Absorbent articles having apertured, three-dimensional materials and methods for making same

Abstract

A forming apparatus for forming a plurality of apertures in a nonwoven substrate is provided. The apparatus includes intermeshing members having a first and second member. The first member includes a body portion and a plurality of conical-shaped pins. The plurality of conical-shaped pins each have a first section having a first wall extending from a base portion to a distal portion, at least a portion of the first wall disposed at a first angle greater than 17.5 degrees relative to a central axis. The plurality of conical-shaped pins each have a second section having a second wall extending from a base portion, the base portion extending from the first member body portion, at least a portion of the second wall disposed at a second angle relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin, the second angle being different than the first angle and less than 20 degrees.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A forming apparatus for forming a plurality of apertures in a nonwoven substrate for an absorbent article, the apparatus comprising:
 intermeshing members comprising a first member and a second member, the first member comprising:   a body portion; and   a plurality of conical-shaped pins, the plurality of conical-shaped pins each comprising:
 a first section having a first wall extending from a base portion of the first section to a distal portion of the first section, at least a portion of the first wall disposed at a first angle, the first angle being greater than 17.5 degrees relative to a central axis of each conical-shaped pin; and 
 a second section having a second wall extending from a base portion of the second section, the base portion of the second section extending from the first member body portion, at least a portion of the second wall disposed at a second angle relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin, the second angle being different than the first angle and less than 20 degrees. 
   
     
     
         2 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises a first roller and the second member comprises a second roller. 
     
     
         3 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conical-shaped pins each comprises a third section extending between the first section and the second section. 
     
     
         4 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second section second wall extends from the base portion of the second section to the base portion of the first section. 
     
     
         5 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first portion of the first section first wall of each of the plurality of conical-shaped pins is disposed at a first direction angle, the first direction angle being greater than 17.5 degrees relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin;   a second portion of the first wall of each of the plurality of conical-shaped pins is disposed at a second direction angle, the second direction angle being greater than 17.5 degrees relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin; and   the second direction angle is less than the first direction angle.   
     
     
         6 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conical-shaped pins have a height defined by the first section and the second section of no more than 5 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the distal portion of each of the plurality of conical-shaped pins defines an outer end of each of the conical-shaped pins. 
     
     
         8 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second member comprises a body portion comprising a plurality of notches formed in the body portion. 
     
     
         9 . The forming apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of notches of the second member are configured to receive the plurality of conical-shaped pins of the first member. 
     
     
         10 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first member is configured to be heated. 
     
     
         11 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle is greater than 20 degrees relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin. 
     
     
         12 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second angle is less than 18 degrees relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin. 
     
     
         13 . The forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first member is configured to rotate about a first axis, wherein the second member is configured to rotate about a second axis, and wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel and in a same plane. 
     
     
         14 . The forming apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first member and the second member are configured to rotate in the same direction. 
     
     
         15 . The forming apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first member and the second member are configured to be counter-rotating with respect to each other. 
     
     
         16 . The forming apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first member and the second member are configured to form a nip between the first member and the second member. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a plurality of apertures in a nonwoven substrate for an absorbent article, the nonwoven substrate defining a first surface and a second surface, the method comprising:
 providing the nonwoven substrate;   providing the forming apparatus of  claim 13 ;   conveying the nonwoven substrate through the nip between the first member and the second member of the forming apparatus, wherein the conical-shaped pins penetrate the nonwoven substrate and form apertures therein;   wherein each of at least some of the apertures define:
 a first open area at the first surface of the nonwoven substrate, the first open area is in the range of about 2 mm 2  to about 12 mm 2 ; according to the 2D X-Ray CT Scan Test; 
 a second open area at the second surface of the nonwoven substrate, the second open area is smaller than the first open area and in the range of about 1.0 mm 2  to about 7.5 mm 2 , according to the 2D X-Ray CT Scan Test herein; and 
 a side wall, at least a portion of the side wall has an angle in the range of about 55 degrees to about 90 degrees, according to the 2D X-Ray CT Scan Test herein. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the conical-shaped pins each comprises a third section extending between the first section and the second section. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a first portion of the first section first wall of each of the conical-shaped pins is disposed at a first direction angle, the first direction angle being greater than 17.5 degrees relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin;
 a second portion of the first wall of each of the conical-shaped pins is disposed at a second direction angle, the second direction angle being greater than 17.5 degrees relative to the central axis of each conical-shaped pin; and   the second direction angle is less than the first direction angle.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein either or both of the first member and the second member is heated. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the apertures have a generally ellipse-like shape. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the apertures have a central major axis dimension C A1  and a central minor axis dimension C A2 , and wherein the central major axis dimension C A1  is greater than 1.5 mm, when measured at the first open area, according to the 2D X-Ray CT Scan Test herein. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a ratio of the central major axis dimension C A1  to the central minor axis dimension C A2  is between about 1.3 and 4.