Multilayer Elastic Laminate Strength via Cellulosic Facing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional elastic laminates used in personal care products rely heavily on non-woven facing materials for strength and durability, which increase costs and do not provide a soft, cloth-like appearance, while also limiting elasticity and strength.
Innovation Solution
Multilayered elastic laminates comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric film layer and a plastic layer, coextruded and stretched to enhance mechanical strength and elasticity, with a facing material, such as a cellulosic material, laminated to achieve a softer, more flexible, and cost-effective product with improved cloth-like appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If non-woven facing materials are used to provide strength and durability, then mechanical strength is improved, but cost increases and cloth-like appearance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by replacing synthetic non-woven facing materials with cellulosic facing materials that have different physical and chemical properties. This substitution maintains or improves mechanical strength while reducing cost and enhancing cloth-like appearance, directly resolving the technical contradiction between strength and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite laminate structure combining cellulosic facing material with elastic film and plastic layers. This composite approach distributes mechanical strength across multiple layers, allowing the use of less expensive cellulosic materials instead of costly synthetic non-wovens while maintaining overall laminate strength
2Reliability
If non-woven facing materials are used to prevent elastic film blocking, then processing reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface parameters of the elastic film through the laminate structure, where cellulosic facing material provides a surface that prevents blocking during high-speed processing. This alternative approach achieves the same processing reliability as synthetic non-wovens but at lower cost
3Shape
If non-woven facing materials are used to provide cloth-like appearance, then aesthetic quality is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by selecting cellulosic facing materials that inherently provide a cloth-like appearance similar to conventional nonwoven/elastic laminates. This natural fiber-based approach achieves the desired aesthetic quality while being more cost-effective than synthetic alternatives
4Ease of operation
If elastomeric film strength is increased to shift strength burden from facing materials, then facing material flexibility is improved, but elastomeric film complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite multilayer structure where the elastomeric film is combined with plastic layers and cellulosic facing material. This composite approach distributes the strength burden across multiple layers, allowing the elastomeric film to be thinner and less complex while still providing the necessary strength to enable facing material flexibility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides elastic laminates with increased strength and elasticity, shifting the strength burden from facing materials to the elastomeric film, allowing for a lower strain-stress curve shift and reduced use of non-woven materials, resulting in products with enhanced comfort and durability at lower costs.
Implementation Method 1
the elastomeric film layer has an elasticity that is greater than the elasticity of the plastic layer
Implementation Method 2
stretching the laminate followed by relaxing to give the laminate desired surface features and physical properties
Implementation Method 3
the plastic layer being elongated during initial stretching and then corrugated by relaxation of the thermoplastic elastomeric film
Implementation Method 4
a first thermoplastic elastomeric film layer affixed to a first plastic layer and a facing material affixed to a second surface of the first thermoplastic elastomeric film layer
Data Source
AI summary
Stronger elastic laminates, as well as methods of preparing the laminates, are disclosed herein. Particularly, the present disclosure is directed to multilayered elastic laminates including a thermoplastic elastomeric film layer and a plastic layer coextruded together, and further, a facing material laminated to the thermoplastic elastomeric film layer. The laminates are stretched and then relaxed. The prepared laminates have enhanced overall strength and elasticity while having a soft, cloth-like feel, and are prepared at a lower cost.