Segmented rigid patterned molded wire

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a molded wire having a pattern printed thereon. The printed pattern is formed from a rigid plastic, exhibits a pattern height greater than 0.8 mm, and has microscale gaps spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, the microscale gaps being invisible in a flat orientation. Due, at least in part, to the microscale gap and the manner of manufacture thereof, the shaped wire of the present disclosure can extend around a carrier roller that is as small as 7.5 mm in diameter.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Fiber nonwoven web materials are widely used in many applications, including but not limited to absorbent structures and wiping products, many of which are disposable. In particular, such materials are commonly used in personal care absorbent articles such as diapers, diaper pants, training pants, feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, bandages, and wiping products such as baby and adult wipes. They are also commonly used in cleaning products such as dry and wet disposable wipes that can be treated with a cleaning agent and other compounds designed for use by hand or in combination with a cleaning device such as a mop. Another application is beauty aids such as cleaning pads and wipes and makeup removing pads and wipes.

[0002] In many of these applications, three-dimensionality and increased surface area are desirable attributes and can be imparted by a variety of processes that texture or emboss the surface of the nonwoven web. The use of patterned forming wires can achieve texturing or decorative lines on nonwoven products. However, as thicker and more structured nonwoven products become increasingly popular, it has proven challenging to provide patterned forming wires that can provide sufficient surface texturing.

[0003] That is, it has recently been found that forming wires with larger pattern or element heights can improve the surface texture of these thick and structured nonwoven products. However, in order to maintain the movement of the nonwoven product in the longitudinal direction, the forming wire must be able to bend around a roll (such as a backing roll). Therefore, for materials with high hardness and low flexibility, it is not possible to provide an element or pattern height greater than 0.8 mm because the circumferential movement around an existing roll causes deformation or breakage of the pattern or structure on the patterned forming wire with a large pattern or element height, resulting in defects in the formed pattern. In addition, it has proven impossible to replace a smaller diameter roll with a roll of a large enough diameter to prevent deformation or breakage of the forming wire because the required diameter is more than four times the diameter of the rolls currently in use.

[0004] Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a forming wire with a pattern height greater than 0.8 mm that is compatible with existing backing rolls. It would be another beneficial effect to provide a forming wire with a pattern height greater than 0.8 mm that is compatible with existing backing rolls where the pattern is formed from a rigid material. It would be yet another beneficial effect to provide a forming wire with a pattern height greater than 0.8 mm that utilizes existing printing materials to provide the patterned wire. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present disclosure generally relates to a shaped wire, the shaped wire including a substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, an x-y plane, and a thickness extending from the bottom surface to the top surface along a z-direction perpendicular to the x-y plane, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of filaments and voids between the filaments. The substrate further includes a plurality of discrete segments, the discrete segments including at least a first segment and a second segment, wherein each segment contains a continuous pattern disposed on the substrate. The continuous pattern exhibits a pattern height greater than 0.8 mm and has a microscale gap disposed between each of the plurality of discrete segments.

[0006] In one aspect, each discrete segment has a segment length of about 2 cm or less. Additionally or alternatively, in one aspect, the continuous pattern has a pattern height greater than about 2 mm. Further, in one aspect, at least about 10% of the top surface of the substrate within the respective discrete segment has the continuous pattern disposed thereon. In yet another aspect, at least about 30% of adjacent pattern elements within the respective segment share at least one connection point. Additionally, in one aspect, the microscale gap disposed between each discrete patterned segment has a gap width of 500 microns or less in a planar orientation.

[0007] In yet another aspect, the continuous pattern includes circles, ellipses, triangles, crosses, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, hexagons, other polygons, lines, spirals, stars, characters, emblems, or combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, in one aspect, the continuous pattern in each discrete segment includes the same shape or combination of shapes. In yet another aspect, the continuous patterns in adjacent discrete segments include different shapes or combinations of shapes.

[0008] In another aspect, the continuous pattern is formed of a polymeric material, optionally, in one aspect, wherein the polymeric material is a thermoplastic, an epoxy resin, or a combination thereof. In one aspect, the plurality of filaments are formed of a thermoplastic resin, a silicone rubber, or a non-silicone vulcanized rubber. Further, in one aspect, the continuous pattern includes a first polymer layer directly adjacent to the top surface of the substrate, wherein the first polymer layer surrounds and / or fuses to one or more substrate filaments. In another aspect, the melting point of the polymeric material differs from the melting point of the substrate by about 20% or less.

[0009] In one aspect, the substrate is polyethylene terephthalate. Additionally or alternatively, the polymeric material is ethylene glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate. Further, in one aspect, each microscale gap includes a gap region extending between adjacent discrete segments, wherein at least one of the gap regions is substantially free of the polymeric material. In one aspect, each respective gap region covers a portion of the substrate, wherein the portion of the substrate within the gap region is substantially free of the polymeric material. In another aspect, the polymeric material is disposed on the substrate by additive manufacturing, preferably wherein the polymeric material is disposed on the substrate by a fused deposition modeling (FDM) process.

[0010] The present disclosure also generally relates to a method of manufacturing a shaped wire according to any one or more of the above aspects. The method includes: forming the continuous pattern on the substrate by dispensing a first layer of polymeric material from an extruder head that is transported along the x-plane and / or y-plane on a top surface of the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the voids are filled with the polymeric material, and dispensing one or more additional layers of the polymeric material onto the first layer of polymeric material until the pattern height is reached.

[0011] Furthermore, the present disclosure also generally relates to a method of forming a nonwoven web, the method including forming a plurality of fibers, disposing the plurality of fibers on the shaped wire of any one or more of the above aspects, and drying the plurality of fibers.

[0012] Other features and aspects of the present invention are set forth in greater detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 is a fragmented top plan view of the substrate of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of the present disclosure having a layer of polymeric material thereon;

[0016] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of the present disclosure having a layer of polymeric material thereon and an additional layer in contact with the polymeric material;

[0017] Figure 5A is a fragmented top plan view of the shaped wire according to the present disclosure in a flat orientation;

[0018] Figure 5B is a side view of the shaped wire according to the present disclosure in a coiled orientation;

[0019] Figure 6A is a side plan view of a formed wire according to the present disclosure that is curled around a 7.5 mm diameter roller;

[0020] Figure 6B is a view of a comparative sample according to an embodiment; and

[0021] Figure 6C is a view of a comparative sample according to an embodiment.

