of shortcoming of prior art.Fiber is stretched in stretching Net is beneficial, because it makes it possible to the base by reducing fleece on the whole weighing and reduces cost.By in identical Perforate and stretching are carried out in processing step, wider, preferred hole is produced in web material.Herein, perforate and stretching be Carried out with alignment in single unit so that the stretching is carried out during tooth still penetrates into material, therefore not Hole is allowed to collapse when being stretched.The additional stretching step not only makes hole become broader, and has with producing There is the possibility of the fleece of corrugated outward appearance.This perforate must be accurately aligned with the combination of after-drawing.If perforate and Stretching is carried out with independent process, and as prior art, then hole will not be aligned with stretching ring roll and hole may close.Separately Outward, the fleece that produced with the new technology is more soft due to stretching and more drapability (loose and/or thinning fiber And/or film).Thinner fleece is usually desired, because the fleece can keep less fluid.Work as fleece During the top flat as absorbent article, this point is critically important, because the saturation degree in top flat is less.

In one non-limiting embodiment, perforate web material includes the fiber with discrete holes formed therein Net.The fleece has first surface and the second surface relative with first surface.The fleece is included around multiple discrete holes Substantially non-open area or matrix.

This some holes is densely deposited in relatively small region.For example, in any direction, the center to center between hole Spacing may be less than or equal to about 20mm, 10mm, 5mm, 3mm, 2mm, 1mm, or 0.5mm.Area is 1 square inch of (645mm²) The total number in the hole in region can be more than or equal to 4,25,100,250,500,1000, or 3000.In one inch square region The number in hole can determine in the following way：A size is drawn on material for 1 inch with apicule pen or marking pen (25.4mm) 1 inch of square area is taken advantage of, and to being completely or partially located in 1 inch square or positioned at its border On the first hole, the second hole, the number in the 3rd hole etc. counted.If desired, can be using low-powered microscope or other amplifications Servicing unit carrys out the visuality of auxiliary material mesopore.Any suitable configurations of Kong Kewei.

Kong Kewei is any suitably sized.Generally, hole by for macroscopic view.The plan view area in hole can be greater than or equal to about 0.5mm²、1mm²、5mm²、10mm², or 15mm².Method described herein can also be used to produce microcosmic hole, and they have and are less than 0.5mm²Plan view area.

In addition to hole, fleece may also include alternate ridge and groove, wherein hole in the grooves.Ridge can continuously prolong Stretch or formed in the region of the deformation of fleece discontinuous ridge.Groove can continuously extend, and its mesopore is in groove with rule Clearance gap then is opened.If it should be noted that fleece is reversed, groove will become ridge and ridge will become recessed Groove, and hole now will be positioned at chi chung.It is Kong Kewei two dimensions or three-dimensional depending on technique and material parameter.With regard to three-dimensional apertures Speech, the base portion in hole will extend on the rightabout of ridge.Compare with bottom portion of groove with crestal culmination portion, ridge side and groove side are more It is orientated in a z-direction in big degree.

For film, due to the reason of drawing process, ridge side and groove side are compared with crestal culmination portion with bottom portion of groove can It is relatively thin and with relatively low base weight.This causes fleece to have the higher region of alternate thickness and base weight and thickness and base weight Relatively low region, the wherein thickness and base higher region of weight is located in crestal culmination portion and bottom portion of groove, and with compared with low thickness and The region of base weight is located in the side wall between them.Alternate base bring up again the thinning for being beneficial to comfort level/flexible region simultaneously Holding is beneficial to the thickness of intensity.

For non-woven material, base weight is equally reduced in stretch zones, this again results in fleece and has alternating The relatively low region of base weight higher and base weight, the wherein higher region of base weight is located in crestal culmination portion and bottom portion of groove, and base weight Relatively low region is located in the side wall between them.For non-woven material, web thickness can not subtract in stretch zones It is little, because fiber can be released and being tangled and being moved away from each other.However, the thickness of some in described each fiber can be due to stretching And reduce, cause fibre diameter in the range of the 40% to 80% of initial fiber diameter.Avarage fiber diameter at crestal culmination portion and Avarage fiber diameter at bottom portion of groove can be more than the avarage fiber diameter of side-walls.Although tooth is locked in ridge and groove, Base portion web thickness is not significantly changed.Although fleece is veining, the fibre of ridge and groove is partially located at The thickness of dimension net is not significantly changed, and this is, because ridge and groove are not filled, but to define hollow region, because they It has been deformed into outside plane.Hollow ridge can not keep many fluids as the ridge filled, the top in as absorbent article It can provide dry and comfortable beneficial effect during piece.Due to the reason for stretching, fleece permanently extends in the stretching direction.Suitably Ground, the web thickness in stretch zones is the 20% to 80% of initial fiber thickness of net.

