IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,378,130
Granted Patent B2
US 7,378,130 · App. 10/818,793 · Granted May 27, 2008

Method of making a graphically-printed component for an absorbent disposable article

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,378,130
App. No.
10/818,793
Granted
May 27, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for making a graphically-printed component for an absorbent disposable article. The method comprises providing a molten polymer by feeding polymer chips into an extruder and melting the polymer chips. The molten polymer is extruded in the form of a thermoplastic polymer film onto a provided nonwoven fabric in an in-line process, in which the film has a basis weight of about 10 gsm, to provide a backsheet comprising the film and the nonwoven fabric. The backsheet on the film is graphically printed with printing means to provide a graphically printed backsheet. The graphically printed back sheet is wound into a roll good, or an absorbent core is positioned between it and a liquid permeable topsheet to provide an absorbent disposable article.

Claims (30)

1. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet for an absorbent disposable article, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a molten polymer comprising feeding polymer chips into an extruder and melting said polymer chips with heating thereof to provide said molten polymer;

b. providing a nonwoven fabric;

c. providing a printing means;

d. extruding said molten polymer in the form of a thermoplastic polymer film onto said nonwoven fabric in an in-line process, wherein said thermoplastic polymer film has a basis weight of about 10 gsm, to provide a backsheet comprising the thermoplastic polymer film and the nonwoven fabric;

e. graphically printing said backsheet on the thermoplastic polymer film thereof with said printing means, to provide a graphically printed backsheet; and

f. winding said graphically printed backsheet into a roll good.

2. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer film is a low density polyethylene.

3. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven fabric is selected from the group consisting of spunbond, meltblown, thermalbond, spunlace, airlaid, and the combinations thereof.

4. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises two adjacent layers of spunbond material.

5. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 1 , wherein said printing means is a flexographic printing process.

6. A method for making a graphically-printed back sheet as in claim 1 , wherein said extruding of said molten polymer comprises directly dispensing said thermoplastic polymer film onto said nonwoven fabric wherein said film comprises low density polyethylene.

7. A method for making a graphically printed nonwoven laminate for an absorbent disposable article, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a molten polymer comprising feeding polymer chips into an extruder and melting said polymer chips with heating thereof to provide said molten polymer;

b. providing a nonwoven fabric;

c. providing a printing means;

d. extruding said molten polymer in the form of a thermoplastic polymer film directly onto said nonwoven fabric in an in-line process, wherein said film has a basis weight of about 10 gsm, to provide a backsheet comprising the thermoplastic polymer film and the nonwoven fabric;

e. graphically printing said backsheet on the thermoplastic polymer film thereof with said printing means, to provide a liquid-impermeable graphically printed backsheet; and

f. positioning an absorbent core between said printed backsheet and a liquid-permeable top sheet.

8. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 1 , wherein said graphically printing comprises directly applying printing inks to the thermoplastic polymer film.

9. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 1 , wherein said providing of said molten polymer comprises feeding solid polymer chips into said extruder and feeding the molten polymer formed from melting the polymer chips to an extrusion die, and wherein said extruding of said molten polymer comprises directly extruding said molten polymer as a molten film from the extrusion die onto said nonwoven fabric.

10. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 9 , wherein said feeding of said molten polymer formed from melting the polymer chips to said extrusion die comprises conveying said molten polymer from said extruder via heated piping through a screen retaining solid or semi-molten polymer chips to provide a screen molten polymer, and then feeding said screened molten polymer into a melt pump and from the melt pump to a combining block connected to said extrusion die for depositing said extruded thermoplastic polymer film formed from the molten polymer directly onto the nonwoven fabric.

11. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 9 , wherein the molten film is deposited on the nonwoven fabric at a nip between a nip roll and a cast roll.

12. A method for making a graphically-printed backsheet as in claim 9 , wherein the molten film consists of olefin thermoplastic polymer.

13. A method for making a graphically printed nonwoven laminate for an absorbent disposable article as in claim 7 , wherein said graphically printing comprises directly applying printing inks to the thermoplastic polymer film.

14. A method for making a graphically printed nonwoven laminate for an absorbent disposable article as in claim 7 , wherein said providing of said molten polymer comprises feeding solid polymer chips into said extruder and feeding the molten polymer formed from melting the polymer chips to an extrusion die, and wherein said extruding of said molten polymer comprises directly extruding said molten polymer as a molten film from the extrusion die onto said nonwoven fabric.

15. A method for making a graphically printed nonwoven laminate for an absorbent disposable article as in claim 14 , wherein said feeding of said molten polymer formed from melting the polymer chips to said extrusion die comprises conveying said molten polymer from said extruder via heated piping through a screen retaining solid or semi-molten polymer chips to provide a screen molten polymer, and then feeding said screened molten polymer into a melt pump and from the melt pump to a combining block connected to said extrusion die for depositing said extruded thermoplastic polymer film formed from the molten polymer directly onto the nonwoven fabric.

16. A method for making a graphically printed nonwoven laminate for an absorbent disposable article as in claim 14 , wherein the molten film is deposited on the nonwoven fabric at a nip between a nip roll and a cast roll.

17. A method for making a graphically printed nonwoven laminate for an absorbent disposable article as in claim 14 , wherein the molten film consists of olefin thermoplastic polymer.