[0022] Definition

[0023] As used herein, the terms "about," "approximately," or "substantially" when used to modify a value mean that the value can increase or decrease by 10% (e.g., such as 7.5%, 5%, such as 4%, such as 3%, such as 2%, such as 1%) and remain within the disclosed aspect. Additionally, the term "substantially free of" when used to describe the amount of a substance in a material is not limited to being completely or entirely free of, and can be equivalent to the absence of any perceptible or detectable amount of the recited substance in the material. Thus, for example, when the amount of a substance in a material is less than the precision of the industry-recognized instrument or test used to measure the amount of the substance in the material, the material is "substantially free of" the above substance. In certain example aspects, when the amount of a substance in a material is less than 10%, less than 9%, less than 8%, less than 7%, less than 6%, less than 5%, less than 4%, less than 3%, less than 2%, less than 1%, less than 0.5%, or less than 0.1% by weight of the material, the material can be "substantially free of" the above substance.

[0024] As used herein, when the term "continuous" refers to an element, such as a line element, a design element, or a pattern, disposed on the surface of a tissue product, it means that the element extends through one dimension of the surface of the tissue product. Figure 5A Shows a non-limiting example of a continuous pattern, where at least two or more adjacent pattern elements (e.g., individual hexagonal shapes / design elements) within a corresponding section share at least one connection point. Additionally, it should be understood that in some aspects, the entire pattern may "appear" to be continuous in a flat orientation, as discussed in more detail below, because the gaps extending in one or more dimensions can be smaller than the gaps visible to the human eye.

[0025] As used herein, when the term "discrete" refers to an element, such as a line element, a design element, or a pattern, disposed on the surface of a tissue product, it means that the element is not visually connected to other elements, does not share at least one connection point with one or more adjacent elements, and / or does not continuously extend in any dimension of the surface of the tissue product.

[0026] As used herein, the term "fabric" refers to a cloth or paper product that includes multiple filaments and the voids between the filaments. The fabric can be a woven material or a non-woven material, and can include a papermaking / non-woven forming fabric or a product made from a tissue web (e.g., bath towels, facial tissues, paper towels, wipes (e.g., industrial, foodservice, or personal care wipes), napkins, medical pads, etc.). The fabric can be made by a variety of processes, including but not limited to air-laying processes, wet-laying processes (such as those using cellulose-based tissue or towels), hydroentanglement processes, short fiber carding and bonding, solution spinning, or uncreped through-air drying (UCTAD) processes. The fabric can be made from a variety of materials, including natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or combinations thereof. As discussed in more detail below, the terms "forming wire" and "forming fabric" are used interchangeably herein.

[0027] As used herein, "pattern" or "decorative pattern" refers to any non-randomly repeating design, graphic, or motif. The elements of the pattern need not form a recognizable shape, and the repeated design of the elements is considered to constitute a decorative pattern.

[0028] As used herein, the term "open pore" refers to an opening provided on a surface of a three-dimensional element as disclosed herein.

[0029] As used herein, the term "solid freeform fabrication" (SFF) generally refers to the three-dimensional printing of materials using any of the well-known layer fabrication processes, such as stereolithography, selective laser sintering, inkjet printing, laminated object manufacturing, fused deposition modeling, laser-assisted welding or cladding, and shape deposition manufacturing. SFF generally involves representing a 3D object using a computer-aided design (CAD) geometry file, converting the design file into machine control commands, and using the commands to drive and control a part building tool to build the part in a point-by-point or layer-by-layer manner.

[0030] As used herein, the term "additive manufacturing" refers to a manufacturing technique for forming a three-dimensional object or element by adding materials layer by layer. Additive manufacturing processes include solid freeform fabrication and fused deposition modeling processes.

[0031] As used herein, the term "3D printing" generally refers to the fused deposition modeling process (hereinafter simply referred to as FDM) as described in U.S. Patent 5,121,329, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with the present disclosure, and generally uses a heated nozzle to melt and extrude materials. The build material is supplied to the nozzle in the form of a rod or filament.

[0032] The terms "print head" or "extrusion head" are used interchangeably herein and refer to the entire device used to convey, melt, and apply filaments during an extrusion-based 3D printing process.

[0033] As used herein, the term "woven fabric" generally refers to a structure formed by a plurality of interconnected filaments. A woven fabric refers to a structure comprising a plurality of filaments that are interconnected by weaving two or more filaments together (such as by interlacing in a repeating pattern), and also refers to a structure made by connecting a plurality of helical coils or filaments, such as the wire-connected belts disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,334,440.

[0034] As used herein, the term "nonwoven web" generally refers to a web having a structure of fibers or threads that are layered but not in an identifiable manner (such as in a knitted fabric). Examples of suitable nonwoven fabrics or webs include, but are not limited to, meltblown webs, spunbond webs, bonded carded webs, airlaid webs, coform webs, hydroentangled webs, and the like. Detailed Description

[0035] Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that this discussion is only a description of exemplary aspects and is not intended to limit the broader aspects of the disclosure.

[0036] Generally, the present disclosure relates to a fabric having a continuous pattern disposed thereon, the fabric being suitable for use as a forming wire during the formation of woven and nonwoven fabrics. That is, the present disclosure unexpectedly found that by forming microscale gaps (e.g., microscale gaps between adjacent portions of the pattern) that extend in the cross direction (CD) and are spaced apart in the machine direction (MD) at specific intervals in the pattern, the pattern will exhibit continuity in a flat orientation with an element or pattern height greater than 0.8 mm, while allowing the pattern to bend around even very small diameter roller sections (curled orientation) without deformation or breakage. Thus, the fabric of the present disclosure having a continuous pattern disposed thereon unexpectedly can exhibit an increased pattern height while being compatible with small roller diameters.

