JP2023529184A - Perforated nonwoven fabric and its absorbent article - Google Patents

Abstract

A nonwoven substrate comprising a first region having a first caliper and a second region comprising a plurality of holes having a second caliper, wherein the ratio of the first caliper to the second caliper is at least about 1.35 as measured according to the Caliper Test, and the first region has an Airy Index of about 270% or greater as measured according to the Caliper Test, and absorbent articles containing the nonwoven substrate.

Description

The present invention relates to apertured nonwoven fabrics, absorbent articles comprising such nonwoven fabrics, and methods for making the same.

Nonwoven fabrics containing synthetic fibers formed from thermoplastic resins are widely used as sheets constituting absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, disposable diapers for infants, and disposable diapers for personal care.

Various nonwoven webs proposed for use as components such as backsheets, topsheets, secondary topsheets, absorbent core components, and release paper wrappers. In some configurations, the nonwoven web is supplied on rolls and moved to an absorbent article manufacturing location. During the absorbent article assembly process, the nonwoven web is unrolled from a roll and fed to an assembly line that converts the web of material into absorbent articles. In some cases, the nonwoven web may be wound relatively tightly onto the roll, so the associated high winding pressure may compress the nonwoven web, thereby reducing caliper. Such compressed nonwoven webs when incorporated into absorbent articles may have a thin appearance that conveys a message to the consumer of reduced softness and/or may be aesthetically undesirable. be. Compressed nonwoven webs can also adversely affect various performance properties of the nonwoven web. To alleviate problems associated with web compression, some manufacturers may apply heat to the web material after it has been unwound from the roll. The caliper or volume of the web material can then be increased by applying heat to some types of web material, referred to herein as "relofting." Heat can be applied to the web material in a variety of ways.

It may be desirable for the nonwoven to have apertures, particularly if the apertured nonwoven has a breathable appearance, especially if the apertures form a pattern in addition to enhancing fluid handling performance. Moreover, it is thought that the user can be entertained with a unique pattern.

On the other hand, one of the desirable qualities of the topsheet is to provide adequate cushioning levels and desirable bulk recovery characteristics. Another desirable quality of the topsheet is its ability to reduce pooling of fluids on the topsheet before it can be absorbed by the absorbent article. Stated another way, one design criterion for topsheets is to reduce the amount of time it takes for fluids to be absorbed by the absorbent article on the topsheet. If the fluid remains on the surface of the topsheet for too long, it may not feel dry to the wearer and may increase discomfort. Another desirable quality of the topsheet is to prevent backflow of fluids through the topsheet and provide a dry feel. To solve the problem of the wearer's skin feeling wet due to the longer retention of fluid on the topsheet, a perforated topsheet was used to allow fluid to penetrate the absorbent article faster. made it possible to Apertured topsheets generally reduce fluid retention on the topsheet, but can cause backflow of fluid through the topsheet. Additionally, perforating nonwoven fabrics tends to adversely affect caliper and desired loft.

On the other hand, the fibers in the nonwoven web trap and retain some fluid in small capillaries that may exist between the fibers, which may be visually perceptible to the user of the product as undesirable stains. Also, presenting a clean user-contacting surface with low staining is a desirable feature of absorbent articles.

There is a continuing need for apertured nonwoven fabrics with the appropriate amount of cushioning and desirable bulk recovery using lofted calipers.

There also continues to be a need for absorbent articles with reduced backflow of fluids through the topsheet.

There also continues to be a need for absorbent articles with improved surface cleanliness against bodily fluids.

The invention includes a first region having a first caliper when measured according to the Caliper Test and a second region comprising a plurality of holes having a second caliper when measured according to the Caliper Test. A nonwoven substrate is provided wherein the ratio of the first caliper to the second caliper is at least about 1.35 as measured according to the Caliper Test and the first area is about 270 as measured according to the Caliper Test. % or higher Airy index.

The invention also includes a first region without holes and a second region comprising at least one hole, wherein the at least one hole has at least three adjacent holes. A re-lofted perforated nonwoven substrate is provided wherein the edge-to-edge spacing between one perforation and each of at least three adjacent perforations is less than or equal to about 3 mm.

The present invention also provides a method for making an apertured nonwoven substrate comprising forming a plurality of holes in a nonwoven web and applying energy to the nonwoven web to increase the loft of the nonwoven web. provide a way.

The present invention also provides a method for making an apertured nonwoven substrate comprising the steps of applying energy to a nonwoven web to increase the loft of the nonwoven web and forming a plurality of holes in the nonwoven web. I will provide a.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure.

1 is a plan view photograph of a perforated nonwoven fabric substrate. 1 is a plan view photograph of another perforated nonwoven fabric substrate. 1 is a plan view photograph of another perforated nonwoven fabric substrate. 2 is a cross-sectional photograph of the apertured nonwoven substrate of FIG. 1 along AA. 1 is a perspective view of an absorbent article; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary process for perforating a nonwoven substrate; FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of one exemplary re-lofting unit; FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a smear plate for acquisition time measurement; 8B is a plan view of the see-through plate of FIG. 8A; FIG. Figure 11C is a cross-sectional plan view of the see-through plate of Figure 8B in the direction of 11C-11C; Figure 8C is a plan view of a portion of the seethrough plate of Figure 8B; Fig. 11E is a cross-sectional plan view of the seethrough plate of Fig. 8B in the direction of 11E-11E;

All ranges are inclusive of the endpoints and combinable. The number of significant digits does not imply a limitation either on the indicated quantities or on the precision of the measurements. All quantities are understood to be modified by the word "about," unless otherwise stated.

As used herein, the term "absorbent article" includes disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, incontinence pads, interlabial pads, breastfeeding pads, sweat wipes, animal waste management articles, animal Including baby diapers, etc.

As used herein, the term "component" of an absorbent article includes absorbent layers such as the topsheet, secondary layer, acquisition layer, liquid-handling layer, absorbent core or layers of absorbent cores, and backsheet. refers to the individual components of a physical article.

Nonwoven Substrates The present invention provides nonwoven substrates suitable for components of absorbent articles. A nonwoven substrate according to the present invention includes a first region having a first caliper and a second region having a plurality of holes and having a second caliper.