II. be used for make web material deform prior art equipment

The method of prior art is not suitable for producing the hole with wider size in the horizontal, especially for tough and tensile or For tear resistance film.Therefore, it is intended that designing following technique, it makes it possible to identical processing step (that is, in identical In roll gap and during perforate tooth still penetrates fleece) perforate and stretching are carried out to obtain hole in web material, institute State the hole that the method for Kong Yuyong prior arts is obtained in that and compare and have in the horizontal large-size.The method of prior art It is not suitable for being produced with alternate ridge using all perforates as described here of high speed perforate and stretching device and stretching device With the fleece of groove, wherein hole in the grooves.

Fig. 1 shows the equipment 10 of the first prior art, and its central roll 12 and 14 is herein referred to as ring roll.As in this paper institutes In the case of showing with the roller in described another equipment like that, roller 12,14 is carried on corresponding rotatable shaft, rotatable shaft tool There is the rotation axis A arranged with parallel relation.In all embodiments as herein described, roller is contactless, and for axle To what is driven.In this embodiment, the surface of roller has the multiple alternate groove 16 and ridge 18 extended around the circumference of roller. In other embodiments, ridge and groove can extend parallel to the axis A of roller.One or more such rollers can be used for equipment described herein Various embodiments in.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and various other embodiments as herein described, roller engagement or mutual at least in part Engagement.As shown in fig. 1, roller generally rotation in the opposite direction (that is, roller is reversion).This is for other realities as herein described It is also such for applying for example.

Fig. 2A -2C show the equipment 20 of the second prior art, and wherein apex roller 22 is hobboing cutter perforate (or " RKA ") roller, And lower roller 24 is herein referred to as ring roll.The equipment includes the intermeshing roller of a pair of reversions, and wherein apex roller 22 includes Pyramid tooth 30 with four or more sides, these sides for it is substantially triangular and from base portion towards end gradually Contracting, and lower roller 24 includes circumferentially extending groove 26 and ridge 28.Tooth 30 is arranged to circumferential row spaced apart, in the row Between have groove.Tooth 30 extends at base portion from apex roller 22, and the base portion of tooth has more than cross-section width dimension Cross-section lengths size.Generally, when the groove 26 on the tooth 30 on hobboing cutter perforate roller 22 and ring roll 24 is intermeshed, hole is formed In web material.High, tooth pitch, pitch, the depth of engagement, and other processing parameters, hobboing cutter perforate and hobboing cutter perforate with regard to tooth Equipment can with it is identical described in the A1 of U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2006/0087053.

Hobboing cutter perforate roller 22 shown in Fig. 2A includes (vs. standards) tooth pattern staggeredly.As used herein, term " is handed over It is wrong " refer to that adjacent teeth is not embarked on journey in the horizontal alignment.As used herein, term " standard " refer to adjacent teeth in the horizontal into Therefore row alignment is simultaneously noninterlace.As shown in Figure 2 C, roller 22 and 24 aligns in the horizontal so that the tooth on hobboing cutter perforate roller 22 30 align with the groove 26 in ring roll 24.When tooth 30 penetrates fleece, the ridge support web in ring roll 28 is matched so that tooth 30 can penetrate fleece and while form hole in the opposite direction.Fig. 2 D show the fleece 34 of example prior-art Top view, the fleece can be prepared by being similar to the equipment shown in Fig. 2A -2C.The fleece 34 of gained is included around hole 38 matrix 36.Being similar to the hole 38 that the equipment of Fig. 2A -2C formed by the equipment of prior art includes length L on longitudinal direction and horizontal On width W.This some holes is typically slit sample, the width W with far smaller than length L, especially for more tough and tensile sum For more restorative fleece.

III. using the apparatus and method for carrying out perforate to web material with the tooth extended from convex ridge

In general, the equipment includes forming two intermeshing shaped structures of roll gap between the two.Shaped structure May include roller, plate, band, sleeve pipe, can to fleece give texture to other structures or combinations thereof.First shaping knot Structure includes multiple first ridges and the first groove on the surface of shaped structure, wherein first ridge has top surface, and First groove has lower surface.Between first shaped structure also includes stretching out from the top surface of first ridge The multiple teeth for separating, each tooth can form hole, wherein the top surface of first ridge is located at the end of the tooth and institute State between the lower surface of the first groove.Second shaped structure includes multiple continuous second ridges and the second groove.

More specifically, the equipment includes forming the intermeshing roller of single a pair of reversions of single nip N between the two.Though So for convenience, mainly these equipment will be described with roller herein, it is to be understood that, this description will be any suitable for may include Any suitable equipment of the formed parts of suitable type, the formed parts are included but is not limited to：A pair of rolls；Multipair plate；Tool The conveyer of elastic disk (or platelet)；Band；Or combinations thereof.First roller and the second roller each include surface 106,108, The surface includes circumferentially extending multiple ridges and groove.Alternatively, ridge and groove can be parallel to roll axis Side upwardly extend, if itself and there is the roller of the ridge that extends in the same direction and groove pairing.First roller is in addition also Including multiple teeth spaced apart, wherein tooth stretches out from the top surface of ridge.This produces " convex ridge ".The ridge of the second roller is towards first The axis of roller extends beyond the depth at least some of top of the chi chung on the first roller.So, the initial engagement of tooth is produced Hole, subsequently when the engagement is carried out to convex ridge depth below, the hole is stretched in the horizontal.By in a technique step Carry out perforate first in rapid subsequently to be stretched during tooth still penetrates fleece, the hole of gained with by as mentioned above and as schemed Compare and have in the horizontal larger width in the hole produced by standard discaling roll shown in 2A -2D.

