Articles comprising impregnated thermoplastic members and method of manufacturing the articles

摘要

An article, including disposable articles and durable articles, includes one or more shaped thermoplastic members, which can be at least partially impregnated into one or more fibrous substrates forming a composite material of the article having regions of breathability, elasticity, and/or stiffening to provide desired functions of the article. The shaped thermoplastic members have a profiled thickness and/or basis weight providing variation in material properties. A percent variation of the profiled thickness of the thermoplastic member can vary from about 5% to about 95%. A process for manufacturing the composite material of the present invention is also disclosed.

主权项

1. A method of making a composite material comprising at least one shaped thermoplastic member impregnated into at least one fibrous substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first fibrous substrate; depositing a first thermoplastic material on the first fibrous substrate using a rotogravure printing device to form a first shaped thermoplastic member having a profiled thickness providing variation in material properties, wherein a percent variation of the profiled thickness of the thermoplastic member can vary from about 5% to about 95%; providing a second substrate; depositing a second thermoplastic material on the second fibrous substrate to form a second shaped thermoplastic member; combining the first substrate and the second substrate to form the composite material, wherein the first thermoplastic member is at least partially impregnated into the first substrate; and impregnating the first and second shaped thermoplastic member into the first and second substrates by advancing the composite material through a pair of nip rolls.