[0037] That is, the present disclosure unexpectedly found that by creating microscale gaps extending laterally, a continuous pattern of pattern or element height can be formed having a height of about 1 mm or greater, such as about 1.2 mm or greater, such as about 1.4 mm or greater, such as about 1.6 mm or greater, such as about 1.8 mm or greater, such as about 2 mm or greater, such as about 2.2 mm or greater, such as about 2.4 mm or greater, such as about 2.6 mm or greater, such as about 2.8 mm or greater, such as about 3 mm or greater, such as about 3.2 mm or greater, such as about 3.4 mm or greater, such as about 3.6 mm or greater, such as about 3.8 mm or greater, or even about 4 mm or greater, up to about 6 mm or less, such as about 5.5 mm or less, such as about 5 mm or less, such as about 4.5 mm or less, or any range or value therebetween, while maintaining compatibility with standard-sized idlers. Those skilled in the art will understand that the pattern height refers to the height of the pattern or element in the z-direction, which is determined as the distance between the surface of the substrate fabric and the top surface of the pattern, which will be discussed in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0038] As discussed in more detail below, when in a flat orientation, the pattern appears continuous, where the microscale gaps are nearly invisible to the human eye, such as the gap width (between adjacent segments of the pattern) being about 1000 microns or less, such as about 500 microns or less, such as about 400 microns or less, such as about 300 microns or less, such as about 275 microns or less, such as about 250 microns or less, such as about 230 microns or less, such as about 25 microns or greater, such as about 40 microns or greater, or any range or value therebetween. However, in a curled orientation, the microscale gaps can have a gap width greater than about 250 microns, such as greater than about 500 microns, such as about 750 microns or greater, such as about 1 mm or greater, or any range or value therebetween. That is, as discussed in more detail below, the microscale gaps can be formed due to the absence of material disposed on the substrate during pattern formation, rather than by cutting or other methods of removing the applied pattern material. Thus, in one aspect, the pattern is disposed on the substrate as a plurality of discrete segments spaced longitudinally while being continuous laterally. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that by forming the pattern as spaced discrete segments with little or no pattern material disposed in the gaps on the substrate, excellent flexibility can be achieved without providing large gaps that impart discontinuity to the pattern when in a flat orientation.

[0039] However, as discussed above, the present disclosure unexpectedly found that when the gap spacing (e.g., the corresponding segment length) is less than about 2 cm, such as about 1.8 cm or less, such as about 1.6 cm or less, such as about 1.4 cm or less, such as about 1.2 cm or less, such as about 1 cm or less, such as about 0.5 cm or greater, such as about 0.75 cm or greater, or any range or value in between, the patterned formed wire according to the present disclosure can be used with standard-sized idlers (such as idlers having a diameter of from about 30.5 cm down to about 7.5 cm). That is, the present disclosure found that when the gap-to-gap distance (or the corresponding segment length) is less than 2 cm, it even allows a pattern with a pattern height of about 4 cm (or even higher) to curl around an idler with a diameter of even 7.5 cm without forming a cup shape or causing pattern damage or distortion.

[0040] In addition, it should be understood that the patterns discussed herein are continuous within the corresponding segments, which means that at least two or more adjacent pattern elements within the corresponding segments share at least one connection point. That is, different from embossing rollers that employ separate, discrete, and spaced-apart elements or other textured rollers for bonding or other surface structures, the formed wire patterns discussed herein are interconnected, which gives rise to the need for improved flexibility. Thus, in one aspect, at least about 10% of the substrate surface within the corresponding segment, such as about 12.5% or more, such as about 15% or more, such as about 17.5% or more, such as about 20% or more, such as about 30% or more, such as about 40% or more, up to about 75% or less, such as about 70% or less, such as about 60% or less, such as about 50% or less, such as about 40% or less, such as about 30% or less, or any range or value in between has a pattern disposed thereon. In addition, in one aspect, at least about 10% of the adjacent pattern elements within the corresponding segment, such as about 20% or more, such as about 30% or more, such as about 40% or more, such as about 50% or more, such as about 60% or more, such as about 70% or more, such as about 80% or more, such as about 90% or more share at least one connection point, such as substantially all adjacent pattern elements within the corresponding segment share at least one connection point. For example, as discussed in more detail below, in one aspect, the corresponding elements within the corresponding segment can share an entire side (when the pattern includes adjacent repeating elements of the same shape and design). However, it should be understood that the pattern can be continuous even when non-similar shapes are adjacent to each other within the corresponding segment (e.g., a hexagon connected to a swirl or a letter).

[0041] It should be understood that any number of shapes and combinations of shapes can be used depending on the end-use application. Examples of possible shapes that form the shaped wire pattern include, but are not limited to, circles, ellipses, triangles, crosses, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, hexagons, other polygons, lines, spirals, stars, characters, badges, and the like, as well as combinations thereof. However, it should be understood that any shape can be used as long as it can be formed in accordance with the height and continuity discussed herein. Additionally, it should be understood that, in one aspect, the pattern in each discrete section can contain the same shape or combination of shapes, or the patterns in adjacent sections can have different shapes or combinations of shapes from one another.

[0042] However, in one aspect, the pattern can be formed on the substrate by additive manufacturing, particularly SFF such as the fused deposition modeling (FDM) process. For example, in one aspect, three-dimensional (3D) elements can be fabricated on the substrate using additive manufacturing to form the pattern.

[0043] In one aspect, when using additive manufacturing, such as FDM, to produce a patterned substrate having 3D elements or decorative patterns thereon, a polymer can be included on the substrate prior to forming additional layers of the pattern. In some aspects, the polymer can provide a platform for adding subsequent layers without damaging or compromising the strength of the substrate, thereby allowing subsequent layers to be printed more quickly. In some aspects, the polymer can also improve the adhesion of the FDM 3D elements to the surface of the fabric substrate by providing an adhesion surface for the subsequent layers. However, as discussed in more detail below, in some aspects, based on a careful selection of the substrate and the pattern material, the polymer is not necessary.

[0044] Whether or not a polymer is formed, an initial layer of polymer material can be utilized to form the first layer of the pattern, which is formed by dispensing a flowable polymer material from an extrusion head that is traversed across the top surface of the substrate onto the surface of the substrate. The flowable polymer material has a low enough viscosity to allow the flowable polymer material to flow into the void spaces present in the substrate. More specifically, when the flowable polymer material contacts the substrate, it flows into and around the filaments that form the substrate and into the voids, where the flowable polymer material and the extrusion head partially melt and / or soften the substrate itself. Thus, as the flowable polymer material and the substrate cool, they solidify together, allowing the flowable polymer material to take the shape of the voids and surround the filaments, in addition to fusing the first layer of the flowable polymer material to the substrate to mechanically secure the first flowable polymer layer to the substrate. Additional flowable polymer layers that form the pattern can then be printed onto the substrate and / or the polymer.