The hole of the present invention is compared with the hole of prior art including relatively low aspect ratio (hole length:Hole width) and it is much higher Aperture area, especially when for more tough and tensile film when, for example, the LLDPE comprising high-load those.New tooth geometry has Beneficial to obtaining high aperture area under relatively low mold temperature, enabling hole is formed in fleece, the fleece can not Enough is with conventional tooth geometry by perforate.New die geometry is provided at a lower temperature (for example, between 35 and 70 Between degree Celsius) or or even at ambient temperature to the ability of fleece perforate, without heating to equipment.In addition, Relative to former mould, the involved cost to produce the mould is few or relatively low, because especially removed gold Category is less.Therefore, room temperature precursor web can be used.In one embodiment, precursor web and intermeshing roller are not heated. Or can be using the fleece of overall preheating.Or subregion preheating fleece can make it possible to hole be formed in some areas and at other Bubble is formed in area.Preheating can be realized by the following method：Wrap up hobboing cutter perforate roller before splicing (wherein before splicing may be used The parcel time of change can be used) or ring roll is wrapped up before splicing.Equally, mould be heated or unmanaged can be used.It is suitable Preferably, it is heated to 50-200 degree Celsius by parcel, or 50-100 degree Celsius of hobboing cutter perforate roller is heating fleece.Hobboing cutter Perforate roller and ring roll can be driven by the speed of identical outmost surface, or there may be speed difference between described two rollers.

The following non-limitative example for illustrating particular roll arrangement and the perforate web material that can be consequently formed.This A little equipment can utilize single roll gap, and with higher position reason speed operation, in some cases without the need for heating, and be used for Carrying out perforate, that cost is compared with the method for the prior art of stretching is less (for example, because it is simple mechanical technology-only two Individual intermeshing roller).

Fig. 3 A and 3B show the example devices 100 of the present invention, and it includes forming the single of single nip N between the two The intermeshing roller 102,104 of a pair of reversions.First (top) roller 102 is the modification of hobboing cutter perforate roller shown in Fig. 2A.This is specific Modification will be called herein " convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller ".Second (bottom) roller 104 in equipment 100 shown in Fig. 3 A and 3B is ring Roller.

As shown in Figure 4 A, the first roller 102 includes multiple grooves 110 and ridge 120, and from the top surface 122 of ridge 120 to Multiple teeth 130 spaced apart staggeredly of outer extension.The configuration of roller 104 causes the top surface 122 of ridge 120 to be arranged on tooth 130 End 134 and the lower surface 112 of groove 110 between, depending on the direction of the axis A relative to roller.As shown in Figure 4 B, Two rollers 104 include multiple grooves 140 and ridge 150.Groove 140 has lower surface 142, and ridge 150 has top surface 152.Herein, the distance between lower surface 142 of the top surface 152 of ridge 150 and groove 140 is base around the circumference of the roller Identical in sheet.Fig. 4 C are alternative second roller 104B of the transversary elastic-like film roll form in convex ridge staggeredly. The configuration of roller 104B causes the top surface 122 of ridge 120 to be arranged on the end 134 of tooth 130 and the lower surface 112 of groove 110 Between, depending on the direction of the axis A relative to roller.Referring again to Fig. 3 A and 3B, the tooth 130 and ridge 120 of the first roller 102 are towards The axis A of two rollers 104 extends, the depth at least some of top 152 being intermeshed in the ridge 150 on more than the second roller 104 Degree.

Must be conducive to carrying out perforate to fleece suitable for the tooth of the technique.Tooth on roller can have any suitable structure Type.Given tooth can have identical plan length and width size (such as with the tooth of circular or square-shaped planar figure). Alternatively, tooth can have the length (such as with the tooth of rectangle plane figure) more than its width, in this case, Tooth can have any suitable aspect ratio of its length and its width.Suitable configuration for tooth is included but is not limited to：Have The tooth of triangle side view；Tooth with square or rectangle side view；Columnar tooth；Pyramid tooth；It is oval with including circle The tooth of the plan configuration of shape, hourglass shape, star, polygon etc.；And combinations thereof.Polygon includes but is not limited to square Shape, triangle, pentagon, hexagon or trapezoidal.The side wall of tooth can be tapered with constant angle to end from base portion, or they can Change angle.Tooth can be tapered towards the single point of tooth end, than tooth as shown in Figure 4 A.Tooth can have sphering, it is flat or Form the end at tip.Alternatively, tooth can be tapered towards multiple spot, the tooth end of elongation, than as shown in Figure 4 C Structuring elastic-like film tooth.However, the end of tooth must be with least one the vertical wall of tooth (for example, on the front-end and back-end of tooth Vertical wall, as shown in Figure 4 C) formed pinnacle, therefore tooth to fleece perforate or pierce through fleece.With regard to the tooth shown in Fig. 4 C Speech, each tooth can form 2 holes, a leading edge for being located at each tooth, and another is located at trailing edge.

