Transversely extensible and retractable necked laminate of non-elastic sheet layers

• Main Authors: R.J. SCHWARTZ, M.T. MORMAN, H.M. WELCH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.01.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; BRAIDING; COTTON-WOOL; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS,NON-WOVEN FABRICS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; KNITTING; LACE-MAKING; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARYMATERIAL; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; OUTERWEAR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROSTHESES; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; TRIMMINGS; WADDING; WEARING APPAREL; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The present invention is directed to a necked laminate and a process for making the laminate. The necked laminate is formed from sheet layers of at least one non-elastic neckable material laminated to at least one non-elastic film defining a longitudinal and transverse dimension wherein the laminate is extensible and retractable in at least one dimension without significantly reducing the breathability and/or liquid barrier properties of the film layer. This laminate extensibility and retractability is the result of striated rugosities in, for instance, the longitudinal dimension of the film layer which enables the necked laminate to have an amount of extensibility and retractability in the transverse dimension. The laminate is made by first partially stretching the non-elastic film layer, attaching a non-elastic neckable layer to form a laminate and then stretching the laminate to neck the laminate and stretch the film to its desired fully stretched configuration.