[0045] Although substrate materials and polymeric materials suitable for forming FDM patterns are known in the art, the present disclosure unexpectedly found that the substrate material and the flowable polymeric material can be selected such that the melting point of the flowable polymeric material differs from the melting point of the substrate by about 20% or less, such as about 17.5% or less, such as about 15% or less, such as about 12.5% or less, such as about 10% or less, such as about 7.5% or less, such as about 5% or less, such as about 2.5% or less, or any range or value therebetween. Additionally, in one aspect, the melting point of the flowable polymeric material, the melting point of the substrate, or both of them is about 350 °C or lower, such as about 325 °C or lower, such as about 300 °C or lower, such as about 275 °C or lower, such as about 250 °C or lower, such as about 225 °C or lower, such as about 150 °C or higher, or any range or value therebetween. That is, when the melting point of the flowable polymeric material, the melting point of the substrate, or both of them are selected as described above, the extrusion head can sufficiently soften the flowable polymeric material, the substrate, or both of them, thereby providing strong adhesion between the flowable polymeric material and the substrate.

[0046] However, in one aspect, the substrate can be formed from any suitable material that includes multiple filaments and voids between the filaments. The substrate can be, for example, a woven or non-woven material. The substrate can be made by a variety of processes, including but not limited to air-laying processes, wet-laying processes (such as using cellulose-based tissue or towels), hydroentanglement processes, short fiber carding and bonding, and solution spinning. In one aspect, the substrate is produced using an uncreped through-air drying (UCTAD) process. Examples of such processes are known in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Patents 6,736,935, 6,887,348, and 6,953,516, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0047] The substrate can be a single layer or contain multiple layers. Examples of suitable substrates are described, for example, in WO 2019 / 028052 and US2018 / 0209096, which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that they are consistent with the present disclosure.

[0048] The filaments forming the substrate (also referred to herein as "fibers") can be made of a variety of materials. For example, the filaments can comprise a thermoplastic resin, a silicone rubber, or a non-silicone vulcanized rubber made of at least a majority weight of a fluorine elastomer having good heat resistance and chemical resistance. Suitable thermoplastic resins that can be used include, but are not limited to: polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethers, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polybutene, polyethylene ("PE"), polypropylene ("PP"), polyphenylene sulfide ("PPS"), polyimide, polyamide, polysulfone, polysulfide, cellulose resins, polyarylate acrylates, polyarylsulfones, polyurethanes, epoxy resins, poly(amide-imide), copolyesters, polyethersulfone, polyetherimide, polyarylethers, and the like, as well as combinations and copolymers thereof. In other cases, the substrate can comprise a silicone rubber. In still other cases, the substrate can include a fluorine elastomer layer bonded to a silicone rubber layer. In one aspect, the substrate comprises polyphenylene sulfide. However, in one aspect, the substrate is formed of a polyester (such as, in one aspect, polyethylene terephthalate (PET)).

[0049] Regardless of the substrate material selected, there will be voids between the filaments of the substrate. To assist the flowable polymer material of the first layer in filling the voids, in certain aspects, it is desirable for the voids in the substrate to have a diameter of at least 100 μm. In one aspect, the distance between the voids is approximately equal to the distance of the extrusion width, or less.

[0050] For example, see Figure 1 , which depicts a fragmented top plan view of an exemplary substrate 10 (also referred to herein as a formed wire or fabric substrate). Substrate 10 is in the x-y plane and includes a plurality of filaments 14 and voids 15 between the filaments. In aspects where the substrate is a formed wire, substrate 10 can have two major dimensions - the machine direction ("MD") (which is the direction parallel to the major direction in which the fabric travels during manufacture within the plane of the strip 10) and the cross direction ("CD") (which is generally orthogonal to the machine direction). Substrate 10 is generally liquid and air permeable. The substrate can be any fabric material that includes void spaces within or between the filaments forming the substrate. For example, the substrate can be a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric. In a particularly preferred aspect, the substrate is a woven fabric.

[0051] See Figure 2 , which depicts a cross-sectional view of an exemplary substrate 20. Substrate 20 is in the x-y plane and has a top surface 21, a bottom surface 22 opposite the top surface, and a thickness 23 extending from the bottom surface to the top surface along the z direction perpendicular to the x-y plane. Substrate 20 includes a plurality of filaments 24 and voids 25 between the filaments. In one aspect, the substrate can be substantially planar, or can have a three-dimensional surface defined by ridges. As Figure 2As shown, in one aspect, the top surface 21 of the substrate 20 has an uneven topography, where certain points of the filaments are higher than other points of the filaments. In one aspect, the substrate 20 can be configured such that the highest points of the filaments 24 are substantially coplanar and form the top 26 of the substrate.

[0052] Although the substrates of the present disclosure are generally planar, the topography of the substrate surface can vary. This is shown, for example, in Figure 2 which depicts an exemplary substrate where the height of the filaments in the substrate extending in the z-direction varies. In some cases, it may be desirable to determine the highest point at which the filaments in the substrate extend in the z-direction (e.g., the highest point of the top surface) to ensure that the extrusion head is set at a height sufficient to produce a polymeric material that extends onto the top surface of the substrate. This point (i.e., the highest point of the top surface) is referred to herein as the "top" of the substrate.

[0053] Regardless of the substrate selected, the polymeric material (also referred to herein as "polymeric pattern material" or "polymeric material") used to form the first pattern layer, additional pattern layers, or the entire pattern can be any material that can be used in an additive manufacturing process such as FDM. Specifically, the polymeric material can be any material that can be melted into a flowable state and re-solidify in the voids in the substrate. Examples of suitable materials include thermoplastics, epoxies, other polymeric materials, and combinations thereof. In some aspects, the polymer includes a thermoplastic, e.g., a thermoplastic containing about 0.5 wt% to 10 wt% of silicone and a base polymer such as polyethersulfone, polyetherimide, polyphenylsulfone, polyphenylene, polycarbonate, high impact polystyrene, polysulfone, polystyrene, acrylic, amorphous polyamide, polyester, nylon, PEEK, PEAK, and ABS.

[0054] However, as described above, due to the microscale gaps, the polymeric material can be a thermoplastic polymer having better rigidity than silicone, nylon, ABS, etc., and thus thermoplastic copolyesters and / or thermoplastic polyurethanes can be excluded. Thus, in one aspect, the polymeric material is PET (polyester), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PCTA (poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate)), PEN (polyethylene naphthalate), PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), PEEK (polyetheretherketone), their derivatives, and combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the polymeric material is an ethylene glycol modified polyester, such as, in one aspect, polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG).