In an exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 5 A-F, the first roller 102 include from the top surface 122 of ridge 120 to Multiple pyramid teeth 130 of outer extension.Fig. 5 A are the perspective of the part on the surface of another exemplary convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller Figure.Fig. 5 B are the side view of the gear mutation shown in Fig. 5 A, and Fig. 5 C are end-view, and Fig. 5 D are top view.Fig. 5 E are along Fig. 5 B The profile that the line D-D of shown gear mutation is intercepted.Fig. 5 F are the profile intercepted along the line E-E of the gear mutation shown in Fig. 5 B. Tooth cross-sectional area A shown in Fig. 5 E_tLess than the tooth cross-sectional area A shown in Fig. 5 F_tb.Side (for example, the 130a shown in Fig. 5 E- It is 130f) substantially triangular and tapered with constant angle to base portion 132 from end 134.The number of side can be four (for example, Fig. 4 A), six (for example, Fig. 5 A -6C), or be another number less than or equal to 12.Between tooth 130 is arranged to The circumferential row for separating, has groove 110 between the row.Longitudinal end is to terminal teeth away from S_MDFor 0.4mm to 15mm (or 3mm To 8mm).Transverse pitch P is 0.4mm to 10mm (or 1mm to 3mm).Angle αs of the tooth with 30 to 90 degree (or 45 to 65 degree), 3 Side wall angle β to the long side surface (for example, 130c, 130f) of 15 degree of tooth, and the tooth of 45 to 120 degree (or 60 to 90 degree) Leading edge and trailing edge end facet angle γ (angle for example, between side 130a and 130b or side 130d and 130e it Between angle).In some cases, when tooth is produced by helical form grinding, select staggeredly and including end facet angle The vertical and horizontal tooth pitch of γ.

There are the different modes of the part 136 intersected to finishing wherein tooth 130 and ridge surface 122, for example, truncation (figure 6A), the tapered portion wherein on each side is clipped by certain plane；(Fig. 6 B) of half truncation, on wherein at least one side Tapered portion clipped by certain arc；Or (Fig. 6 C) of non-truncation, the wherein tapered portion on each side cut never in any form Go.Tooth 130 shown in Fig. 6 A is tapered towards base portion 132 from end 134 and bottom 136 with truncation.Can carry out by the different number of degrees Tapered and/or truncation.The tapered portion of the truncation on tooth causes dental transition easily fabricated.In this case, referring to Fig. 7, such as process In shaping operation it is known as, end facet angle can be realized in single helical form machining steps by the following method γ and ridge finishing：In circumferential D_CUpper rotating mould, while the propulsion machining in the axial direction of mould.Along machining path M_PTo produce The end facet of the population 130.For tooth interlocks portion T_S, therefore included end facet angle γ be generated as 2*Arctan (horizontal pitch of teeth " P "/tooth interlocks portion " T_S”)。

The top surface 122 of the ridge that can differently come between finishing tooth 130.For example, surface 122 can be radiant type Or non-radiative formula.Radioactive surface will protect fleece not tear during being formed, especially for film；Rather than spoke The surface (surface 122 such as shown in Fig. 6 A -6C) for penetrating formula can be more cost-effective.

The configuration of convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller 102 causes the top surface 122 of ridge 120 to be arranged on the end 134 of tooth 130 and recessed Between the lower surface 112 of groove 110, depending on the direction of the axis A relative to roller 102.The high h of tooth_tIt is defined as the end of tooth 130 The distance between lower surface 112 of end 134 and groove 110.The high h of tooth_tFor 1mm to 12mm, or 2mm to 8mm, or 3mm is extremely 6mm.The high h of ridge_rFor tooth it is high at least 20%, usually 20% to 95%.Crosscutting depth d_ccIt is defined as the end 134 of tooth 130 The distance between with the top surface 122 of ridge 120.In this embodiment, the top surface of the end 134 of tooth 130 and ridge 120 The distance between 122 is substantially the same around the circumference of the roller.Crosscutting depth d_ccDepending on the change formed needed for the hole Shape amount.For example, crosscutting depth d_ccCan be in 0.2mm to 9mm, or in the range of 1.0mm to 4.0mm or 2.0mm to 3.5mm.It is less Crosscutting depth d_cc(under identical DOE) produces the hole of more big opening.The depth of engagement of a pair of rolls 102,104 have to be larger than crosscutting Depth d_cc.Suitably, the depth of engagement at least 0.1mm or big 0.3mm bigger than crosscutting depth.DOE at nip N be 0.5mm extremely 10mm, or 3mm to 7mm, or 3mm to 4mm.

