ELASTIC DIAPER ELEMENT

Abstract

An elastic diaper element that includes an elastic layer (11) and at least one layer (12) made of a nonwoven fabric. The element has connection portions (15) between the elastic layer (11) and the non-woven layer (12). The non-woven layer (12) is corrugated in the non-stretched state and has portions (16) that act as a reserve allowing stretching. The connection portions (15) include zones (18) in which there is a form-fitting bond of material of the layer (12) made of the nonwoven and solidified material of the elastic layer (11).

Claims

1. A stretchable diaper element, comprising an elastic layer (1);. a layer (2) made of nonwoven material; the elastic element has connecting regions (5) between the elastic layer (1) and the layer (2) made of the nonwoven material; the layer (2) made of the nonwoven material is corrugated in a non-stretched state of the diaper element to form regions (6) acting as reserve that are configured to enable stretching; and the connecting regions (5) comprise zones (8) in which there is a form-fitting bond of material of the layer (2) made of the nonwoven material and solidified material of the elastic layer (1).

2. The diaper element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting regions (5) have outer zones (9) in which no material of the elastic layer (1) has penetrated, such that the elastic layer (1) does not pierce through the layer (2) made of the nonwoven material.

3. The diaper element as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is no incipient melting of the nonwoven material in the outer zones (9).

4. The diaper element as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is no incipient melting of the nonwoven material in the zones (8) in which there is a form-fitting bond of the nonwoven material and solidified elastic material.

5. The diaper element as claimed in claim 1, wherein fibers of the layer (2) made of the nonwoven material are in at least one of oriented or stretched form in the connecting regions (5).

6. The diaper element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer (2) made of the nonwoven material is composed of a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric, and the nonwoven fabric has a specific weight of 10 to 70 g/m.sup.2.

7. The diaper element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic layer (1) is a multi-layered construction and includes a core layer (3) and at least one further layer (4).

8. The diaper element as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a further layer made of nonwoven, and the elastic layer (1) is arranged between the two layers made of nonwoven.

9. A method for producing a laminate for a stretchable diaper element, comprising the following steps: forming a corrugated layer (2) made of nonwoven with elevations and indentations, extruding an elastic layer (1), impressing the elevations or indentations of the corrugated nonwoven layer (2) into the elastic layer (1) while the elastic layer is molten, and forming connecting regions (5) between the layer (2) made of nonwoven and solidified material of the elastic layer (1).

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising, after solidification of the material of the elastic layer (1), stretching the laminate in a transverse direction.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising incorporating the laminate as a stretchable diaper element.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the stretchable diaper element is a diaper waistband.

13. The diaper element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the layer (2) made of the nonwoven material is composed of the hydroentangled nonwoven fabric which is made of made of continuous filaments.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to a drawing and from the drawing itself.

[0059] The sole Figure shows a section through a diaper element according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The figure shows a section through a diaper element according to the invention. The laminate comprises an elastic layer 1 and a nonwoven layer 2 made of a corrugated nonwoven fabric. This nonwoven fabric is a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric, a spunbonded nonwoven made of continuous filaments being used in the exemplary embodiment. According to the invention, the nonwoven fabric is brought into a corrugated form prior to the connection to the elastic layer 1. After the elastic layer 1 has been extruded onto the corrugated nonwoven layer 2, the indentations of the nonwoven fabric are pushed into the molten elastic layer 1, such that connecting regions 5 form between the corrugated nonwoven fabric 2 and the elastic layer 1.

[0061] In the exemplary embodiment, the elastic layer 1 is embodied as a multi-layered co-extruded film, having a core layer 3 and a further layer 4 which is configured in the form of a “skin layer”. The ratio of the thickness of the core layer 3 to the further layer 4 is preferably more than 8:1,in particular more than 10:1, in particular more than 12:1. The skin layer 4 preferably has a weight between 1 to 3 g/m.sup.2.

[0062] The core layer 3 is preferably composed of thermoplastic polymers. In this case, preference is given to using polypropylene-polyethylene block copolymers, for example of the Exxon Vistamaxx (PP-based) product series: VM 6102 or VM 6202 or VM 7810 and/or of the Dow Infuse (PE-based) product series: Infuse 9507, Infuse 9107.

[0063] The outer layer 4 is preferably composed of a polyolefin or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). The outer layer 4, in contrast to the core layer 3, is not “tacky” and thus prevents undesired adhesion.

[0064] According to the invention, the laminate comprises connecting regions 5 and reserve regions 6. The reserve regions 6 exhibit no, or only a very weak, bond to the elastic layer 1 and preferably enclose cavities 7.

[0065] In the exemplary embodiment, the web-to-groove ratio of the roll which brings the nonwoven into a corrugated form and pushes the indentations of the corrugated nonwoven layer 2 into the molten elastic layer 1 is 1:6, past the web width is preferably 0.5 mm and the groove width is preferably 3 mm.

[0066] In the exemplary embodiment, the connecting regions 5 according to the invention have different zones 8, 9.

[0067] The external zone 9 is free of elastic material, such that the elastic material does not pierce through the nonwoven layer 2. The nonwoven material in the external zone 8 is not thermally influenced from the outside, such that the filaments of the layer 2 made of nonwoven are not incipiently melted.

[0068] There is a form-fitting bond of solidified elastic material and nonwoven material in the inner zone 8 of the connecting regions 5. In the exemplary embodiment, the nonwoven material is also not incipiently melted in the inner zone 8 in this case. The continuous filaments of the hydroentangled nonwoven fabric are merely pushed into the elastic melt, such that a form-fitting bond is produced after solidification. In this case, during the connecting process, the continuous filaments of the hydroentangled nonwoven fabric themselves remain largely uninfluenced. They are merely surrounded by the molten material of the elastic layer 1.

[0069] After solidification of the elastic material, there is a form-fitting bond of nonwoven material and solidified material of the elastic layer 1 in the inner zone 8.

[0070] The laminate illustrated in the figure is connected together between a pair of rolls, in the case of which, looking at the drawing, a profiled roll with elevations pushes the nonwoven layer 2 into the elastic layer 1 from above and, from below, there is arranged a mating roll with a smooth surface. In the production of the laminate illustrated in the figure, a chill roll is used as mating roll. The chill roll is a steel roll. The roll which acts from above is a non-cooled roll.

[0071] The rolls used for connection are driven at a spacing, wherein a fixed spacing is set.

[0072] The laminate preferably has a specific weight per unit area of more than 10 g/m.sup.2, in particular more than 20 g/m.sup.2, preferably more than 30 g/m.sup.2 and/or less than 200 g/m.sup.2, in particular less than 150 g/m.sup.2, preferably less than 100 g/m.sup.2.

[0073] In the exemplary embodiment, the connecting regions 5 and the reserve regions 6 are of strip-like design, wherein the strips run transversely with respect to the tensile direction of the diaper element.

[0074] The strips of the connecting regions 5 have a width of between 0.1 and 1 mm. In the exemplary embodiment, the connecting regions 5 have a width of 0.5 mm.

[0075] The strips of the reserve regions 6, in which there is no connection between the nonwoven layer 2 and the elastic layer 1, have a width of between 2 and 6 mm.

[0076] In the exemplary embodiment, the reserve regions 6 have a width of 3 mm. In the exemplary embodiment, the connecting regions 5 thus have a proportion of 0.5/3.5=14.3%, and the reserve regions 6 have a proportion of 3/3.5=85.7%, in relation to the surface of the flat, non-stretched elastic layer 1.