Elastic laminate with increased wrinkle resistance

Abstract

An elastomeric laminate and method for making the elastomeric laminate, comprising an elastomeric film point-bonded to a carded nonwoven substrate, a spunbonded nonwoven substrate, or a bicomponent nonwoven substrate to form bonded sites, each bonded site being about 3 mm to about 10 mm from each adjacent bonded site, and further, the laminate optionally containing wrinkles having a height greater than 2 mm.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 090,453, filed October 12, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 123,544, filed December 10, 2020, both of which are incorporated herein in their entireties.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to elastomeric laminates comprising an elastomeric film and a nonwoven substrate that exhibit increased bulk and wrinkles. The films and laminates are suitable for use in a variety of products, including absorbent articles and disposable personal care products such as face coverings. [Background technology]

[0003] Consumers have expressed a preference for absorbent products, such as diapers and adult incontinence products, that use elastomeric laminates with increased crinkle. Also known as the "accordion look," crinkle characterizes high extensibility and a soft feel. Such laminates can also increase air passages, thereby enhancing breathability.

[0004] While laminates with increased wrinkle resistance are known in the art, such laminates typically contain elastic strands. Several drawbacks are associated with wearing products containing elastic strands against the skin, including lines and red marks on the skin. Furthermore, when laminates containing strands are stretched, the strands can bunch, causing the laminate to become bulky. This creates a more noticeable and noisy product. Therefore, there is a need for an elastomeric laminate that is robust enough to withstand the manufacturing process and normal consumer use, is soft, breathable, and attractive to consumers, and avoids the drawbacks associated with elastic strands. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention fulfills the aforementioned needs by providing elastomeric laminates comprising an elastomeric film and a nonwoven fabric, utilizing a combination of appropriate interlocking depth and a bonding pattern that, when subjected to post-lamination stretching, results in a laminate with excellent strength, tactile, and aesthetic properties. The softness observed in these laminates is typically only found in laminates comprising a higher basis weight nonwoven fabric. These properties are due, in part, to the laminates having significantly increased wrinkling or ridges, far exceeding the wrinkling observed in comparative laminates that are not bonded and stretched as described herein.

[0006] In one aspect, the invention provides a method of making an elastomeric laminate, the method comprising: joining an elastomeric film to at least one nonwoven substrate by point bonding to create bonded sites; and stretching the laminate by lateral interlocking to create an interlocked laminate, the interlocked laminate comprising wrinkles, and each bonded site being about 3 mm to about 10 mm from each adjacent bonded site.

[0007] In another aspect, the present invention provides an elastic laminate comprising an elastomeric film point-bonded to a carded nonwoven substrate, a spunbond nonwoven substrate, or a bicomponent nonwoven substrate to create bonded sites, each bonded site being about 3 mm to about 10 mm from each adjacent bonded site, and further, the laminate comprising wrinkles having a height greater than 2 mm.

[0008] In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides an article, for example a disposable absorbent article, comprising a laminate as described herein. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]1 is a photograph of a laminate comprising a 35 gsm elastic film between two 24 gsm carded nonwovens, stretched with CD intermeshing to a depth of 2.03 mm (0.08 inches) and exhibiting the desired wrinkle and bulk. [Figure 2] 1 is a photograph of a laminate comprising a 35 gsm elastic film between two 24 gsm carded nonwovens, stretched with CD intermeshing to a depth of 3.05 mm (0.12 inches) and exhibiting the desired wrinkle and bulk. [Figure 3] 1 is a photograph of a laminate comprising a 35 gsm elastic film between two 24 gsm carded nonwovens, stretched with CD intermeshing to a depth of 0.14 inches (3.56 mm), and exhibiting the desired wrinkle and bulk. [Figure 4] 1 is a photograph of a laminate comprising a 35 gsm elastic film between two 24 gsm carded nonwovens. The laminate was stretched with CD interlocking to a depth of 3.56 mm (0.14 inches), with the bond points aligned with the CD interlocking stripes. The laminate exhibits the desired wrinkling and loft. [Figure 5] Photograph of a comparative laminate comprising a 35 gsm elastic film between two 20 gsm spunbond nonwovens, with less than 3 mm between the bonds. This laminate does not exhibit the claimed wrinkling. [Figure 6] 1 is a photograph of a comparative laminate comprising a 35 gsm elastic film between two 24 gsm carded nonwovens, which was not subjected to interlocking after lamination. This laminate does not exhibit the claimed wrinkling. [Figure 7(a)] 1 shows one non-limiting example of a bonding pattern that, when stretched, results in a laminate of the present invention. [Figure 7(b)] 1 shows another non-limiting example of a bonding pattern that, when stretched, results in a laminate of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 shows the measurement and calculation of wrinkles for a laminate containing one nonwoven (bi-laminate). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] By "accordion-like appearance" it is meant that the laminate contains wrinkles that substantially flatten when the material is stretched and then return to their original shape when the stretching force is removed.

