Apertured webs and methods for making the same

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed therebetween is described. The topsheet has an array of apertures forming apertured indicia. The array of apertures includes a first plurality of apertures having a first aspect ratio; a second plurality of apertures having a second aspect ratio and a first Absolute Feret Angle; and a third plurality of apertures having a third aspect ratio and a second Absolute Feret Angle, wherein the first Absolute Feret Angle and the second Absolute Feret Angle are different, and wherein the first aspect ratio is less than the second and third aspect ratios.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A disposable absorbent article comprising a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a pair of side edges extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and a pair of end edges joining said pair of side edges on opposite ends of the disposable absorbent article, the disposable absorbent article further comprising:
 a topsheet comprising a web having a length substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a width substantially parallel to the lateral axis, the web comprising an array of apertures forming apertured indicia comprising:   (a) a first plurality of apertures, each of the first plurality of apertures having a first aspect ratio,   (b) a second plurality of apertures each of the second plurality of apertures having a second aspect ratio and being oriented in a first Absolute Feret Angle, and   (c) a third plurality of apertures each of the third plurality of apertures having a third aspect ratio and being oriented in a second Absolute Feret Angle, wherein the first Absolute Feret Angle and the second Absolute Feret Angle are different, and wherein the first aspect ratio is less than the second and third aspect ratios;   wherein each Absolute Feret Angle is derived from an aperture angle of its length with respect to the lateral axis measured from 0 and 180 degrees, such that an aperture parallel to the longitudinal axis is 90 degrees, subtracting 90 degrees from the aperture angle and taking the absolute value of the difference, wherein some of the first plurality of apertures are disposed on one side of the longitudinal axis and some of the first plurality of apertures are disposed on another side of the longitudinal axis, wherein at least a portion of the third plurality of apertures is disposed laterally outboard of at least a portion of the second plurality of apertures;   a backsheet; and   an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet.   
     
     
         2 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of apertures comprises more apertures than the second plurality of apertures in a ratio of about 5 to 1. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein each of the apertures in the first plurality of apertures, the second plurality of apertures, and the third plurality of apertures comprises an Effective Aperture Area between about 0.1 mm 2  to about 15 mm 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second Absolute Feret angles are from about 2 degrees to about 80 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the web comprises a single layer or a laminate. 
     
     
         6 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 5 , wherein the single layer or laminate comprises at least one nonwoven layer. 
     
     
         7 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , further comprising a first plurality of discrete bonds and a second plurality of discrete bonds joining the topsheet and the absorbent core, the first plurality of discrete bonds and the second plurality of discrete bonds being disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 7 , further comprising a third plurality of discrete bonds and a fourth plurality of discrete bonds joining the topsheet and the absorbent core, the third plurality of discrete bonds and the fourth plurality of discrete bonds being disposed more proximal to at least one of the pair of end edges than the first plurality of discrete bonds and the second plurality of discrete bonds. 
     
     
         9 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 8 , further comprising a fifth plurality of discrete bonds disposed between the third plurality and the fourth plurality of discrete bonds. 
     
     
         10 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 9 , further comprising a secondary topsheet disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core. 
     
     
         11 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 8 , wherein the discrete bonds of at least one of the third plurality or the fourth plurality of discrete bonds are laterally and longitudinally offset from one another. 
     
     
         12 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 9 , wherein the discrete bonds of the fifth plurality of discrete bonds are longitudinally offset from one another. 
     
     
         13 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 7 , wherein the discrete bonds of the first and second plurality of discrete bonds are longitudinally and laterally offset from one another. 
     
     
         14 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 8 , wherein the discrete bonds of the first and second plurality of discrete bonds are longitudinally and laterally offset from one another. 
     
     
         15 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of apertures comprises a first interaperture distance between adjacent apertures, wherein a distance between the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures is greater than the first interaperture distance. 
     
     
         16 . The disposable absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of apertures comprises a first interaperture distance between adjacent apertures, wherein a distance between the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures is greater than the first interaperture distance.