[0055] However, in one aspect, any polymeric material having sufficient rigidity can be used. For example, the polymeric materials used herein can have a Shore A hardness of about 60 or greater, such as about 62.5 or greater, such as about 65 or greater, such as about 67.5 or greater, such as about 70 or greater, or any value or range therebetween, as measured according to ASTM D2240. Additionally or alternatively, the polymeric material can have a Short D hardness of about 50 or greater, such as about 52.5 or greater, such as about 55 or greater, such as about 57.5 or greater, such as about 60 or greater, or any value or range therebetween, as measured according to ASTM D2240.

[0056] However, as described above, in one aspect, the substrate material and the polymeric material having substantially similar properties in the polymeric structure should be selected to provide strong adhesion between the first polymeric layer and the substrate. For example, a PET substrate and a PETG first polymeric layer have excellent adhesion strength due to the similarity in hydrophobicity and melting temperature, while a PET substrate and a urethane polymeric material do not have such excellent adhesion strength. Thus, in one aspect, the substrate and the polymeric material can be selected from any one or more of the substrates and polymeric layers listed above, but polymeric materials having a similar melting temperature as discussed above, and selected from similar classes of polymers that provide excellent adhesion between the substrate and the first polymeric layer can also be chosen.

[0057] In some aspects, the polymeric material can also include various additives, such as carbon fibers or other additives that can improve the processability or physical characteristics of the finished product. The polymeric material can also include photocurable resins and self-curing resins. Photocurable resins can include resins that can be cured by ultraviolet light, visible light, electron beam, γ-radiation, radio frequency, microwave, infrared radiation, or other known curing methods involving the application of radiation to cure the resin. Suitable resins can also include those that can be cured by chemical reactions without the addition of radiation, such as the curing of epoxy resins, the extrusion of self-curing polymers (such as polyurethane mixtures), thermal curing, the application of hot melt, or the solidification of molten thermoplastics.

[0058] As discussed herein, the polymeric material is dispensed onto the substrate in a flowable state. When in the flowable state, the polymeric material is also referred to herein as a "flowable material" or a "flowable polymeric material". To obtain a flowable polymeric material, the polymeric material is heated to at least the melting point of the material prior to dispensing. The ability of the flowable polymeric material to fill voids in the substrate can be affected by the diameter of the voids in the substrate and the viscosity of the flowable polymeric material. Specifically, it should be understood that the lower the viscosity of the flowable polymeric material, the easier it is for the flowable polymeric material to flow into the voids in the substrate. Specifically, when the void diameter or void volume is small, a lower viscosity is desired. Thus, the flowable polymeric material preferably has a low enough viscosity to penetrate to a sufficient depth into the voids in the substrate to create mechanical tension upon cooling. In one particular aspect, the flowable polymeric material will advantageously have a low enough viscosity to allow the flowable polymeric material to penetrate into the substrate to a depth of at least 50% of the substrate thickness.

[0059] The polymeric material can be heated to any temperature at which the material is flowable, including heating to at least the melting point of the material. In some aspects, it may be desirable to heat the polymeric material to a temperature above its melting point. Specifically, dispensing the polymeric material onto the substrate at a higher temperature can keep the material in a flowable state for a longer period of time while minimizing the viscosity, making it easier to fill voids in the substrate. As discussed above, dispensing the polymeric material onto the substrate at a high temperature can also help to maximize the adhesion between the flowable polymeric material and the filaments in the substrate. Thus, in some aspects, prior to dispensing the polymeric material as a flowable polymeric material onto the substrate, the polymeric material can be heated to a temperature that is at least 10°C, at least 20°C, at least 30°C, at least 40°C, at least 50°C, at least 60°C, at least 70°C, at least 80°C, at least 90°C, at least 100°C, at least 150°C or at least 200°C higher than the melting point of the material.

[0060] It is generally preferred that the temperature of the flowable polymeric material is not so high as to damage the substrate (e.g., melt to the point of deformation, burn, or degrade) when in contact with the flowable polymeric material. Thus, the polymeric material, the substrate, and the temperature to which the polymeric material is heated should be selected such that the polymeric material is in a flowable state when dispensed onto the substrate, but the substrate is not damaged when in contact with the flowable polymeric material. Since the substrate is not damaged (e.g., melted or burned) by the methods of the present disclosure, the strength of the substrate (fabric) is not compromised during the printing process. In one particular aspect, the polymeric material is heated to at least the melting point of the polymeric material, but no more than 10%, such as about 5%, such as about 2.5% higher than the melting point (or ignition point) of the substrate.

[0061] It should be understood that it is also possible to dispense a polymeric material heated to a temperature above the melting point / ignition point of the substrate onto the substrate without damaging the substrate itself. Specifically, the heat capacity of the substrate may be affected by factors other than the temperature of the flowable polymeric material and the melting point / ignition point of the substrate. For example, the volume of polymeric material extruded per unit linear distance traveled by the extrusion head (the greater the extruded volume, the more heat is applied to the substrate), the filament size (the finer the filaments in the substrate, the lower the heat capacity of the substrate), and the printing speed (the slower the printing speed, the more heat is transferred by the heated extrusion head, which may melt / burn the fabric) can all affect the integrity of the substrate and the amount of heat the substrate can absorb without damage. Thus, in other respects, the polymeric material can be heated to a temperature at least as high as the melting point of the polymeric material and can also be heated to a temperature above the melting point (or ignition point) of the substrate, provided that the substrate is not damaged by the deposition of the flowable polymeric material thereon, but is only heated to a temperature sufficient to fuse with the polymeric material and form a good adhesion.

[0062] As discussed herein, it is desirable to maximize the penetration of the flowable polymeric material into the voids of the substrate. Thus, in one aspect, the penetration of the flowable polymeric material into the voids of the substrate can be facilitated by dispensing the flowable polymeric material onto a heated substrate. By dispensing the flowable polymeric material onto a heated substrate, the flowable polymeric material does not cool rapidly, thus allowing the flowable polymeric material more time to penetrate and fill the voids of the substrate before solidifying.