[0011] "Bond distance," "inter-bond distance," or variations thereof, means the shortest distance measured between the perimeters of two adjacent bonds. If the bonds are the result of ultrasonic bonding, the bond distance is measured on an anvil that contains the bond pattern. Alternatively, the bond distance can be measured on a finished laminate while the laminate is held in a maximum stretch position.

[0012] "Elastomeric," "elastomer," "elastic," or variations thereof, means a film or laminate that, when stretched beyond its original length, recovers to no more than about 1.2 times its original length in the direction of the applied stretching force.

[0013] "Elastic stretch," "elasticity," or its deformation refers to the extent to which a film or laminate can be stretched before breaking or permanently deforming. Elastic stretch is typically expressed as a percentage of the original length. For example, 100% elastic stretch means that a film or laminate can be stretched to about twice its original length before breaking or permanently deforming.

[0014] "Gsm" means grams per square meter and is a measure of basis weight, an industry standard term for quantifying the thickness or unit mass of a film or laminate product.

[0015] As used herein, "Load peak" means the maximum tensile force that can be applied before permanent deformation occurs.

[0016] "Permanent set" is the permanent deformation of a material after an applied load is removed. For an elastomeric film or laminate, permanent set is the increase in length of a sample after the film has been stretched to a given length as described herein and then allowed to relax. Permanent set is typically expressed as a percentage increase relative to its original size; thus, a film that recovers to a length 1.2 times its original length is said to have a permanent set of approximately 20%.

[0017] "Polyethylene-rich," or alternatively, "polyethylene-based," means a polymer composition that contains at least about 60% by weight of polyethylene monomers. "Polyethylene-rich" or "polyethylene-based" is understood to exclude polymers that contain a mixture of ethylene and propylene monomers, such as poly(ethylene-propylene).

[0018] "Polypropylene-rich," or alternatively, "polypropylene-based," means a polymer composition that contains at least about 60% by weight of polypropylene monomers. "Polypropylene-rich" or "polypropylene-based" is understood to exclude polymers that contain a mixture of ethylene and propylene monomers, such as poly(ethylene-propylene).

[0019] "Pre-activation," or "activation," or any variation thereof, refers to a process by which an elastomeric film or other material is made more easily stretchable, for example, by stretching and relaxing the material before lamination.

[0020] As used herein, "wrinkle" refers to the average height of the ridges in a stretched, non-bonded substrate (typically a nonwoven) that extend above the plane of the film in a laminate containing a single nonwoven, or below the plane of the film in a laminate containing two substrates, as measured as shown in Figure 8. A laminate has adequate wrinkling if the average height of the ridges is at least 2 mm ± 1 mm, as shown in Figures 1-4.

[0021] "Non-stranded" means that the laminate is substantially free of elastic strands.

[0022] The laminates of the present invention include one or more elastomeric films and one or more nonwoven fabrics. While a variety of elastomeric films may be suitable for use, particularly desirable films include elastomeric films comprising one or more styrene block copolymers as described herein. The films may further comprise polystyrene. When tested by tensile testing, the films and laminates comprising the films exhibit an elastic stretch of at least 60% and / or a permanent set of less than 25%.