1 and 2, which are photographic images of exemplary nonwoven substrates according to the present invention, nonwoven substrate 10 includes first region 34 and second region 36 comprising a plurality of holes 32. include. 1 and FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view of the nonwoven fabric of FIG. Compressed and heat-sealed compared to the inner fibers.

Further, although the first region 34 and the second region 36 are discussed separately in greater detail in the following dedicated section, this section briefly describes the nonwoven substrate 10 as a whole including these two regions.

The first region has a first caliper and the second region including the plurality of holes has a second caliper. The ratio of the first caliper to the second caliper of the nonwoven substrate is at least about 1.35, or at least about 1.4, or at least about 1.5 when measured according to the Caliper Test disclosed herein , or at least about 1.6.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven substrates of the present invention may comprise multiple first regions. The first region (ie, non-porous portion) may be regular, homogeneous and uniform in shape, or irregular and non-uniform in shape. At least a portion of the first region of the nonwoven substrate surrounds at least a portion of the plurality of second regions.

The nonwoven substrates of the present invention can meet certain parameter requirements as detailed below. Of the parameters of interest, the compression work (CW) is obtained from the FTT test under compression property test below. Information on the FTT test method can be found in the article entitled "A Simultaneous Measurement Method to Characterize Touch Properties of Textile Materials" by Xiao Liao et al., Fibers and Polymers 2014, Vol. No. 7, 1548-1559" can be done.

The work of compression of the nonwoven substrate can be about 700 gf x mm or greater, or about 800 gf x mm or greater, or about 900 gf x mm or greater, as measured according to the compression properties described in the Test Methods. Compression work is a parameter that can indicate the conforming properties of a specimen by quantifying the total work done on the specimen during the compression process. Higher compression work in nonwovens can represent higher cushioning properties that drive desired consumer benefits of softness perception and comfortable use experience. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the nonwoven substrates of the present invention can exhibit high compression work due to the lofted and airy structure in the first region.

The apertured nonwoven substrates of the present invention may be re-lofted nonwovens. A reloft process is a process of providing heat or energy to a nonwoven web so that it regains its loft.

The nonwoven substrates of the present invention can comprise one or more layers.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven substrate comprises at least two layers, each of which is a separate layer that can be attached to one another by, for example, thermal bonding, compression, adhesive bonding, or any combination thereof. remains as a layer of The first and second layers in the nonwoven substrate may be bonded together without the use of chemicals such as adhesives and latex.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven substrate comprises a unitary structure. A single structure herein can be formed of several sublayers having properties and/or compositions that are distinct from each other, although these sublayers may be different layers instead of distinct boundaries between sublayers. It shall be meant that the sublayers are somehow intermingled at the border regions so that it is possible to identify the regions where the sublayers transition into each other. Such a single structure is typically constructed by forming different sublayers in a sequential manner on top of other layers, for example using air-laid or wet-laid deposition. Typically, no adhesive is used between sublayers of monolithic material. However, in some cases, adhesives and/or binders may be present in lesser amounts in multilayer materials typically formed by separate layers.

Nonwoven substrates may comprise thermoplastic fibers. Nonwoven substrates include polypropylene fibers, other polyolefins, other polyesters other than PET such as polylactic acid, sustainable resins containing thermoplastic starch, other sustainable resins, bio-PE, bio-PP, and bio-PET. and any suitable type of thermoplastic fiber. Nonwoven substrates may comprise any other suitable type of fibers, such as, for example, viscose fibers, rayon fibers, or other suitable nonwoven fibers. These fibers may have any suitable denier or denier range and/or fiber length or fiber length range.

Nonwoven substrates may comprise bicomponent fibers. Bicomponent fibers can have a sheath and a core. The sheath and core may also comprise any other suitable material known to those skilled in the art. A core/sheath composite fiber can comprise a core component comprising a resin and a sheath component comprising a thermoplastic resin having a melting point at least about 20° C. below the melting point of the resin of the core component. The sheath and core may each comprise about 50% fibers by weight of the fibers, although other variations (e.g., 60% sheath, 40% core; 30% sheath, 70% core, etc.) are also within the scope of the present disclosure. is within. The bicomponent or other fibers making up the first layer and/or the second layer are about 0.5 to about 6, about 0.75 to about 4, about 1.0 to about 4, about may have a denier in the range of 1.5 to about 4, about 1.5 to about 3, about 1.5 to about 2.5, or about 2; Including 0.1 denier increments and all ranges therein or formed by them. Denier is defined as the mass (in grams) per 9000 meters of fiber length. In other cases, the denier of the fibers of the first layer may range from about 1.5 denier to about 6 denier or from about 2 denier to about 4 denier, and the denier of the fibers of the second layer is about may range from 1.2 denier to about 3 denier or from about 1.5 denier to about 3 denier, and specifically all 0.1 denier increments within the specified ranges, and therein or therein List the entire range formed by Bicomponent fibers can be side-by-side fibers.

In one form, the basis weight of the nonwoven substrate can be selected appropriately depending on the application of the nonwoven. For nonwoven fabrics of the present invention as topsheets of absorbent articles, the basis weight of the nonwoven substrate is from about 15 gsm (g/m ² ) to about 75 gsm, or from about 20 gsm to about 75 gsm, or from about 30 gsm to about 65 gsm. obtain. All other suitable basis weight ranges for nonwoven substrates are included within the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, the basis weight of the nonwoven substrate may be designed for specific product requirements.

The nonwoven substrate may further comprise three-dimensional elements such as protrusions and/or depressions on the wearer-facing surface of the nonwoven substrate. The nonwoven substrate may include protrusions, and the caliper of the protrusions may be higher than the first caliper in the first region.

As used herein, the term "nonwoven" or "nonwoven substrate" refers to a woven or knitted fabric that is intertwined with individual fibers or yarns but typically does not have randomly oriented fibers. Refers to a web having a structure that is not a repeating pattern as in . Nonwoven substrates or fabrics have been formed from many processes such as, for example, meltblown, spunbond, hydroentanglement, airlaid, wetlaid, through-air wet-laid processes, and bonded carded web processes including carded thermal bonding. Nonwoven substrates can include unbonded fibers, entangled fibers, tow fibers, and the like. The fibers may be stretchable and/or elastic and may be pre-stretched for processing. The fibers can be continuous, such as those produced by the spunbond process, or cut into lengths, such as those typically utilized in carding processes. The fibers may be bicomponent, multicomponent, molded, crimped, or of any other formulation or configuration known in the art of nonwoven substrates and fibers. In general, fibers can be bonded either by chemical bonding (eg, latex or adhesive bonding), pressure bonding, or thermal bonding. If thermal bonding techniques are used in the bonding process described below, certain proportions of thermoplastic materials such as thermoplastic powders or fibers can be used.