[0063] Thus, in another aspect, the method of the present disclosure can further include heating the substrate prior to forming the polymeric material layer. The substrate can be heated to any temperature at which the substrate is not damaged (e.g., melted or degraded). In one aspect, the substrate is heated to a temperature of at least 70 °C, or at least 80 °C, at least 90 °C, at least 100 °C, at least 110 °C, at least 120 °C, at least 130 °C, at least 140 °C, at least 150 °C, at least 180 °C, at least 200 °C, at least 220 °C, at least 250 °C, or at least 270 °C. In one aspect, the substrate is heated to a temperature below the melting point of the substrate, including a temperature 1 °C, 2 °C, 5 °C, 10 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, or 100 °C lower than the melting point of the substrate. Any suitable means known in the art for heating a fabric substrate can be used to heat the substrate. In one aspect, during 3D element formation, the substrate is placed on a support plate or belt, and the substrate is heated by heating the plate or belt to the desired temperature. In one aspect, the flowable polymeric material does not undergo a cooling step after being dispensed onto the substrate, but solidifies at ambient temperature. Thus, in another aspect, the extrusion head does not contact the top surface of the substrate during formation of the polymer.

[0064] For example, refer to Figure 3 , which depicts a cross-sectional view of an exemplary substrate 30 having a polymeric material 31 disposed thereon. The polymeric material 31 fills the voids 32 in the substrate 30 and surrounds the filaments 33 of the substrate. The polymeric material 31 extends above the top 34 of the substrate in the z-direction.

[0065] However, the present disclosure also generally relates to a method of additive manufacturing a fabric. For example, in one aspect, a substrate formed of a plurality of filaments and voids between the filaments having a top surface (i.e., the surface towards which the extrusion head is directed), a bottom surface opposite the top surface, an x-y plane, and a thickness extending from the bottom surface to the top surface along a z-direction perpendicular to the x-y plane can be contacted with a first polymeric material by dispensing a flowable polymeric material from an extrusion head that is traversed along the x-direction and / or y-direction on the top surface of the substrate onto the top surface of the substrate. Additionally, as discussed above, at least a portion of the voids are filled with the flowable polymeric material. Further, after forming the first polymeric material, at least one additional polymeric material layer is formed on the substrate by traversing the extrusion head away from the top surface of the substrate along the z-direction, wherein at least a portion of the at least one additional layer contacts the first polymeric layer. Further, the process is repeated until the pattern height discussed above is reached.

[0066] In one aspect, it can be advantageous to determine the spatial relationship between the substrate (fabric) and the extrusion head. More specifically, the top of the substrate (i.e., the highest point to which the filaments in the substrate extend in the z-direction) is identified. The top of the substrate can be identified by: i) traversing the extrusion head onto the top surface of the substrate in the x-y plane without contacting the substrate; and ii) while traversing the extrusion head onto the top surface of the substrate, gradually lowering the extrusion head towards the top surface of the substrate along the z-direction until the filaments of the substrate begin to degrade (e.g., melt or show damage or degradation). In one aspect, the extrusion head is traversed on the top surface of the substrate without dispensing polymeric material. Any suitable means (including visual or microscopic observation) can be used to determine the temperature at which the filaments of the substrate begin to degrade (e.g., melt, burn, or show damage or degradation). The extrusion head can be lowered towards the top surface of the substrate in any suitable increment. In one aspect, the extrusion head can be lowered towards the top surface of the substrate in increments of 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, 5 μm, 3 μm, 2 μm, or 1 μm until damage to the filaments is observed.

[0067] Once the top of the substrate is determined, the extrusion head can be set at a height above the top of the substrate before forming the first polymer material layer. As discussed herein, this ensures that the polymer material extends onto the top surface of the substrate. The height of the extrusion head above the top of the substrate can vary. In some aspects, the height of the extrusion head above the top of the substrate is at least 0.01 mm, at least 0.05 mm, at least 0.07 mm, at least 0.1 mm, at least 0.15 mm, at least 0.17 mm, at least 0.2 mm, at least 0.25 mm, at least 0.27 mm, or at least 0.3 mm. In a particular aspect, the height of the extrusion head above the top of the substrate is set to 0.2 mm.

[0068] Once the extrusion head height is selected, the maximum volumetric flow rate of the extruder at the selected height can be calculated. The maximum volumetric flow rate can be determined by the following process:

[0069] 1) Set up the printing press / extruder and set the desired substrate and extrusion head to the desired height.

[0070] 2) Print a series of lines of approximately 50 mm while gradually increasing the travel speed starting from a low speed (e.g., 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, up to 1500 mm / min or higher) while keeping the volume of material extruded per unit linear distance traveled (cm 3 / cm) constant.

[0071] 3) Visually determine the highest speed at which a constant extrusion is produced.

[0072] 4) Calculate the maximum volumetric flow rate by multiplying the travel speed of the extrusion head by the volume of material extruded per unit linear distance traveled.

[0073] In one aspect, the maximum volumetric flow rate of the extruder can be from about 0.01 to about 0.02 cm 3 / s.

[0074] Once the maximum volumetric flow rate is determined, the extrusion volume (e.g., the volume of the polymer material) dispensed onto the substrate per unit distance traveled by the extrusion head ("volume per linear distance") can be determined. The following procedure can be used to determine the extrusion volume per unit linear distance of the extrusion head to achieve sufficient adhesion of the polymer material:

[0075] 1) Print a series of patterns with two-dimensional features (e.g., circular, square, or some other non-linear shape) on the substrate. This allows the adhesion of the polymer material to be tested in different printing directions. At an appropriate speed required to maintain the calculated maximum volumetric flow rate at the selected extrusion head height, in different cm 3Print each pattern set at the / cm value.

[0076] 2) Conduct a platform adhesion test on the pattern. This test can include, for example, bending the fabric at a very large radius and attempting to mechanically pry the polymer off the substrate.

[0077] Then, the extrusion volume (e.g., the volume of the polymer material) per unit distance traveled by the extrusion head can be selected to balance the desired printing speed and quality (cm 3 / cm). The appropriate extrusion volume per unit distance traveled by the extrusion head can vary widely depending on the extruder used and the final design of the 3D element to be printed. In one aspect, the volume per distance can be from about 0.02 to about 0.2 cm 3 / cm.

[0078] The maximum linear speed at which the printing press / extruder operates can be determined based on the maximum volumetric flow rate at the selected height and the volume per linear distance. In some aspects, a polymer material layer is formed by conveying the extrusion head at a linear speed of about 4 to about 40 mm / s.