[0023] The film may be a coextruded multilayer film and have a structure in which relatively elastomeric layers (B) are alternated with relatively inelastic layers (A). In one particular embodiment, the film has a structure designated ABA, where A is an outer or skin layer and B is an inner or core layer. However, variations in the number and arrangement of layers will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art.

[0024] The core layer (or layers in films having four or more layers) can comprise one or more styrene block copolymers (SBCs), olefin block copolymers (OBCs), or random block copolymers, including styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-isoprene-butylene-dtyrene (SIBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene (SEP), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), or styrene-ethylene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEEPS) block copolymer elastomers, as well as copolymers and mixtures of any of the foregoing. While any SBC can be used, SBCs that are particularly useful in the films of the present invention are non-hydrogenated SBCs, including, but not limited to, SBS, SIS, and SIBS. Non-limiting examples of SBCs suitable for use in the present invention include those available from Dexco Polymers of Plaquemine, Louisiana, such as VECTOR® 4111A and 7620.

[0025] Olefin block copolymers suitable for use in the core layer include polypropylene-based (also called "propylene-rich") olefin block copolymers (OBCs), such as those sold under the INFUSE® trade name, including INFUSE 9507 and 9100, by The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan. Other suitable copolymers include those available under the VISTAMAXX® and IMPACT® trade names, e.g., VISTAMAXX 6102, from ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, Texas. In one embodiment, OBCs suitable for use in the present invention have a density of about 0.85 to about 0.89 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cm3).

[0026] The total amount of SBC in the core layer can be at least about 50%, about 50% to about 99%, about 60% to about 99%, about 50% to about 95%, about 55% to about 95%, about 60% to about 95%, about 65% to about 95%, about 70% to about 95%, about 75% to about 95%, about 80% to about 95%, about 70% to about 90%, or alternatively about 80% to about 90%.

[0027] The core layer may further comprise polystyrene in an amount of about 30% or less, alternatively 25% or less, 20% or less, or from about 1% to about 30%, from about 5% to about 25%, or from about 5% to about 20%. One example of a polystyrene suitable for use in the present invention is STYROLUTION 3190, available from PolyOne Corporation of Avon Lake, Ohio.

[0028] The film may further comprise other elastomeric polymers such as elastomeric olefin random copolymers, polyurethanes, rubbers, vinylarylenes and conjugated dienes, polyesters, polyamides, polyethers, polyisoprene, polyneoprene, copolymers of any of the foregoing, and mixtures thereof.

[0029] Each outer layer (A layer, or skin layer) can comprise polypropylene in an amount of at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, about 1% to about 90%, about 1% to about 85%, about 1% to about 80%, or about 1% to about 75%. In one embodiment, polypropylene is present in an amount of at least 20%, and in another embodiment, from about 20% to about 85%.

[0030] Each outer layer may further comprise about 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% of the overall film thickness. In some embodiments, the outer layers may each have a thickness of about 1% to about 20%, 3% to about 15%, or about 5% to about 15% of the overall film thickness. Alternatively, the outer layers may each have a thickness of about 1 μm to about 20 μm, or about 1 μm to about 15 μm, 1 μm to about 10 μm, about 1 μm to about 7 μm, and alternatively about 1 μm to about 5 μm. By way of example only, if the overall film thickness is 100 μm and each outer layer has a thickness of 5 μm, the outer layers will comprise a total of 10% of the film thickness.

[0031] The polypropylene of the outer layer may include polypropylene, homopolymer polypropylene, impact copolymer polypropylene, and other types of polypropylene that will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

[0032] The film may further include fillers suitable for inducing pore formation upon stretching, including, but not limited to, calcium carbonate. The film may include masterbatches and optional ingredients or fillers, such as opacifiers, plasticizers, compatibilizers, draw down polymers, processing aids, antiblocking agents, viscosity reducing polymers, and the like.