The high h of ridge_rIt is defined as the distance between the top surface 122 of ridge 120 and the lower surface 112 of groove 110.One In a little embodiments such as shown in Fig. 3 B and 4A, the first roller 102 includes transverse width, and the top surface 122 of ridge 120 and recessed The distance between lower surface 112 of groove 110 is substantially the same around the circumference and across the transverse width of roller 102 's.Or first ridge top surface and the second groove the distance between lower surface around the circumference or across the first roller Transverse width can be changed.Various alternative embodiment of convex ridge roller is possible.For example, such as the institute of roller 162 in Fig. 8 Show, the height h of ridge_rCan change between at least some in tooth 168.The high h of ridge_rDepending on being formed needed for desired hole Deflection.The top surface 166 of at least one ridge 164 between a pair of teeth 168 will be with following height h_r1, the height By at least 10%, 20%, or 30% more than the height h positioned at another another ridge 164 between tooth 168_r2.The roller 162 can For all technique as shown in Figure 3A of certain technique replacing convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller 102.Second roller can be ring roll, and it has Ridge with differing heights in circumference or axial direction.

Fig. 9 A show an example of the fleece 170 that can be prepared by the equipment shown in Fig. 3 A：With what is interlocked The hobboing cutter perforate convex ridge roller of tooth pattern is used as upper roller 102 and ring roll is used as lower roll 104.Roller 102 and 104 aligns in the horizontal, So that the tooth 130 on the first roller 102 aligns with the groove 140 on the second roller 104.When the tooth 130 on the first roller 102 penetrates fiber The support web 170 of ridge 120 between tooth 130 during net 170, on hobboing cutter perforate convex ridge roller 102 so that the second roller 104 On ridge 150 can in the horizontal stretch fleece 170.

Fleece in its original state can be considered as relatively flat, and is made up of non-open area completely. Fleece 170 has first surface 170A and second surface 170B.When (for example, fleece is fed to positioned at roller in the vertical Those shown in Fig. 3 A) between nip N in when, fleece：I () is spaced apart to be formed by the perforate of tooth 130 of the first roller 102 Multiple holes 172；And (ii) stretched with stretchable holes 172 in the horizontal by the ridge 120 of the first roller 102.If Fig. 9 A are fleece top Shown in view, as a result obtain including the perforate fleece 170 in hole 172 and the matrix 174 around hole 172.Hole 172 can be a side Outside being pushed out the plane of fleece 160 (down, as observed in figure 9 a) upwards, therefore hole 172 can have height Degree H_a.Hole 172 is embarked on journey in machine and transverse direction alignment.Fig. 9 B show the amplification vertical view in single hole 172.Hole 172 includes vertical Length L upwards_aWidth W transversely_a.Hole will preferably have length divided by the 1 to 4 of width, or 1.25 to 3, or 1.5 To 2.5, or 1.6 to 2.3 aspect ratio AR.Hole 172 also includes each aperture area A_aWith around aperture area P_aPeriphery.Open Total opening area included by the fleece of hole is the 5% to 25% of total fiber web area, or 9% to 21%, or 10% to 16%, Or 14% to 20%.Apertured film is included in 1.5N to 5N, 2N to 4N, 2.5N to 4N, 2.5N to 3.5N, or 2.7N to 3.9N scope Interior tear transversely or tensile strength (per 25.4mm).Apertured nonwovens are including in the range of 2N to 20N or higher Tensile strength transversely (per 25.4mm).In one example, fleece includes machine-direction oriented and horizontal orientation, its mesopore bag Include the length on longitudinal direction and width transversely, and plurality of hole include length divided by the 1 to 4 of width aspect ratio.

In certain embodiments, above-mentioned stretching step not only increases the transverse width in hole, and generates alternate Ridge and groove, wherein hole are in the grooves.The partial frictional of the fleece contacted with the ridge on described two rollers is locked in crestal culmination In portion thus it is not stretched, and the fleece between ridge is stretched out outside plane.Fiber outside the plane that is stretched out The part of net becomes to be orientated to a greater extent in a z-direction.Therefore, the fleece with ridge and groove, its mesopore can be formed In the grooves.If it should be noted that fleece is reversed, groove will become ridge and ridge will become groove, And hole now will be positioned at chi chung.The fiber at fiber and bottom portion of groove at crestal culmination portion can be more compared with the fiber of side-walls It is orientated in X-Y plane in big degree.

For film, fleece is thinned and base reduces again in stretch zones, and in friction lock on hump Web thickness and base keep constant again in the region of fleece.This cause fleece to have that alternate thickness is higher and thickness compared with The relatively low region of the low heavy higher and base weight in region and alternate base, the region that wherein thickness is higher and base weight is higher is located at In crestal culmination portion and bottom portion of groove, and with the region compared with low thickness and relatively low base weight in the side wall between them.Figure 11 For 25gsm PE film webs 210 top view (film is stretched/it is flattened to illustrate high basis weight regions 212 and low basis weight regions 214).Fleece 210 also show ridge R, groove G, and side wall S.Hole 216 is present in groove G.It is clear that Gao Jichong areas Domain 212 is located in ridge R and groove G, and low basis weight regions 214 are located in the wall S of side.