The nonwoven fabric of the present invention has an appropriate amount of cushioning and bulk recovery characteristics.

Thus, the nonwoven fabric of the present invention may preferably be used in applications where the nonwoven fabric is in contact with the skin, particularly in applications where the first web layer is the skin contacting surface. The nonwoven fabric of the present invention is preferably used as a topsheet for absorbent articles in which the surface of the first web layer contacts the skin.

First Region Referring to FIG. 1 , the nonwoven substrate 10 of the present invention includes a first region 34 . The first area 34 is a land area with a first caliper, ie, a non-perforated area.

The first region can have an Airy Index of about 270% or greater, or about 300% or greater, or about 350% or greater, as measured according to the Caliper Test. The first region can have a Recovery Airy Index of about 160% or greater, or about 180% or greater, or about 200% or greater, or about 220% or greater, as measured according to the Caliper Test. A high Airy Index is associated with an airy perception, and both the Airy Index and the Recovery Airy Index are associated with a light touch cushion-like feel.

Second Region Referring to FIG. 1 , the nonwoven substrate 10 of the present invention includes a second region 36 that includes a plurality of holes 32 . A second region 36 has a second caliper measured according to the caliper test disclosed herein. The second caliper is smaller than the first caliper in the first region.

The holes may be circular, elliptical, hourglass-shaped, star-shaped, polygonal, etc., and combinations thereof. Polygonal shapes include, but are not limited to, triangles, squares, hexagons, octagons, or trapezoids. In one embodiment, the holes are circular. In another embodiment, the holes are oval. The pores can have a size ranging from about 0.1 mm ² to about 3 mm ² , or from about 0.2 mm ² to about 2 mm ² , or from about 0.3 mm ² to about 1 mm ² . The second region may have pores with the same size and/or shape. The second region may have pores with different sizes and/or shapes.

The second region may include holes forming a pattern. The pattern formed by the holes may be a pattern of any shape, such as one or more lines or curves, circles, ovals, triangles, polygons, flowers, clouds, and the like. The pattern may be a regular, even and uniform pattern, or an irregular, uneven and non-uniform pattern. In some embodiments, the nonwoven substrates of the present invention comprise a plurality of second regions, and the perforation patterns of the second regions are not necessarily of the same shape or size. That is, the perforation pattern in one second region may differ from the perforation pattern in another second region within the nonwoven substrate of the present invention. The patterns may be of various shapes and/or various sizes. The nonwoven substrates of the present invention may have a uniform hole pattern.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven substrate includes a second region comprising clustered pores. The term "clustered holes" herein means that at least one hole has at least three adjacent holes, and one hole and at least three adjacent holes each have a diameter of about 3 mm or less. It is intended to mean a hole pattern that has an edge-to-edge space (the shortest space between the edge of one hole and the edge of an adjacent hole). Referring to FIG. 1, hole 32A has three adjacent holes and hole 32B has six adjacent holes.

Moreover, such nonwoven structures, in which the fibers in the second region are more compressed and heat-sealed than in the first region, also help create local capillarity gradients. 1 and 4, due to the difference in capillarity, the fluid flows from a first region of low capillarity 34 to a second region of high capillarity 36 with clustered pores. move to As a result, the nonwoven substrates of the present invention can have lower rewet amounts and smaller stained areas when used as topsheets in absorbent articles.

The hole pattern of the second region, when used as a component of an absorbent article, may be a graphic, indicia, print, ink, e.g., disposed within the nonwoven substrate or within another component of the absorbent article. It can work with colored and/or patterned adhesives.

Absorbent Articles The present invention is directed to absorbent articles comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent structure disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and an apertured nonwoven substrate of the invention. do. In some embodiments, absorbent articles comprise a topsheet comprising an apertured nonwoven substrate of the present invention.

For purposes of specific illustration, FIG. 5 illustrates an example absorbent article 100 that may include components made from the nonwoven substrates disclosed herein. In particular, FIG. 5 shows an example plan view of an absorbent article 100 configured as a sanitary napkin.

As shown in FIG. 5, an absorbent article 100 according to the present invention includes a body-facing surface 28 and a garment-facing surface (not shown in FIG. 5) located opposite the body-facing surface 28. (not included). The absorbent article 100 further includes a backsheet 40 having a garment-facing surface and a user-facing surface disposed opposite the garment-facing surface, the backsheet 40 being attached to the topsheet 20 . at least partially bonded. The absorbent article 100 also comprises an absorbent core 30 positioned between the topsheet 20 and the backsheet 40 . The absorbent article 100 can further include a secondary topsheet 60 and/or a pair of flaps or wings 70 . The topsheet 20, backsheet 40, and absorbent core 30 can be assembled into various known configurations.

The backsheet 40 and topsheet 20 can be secured together in a variety of ways. The topsheet 20 and backsheet 40 can be bonded together by using adhesives, thermal bonding, pressure bonding, ultrasonic bonding, dynamic mechanical bonding, or crimp sealing. The fluid impermeable crimp seal 24 can resist lateral movement (“wicking”) of fluid through the edges of the product, preventing side soiling of the user's undergarments.

If the absorbent article is a sanitary napkin, such as that shown in FIG. 5, the sanitary napkin is secured to the panty fasteners located on the garment-facing side of the backsheet 40, as is typical of sanitary napkins and the like. can have an adhesive for The panty fixing adhesive can be any known adhesive used in the art for this purpose and can be covered with release paper before use, as is well known in the art. can. If flaps or wings are present, the panty securing adhesive may be applied to the garment-facing side so that it contacts and adheres to the underside of the user's panties.

