Embossed Stretchable Elastic Laminate and Method of Production

Abstract

A stretchable embossed elastic laminate including at least one nonwoven fabric layer, and at least one elastomeric material extruded as a melt onto a major surface of the nonwoven fabric to form an elastic layer bonded to the surface of the nonwoven fabric. The elastic laminate is embossed with a deep embossing pattern to provide an embossed laminate having good tensile strength and excellent resistance to delamination. Also disclosed is a method of forming a stretchable embossed laminate wherein at least one melted elastic material is extruded onto a major surface of the nonwoven fabric, and the elastic material and the nonwoven fabric are conveyed through a nip formed by a layon roll and an embossing roll having a deep embossing pattern.

1 . An embossed stretchable elastic laminate comprising: 
 at least one nonwoven fabric that is stretchable in at least one direction; and    an elastic material applied as a melt onto a major surface of said nonwoven fabric;    wherein the melt forms an elastic layer bonded to said surface of said nonwoven fabric; and    wherein said nonwoven fabric has an embossing pattern applied to a major surface of said nonwoven fabric opposite the major surface receiving the elastic material, said embossing pattern comprising discontinuous discrete shapes having a depth of at least about 0.008 inches.    
     
     
         2 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephthalate, polyamides, polyacrylates, polyacrylonitrile, viscose, aramide, polyvinylalcohol and rayon.  
     
     
         3 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic material comprises a styrene block copolymer.  
     
     
         4 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 3 , wherein the styrene block copolymer comprises SEBS.  
     
     
         5 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer is comprised of a plurality of layers formed by co-extruding the elastic material and at least one other material.  
     
     
         6 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one other material is a second elastic material.  
     
     
         7 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one other material is a tie layer material.  
     
     
         8 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 1 , wherein said laminate comprises a second nonwoven fabric and said elastic material is applied to a major surface of said second nonwoven fabric so that the elastic layer is sandwiched between and bonded to said major surfaces of the nonwoven fabric and the second nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         9 . The embossed stretchable laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nonwoven fabric is a spunlace nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         10 . The embossed stretchable laminate of  claim 8 , wherein the second nonwoven fabric is a spunlace nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         11 . The embossed stretchable laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the embossing pattern comprises a series of discrete dots having a depth in the range of about 0.010 to about 0.060 inches.  
     
     
         12 . The embossed stretchable laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the embossing pattern comprises a series of discrete perpendicular rectangles having a depth in the range of about 0.008 to about 0.060 inches.  
     
     
         13 . The embossed stretchable laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the embossing pattern is imparted by a roll having embossing pattern depth of about 0.008 inches to about 0.5 inches.  
     
     
         14 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nonwoven fabric comprises natural fibers selected from the group consisting of cellulose, cotton, hemp, wool and flax.  
     
     
         15 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 5 , wherein the elastic layer comprises first and second outer layers and at least one core layer.  
     
     
         16 . The embossed stretchable elastic laminate of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second outer layers are tie layers.  
     
     
         17 . A method of forming an embossed stretchable elastic laminate comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a nonwoven fabric that is stretchable in at least one direction;    (b) heating an elastic material to form an elastic melt;    (c) applying said elastic melt to a major surface of said nonwoven fabric;    (d) applying a compressive force to at least one of said elastic melt and said nonwoven fabric to form an elastic layer bonded to said surface of said nonwoven fabric; and    (e) during the step of applying a compressive force with a roller having a deep embossing pattern to form a deep embossing pattern on a major surface of said nonwoven fabric opposite the major surface receiving the elastic melt.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a single elastic material is applied to the surface of said nonwoven to form a single elastic layer.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the applying step comprises co-extruding at least two materials, at least one of which is an elastic material, onto the surface of the nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the elastic melt and the nonwoven fabric are conveyed through a nip formed by a layon roll and an embossing roll to form the elastic layer bonded to the surface of the nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the compressive force is generated by using at least one of an air knife, a vacuum box, nonwoven web tension, or a static bar.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the deep embossing pattern comprises a series of discrete dots having a depth in the range of about 0.010 to about 0.060 inches.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the deep embossing pattern comprises a series of discrete perpendicular rectangles having a depth in the range of about 0.008 to about 0.060 inches.  
     
     
         24 . A component for an absorbent article comprising; 
 at least one nonwoven fabric that is stretchable in at least one direction; and    an elastic material applied as a melt onto a major surface of said nonwoven fabric, wherein the melt forms an elastic layer bonded to said surface of said nonwoven fabric;    wherein said nonwoven fabric has an embossing pattern applied to a major surface of said nonwoven fabric opposite the major surface receiving the elastic material via a roller having a deep embossing pattern, said embossing pattern comprising discontinuous, discrete shapes having a depth of at least about 0.008 inches.    
     
     
         25 . An absorbent article comprising the component of  claim 24.