For non-woven material, base weight is equally reduced in stretch zones, this again results in fleece and has alternating Higher basis weights and relatively low base weight region, wherein higher basis weights region is located in crestal culmination portion and bottom portion of groove, and relatively low base Weight region is located in the side wall between them.Figure 12 is top view (the non-woven material of 60gsm polypropylene nonwovens fleece 220 Material be stretched/it is flattened to illustrate high basis weight regions 222 and low basis weight regions 224).Fleece 220 also show ridge R, groove G, and side wall S.Hole 226 is present in groove G.Thermal bond points or fusion bounding point 228 may be present in various on fleece 220 In position.It is clear that high basis weight regions 222 are located in ridge R and groove G, and low basis weight regions 224 are located in the wall S of side.With regard to non- For weaving material, web thickness can not reduce in stretch zones, because fiber can be released and being tangled and being moved away from each other. However, the thickness of some in described each fiber can be reduced due to stretching.It should be noted that the fibre for characterizing base weight " region " of dimension net does not include hole itself.

Due to the reason for stretching, fleece permanently extends in the stretching direction.If fleece is maintained at its ripple Shape state, the then major part of the web width for being increased is formed on the ridge and groove filling in fleece.As other one Plant and select, tension force can be applied to stretch fleece, this will cause the height and frequency of ridge and groove to reduce, and reduce fleece Overall basis weight.If desired, extendable fiber net causes ridge and groove no longer to exist, and fleece returns back to its flattening shape State.The deformation technique can in the horizontal stretch fleece or make fleece growth 10%, and 15%, 20%, 25%, or it is more.Ridge The characteristic of mould geometry, process conditions and material is depended on the permanent elongation amount and forming degree of groove.Generally, with membrane material Material is compared, the technique will permanently draw nonwoven web material or grow nonwoven fibrous web material it is more.Example Such as, fleece can grow to 190mm from 165mm in the horizontal.Suitably, the fleece have initial web basis weight regions and Relatively low basis weight regions, the relatively low basis weight regions have the base weight less than initial web base weight.

Figure 13 is the cross-sectional view of fleece 220 shown in Figure 12, shows ridge, groove G, and horizontally across fleece The axis X that cross section draws；Region above X-axis line but below crestal culmination portion is hollow, or including hollow area Domain HA.Equally, the region below X-axis line but above bottom portion of groove is hollow, or including hollow region HA.It is suitable Preferably, the web thickness at crestal culmination portion is similar with the web thickness at bottom portion of groove.Fleece at crestal culmination portion is thick Web thickness at degree and bottom portion of groove can be similar to the web thickness of side-walls.It is so-called similar, refer to thickness at that Within this about 60%.Or the web thickness at the web thickness and bottom portion of groove at crestal culmination portion is more than the fiber of side-walls Thickness of net.Figure 14 is the side perspective view of another non-woven webs 230 with ridge 232, groove 234 and side wall 236.Figure 15 is the top perspective of 28gsm polyethylene/polypropylene bicomponent nonwovens fleece 240, and the non-woven webs include Ridge 242 and groove 244 and hole 246, wherein hole width W_aMore than ridge width W_r.Figure 16 is the profile of film web 250, and it shows Bigger thinning at the top of ratio ridge 252 gone out at side wall 256 or the bottom of groove 254.

Technique interested to herein is possible with multiple deforming steps more gently to make material deform or give more Big set deformation volume.Such multiple deforming steps can by authorizing the U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 13/094 of Lake et al., Any suitable equipment described in 195 is carrying out.Suitably, at least the first roller or the second roller also with one or more additional rollers shapes Into roll gap so as to further stretching fleece or deform fleece.In a kind of arrangement 200 as shown in Figure 10, ring roll 202 Match with convex ridge roller 204, the convex ridge roller is matched with another ring roll 206 then so that these rollers are in planetary or satellite Formula configuration.Also can carry out on following equipment using the technique of multiple deforming steps to carry out desired deformation：With place In nested type arrangement relatively small number purpose roller nested type equipment, or such as with any suitable number of roller it is mixing, Closed loop and share row etc equipment.

Numerous alternative embodiment of perforate web material and its preparation technology is possible.For example, it is possible to provide Following web material, they have different area (including deformed area and/or not deformed across the surface for taking on a different character Area).These areas can be selected from by least one feature：Ridge is high, ridge spacing, hole size, fibre diameter, film thickness, or their group Close.In one embodiment, it is possible to provide following perforate web material, it has porose area, and has ridge in some cases Area and groove area.Fleece disclosed herein can include the ridge area with various sizes of hole and/or different size and frequency And groove area.Fleece may include one or more layers.In another embodiment, the film is to include stretch zones and do not draw The microtexture film in region is stretched, wherein stretch zones have the microtexture characteristic different from non-stretched region, and wherein micro- line Physicochemical property is selected from aperture area, size, orientation, and combinations thereof.Prepared by methods and apparatuses described herein Fleece may include the ridge discontinuously extended across deformed area, or the ridge continuously extended across deformed area.In order to produce this Class perforate web material, ring roll used may include ridge area and groove area.Or ring roll can have its median ridge for differing heights Area, so as to produce the different depth of engagement (DOE), different convex ridge under depth and therefore the hole with different width and aperture area. Alternatively or additionally, convex ridge roller may also include different areas, and its median ridge height is different in different areas 's.