Topsheet In this application, the topsheet is the part of the absorbent article that comes in contact with the user's skin. The topsheet may be joined to the backsheet, absorbent core, and/or any other layer known to those skilled in the art. Typically, the topsheet and backsheet are directly joined to each other at some points (e.g., at or near the perimeter of the absorbent article), and at other points the topsheet and backsheet are attached to one or more of the articles. are joined together indirectly by joining directly to the other components of the

The topsheet may be compliant, soft feeling, and non-irritating to the user's skin. Additionally, part or all of the topsheet may be liquid pervious, allowing liquids to readily penetrate through its calipers.

The topsheet comprises a nonwoven layer comprising the nonwoven substrate of the present disclosure. The topsheet may be a composite or laminate comprising a nonwoven layer comprising the nonwoven substrate of the present disclosure. In any of its various configurations, the nonwoven substrates of the present disclosure are intended to form at least a portion of the body-facing surface of an absorbent article with the pores directed into the absorbent core of the absorbent article. do.

The topsheet may also optionally contain colorants such as pigments, lakes, toners, dyes, inks, or other agents used to impart color to the material. Suitable pigments herein include inorganic pigments, pearlescent pigments, interference pigments, and the like.

Any portion of the topsheet may be coated with a lotion and/or skin care composition as commonly disclosed in the art.

The topsheet includes a plurality of perforations to facilitate permeation of fluid and/or air therethrough. The size of at least the primary pores can be determined to achieve desired fluid and/or air penetration performance, as well as other performance expected by the wearer. If the hole is too small, the fluid will flow either due to poor alignment of the fluid source with the position of the hole, or for example, fecal masses having a larger diameter than the hole will tend to flow. May not pass through holes. Pores that are too large increase the skin area that can be contaminated by "rewetting" from the article.

The topsheet may include multiple embossments to provide a more cloth-like appearance.

The topsheet can be formed at any basis weight. However, the higher the basis weight, the higher the apparent caliper and bulk, while the higher the cost. A suitable basis weight for the topsheet may be 200 gsm or less, or from 15 gsm to 80 gsm, or from 20 gsm to 70 gsm, or from 15 gsm to 60 gsm.

Absorbent Core The absorbent core of an absorbent article functions to store bodily fluids that are expelled during use. Absorbent cores can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, and have different calipers, hydrophilicity gradients, superabsorbent gradients, densities, or average basis weights at different locations across the face of the product. It may be shaped.

The absorbent core may include a fluid distribution layer and a fluid storage layer. Fluid distribution layers move received fluid both downwardly and laterally and are generally more permeable and less capillary than fluid storage layers.

In addition to conventional absorbent materials such as creped cellulose wadding, fluffed cellulose fibers, wood pulp fibers also known as airfelt, and textile fibers, fluid storage layers often absorb fluids. and includes a superabsorbent material that forms a hydrogel. These materials are typically capable of absorbing large amounts of body fluids and retaining them under moderate pressure. The fluid storage layer of the absorbent core may comprise superabsorbent material dispersed in a suitable carrier such as cellulosic fibers in fluffed form or reinforced fibers. The fluid storage layer of the absorbent core may comprise superabsorbent material and may be free of free cellulosic fibers in fluffed form or reinforced fibers.

Backsheet The backsheet, which covers the underside of the absorbent core, prevents fluid within the absorbent core from wetting articles that come in contact with the sanitary napkin, such as undergarments. Thus, the backsheet is preferably a liquid impermeable thin film, or a liquid impermeable but vapor permeable film/nonwoven laminate, microporous film, perforated formed film, or vapor permeable, or It can be made from other polymeric films that are made vapor permeable but are substantially impermeable to fluids.

Process for Making Apertured Nonwoven Substrates The foraminous nonwoven substrates of the present invention are made by forming a plurality of holes in a nonwoven web, applying energy to the nonwoven web to increase the loft of the nonwoven web, It can be manufactured by a method comprising In one embodiment, a method for making an apertured nonwoven substrate of the present invention comprises the steps of providing a nonwoven substrate unwound from a nonwoven roll and forming a plurality of holes on the nonwoven substrate. and then applying heat to the nonwoven fabric to restore the bulk of the nonwoven fabric.

The perforated nonwoven fabric substrate of the present invention is produced by the steps of supplying a nonwoven fabric substrate unwound from a nonwoven roll, applying heat to the nonwoven fabric to restore the bulk of the nonwoven fabric, and forming a plurality of holes on the nonwoven fabric substrate. and forming a.

The hole forming process can be done by various processes known to those skilled in the art, such as pinhole holes, punch holes, and drilling processes such as water injection holes.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a mechanical drilling process as an exemplary hole forming process. Referring to FIG. 6, nonwoven web 16 passes through a nip 502 formed by a pair of rolls 500 and two intermeshing rolls 504 and 506 to form an apertured nonwoven web 16 . At least one of rolls 504 and 506 may be heated to a temperature above the melting point of the fibers that make up the nonwoven web. When the fiber comprises a sheath/core type bicopolymer, at least one of rolls 504 and 506 may be heated above the melting point of the sheath polymer.

In one embodiment, the first roll 504 (in combination with the second roll) can create the holes 32 in the nonwoven web 16 . First roll 504 may include a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly from first roll 504 . The protrusions on the first roll 504 may be of various sizes, shapes, heights, areas, widths, and/or dimensions that may determine the size, shape, and dimensions of the holes 32 . The second roll 506 can have a flat surface. Alternatively, the second roll 506 may include grooves that engage protrusions on the first roll 504 .

In another embodiment, the first roll 504 (in combination with the second roll) can create the holes 32 and the second roll 506 (in combination with the first roll) in the nonwoven web 16 ) can create protrusions. The first roll 504 may include a plurality of cone-shaped protrusions extending radially outward from the first roll 504 . First roll 504 may also include a plurality of depressions formed in the radially outer surface of first roll 504 . The second roll 506 may include a plurality of dome-shaped protrusions extending radially outward from the second roll 506 . Second roll 506 may also include a plurality of depressions formed in the radially outer surface of second roll 506 . The protrusions on the first roll 504 may have different sizes, shapes, heights, areas, widths, and/or dimensions than the protrusions on the second roll 506 .