[0033] The film can have a basis weight of 100 gsm or less, 60 gsm or less, 50 gsm or less, 45 gsm or less, 40 gsm or less, 35 gsm or less, 30 gsm or less, 25 gsm or less, 20 gsm or less, and alternatively from about 5 gsm to about 50 gsm, including all subranges subsumed therein, by way of example only, from about 10 gsm to about 40 gsm or from about 25 gsm to about 75 gsm.

[0034] The film may be unactivated or activated (i.e., "pre-activated") before being adhered to the nonwoven substrate. Activation may occur offline, as part of a process separate from the lamination process, or in-line with the lamination process.

[0035] The laminate of the present invention comprises a substrate attached to one or both surfaces of a film. Although various substrates can be useful, the substrate of the present invention is a nonwoven substrate. The laminate can comprise two or more films and two or more substrates. For example, the laminate can be a bi-laminate comprising one film and one nonwoven; a tri-laminate comprising one film between two nonwovens; or a multi-laminate with various structures, including two films sandwiched between three nonwovens, or two bi-laminates bonded to each other on the surface of each film.

[0036] Each substrate is attached to the film by point bonding. A variety of point bonding means can be employed, including ultrasonic bonding, adhesive lamination, extrusion lamination, calendaring, and other means that would be known to one skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the laminate is ultrasonically bonded, and the resulting laminate includes ultrasonic welds or bonds.

[0037] Suitable substrates that produce the desired crinkle when bonded in the manner described herein include nonwovens comprising bicomponent fibers comprising polyethylene and polypropylene in a core / sheath configuration (“bico” nonwovens), carded nonwovens, and spunbond nonwovens, including those comprising a blend of polyethylene and polypropylene, an example of which is sold under the trade name SOFSPAN (available from Berry Global, Inc.). The nonwoven substrate can have a basis weight of about 100 gsm or less, alternatively about 50 gsm or less, alternatively about 25 gsm or less, alternatively about 20 gsm or less, and alternatively from about 5 gsm to about 100 gsm, including all subranges subsumed therein, such as about 5 gsm to about 50 gsm, 10 gsm to about 25 gsm, and about 15 gsm to about 20 gsm.

[0038] The nonwoven fabric may be extensible, meaning that it can be stretched, for example, by intermeshing or self-stretching or other suitable stretching means. Upon stretching, fiber breakage may occur, but the nonwoven fabric substantially maintains its shape. The extensible nonwoven fabric may or may not be elastomeric, meaning that it may not shrink after stretching like an elastomeric nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may also be non-stranded. The nonwoven fabric may have a load peak of less than 6 N / cm and / or an elastic extension of greater than 50%. The laminate may have a permanent set of less than 25%, less than 20%, less than 15%, less than 10%, or less than 5%. Furthermore, the laminate may have a breaking load of at least 100%, meaning that the laminate can be stretched to at least twice its original length before breaking.

[0039] The laminate of the present invention includes a point bond pattern in which each individual bond is sufficiently spaced from adjacent bonds to produce the desired wrinkles upon stretching. Non-limiting examples of suitable bond patterns are depicted in Figures 7(a) and 7(b). As one skilled in the art would understand, other patterns, such as patterns including wavy lines, geometric shapes, etc., can be used to achieve the desired wrinkles. In one embodiment, the bonds can include parallel lines, i.e., rows, of bonds, creating a square pattern (Figure 7(a)), or parallel lines, i.e., rows, of offset bonds, creating a diamond pattern (Figure 7(b)). In one embodiment, the lines of bond sites are aligned with the spacing between the CD-intermeshing gears, meaning that the bond sites fall within the "intermeshing stripes" resulting from the spacing between the intermeshing gears. It has been found that a distance of at least about 3 mm between each individual bond in each direction, as measured as described herein, is necessary to achieve the desired wrinkles. In an alternative embodiment, the distance between adjacent bonds after lamination is from about 3 mm to about 10 mm from each other.