18. A method for making a graphically printed nonwoven laminate for an absorbent disposable article as in claim 14 , wherein said graphically printing comprises directly applying printing inks to the thermoplastic polymer film.

Assignments (22)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2026
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY
To: BERRY FILM PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.; BPREX HEALTHCARE PACKAGING INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN, INC.; AVINTIVA SPECIALTY MATERIALS, INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN INCORPORATED; BERRY FILM PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.; PLIANT, LLC; FIBERWEB, LLC; BERRY GLOBAL FILMS, LLC; PROVIDENCIA USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 075478/0098 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2025
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: BERRY FILM PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.; BPREX HEALTHCARE PACKAGING INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN, INC.; AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN INCORPORATED; PLIANT, LLC; FIBERWEB, LLC; BERRY GLOBAL FILMS, LLC; PROVIDENCIA USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 071165/0323 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 2, 2025
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: BERRY FILM PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.; BPREX HEALTHCARE PACKAGING INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN, INC.; AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN INCORPORATED; PLIANT, LLC; FIBERWEB, LLC; BERRY GLOBAL FILMS, LLC; PROVIDENCIA USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 071156/0179 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2024
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: BERRY FILM PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.; AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS, LLC (F/K/A AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS INC.; F/K/A POLYMER GROUP, INC.); FIBERWEB, LLC.; PROVIDENCIA USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 069306/0067 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 6, 2020
From: BERRY GLOBAL, INC.; BERRY FILM PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.; BPREX HEALTHCARE PACKAGING INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN, INC.; AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN INCORPORATED; PLIANT, LLC; FIBERWEB, LLC; BERRY GLOBAL FILMS, LLC; PROVIDENCIA USA, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051485/0318 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2019
From: BERRY GLOBAL, INC.; BERRY FILM PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.; BPREX HEALTHCARE PACKAGING INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN, INC.; AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS INC.; PRIME LABEL & SCREEN INCORPORATED; PLIANT, LLC; FIBERWEB, LLC; BERRY GLOBAL FILMS, LLC; PROVIDENCIA USA, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049671/0171 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 7, 2015
From: AVINTIV INC. (INDIVIDUALLY AND AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BERRY PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION IX); PGI POLYMER, INC.; CHICOPEE, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 036799/0627 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 6, 2015
From: AVINTIV INC. (INDIVIDUALLY AND AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BERRY PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION IX); AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS, INC.; PGI POLYMER, INC.; CHICOPEE, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS TERM COLLATERAL AGENT; BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ABL COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 036788/0041 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS, INC. (F/K/A POLYMER GROUP, INC.)
Reel/Frame 036743/0900 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2015
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS, INC. (F/K/A POLYMER GROUP, INC.)
Reel/Frame 036743/0667 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 20, 2015
From: POLYMER GROUP, INC.
To: AVINTIV SPECIALTY MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 036132/0354 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 9, 2011
From: POLYMER GROUP, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 025920/0089 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 8, 2011
From: POLYMER GROUP, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 025757/0126 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2011
From: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: POLYMER GROUP, INC.; CHICOPEE, INC.; PGI POLYMER, INC.
Reel/Frame 025754/0903 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 6, 2005
From: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BONLAM (S.C.), INC.; CHICOPEE, INC.; DOMINION TEXTILE (USA) INC.; FABPRO ORIENTED POLYMERS, INC.; FABRENE CORP.; FABRENE GROUP L.L.C.; FIBERGOL CORPORATION; FIBERTECH GROUP, INC.; FNA ACQUISITION, INC.; FNA POLYMER CORP.; LORETEX CORPORATION; PGI EUROPE, INC.; PGI POLYMER, INC.; PNA CORPORATION; POLY-BOND INC.; POLYLONIX SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; POLYMER GROUP, INC.; PRISTINE BRANDS CORPORATION; TECHNETICS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 016851/0436 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 6, 2005
From: POLYMER GROUP, INC.; CHICOPEE, INC.; FIBERTECH GROUP, INC.; PGI POLYMER, INC.; POLY-BOND INC.
To: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 016851/0624 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 6, 2005
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS SECOND LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BONLAM (S.C.), INC.; CHICOPEE, INC.; DOMINION TEXTILE (USA) INC.; FABPRO ORIENTED POLYMERS, INC.; FABRENE CORP.; FABRENE GROUP L.L.C.; FIBERGOL CORPORATION; FIBERTECH GROUP, INC.; FNA ACQUISITION, INC.; FNA POLYMER CORP.; LORETEX CORPORATION; PGI EUROPE, INC.; PGI POLYMER, INC.; PNA CORPORATION; POLY-BOND INC.; POLYLONIX SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; POLYMER GROUP, INC.; PRISTINE BRANDS CORPORATION; TECHNETICS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 016851/0471 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2005
From: RUIZ, FERMIN
To: POLYMER GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 016174/0672 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2005
From: NICTE CORONADO
To: POLYMER GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 015651/0234 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2004
From: SANTISTEBAN, JORGE
To: POLYMER GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 016108/0132 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 12, 2004
From: CHICOPEE, INC.; FIBERTECH GROUP, INC.; POLY-BOND, INC.; POLYMER GROUP, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS SECOND LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 015778/0311 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 10, 2004
From: CHICOPEE, INC.; FIBERTECH GROUP, INC; POLY-BOND, INC.; POLYMER GROUP, INC.
To: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC. AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 015732/0080 →