The apertured nonwovens of the present invention may be re-lofted nonwovens. The reloft process is a process in which a nonwoven web regains loft by providing energy to the nonwoven web. The re-lofting process can be done through various processes known to those skilled in the art. Heat sources include ovens, burners, or infrared radiation to generate heat to raise the temperature of the nonwoven substrate. As the temperature increases, the fibers within the nonwoven substrate begin to soften and at least some of the fibers begin to realign with and/or separate from the fibers. The realignment and/or separation of the fibers causes the nonwoven substrate to grow within the caliper, thereby reducing the density of the nonwoven substrate. The final relofted caliper is dependent on temperature and residence time, which is the overall time the nonwoven substrate is exposed to elevated temperature in the relofting process.

In one embodiment, relofting of a nonwoven fabric can be performed according to the methods disclosed in PCT/US2019/066455 filed September 5, 2019. This PCT application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, unless expressly excluded or limited.

The method includes advancing a nonwoven substrate in the machine direction MD, the nonwoven substrate including a first surface and an opposite second surface and defining a width in the cross direction. providing a first source of infrared radiation; and advancing in a first direction such that a first surface of the first length of the nonwoven substrate is in facing relationship with the first source of radiation. and irradiating a first surface of the first length of the nonwoven substrate with infrared radiation from a first infrared radiation source. The nonwoven substrate includes a first caliper upstream of the first radiation source, the nonwoven substrate includes a second caliper downstream of the first radiation source, the second caliper includes the first higher than the caliper of the .

Referring to FIG. 7, the re-loft unit 800 is configured as a transverse idler 318 including a first radiation source 304a and a second radiation source 304b and an outer peripheral surface 320 adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation 322. can include a movable axis 316 that can be A first movable axis 316 positions the nonwoven substrate 16 in facing relationship with the first radiation source 304a and the second radiation source 304b (or places the nonwoven substrate 16 between the first radiation source 304a and the second radiation source 304b). source 304b), and may be movable between a first position and a second position. In operation, the first guide roller 324a is positioned such that a first length L1 of the first surface 202 of the nonwoven substrate 8 of the nonwoven substrate 16 is in facing relationship with the first radiation source 304a. Nonwoven substrate 16 can be oriented in first direction 326 toward transverse idlers 318 such that second length L2 of first surface 202 is in facing relationship with second radiation source 304b. A first length L1 of nonwoven substrate 16 can advance in first direction 326 past first radiation source 304a, and a second length L2 of nonwoven substrate 16 can extend in a second direction 326. may advance in direction 328 past the second radiation source 304b. Accordingly, first radiation source 304a illuminates a first length L1 of first surface 202 of advancing nonwoven substrate 16 with infrared radiation 306a. The second radiation source 304b also irradiates a second length L2 of the first surface 202 of the advancing nonwoven substrate 16 with infrared radiation 306b. The infrared radiation 306 then heats the advancing nonwoven substrate 16 when the movable axis 316 is in the second position. As shown in FIG. 7, the nonwoven substrate 16 upstream of the re-lofting unit 800 includes a first caliper C1, and the infrared radiation 306 directs the caliper of the nonwoven substrate 16 downstream to the first caliper C1. The substrate is heated so as to increase to a second caliper C2 greater than .

In some configurations, some infrared radiation 306 may travel through the nonwoven substrate 16 and utilize such infrared radiation 306 to irradiate other portions of the nonwoven substrate 16. You may For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the movable axis 316 is such that the second surface 204 of the first length L1 of the nonwoven substrate 16 is aligned with the second surface 204 of the second length L2 of the nonwoven substrate 16. A second length L2 of the nonwoven substrate 16 can be turned from the first direction 326 and advanced in a second direction 328 so as to be in a facing relationship. A portion 306aa of the infrared radiation 306a from the first radiation source 304a then travels through the first length L1 of the nonwoven substrate 16 to a second radiation of the first length L1 of the nonwoven substrate 16 It can be moved away from the surface 204 and can irradiate the second surface 204 of the second length L2 of the nonwoven substrate 16 . Additionally, a portion 306bb of the infrared radiation 306b from the second radiation source 304b travels through the second length L2 of the nonwoven substrate 16 to the second surface of the second length L2 of the nonwoven substrate 16. 204 and can irradiate the second surface 204 of the first length L1 of the nonwoven substrate 16 .

The re-loft unit 800 herein can be configured to heat the advancing nonwoven substrate to various temperatures to re-loft the non-woven substrate to increase the caliper of the substrate by various amounts. It should be understood that it can be increased. For example, in some configurations, the reloft unit 800 can heat the nonwoven substrate to a temperature in the range of about 70° C. to about 110° C., specifically any 0.1° C. within the above ranges. C. increments and all ranges therein or formed by them are listed.

The pore-forming and re-lofting processes can be caried out consciously or discontinuously.

Test method 1. Caliper Test Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) from Mettler-Toledo AG (Switzerland), Module TMA/SDTA 1 IC/600, or equivalent is used to measure local caliper changes of nonwoven materials at ambient air conditions. , measured as a function of the applied force. Measurements are performed under compression mode using a fused silica sample holder and a fused silica measurement probe with a flat circular end sized 3 mm in diameter.

When the nonwoven is available in its raw material form, test specimens having dimensions of approximately 8 mm x 5 mm are cut from the raw material. If the nonwoven is a component layer such as the topsheet of an absorbent article, a nonwoven specimen of this size is removed from the absorbent article using a razor blade to cut the component layer from the lower layers of the absorbent article. do. Optionally, cryogenic spray (Cyto-Freeze, Control Company, Houston TX, etc.) to remove the topsheet specimen from the underlying layer, or other suitable method that does not permanently alter the composition properties of the nonwoven specimen. any solvent may be used. For perforated nonwovens, specimens are sampled from different zones of the material, allowing separate measurements to be taken in perforated and non-perforated zones.

Any remaining adhesive may be removed from the specimen by the following process using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvent.
1) In a hood, transfer 1 liter of THF to a 3-4 liter beaker.
2) Immerse the specimen in 1 liter of THF.
3) Place the beaker on a shaking table and gently agitate for 15 minutes, then allow the solution containing the sample to sit for an additional 5 minutes.
4) Remove the specimen from the THF solution and carefully squeeze the THF solution from the specimen.
5) Allow the specimen to air dry in the hood for a minimum of 15 minutes.

