The instant invention provides microcapillary films and/or foams suitable for capillary action fluid transport. The inventive microcapillary film and/or foam containing suitable for capillary action fluid transport according to the present invention has a first end and a second end, and comprises: (a) a matrix comprising a thermoplastic material, and (b) at least one or more channels disposed in parallel in said matrix from the first end to the second end of said microcapillary film and/or foam, wherein said one or more channels are at least 1 m apart from each other, wherein each said one or more channels have a diameter in the range of at least 1 m; wherein said microcapillary film and/or foam has a thickness in the range of from 2 m to 2000 m.

Provided is a fibrous adsorbing material used for the adsorption and recovery of metals in a solution, which is a fibrous metal-adsorbing material that can be produced using existing production facilities without using special facilities or complicated operations, has high durability, is easy to diversify, and can be processed into various forms. The fibrous metal-adsorbing material is produced by a) a step of preparing an acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups in the molecule, b) a step of kneading a low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer therewith, c) a step of making the resulting mixture into a fibrous form by an melt-blend spinning method, and d) a step of allowing a long-chain ligand having an amino group or an imino group to react with glycidyl groups on the fiber surface to introduce a metal-adsorbing functional group. The fibrous metal-adsorbing material has high durability, is easy to diversify, and has various forms.

The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles and methods for assembling absorbent articles with components having printed graphics with masked zones having alternatingly arranged printed regions and unprinted regions. Various substrates and/or components to be incorporated into manufactured absorbent articles include graphics with the masked zones positioned and/or printed in such a manner so as to functionally reduce noticeable visible results of imprecise and/or inconsistent manufacturing operations performed in areas where the graphics are located. In some configurations, substrates and/or components include graphics with masked zones positioned in regions that are subject to bonding, cutting, and/or folding transformations during the assembly process, such as for example, along inner edges of front and/or back belts and/or leg openings.

The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles and methods for assembling absorbent articles with components having printed graphics with masked zones having alternatingly arranged printed regions and unprinted regions. Various substrates and/or components to be incorporated into manufactured absorbent articles include graphics with the masked zones positioned and/or printed in such a manner so as to functionally reduce noticeable visible results of imprecise and/or inconsistent manufacturing operations performed in areas where the graphics are located. In some configurations, substrates and/or components include graphics with masked zones positioned in regions that are subject to bonding, cutting, and/or folding transformations during the assembly process, such as for example, along outer edges of front and/or back waist regions.

The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles and methods for assembling absorbent articles with components having printed graphics with masked zones having alternatingly arranged printed regions and unprinted regions. Various substrates and/or components to be incorporated into manufactured absorbent articles include graphics with the masked zones positioned and/or printed in such a manner so as to functionally reduce noticeable visible results of imprecise and/or inconsistent manufacturing operations performed in areas where the graphics are located. In some configurations, substrates and/or components include graphics with masked zones positioned in regions that are subject to bonding, cutting, and/or folding transformations during the assembly process, such as for example, side seam regions.

A method and apparatus for making specific absorbent structures with an absorbent layer with absorbent material with therein substantially longitudinally extending strips that are free of absorbent material, using or having thereto a moving endless surface with receptacle(s) with specific longitudinally extending rods; and specific absorbent structures obtained therewith, suitable for absorbent articles, such as diapers and sanitary napkins.

A high-moisture-permeability, microporous plastic film randomly having a lot of recesses having different opening diameters and depths, with clefts formed in the recesses, is produced by pressing a first pattern roll randomly having a lot of high-hardness, fine particles having sharp edges on a roll body surface to a flat-surface metal roll, to produce an anvil roll randomly having a lot of recesses on a metal roll surface; arranging a second pattern roll randomly having a lot of high-hardness, fine particles having sharp edges on a roll body surface oppositely to the anvil roll; and passing a plastic film through a gap between the second pattern roll and the anvil roll.

A method of making an article includes mixing a filler material and a polymer matrix material to produce a composite material, introducing the composite material produced by the mixing into a mold of a desired shape, and removing an article having the desired shape from the mold. The resulting article has a water absorption of less than about one percent and the filler material comprises vitreous china.

A fiber optic cable includes a cable core of core elements and a protective sheath surrounding the core elements, an armor surrounding the cable core, the armor comprising a single overlap portion when the fiber optic cable is viewed in cross-section, and a jacket surrounding the armor, the jacket having at least two longitudinal discontinuities extruded therein. A method of accessing the cable core without the use of ripcords includes removing a portion of the armor in an access section by pulling the minor away from the cable core so that an overlap portion separates around the cable core as it is being pulled past the cable core. A protective sheath protects the core elements as the armor is being pulled around the cable core.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for increasing the number of articles processed. over a distance traveled in the machine direction of an assembly line. In particular, the orientation of the long dimension of the article is provided transverse to the machine direction, thus process rug the articles side-by-side instead of end-to-end.