Example

Example 1

It is used to be prepared in polymer film the non-limiting examples in hole at one than the (bag of fleece 300 as shown in figure 17 Include microcosmic hole 312 and macroscopic pores 314) in, can use includes being intermeshed with the ring roll of the 3.8mm depths of engagement and 1.5mm pitches 1.5mm pitches convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller equipment.Convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller has and is oriented such that length direction vertical Upwardly extending tooth.These teeth are arranged to pattern staggeredly, as shown in Figure 5A.These teeth have with from base portion to end Sophisticated tapered 6 side pyramidal shape, and the height h with 4.7mm_t.These teeth have 62 degree of angle (Fig. 5 B In α), the side wall angle (β in Fig. 5 C) on the long side surface of about 6 degree of tooth, and 90 degree of end facet angle is (in Fig. 5 E γ).The ridge crossed between tooth on hobboing cutter perforate roller be non-radiative formula and form flat surfaces.These teeth are at ridge with half Truncation pattern is finished, as shown in Figure 6B.Ridge and groove are circumferentially extending around ring roll.

There are two kinds of different tooth sections on roller, they are demonstrated out with the beneficial effect of displaying convex ridge and single Ground is referred to as " section A " and " section B ".Section A has longitudinal tooth pitch S of the 4.9mm of end to end_MD, the crosscutting depth of 3.6mm (the d in Fig. 6 A_cc) and 1.1mm the gained ridge height (h in Fig. 6 A_R).Section B has longitudinal tooth of the 3.7mm of end to end Away from S_MD, crosscutting depth d of 2.7mm_cc, and the high h of gained ridge of 2.0mm_r。

Pairing ring roll for 1.5mm pitch, the height with 4.8mm, the tip radius of 0.12mm, and about 4 degree of side wall Angle.The two rollers are respectively provided with the diameter of about 205mm, and are heated to 80 degrees Celsius.Hobboing cutter perforate roller and ring roll are in the horizontal Alignment causes the gap on the bilateral of tooth approximately equivalent.

Precursor web is microcosmic open cell polymer film, and its base weight is 26g/m², the blend with LLDPE and LDPE, It is purchased from RKW-Group (Germany).LLDPE includes about 60% film composition, about 30% LDPE, and remaining 10% is Inert substance and filler such as TiO₂With its vector resin.Microcosmic hole be 55 mesh (number of pores per inch on orthogonal direction), their quilts Equilateral triangle pattern is arranged to, wherein center to center spacing is for about 462 microns.Bore dia is 175-200 microns, and gradually The cone height of contracting is of about 120 microns.

It is before being passed through between intermeshing roller with 480 ms/min of linear fibre net spee, precursor web is pre- It is wrapped in ring roll.The microcosmic perforate cone side of film is positioned to towards hobboing cutter perforate roller.Using the depth of engagement of 3.8mm.Institute The film for obtaining is illustrated in Figure 18 A and 18B with low magnifying power.Aperture area (has the percentage of the membrane area in the hole of opening), hole Length, and the hole width of the film measures with vision system, it is all if being purchased from Cognex with IN-SIGHT trade names The vision system of Corporation (Natik, Massachusetts).From the hole (Figure 18 A) of section A and from section B's The aperture area in hole (Figure 18 B), the comparative result of length and width are illustrated in following table.Figure 18 A and 18B show film web 320th, 340, they have microcosmic hole 322,342 and hole 324,344.

Example 2

It is used to prepare in the non-limiting examples of the corrugated web with hole in a groove at one, can uses as follows Equipment, the equipment includes the convex ridge rolling of the intermeshing 2.0mm pitches of ring roll with the 6.3mm depths of engagement Yu 2.0mm pitches Knife perforate roller.Convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate roller have be oriented such that the tooth that length direction extends in the vertical, and ridge and groove It is circumferentially extending around ring roll.Tooth is arranged to pattern staggeredly, as shown in Figure 5A.These teeth have with from base portion to end Sophisticated tapered 4 side pyramidal shape, and the height h with 6.9mm_t.These teeth have 57 degree of angle (Fig. 5 B In α) and the long side surface of about 5 degree of tooth on side wall angle (β in Fig. 5 C).The ridge crossed between tooth on hobboing cutter perforate roller It is not sphering and forms flat surfaces.These teeth are finished at ridge with non-truncation pattern, as shown in Figure 6 C.These teeth have Longitudinal tooth pitch S of the 8.0mm of end to end_MD, 3.7mm the crosscutting depth (d in Fig. 6 A_cc) and the gained ridge of 3.2mm it is high (the h in Fig. 6 A_R)。

Pairing ring roll for 2.0mm pitch, the height with 6.9mm, tip radius of 0.12mm, and about 4 degree of side wall Angle.The two rollers are respectively provided with the diameter of about 142mm.Hobboing cutter perforate roller and ring roll are alignd in the horizontal so that the either side of tooth On gap it is approximately equivalent.