Place the sample flat on the sample holder with the consumer-facing side exposed. Adjust the position of the specimen so that the area of interest is centered in the specimen holder and measured by the probe. The measurement probe moves downward into the specimen and applies a force in the normal direction according to the method of stepwise compression (segments 1-10) and then stepwise recovery (segments 11-19) specified below. Add. Simultaneously, local caliper data of the specimen are collected at the TMA at a frequency of 5 readings per second at regular intervals.

The specimen caliper measured at the midpoint of segment 2 (ie, at 3 seconds) under an applied force of 0.005 N or pressure of 0.1 psi is recorded as caliper at 0.1 psi. The specimen caliper measured at the midpoint of segment 10 under an applied force of 0.08 N or pressure of 1.6 psi is recorded as caliper at 1.6 psi. The specimen caliper measured during recovery at the midpoint of segment 18 under an applied force of 0.005 N or pressure of 0.1 psi is recorded as caliper at 0.1 psi. A total of three substantially similar duplicate samples are prepared and analyzed for each of the perforated and non-perforated zones. Reported values are the arithmetic mean of three replicate samples to the nearest integer in μm.

Caliper ratio at 0.1 psi is the caliper ratio between the non-porous zone and the foraminous zone measured at a pressure condition of 0.1 psi during compression. The Airy Index and Recovery Airy Index are calculated using the following formulas.
Airy Index (%) = [(caliper at 0.1 psi - caliper at 1.6 psi)/caliper at 1.6 psi] x 100
Recovered Airy Index (%) = [(Recovered Caliper at 0.1 psi - Caliper at 1.6 psi)/Caliper at 1.6 psi] x 100

2. Compression property test (1) Preparation of test piece To obtain a test piece of nonwoven raw material, place the material flat on a bench with the technical side facing up, and cut a 110 mm x 110 mm square test piece using scissors. to disconnect. The technical side is the surface intended to be used as a body-facing surface when the nonwoven is used as a component within an absorbent article.

To obtain a topsheet nonwoven fabric specimen from an absorbent article, a 110 mm x 110 mm topsheet specimen is removed from the absorbent article centered at the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse centerlines of the absorbent article. For the purpose of removing the topsheet from the absorbent article, a razor blade is used to cut the topsheet from the lower layer of the absorbent article around the perimeter of an area of 110 mm x 110 mm. If desired, a cryogenic spray (Cyto-Freeze, Control Company, Houston TX) may be used to remove the topsheet specimen from the underlying layer. Specimens should be conditioned in a room maintained at 23±2° C. and 50±5% relative humidity for at least 4 hours prior to testing.

(2) Compression work Compression work indicates the total work done on the specimen during the compression process. The integral of the compression curve is determined according to equation (1), where _Da is the initial caliper at zero pressure, _Dc is the minimum caliper at maximum pressure, F is the measured force, and D is the measured caliper during compression.

The compression work of the specimen is measured using a Fabric Touch Tester (Fabric Touch Tester, FTT M293) running FTT system software (available from SDL Atlas) and equivalent. The FTT contains five modules, which can be activated simultaneously and record dynamic responses from different specimens. These include compression, heat, bending, friction, and surface modules. The instrument is calibrated according to the manufacturer's instructions using standard calibration fabrics provided by the vendor. All tests are performed in a room maintained at 23±2° C. and 50±5% relative humidity. The test procedure is performed according to the instructions in the FTT M293 manual.

A 110 mm x 110 mm specimen is placed in the center of the lower plate with the technical side facing up. The compression test is initiated in single face test mode and the specimen is pushed downward by an upper plate applying a continuously increasing normal force from 0-8470 gf (ie 0-70 gf/cm ² ).

Five specimens are measured and the work of compression or any subset thereof is calculated and reported along with the average value.

3. Artificial Menstrual Fluid (“AMF”) Preparation AMF is composed of defibrinated sheep blood, phosphate buffered saline solution, and a mixture of mucus components and has a viscosity of 7.15 cSt to 8.65 cSt at 23±1°C. It has viscosity.

Viscosity for AMF is performed using a low viscosity rotational viscometer such as a Cannon LV-2020 Rotary Viscometer with a UL adapter (Cannon Instrument Co., State College, US) or equivalent. The appropriate size spindle for the viscosity range is selected and the instrument is operated and calibrated according to the manufacturer. Measurements are made at 23±1° C. and 60 rpm. Results are reported to the nearest 0.01 cSt.

Defibrinated Sheep Blood Defibrinated sheep blood (available from Cleveland Scientific, Inc. (Bath, Ohio, US)) with a hematocrit of 38% or greater, drawn under sterile conditions, or equivalent is used.

Phosphate-buffered saline solution Phosphate-buffered saline consists of two individually prepared solutions (Solution A and Solution B). To prepare 1 L of solution A, add 1.38±0.005 g of sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate and 8.50±0.005 g of sodium chloride to a 1000 mL volumetric flask and add distilled water. is added to vessel volume. Mix thoroughly. To prepare 1 L of solution B, add 1.42±0.005 g of sodium phosphate dibasic anhydride and 8.50±0.005 g of sodium chloride to a 1000 mL volumetric flask and add distilled water to the vessel volume. Add up to Mix thoroughly. Add 450±10 mL of Solution B to a 1000 mL beaker and stir on a stir plate at low speed. Insert a calibrated pH probe (accuracy to 0.1) into the beaker of Solution B and add enough Solution A with stirring to bring the pH to 7.2±0.1.

Mucus Component The mucus component is a mixture of phosphate buffered saline, aqueous potassium hydroxide, gastric mucin, and aqueous lactic acid. The amount of gastric mucin added to the mucus component directly affects the final viscosity of the prepared AMF. A good range for gastric mucin is usually 38-50 grams. To prepare approximately 500 mL of the mucus component, 460±10 mL of the previously prepared phosphate buffered saline solution and 7.5±0.5 mL of 10% w/v aqueous potassium hydroxide solution were added to a 1000 mL strong glass. Add to beaker. Place the beaker on a stirring hot plate and bring the temperature to 45°C ± 5°C while stirring. A predetermined amount of gastric mucin (±0.50 g) is weighed and slowly sprinkled into the pre-prepared liquid at 45° C. to avoid clumping. Cover the beaker and continue mixing. Allow the temperature of the mixture to rise above 50°C but not above 80°C for 15 minutes. Continue heating with gentle agitation while maintaining this temperature range for 2.5 hours, then remove the beaker from the hot plate and cool to below 40°C. Then add 1.8±0.2 mL of 10% v/v aqueous lactic acid and mix well. The slime component mixture is autoclaved at 121° C. for 15 minutes and allowed to cool for 5 minutes. The mucilage mixture is removed from the autoclave and stirred until the temperature reaches 23°C ± 1°C.