[0079] As discussed above, the polymer material is formed in a pattern (i.e., a continuous pattern) over the entire surface area of the substrate, subject to the above limitations. For example, the polymer material is applied to discrete locations according to the selected pattern. In these aspects, since the polymer material is only present at certain locations on the substrate, some voids in the substrate remain open (i.e., at locations where the polymer material is absent), which allows for an increased ability of air to pass through the finished formed wire. In these aspects, the polymer material forming the pattern (containing the 3D element) adheres to the substrate at discrete locations while still allowing gas to pass through the fabric.

[0080] For example, Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary substrate 40 with polymer material 41 thereon is depicted. The polymer material 41 fills voids 42 in the substrate 40 corresponding to the desired surface pattern (shown more clearly in FIG. 5), surrounding filaments 43 of the substrate. The polymer material 41 extends above the top 44 of the substrate in the z-direction. An additional polymer layer 45 is present on the first polymer material layer 41, and this additional polymer layer is coextensive with the polymer material layer 41. The additional polymer material layer 45 can be a single layer or a multi-layer FDM printing layer that forms a pattern on the formed wire, and in one aspect, the additional polymer material layer 45 is formed of the same or substantially the same polymer as the polymer material layer 41.

[0081] However, as Figure 4 shown, the pattern formed by the first polymer material layer 41 and the additional polymer material layer 45 has a height along the Z-direction extending from the substrate.

[0082] Then refer to Figure 5A and 5B which shows a portion of the formed wire 100 according to the present disclosure, where the complete pattern 102 is formed of one or more polymeric materials on the substrate 104. As Figure 5A shown, where the formed wire 100 is shown in a flat orientation, the gaps 106 (as Figure 5B shown) are actually invisible to the human eye, but allow the formation of a fibrous material using a continuous pattern. In contrast, Figure 5B shows the same sample where the formed wire 100 is shown in a curled orientation. As shown, the gaps 106 are now visible because they allow the pattern to curl around the roll diameter without damaging the pattern 102. Additionally, as shown, the polymeric material used to form the pattern 102 is not disposed on the substrate in the gap 106 regions of the substrate 104. Further, as Figure 5B most clearly shown, the discrete segments 110 are spaced apart in the longitudinal (MD) direction, where the pattern 102 is continuous within the respective segments 110 and has a gap-to-gap distance (g d ) and a gap width (g w ) (more clearly shown in the curled orientation).

[0083] Depending on the desired pattern height, additional layers as described herein can be used, and the additional layer can be a single layer, or more typically a multi-layer FDM printed layer that forms a pattern on a fabric. The additional layer is formed on the substrate by transporting an extrusion head along the x and / or y directions onto the top surface of the substrate to form the desired pattern while dispensing additional flowable material. The 3D element can be provided with height by gradually transporting the extrusion head away from the substrate top surface along the z direction. The material used to form the additional layer can be the same as or different from the polymeric material. In one aspect, the additional layer and the polymeric material are formed of the same material. In one aspect, the additional layer and the polymer are formed of the same material, and the extrusion head used to form the polymer is also used to form the additional layer. In certain aspects, the pattern is formed by extruding a polymeric material onto the substrate, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,939,008, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in a manner consistent with the present disclosure, or by printing a polymeric material onto the substrate, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,204,055, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in a manner consistent with the present disclosure. In other aspects, at least in some regions, a 3D element can be produced by extruding or printing two or more polymeric materials.

[0084] In one aspect, the pattern or pattern element is formed using SFF or Layer Manufacturing (LM) techniques such as the 3D printing techniques described in U.S. Patent 5,204,055. Generally, 3D printing techniques can be employed to form an element from a series of material layers, where each layer is printed and formed on top of the previous layer.

[0085] The three-dimensional printing of the element typically begins with creating a three-dimensional computer model of the element using a suitable computer modeling program known in the art. The computer model of the element is fully segmented into a series of horizontal digital slices that define a set of slice patterns for each layer.

[0086] In one aspect, the pattern is formed using one or more printheads that span at least a portion of the width of the substrate. The printhead (also referred to herein as an extrusion head) can be movable to print the material onto a static substrate, or the substrate can be movable while the printhead is fixed. In any case, it is generally preferred to move the moving object at a substantially constant speed on a flat plane. In a particularly preferred aspect, multiple printheads extend across the width of a belt that moves on a flat plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the substrate during printing and are preferably spaced apart at a substantially constant pitch along the substrate. However, a constant pitch of the printheads is not critical.

[0087] The printhead prints a layer of the element onto the previously printed layer. Thus, the first printhead prints the first layer, the second printhead prints the second layer on the first layer, and the Nth printhead prints the Nth layer on the (n - 1)th layer. The printhead used to print additional layers can be the same as or different from the printhead used to dispense the polymeric material. In one aspect, the printhead used to print additional layers is the same as the printhead used to dispense the polymeric material.

[0088] The thickness of the layers is constant, and the printheads are controlled such that in a plan view, the layers are printed on top of each other. For all printheads, the distance from each of the printheads to the surface it prints on is preferably also the same. Thus, the distance from the first printhead to the substrate is preferably the same as the distance from the seventh printhead to the sixth layer. This can be achieved by raising the printheads of each layer in the order of the voxel height. In this case, the droplets ejected simultaneously by the printheads of different layers will reach their destinations simultaneously.

[0089] The materials printed by the print head (for forming the additional layer) may include photocurable resins and self-curing resins. The photocurable resins may include resins that can be cured by ultraviolet light, visible light, electron beam, γ-radiation, radio frequency, microwave, infrared radiation, or other known curing methods involving the application of radiation to cure the resin. Suitable resins may also include those that can be cured by chemical reactions without the addition of radiation, such as the curing of epoxy resins, the extrusion of self-curing polymers (such as polyurethane mixtures), thermal curing, the application of hot melt or the solidification of molten thermoplastics.

[0090] In one aspect, the polymer material layer is formed by an LM method including an extrusion head that extrudes a heated, flowable build material from a nozzle onto a substrate. As the extrusion head and the substrate are moved relative to each other in three-dimensional space by an x-y-z gantry system, the extruded material is deposited layer by layer in the area defined by the CAD model. The material solidifies after deposition to form a three-dimensional element. The material may be a thermoplastic material that solidifies by cooling after deposition. The polymer material is deposited in the area defined by the CAD model along the lines discussed herein. That is, the CAD model or Solidworks model contains the pattern discussed above, which is longitudinally divided into separate and distinct segments using the gaps discussed above. As shown more clearly in Figure 5 below, after the pattern is formed, gaps are inserted into the pattern such that the pattern is continuous on both sides of the gap (e.g., continuous starting from the same pattern and not restarting at non-matching portions of the pattern), such that when in a flat orientation, any variation in the gap or the pattern is not visible to the human eye.