First precursor web is polymer film, and its base weight is 25g/m2, and the blend with LLDPE and LDPE is commercially available From Clopay Plastics Co. (Ohio).Wear between intermeshing roller in the linear fibre net spee with 20 ms/min Before crossing, by precursor web pre-wrapped in ring roll.The corrugated apertured film of gained is illustrated in Figure 11 that (film is stretched/quilt Flatten that high basis weight regions and low basis weight regions are shown).It is all if being purchased from Allasso using light microscope The light microscope of Industries obtains image with low magnifying power, and light microscope uses red LED back lighting.

Second precursor web is the polypropylene nonwoven of hot adhesion, and its base weight is 60g/m2, is purchased from Fiberweb(France).Before being passed through between intermeshing roller with 20 ms/min of linear fibre net spee, will be front Body fleece pre-wrapped is in ring roll.The corrugated apertured nonwovens of gained are illustrated in Figure 12 (top views；Fleece is drawn Stretch/it is flattened to illustrate high basis weight regions and low basis weight regions), Figure 13 (cross-sectional view), Figure 19 A (convex ridge hobboing cutter perforate sides Face) and Figure 19 B (ring roll side) in.Using all if being put with low purchased from the light microscope of Allasso Industries Big rate obtains image.Fleece 400 in Figure 19 A and 19B includes alternate ridge 402 and groove 404；Hole 406 is present in recessed In groove 404.

Dimensions and values disclosed herein is not understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited.Conversely, unless in addition Indicate, each above-mentioned size be intended to indicate that the value and the value near function equivalent scope.For example, it is disclosed as " 40mm " Size be intended to indicate that " about 40mm ".Additionally, number range cited herein includes that place's within the range each is discrete Numerical value and any other narrower range.It should be appreciated that each higher limit for being given in this manual includes each lower limit Value, as the lower limit is also explicitly indicated that herein.The each minimum value limit for being given in this specification will Including each high value limit, as the high value limit is explicitly indicated that herein.Be given throughout the specification Each number range will include each narrower number range that falls in such wider number range, just such a narrower number Value scope is herein defined as being expressly written equally.

All Files cited in the detailed description is incorporated herein by reference all in relevant portion.Any document Reference may not be interpreted as to its as the present invention prior art accreditation.If any implication of term in this written document Or definition is inconsistent with any implication of term described in the file being incorporated by reference or definition, then with imparting in this written document The implication of the term or definition are defined.

Although illustrate and describing the present invention with specific embodiment, it is aobvious to those skilled in the art and It is clear to, many other changes and modification can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.Therefore, with Attached claims are intended to all these changes and modification in the scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. it is a kind of for make fleece deform equipment, the equipment include two intermeshing reverse rolls, described two phases Mutually the reverse roll of engagement forms between the two roll gap, and the equipment includes：

A) the first roller of general cylindrical, first roller has surface, circumference and axis, and first roller includes：

The ridge of multiple circumferences first and circumferential first groove on the surface of the roller, wherein first ridge has top surface, And first groove has lower surface；With

Multiple teeth spaced apart, the tooth stretches out from the top surface of first ridge, and each tooth is from the top table Face to end is tapered, wherein the top surface of first ridge is located at the end of the tooth and the lower surface of first groove Between；With

B) the second roller of general cylindrical, second roller includes multiple ridges of continuous circumference second and circumferential second groove,

The a height of 1mm to 12mm of wherein described tooth,

Wherein described first roller includes the crosscutting depth measured from the end of the top surface to tooth of first ridge, wherein The roll gap includes the depth of engagement between first roller and second roller, and the wherein described depth of engagement more than described Crosscutting depth, and

Wherein described first ridge has height, wherein the height is at least the 20% of the height of the tooth.

2. equipment according to claim 1, wherein the roll gap includes nibbling between first roller and second roller Depth is closed, wherein the depth of engagement is 3mm to 4mm.

3. the equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein first roller includes transverse width, and wherein Around the circumference and across the bottom of the transverse width of first roller, the top surface of first ridge and first groove The distance between portion surface is substantially the same.

4. the equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein first roller includes transverse width, and wherein Around the circumference or the transverse width across first roller, the top surface of first ridge and the bottom of first groove The distance between portion surface changes.

5. the equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tooth for faceted and including at least four Or six sides.

6. the equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the part that the tooth and ridge surface are intersected is finishing , to provide the geometry selected from truncation, half truncation, non-truncation and combinations thereof.

7. the equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the top surface of first ridge is selected from radiant type , non-radiative formula or combinations thereof.

8. the equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein second roller is the ring roll with ridge, the ridge There is different height on described circumferential or axial direction.