Bring the temperature of the sheep blood and mucus components to 23°C ± 1°C. Using a 500 mL graduated cylinder, measure the volume of the entire batch of slime component and add the volume to the 1200 mL beaker. Add an equal volume of sheep blood to the beaker and mix well. Using the viscosity method described above, confirm that the viscosity of the AMF is between 7.15 and 8.65 cSt. If not, discard the batch and make another batch adjusting the mucus composition as needed.

Certified AMF should be refrigerated at 4°C unless intended for immediate use. AMF can be stored in an airtight container at 4° C. for up to 48 hours after preparation. Prior to testing, the AMF should be brought to 23°C ± 1°C. Any unused portion is discarded after the test is completed.

4. Rewet Test Rewet is measured on absorbent articles filled with artificial menstrual fluid (AMF).

The amount of fluid left on the topsheet, ie rewet under a pressure of 0.1 psi, is measured after 6.0 mL and 12.0 mL of AMF are dispensed. All measurements are performed in a laboratory maintained at 23°C ± 2°C and 50% ± 2% relative humidity.

Test products are removed from all packaging taking care not to push down or pull the product during handling. No attempt is made to smooth wrinkles. Prior to testing, test products are conditioned at 23°C ± 2°C and 50% ± 2% relative humidity for at least 2 hours.

Place the test article on a flat horizontal surface with the body side facing upwards and apply a pressure of 0.25 psi to the test article by placing the translucent plate in the center of the test article.

Referring to Figures 8A-8E, the translucent plate 9001 is constructed from Plexiglas with overall dimensions of 10.2 cm long x 10.2 cm wide x 3.2 cm high. A longitudinal channel 9007 that runs the length of the plate is 13 mm deep and 28 mm wide at the top surface of the plate and the lateral walls slope downward at 65° to a 15 mm wide base. The central test fluid well 9009 is 26 mm long, 24 mm deep and 38 mm wide at the top of the plate, with lateral walls sloping downward at 65° to a 15 mm wide base. At the base of test fluid well 9009 is an "H" shaped test fluid reservoir 9003 that opens to the bottom of the plate for fluid to be introduced onto the underlying article. The test fluid reservoir 9003 has an overall length (“L”) of 25 mm, a width (“W”) of 15 mm, and a depth (“D”) of 8 mm. The longitudinal legs of the reservoir are 4 mm wide with rounded ends and a radius 9010 of 2 mm. The legs are 3.5 mm apart. The central post has a radius 9011 of 3 mm and accommodates opposing electrodes 9004 6 mm apart. The sides of the reservoir bow outward at a radius 9012 of 14 mm bounded by an overall width W of 15 mm. The two wells 9002 (80.5 mm length x 24.5 mm width x 25 mm depth) located outside the lateral channels are filled with lead shot to adjust the overall mass of the plate and the test area. provides a confining pressure of 0.25 psi (17.6 gf/cm ² ). Electrodes 9004 are embedded in plate 9001 and connect external banana jacks 9006 to the inner wall of fluid reservoir 9003 . A circuit interval timer plugs into a jack 9006 to the inner wall 9005 of the fluid reservoir 9003 .

Using a pipette, carefully dispense 3.0 mL of AMF through the open hole in the smear plate and into the center of the test article within 2 seconds. Once the jet of fluid is captured, remove the plate and start a 3 minute timer. After removing the plate, a color scanner HP Scanjet G4010 or equivalent is used to quickly capture an image of the topsheet of the test product, cleaning the scanner surface after each scan. Evaluate the image to measure the stain area on the topsheet according to the Stain Area Test below. At the end of 3 minutes, five pre-weighed (referred to as "dry weight") filter papers (a typical laboratory filter paper, e.g., Ahlstrom #632 12.7 cm x 12.7 cm filter paper) were weighed to remove any fluid stains. Place it approximately in the center of the marked area. Apply the required mass to create a pressure of 0.1 psi on top of the test article and hold it under pressure for 5 seconds. Weigh the filter paper again (referred to as "wet weight"). The difference between the wet weight and the dry weight of the filter paper is the light pressure rewet at the amount of fluid added.

Repeat the above steps until a total of 12.0 mL of fluid has been dispensed onto the test article. Rewet values are reported to the nearest 0.001 grams for squirt levels of 6.0 mL and 12.0 mL.

Similarly, a total of three replicate samples are tested for each test product evaluated. Light pressure rewet weight is calculated as the arithmetic mean of the replicates and reported to the nearest 0.001 grams.

5. Stain Area Test The area of visible stain on the topsheet of an absorbent article due to fluid remaining on the topsheet was captured in the rewet test described above for squirt levels of 6.0 mL and 12.0 mL. Measured on the topsheet image of the test product.

Image analysis is performed using an image analysis program such as ImageJ software (version 1.52p or higher, National Institutes of Health) and equivalents. It is necessary to distance calibrate the image using an image of a ruler to obtain an image resolution, ie 7.95 pixels per mm.

Open the top sheet image in ImageJ. Set the scale according to the image resolution. Crop the image in the central region to make a minimum bounding rectangle selection around the entire stain area visible across multiple pad layers. Convert the image type to 8-bit. Apply a Gaussian blur filter to smooth the image with sigma (radius) 2 by a Gaussian function. The filtered 8-bit grayscale image was then converted to a binary image using the "minimum" threshold method for lighter color stain areas from subsequent layers (no fluid on the topsheet). Find the boundaries of the stain area on the topsheet).

Determine the area of the selected stained area on the topsheet and record as the topsheet stained area to the nearest 0.01 cm ² . This entire procedure is repeated on three substantially similar duplicate articles. Reported values are the average of three individual recorded measurements of topsheet stain area to the nearest 0.01 ^cm2 .

