A method for manufacturing a composite material includes forming a composite precursor material comprising a nonwoven layer comprising a plurality of fibers and a polymer film layer laminated to the nonwoven layer; forming a plurality of apertured extended cells in the polymer film layer, each of the apertured extended cells having a continuous sidewall extending away from the nonwoven layer that terminates in an aperture at a distal end; and, while forming the plurality of apertured extended cells, pushing, with a fluid, at least one of the fibers into at least one of the apertured extended cells so that a portion of the at least one of the fibers extends into the at least one of the apertured extended cells and through the aperture at the distal end.

The present invention relates to a flexible substrate bonding method and, more particularly, to a bonding method for bonding a flexible substrate to a carrier substrate in order to facilitate handling of the flexible substrate. To this end, the present invention provides a flexible substrate bonding method comprising: a substrate preparation step for preparing a carrier substrate and a flexible substrate; and a bonding step for bonding the carrier substrate to the flexible substrate, which rotates by being wound around a rotation roll, while moving the carrier substrate by a transfer unit, wherein the bonding step includes bringing one edge of the flexible substrate into contact with the carrier substrate, and then gradually bonding the flexible substrate to the carrier substrate in a direction from one side to the other side.

A composite material includes a nonwoven layer having a plurality of fibers and a polymer film layer with a plurality of extended cells. Each of the extended cells are contemplated to include continuous sidewalls extending away from the nonwoven layer. At least one of the fibers extends into one or more of the extended cells.

A roll-to-roll glass lamination system includes: a glass unwinding unit configured to unwind a glass ribbon from a glass roll; a film feeding unit configured to unwind the film from a film roll; a lamination unit configured to laminate the film on the glass ribbon to create a laminate, the lamination unit including an air injection device configured to blow air onto a second surface of the glass ribbon in a lamination space such that the first surface of the glass ribbon is in contact with the film; and a laminate winding unit configured to wind the laminate.

A method for hydroforming a spun bonded nonwoven web includes applying a plurality of pressurized liquid jets onto an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web having an original loft while the web passes over a forming structure. A plurality of spun bonded fibers in the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web are reoriented from a closely packed substantially horizontal orientation to a more loosely packed orientation with greater vertical spacing between the fibers to produce a hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than the original loft of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web has a surface with a plurality of protuberances in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of apertures in the forming structure.

In general, a decorative laminate construction (50, 60) is provided. In one embodiment, the construction (50) includes: a protective layer (12), the protective layer comprising a film having opposing first and second major surfaces; an embossing layer (20) formed over the second major surface of the protective layer, the embossing layer have opposing first and second major surfaces, the first major surface of the embossing layer being proximate the protective layer and the second major surface (22) of the embossing layer being distal from the protective layer, the second major surface of the embossing layer being embossed with a pattern such that features (22a, 22b) are produced on the second major surface of the embossed layer which are raised and lowered relative to one another; a metallization layer (30) formed over the second major surface of the embossing layer so as to achieve a visual effect by virtue of the metallization layer conforming to the features of the embossed pattern; and, a primer layer (32) formed over the metallization layer on a side thereof opposite the embossing layer. Also disclosed is a method for application of the decorative laminate construction to a part (80, 100) such that the decorative laminate construction wraps around multiple surfaces of the part.

A method for hydroforming a composite precursor material includes forming a composite precursor material comprising an original spun bonded nonwoven web and a polymer film layer. The method also includes applying a plurality of pressurized liquid jets onto an outer surface of the original spun bonded nonwoven web while the composite precursor material passes over a forming structure to push and reorient a plurality of spun bonded fibers from a closely packed substantially horizontal orientation to a more loosely packed orientation with greater vertical spacing between the fibers to produce a hydroformed composite material comprising an expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than the original loft of the original spun bonded nonwoven web, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web.

A hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web has a first substantially planar surface on one side thereof and a second surface on an opposite side thereof. The second surface includes a plurality of protuberances in a pattern. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded web has an average loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than an original average loft of an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web from which the hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web was created, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web.

A composite material includes a nonwoven layer having a plurality of fibers and a polymer film layer with a plurality of extended cells. Each of the extended cells are contemplated to include continuous sidewalls extending away from the nonwoven layer. At least one of the fibers extends into one or more of the extended cells.

A hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web has a first substantially planar surface on one side thereof and a second surface on an opposite side thereof. The second surface includes a plurality of protuberances in a pattern. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded web has an average loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than an original average loft of an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web from which the hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web was created, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web.