[0091] Extrusion heads and systems suitable for preparing three-dimensional elements as described above are commercially available from build machine suppliers. The extrusion head includes a liquefier and a dispensing nozzle for receiving the build material in solid form. The filament is heated to a flowable temperature inside the liquefier and then dispensed through the nozzle. Studies have shown that thermoplastic materials are particularly suitable for deposition-based building in a build machine. A controller controls the movement of the extrusion head in the horizontal x, y plane, controls the movement of the build platform in the vertical z direction, and controls the feeding of the build material into the head. By controlling these process variables, the build material is deposited layer by layer in the form of "beads" or "roads" at a desired flow rate in the area defined by the CAD model to create a three-dimensional object similar to the CAD model. The build material undergoes thermal solidification, and the finished model is removed from the substrate.

[0092] In addition, the formed wire of the present disclosure is well-suited for forming nonwoven webs and their products. As described above, products such as wipes, absorbent articles, personal care articles, etc. may benefit from the formed wire having an increased pattern height discussed herein.

[0093] By way of example only, in one aspect, the nonwoven web can be a carded web, particularly a bonded carded web. Once the web is formed, one or more bonding methods are used to bond the web. For example, in one aspect, the carded web can be bonded using through-air bonding. For example, through-air bonding controls the level of compression or collapse of the nonwoven web during the bonding process. In through-air bonding, heated air is forced through the web to melt at least one component within the web, thereby forming bonding sites. During through-air bonding, the nonwoven web can be supported on a forming wire as discussed herein to form bonding points and surface patterns. Additionally, optionally, the web can be evacuated to better control the process.

[0094] The present disclosure can be better understood by reference to the following examples.

[0095] Examples

[0096] As Figure 6A shown, samples according to the present disclosure were formed. That is, Figure 6A the sample forming wire shown was formed on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, where all layers forming the pattern were made of an ethylene glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) polymer material. The sample contained gaps with a gap width of 0.12 mm, a gap-to-gap distance of 1 cm, and a pattern height of 4 mm in a flat orientation. As Figure 6A shown, the sample formed according to the present disclosure was able to be curled around a 7.5 mm diameter roll without causing pattern distortion or the formation of a cup shape between the forming wire and the roll.

[0097] Figure 6B And 6C two comparative samples shown were formed in the same manner as this sample but without forming gaps. Additionally, Figure 6B a comparative sample with a pattern height of 2 mm was shown, while Figure 6C had a pattern height of 4 mm. As Figure 6B shown, even with an element height of only 2 mm, Figure 6B the forming wire would develop a cup shape around the 7.5 mm roll. Additionally, as Figure 6C shown, the comparative sample with an element height of 4 mm could not be curled around a 7.5 mm diameter roll without breaking.

[0098] These and other modifications and variations of the invention can be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, which is more particularly described in the appended claims. Additionally, it should be understood that aspects of various embodiments may be interchanged, in whole or in part. Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the foregoing description is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention as further described in such appended claims.

Claims

1. A formed wire, said formed wire comprises: a substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, an x-y plane, and a thickness extending from the bottom surface to the top surface along a z-direction perpendicular to the x-y plane, the substrate comprising a plurality of filaments and voids between the filaments; a plurality of discrete segments, the plurality of discrete segments including at least a first segment and a second segment, each segment including a continuous pattern disposed on the substrate, wherein the continuous pattern has a pattern height greater than 0.8 mm; and a microscale gap disposed between each of the plurality of discrete segments.

2. The formed wire according to claim 1, wherein each discrete segment has a segment length of about 2 cm or less.

3. The formed wire according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the continuous pattern has a pattern height greater than about 2 mm.

4. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least about 10% of the top surface of the substrate within a corresponding discrete segment has the continuous pattern disposed thereon.

5. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least about 30% of adjacent pattern elements within a corresponding segment share at least one connection point.

6. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the microscale gap disposed between each discrete patterned segment has a gap width of 500 microns or less in a flat orientation.

7. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the continuous pattern includes circles, ellipses, triangles, crosses, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, hexagons, other polygons, lines, spirals, stars, characters, badges, or combinations thereof.

8. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the continuous pattern in each discrete segment has the same shape or combination of shapes.

9. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the continuous patterns in adjacent discrete segments have different shapes or combinations of shapes.

10. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the continuous pattern is formed of a polymeric material, optionally wherein the polymeric material is a thermoplastic, an epoxy resin, or a combination thereof.

11. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the plurality of filaments are formed of a thermoplastic resin, silicone rubber, or non-silicone vulcanized rubber.

12. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the continuous pattern includes a first polymer layer directly adjacent to the top surface of the substrate, wherein the first polymer layer surrounds and / or fuses to one or more substrate filaments.

13. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the melting point of the polymeric material differs from the melting point of the substrate by about 20% or less.

14. The formed wire according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the substrate is polyethylene terephthalate.

15. The shaped wire according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the polymeric material is ethylene glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate.

16. The shaped wire according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein each microscale gap includes a gap region extending between adjacent discrete segments, wherein at least one of the gap regions is substantially free of the polymeric material.

17. The shaped wire according to claim 16, wherein each respective gap region covers a portion of the substrate, and wherein the portion of the substrate within the gap region is substantially free of the polymeric material.

18. The shaped wire according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the polymeric material is disposed on the substrate by additive manufacturing, preferably wherein the polymeric material is disposed on the substrate by a fused deposition modeling (FDM) process.

19. A method of manufacturing a shaped wire according to any one of claims 1 to 18, the method comprising: forming the continuous pattern on the substrate by dispensing a first layer of polymeric material from an extrusion head onto the top surface of the substrate, the extrusion head being transported along the x-plane and / or the y-plane on the top surface of the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the voids are filled with the polymeric material, and dispensing one or more additional layers of the polymeric material onto the first layer of polymeric material until the pattern height is reached.

20. A method of forming a nonwoven web, the method comprising: forming a plurality of fibers; disposing the plurality of fibers on a shaped wire according to any one of claims 1 to 19; and drying the plurality of fibers.

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