[0040] In one embodiment, the point bonds are substantially circular. Alternatively, the point bonds may be oval or irregularly shaped. In yet another embodiment, the point bonds are elongated to resemble short lines. In one embodiment, the elongated point bonds may have a length of about 1-5 mm.

[0041] method Suitable equipment and methods for producing films used in laminates are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,442,332 (Cancio et al.). The films may be coextruded, cast, blown, or formed by any other method that results in the films described herein. In one embodiment, the film is a blown film. As previously mentioned, the film can be laminated to the substrate using various means. The film can be laminated by ultrasonic point bonding, for example, using the apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,498,941 (Sablone et al.) with a patterned anvil roll. The film can be extrusion laminated by using a patterned chill roll to impart the appropriate pattern, or calendered by using a patterned calender roll. Alternatively, the film can be adhesively bonded to the substrate.

[0042] In one embodiment, the laminate includes a film and a nonwoven substrate that are lightly extrusion bonded using controlled compression to hold the film and nonwoven substrate together for a time sufficient to be point bonded or ultrasonically bonded.

[0043] During lamination, the resulting laminate is stretched by interdigitation, for example, by cross-machine direction (CD) interdigitation, or alternatively by SELFing, to a depth sufficient to produce the desired wrinkles and bulk. CD interdigitation can be performed to a depth of about 0.08 inches to about 0.200 inches, alternatively about 0.100 inches to about 0.160 inches.

[0044] The wrinkles in the laminates of the present invention have an average height of at least about 1 mm, and in alternative embodiments, the average height is at least 2 mm, at least 3 mm, at least 4 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 6 mm, at least 7 mm, at least 8 mm, at least 9 mm, and at least 10 mm. In alternative embodiments, the average wrinkle height is from about 2 to about 10 mm.

[0045] The films and / or laminates of the present invention may be incorporated into a variety of products including, for example, disposable absorbent products such as diapers, training pants, adult incontinence pads and pants, and swimwear.

[0046] The films and / or laminates are particularly useful as fasteners, waistbands, and leg cuffs in absorbent articles. Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention relates to an absorbent article comprising the films and / or laminates described herein. In one embodiment, the absorbent article is a diaper. Other uses include as diaper backsheets or ears (closure tabs), packaging pouches, and wrapping products for personal hygiene products, etc. In another embodiment, the laminates of the present invention can be used in gloves, face masks, or other types of garments.

[0047] Test Method Permanent set is measured by two-cycle hysteresis testing as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0200080 (Muslet et al.), with the following modifications: all specified engineering strain rates are 100% as opposed to 130%. Percent set is defined as the engineering strain rate after the start of the second load cycle (from segment 6), where 10 grams of force is measured (percent set load = 10 grams). Room temperature is approximately 73°F ± 5°F (i.e., engineering strain = 130%).

[0048] "Tensile strength" means the load required to induce breakage in a film in either the cross direction (CD) or machine direction (MD) ("break load"). Tensile strength is expressed in N / cm or its equivalent and is measured according to ASTM method D822-02 using the following parameters: sample direction = MD x CD; sample size = 1 inch wide x 6 inches long; test speed = 20 inches per minute; grip distance = 2 inches. Grip size = 3 inch wide, rubber-faced grips that evenly grip the sample.

[0049] Wrinkles are measured as follows: The laminate is laid flat and fixed without stretching. At a given wrinkle, where the nonwoven is not attached to the underlying film, the wrinkle is "tented" to its maximum height with the aid of a pin or other suitable object. The height of the wrinkle peak from the surface of the underlying film is measured with a ruler in mm.

[0050] Example 1 The laminate is made of three layers (A / B / A structure) including an elastomeric film with a basis weight of 30-35 gsm. The outer layer (skin) is made of a blend of polypropylene and polyethylene. The inner layer (B) is made of a blend of 80% SIS and 15% polystyrene, with the remainder containing a white masterbatch and a processing aid masterbatch. The film is coextruded and then activated using an in-line CD intermeshing gear. The film is sandwiched between two layers of carded or spunbond nonwoven fabric, each with a basis weight of approximately 22 gsm. This laminate (nonwoven / film / nonwoven fabric) is then ultrasonically point-bonded using an ultrasonic laminator with one anvil and an ultrasonic horn aligned along the entire width of the anvil.

