APPARATUS HAVING FORMING MEMBERS WITH SURFACE TEXTURE FOR MAKING NONWOVEN MATERIAL HAVING DISCRETE THREE-DIMENSIONAL DEFORMATIONS WITH WIDE BASE OPENINGS

• Main Authors: KNAPMEYER, James Terry, ORR, Jill Marlene, STRUBE, John Brian
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 05.10.2022
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROSTHESES; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method of forming deformations in a nonwoven web includes the steps of: a) providing a precursor nonwoven web; b) providing a pair of forming members which include: a first forming member having a surface comprising a plurality of discrete, spaced apart male forming elements; and a second forming member having a surface comprising a plurality of recesses in the second forming member, wherein the recesses are aligned and configured to receive the male forming elements therein, wherein the recesses have a plan view periphery that is larger than, and may completely surround, the plan view periphery of the male elements; and c) mechanically deforming the precursor nonwoven web with the forming members by placing the precursor nonwoven web between the forming members. The method forms a nonwoven web having a generally planar first region and a plurality of discrete deformations. The deformations form protrusions that extend outward from the first surface of the nonwoven web and a base opening adjacent to the second surface of the nonwoven web. The maximum interior width of the cap portion of the protrusions is wider than the width of the base opening.