Example 1. Nonwoven Substrate Preparation Nonwoven 1-9: Carded, breathable nonwoven fabrics made from 2 denier PET/PE core/sheath bicomponent fibers were manufactured according to Table 1 below, using conventional processes. manufactured. In the case of the apertured nonwoven, the resulting carded, breathable nonwoven was subjected to a mechanical perforation process involving a pair of rolls to obtain the apertured nonwoven substrate. For re-lofting, the perforated non-woven substrate is transferred to a re-loft unit and hot air at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 110° C. is provided to the non-woven substrate, or infrared radiation from a radiation source irradiates the non-woven substrate. The irradiation caused the caliper in the first region to be at least 1.2 times the initial caliper.

Nonwoven 10: A top layer nonwoven made from 2 denier PET/PE core/sheath bicopolymer fibers and a bottom layer nonwoven made from 2 denier PET/PE core/sheath bicomponent fibers and 6 denier PET fibers. A 50 gsm carded breathable nonwoven was produced having a The nonwoven was subjected to a mechanical perforation process involving a pair of rolls to obtain an apertured nonwoven substrate having the perforation pattern shown in FIG.

Example 2. Nonwoven Substrate Testing The resulting nonwoven substrates were evaluated as described below. The caliper of the nonwoven was measured according to the caliper test in Test Methods. The work of compression of the nonwoven fabric substrate was measured according to the compression property test in the test method. All results are shown in Table 2 below.

Example 3. Absorbent Article Exemplary sanitary absorbent article having a topsheet made from a nonwoven substrate according to Example 1 above using a typical secondary topsheet, absorbent core, and backsheet Napkins 1-4 were produced. Sanitary napkin 5 as an exemplary absorbent article having a topsheet made from a nonwoven substrate according to Example 1 above using a conventional secondary topsheet, absorbent core, and backsheet; 6 was produced. The secondary topsheet and absorbent core of sanitary napkins 5 and 6 were different from sanitary napkins 1-4.

The rewet and stain perception of the sanitary napkin samples was determined according to the Rewet Test and Stain Area Test in the test methods shown in Table 3 above. Sanitary napkins 1-4 were tested in the same batch and sanitary napkins 5 and 6 were tested in separate batches.

Sanitary napkins 2 and 4 having a topsheet made with a nonwoven substrate according to the present invention have significantly improved rewet compared to sanitary napkins 1 and 3. Moreover, sanitary napkins 2 and 4 have a much lower strain perception than sanitary napkins 1 and 3.

Sanitary napkin 5, which has a nonwoven topsheet with non-clustered pores, shows no improvement in either rewet or strain perception compared to sanitary napkin 6.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range enclosing that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."

All documents cited herein, including cross-referenced documents or related patents or applications, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. incorporated. Citation of any document shall not be considered prior art to any invention disclosed or claimed herein, or when alone or in combination with any other reference(s) Furthermore, no such invention shall be deemed to teach, suggest or disclose. Further, if any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition given to that term in this document shall control. shall be

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims (19)

A perforated nonwoven substrate comprising:
a first region having a first caliper;
a second region including a plurality of holes having a second caliper;
including
the ratio of the first caliper to the second caliper is at least about 1.35 as measured according to the Caliper Test;
wherein the first region has an Airy Index of about 270% or greater as measured according to the Caliper Test;
Perforated nonwoven substrate. 2. The apertured nonwoven substrate of claim 1, wherein the first region has a Recovery Airy Index of greater than or equal to about 160% as measured according to the Caliper Test. 3. The apertured nonwoven substrate of claim 1 or 2, wherein the nonwoven substrate is a re-lofted nonwoven. The second region comprises at least one hole having at least three adjacent holes, each of the one hole and the at least three adjacent holes having an edge-to-edge spacing of about 3 mm or less. The perforated nonwoven fabric substrate according to any one of Items 1 to 3. 5. The apertured nonwoven substrate of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the nonwoven substrate has a work of compression of about 700 gf x mm or greater as measured according to the Compression Properties Test. The apertured nonwoven substrate of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the nonwoven substrate has a basis weight ranging from about 15 gsm to about 75 gsm. A re-lofted foraminous nonwoven substrate comprising:
a first region without pores;
A second region comprising at least one hole having at least three adjacent holes, wherein the edge-to-edge spacing between said one hole and each of said at least three adjacent holes is no greater than about 3 mm. , a second region, and
A re-lofted, foraminous nonwoven substrate comprising: 8. The apertured nonwoven substrate of claim 7, wherein the first region has an Airy index of about 270% or greater as measured according to the Caliper Test. 9. The apertured nonwoven substrate of claims 7 or 8, wherein the nonwoven substrate has a basis weight ranging from about 15 gsm to about 75 gsm. The apertured nonwoven substrate of any preceding claim, wherein the second region comprises highly heat-sealed fibers. The perforated nonwoven substrate of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fibers surrounding the plurality of holes are more compressed and heat-sealed than the fibers within the first region. A liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent structure disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, and the apertured nonwoven fabric of any one of claims 1-11. An absorbent article comprising a substrate. An absorbent article according to claim 12, wherein said topsheet comprises an apertured nonwoven substrate according to any one of claims 1-11. An absorbent article according to claim 12, wherein said backsheet comprises the apertured nonwoven substrate of any one of claims 1-11. A method for making an apertured nonwoven substrate comprising:
forming a plurality of holes on the nonwoven web;
applying energy to the nonwoven web to increase the bulk of the nonwoven web;
A method, including The perforated nonwoven fabric substrate is
a first region having a first caliper;
a second region including a plurality of holes having a second caliper;
including
The second region includes at least one hole having at least three adjacent holes, wherein an edge-to-edge space between the one hole and each of the at least three adjacent holes is about 3 mm or less. ,
16. The method of claim 15. 17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the ratio of said first caliper to said second caliper is at least about 1.35 as measured according to the Caliper Test. 18. The method of any one of claims 15-17, wherein the first region has an Airy Index of greater than or equal to about 270% as measured according to the Caliper Test. A method for making an apertured nonwoven substrate comprising:
applying energy to the nonwoven web to increase the bulk of the nonwoven web;
forming a plurality of holes on the nonwoven web;
A method, including

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