[0051] Passing the laminate between the anvil and horn creates bond points, welding the three materials together at these points. This process creates a relatively flat laminate. The laminate is then stretched by passing through interlocking gears. During activation, the film and nonwoven fabric, attached at the spot welds, are stretched. After activation, the laminate is allowed to relax. The distance between any two points after lamination is approximately 5-7 mm. The film contracts, but the nonwoven fabric remains stretched. In the spaces between the bond points, where the nonwoven fabric is not attached to the film, the nonwoven fabric expands and extends vertically (i.e., above and below the plane of the laminate) away from the film. Thus, as the elastic film contracts, the nonwoven fabric corrugates, achieving the desired wrinkles.

[0052] It was found that when the distance between adjacent point bonds was less than 3 mm (approximately 2.5 mm as shown in Figure 5), the laminate did not exhibit the claimed wrinkling or good extensibility. Furthermore, the laminate exhibited tearing during activation due to tension caused by the shorter distance between bonds.

[0053] As can be seen in Figures 1-4, the laminates produced by the above process exhibit at least 2 mm of wrinkling (i.e., an "accordion look") and have excellent aesthetic and tactile qualities. In contrast, the laminate shown in Figure 5, in which the distance between bonds is less than 3 mm, exhibits limited wrinkling of less than 2 mm and unacceptable tactile properties. Similarly, the laminate shown in Figure 6, which was not subjected to interlocking after lamination, exhibits essentially no wrinkling (less than 1 mm) and undesirable tactile properties.

[0054] Example 2 A laminate containing two 20 gsm nonwovens (SOFSPAN available from Berry Global) with an A / B / A structure and a 30 gsm blown film. The films were preactivated offline. Layer A contained 55% LLDPE, 10% homo-PP, and 12% LDPE, with the remainder containing masterbatch and processing aids. Layer B contained 98% VISTAMAXX 6102, with the remainder containing processing aids. The film and nonwoven were laminated using ultrasonic bonding as in Example 1, followed by CD interlocking to a depth of 3.0 mm.

[0055] All documents cited in this detailed description of the invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document shall not be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. In the event that a meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with a meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern. All ranges are inclusive and combinable. Where a value is not explicitly stated, it is understood to be optionally implied when included in the recited range.

[0056] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended in the claims to cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

[0057] [Embodiment] (1) A method for producing a non-strand elastomeric laminate, comprising: bonding the elastomeric film to at least one nonwoven substrate, optionally a carded nonwoven substrate, a spunbond nonwoven substrate, or a bicomponent nonwoven substrate, by point bonding to form bonded sites having a distance of 3 mm to 10 mm from each adjacent bonded site; stretching the laminate by lateral interlocking to form an interlocked laminate including wrinkles. (2) The method of claim 1, wherein the wrinkles have an average height of more than 2 mm. (3) The method of claim 1, wherein the lateral interlocking is performed to a depth of 2.03 mm to 5.08 mm (0.08 inches to 0.2 inches). (4) The method of claim 1, wherein the point bonding is performed by ultrasonic bonding. (5) The method of embodiment 1, wherein the bonding sites are arranged in rows or in offset rows, and optionally at least one offset row is aligned with the lateral interlocking.

[0058] 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric film comprises SIS, SBS, SEBS, an olefin block copolymer, a random block copolymer, or a combination thereof. (7) The method of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric film has a basis weight of 5 gsm to 60 gsm. (8) The method of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven substrate has a basis weight of 5 gsm to 100 gsm. (9) A non-strand elastic laminate comprising an elastomeric film point-bonded to an extensible carded, spunbonded, or bicomponent nonwoven substrate to form bonded sites, A non-strand elastic laminate, wherein each bond site is 3 mm to 10 mm from each adjacent bond site, and further wherein the laminate comprises wrinkles having a height greater than 2 mm. (10) The laminate of embodiment 9, wherein the elastomeric film comprises SIS, SBS, SIBS, or a combination thereof.

[0059] 11. The laminate of claim 9, wherein the elastomeric film comprises an olefin block copolymer, a random block copolymer, or a combination thereof. (12) The laminate of embodiment 9, wherein the elastomeric film has a basis weight of 5 gsm to 60 gsm. (13) The laminate according to embodiment 9, wherein the nonwoven fabric substrate has a basis weight of 5 gsm to 100 gsm. 14. The laminate of claim 9, wherein the laminate has a permanent set of less than 25%. (15) The laminate of embodiment 9, wherein the bond sites are arranged in rows or offset rows.

Claims

1. 1. A method of making a non-strand elastic laminate, comprising: (i) joining an elastomeric film to at least one nonwoven substrate by point bonding to form an intermediate laminate including bonded sites having a distance of 3 mm to 10 mm from each adjacent bonded site; (ii) stretching the intermediate laminate by lateral interlocking; (iii) relaxing the intermediate laminate to form wrinkles located between adjacent bonded sites, the wrinkles comprising protuberances of stretched unbonded portions of the at least one nonwoven substrate extending above the plane of the elastomeric film of the non-strand elastic laminate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wrinkles have an average height of greater than 2 mm.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the point bonding is performed by ultrasonic bonding.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bond sites are arranged in rows or in offset rows.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises SIS, SBS, SEBS, an olefin block copolymer, a random block copolymer, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric film has a basis weight of 5 gsm to 60 gsm.

7. 1. A non-strand elastic laminate comprising an elastomeric film point-bonded to at least one nonwoven substrate comprising an extensible carded nonwoven substrate, a spunbond nonwoven substrate, or a bicomponent nonwoven substrate to form bonded sites, a non-strand elastic laminate, wherein each bonded site is 3 mm to 10 mm from each adjacent bonded site, and further wherein the non-strand elastic laminate comprises wrinkles having a height of greater than 2 mm, the wrinkles comprising protuberances of stretched unbonded portions of the at least one nonwoven substrate that extend above the plane of the elastomeric film of the non-strand elastic laminate.

8. The non-strand elastic laminate of claim 7 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises SIS, SBS, SIBS, or a combination thereof.

9. The non-strand elastic laminate of claim 7 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises an olefin block copolymer, a random block copolymer, or a combination thereof.

10. The non-strand elastic laminate of claim 7, wherein said at least one nonwoven substrate has a basis weight of from 5 gsm to 100 gsm.

11. The non-strand elastic laminate of claim 7 , wherein the non-strand elastic laminate has a permanent set of less than 25%.

12. 8. The non-strand elastic laminate of claim 7, wherein the bond sites are arranged in rows or in offset rows.

13. A non-strand elastic laminate as described in claim 7, wherein the at least one nonwoven substrate comprises a first extensible carded nonwoven substrate, and the elastomeric film is point-bonded to the first extensible carded nonwoven substrate.

14. 14. The non-strand elastic laminate of claim 13, wherein the elastomeric film is further point-bonded to a second extensible carded nonwoven substrate, the elastomeric film being located directly between the first extensible carded nonwoven substrate and the second extensible carded nonwoven substrate.

15. A non-strand elastic laminate as described in claim 7, wherein the elastomeric film comprises a multilayer film including a first elastic layer sandwiched between a first non-elastic film layer and a second non-elastic film layer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one nonwoven substrate comprises a carded nonwoven substrate, a spunbond nonwoven substrate, or a bicomponent nonwoven substrate.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one nonwoven substrate comprises a first extensible carded nonwoven substrate.

18. The method described in claim 4, wherein the adhesive sites are arranged in offset rows, and at least one of the offset rows is aligned with the lateral interlock.

Images