STRETCHABLE ELASTIC LAMINATE AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION

1 . A stretchable elastic laminate comprising:

at least one spunlace nonwoven fabric that is stretchable in at least one direction; and

an elastic material applied as a melt onto a major surface of said spunlace nonwoven fabric,

wherein the melt forms an elastic layer bonded to said surface of said spunlace nonwoven fabric.

2 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 1 , wherein the spunlace nonwoven fabric comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephthalate, polyamides, polyacrylates, polyacrylonitrile, viscose, aramide, polyvinylalcohol and rayon.

3 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 1 , wherein the elastic material comprises a styrene block copolymer.

4 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 3 , wherein the styrene block copolymer comprises SEBS.

5 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer is comprised of a plurality of layers formed by co-extruding the elastic material and at least one other material.

6 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 5 , wherein the at least one other material is a second elastic material.

7 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 5 , wherein the at least one other material is a tie layer material.

8 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 1 , wherein said laminate comprises a second nonwoven fabric and said elastic material is applied to a major surface of said second nonwoven fabric so that the elastic layer is sandwiched between and bonded to said major surfaces of the spunlace nonwoven fabric and the second nonwoven fabric.

9 . The stretchable laminate of claim 8 , wherein the second nonwoven fabric is a spunlace nonwoven fabric.

10 . A stretchable elastic laminate comprising:

at least one nonwoven fabric stretchable in at least one direction; and

an elastic material applied as a melt onto a major surface of said nonwoven fabric, wherein said nonwoven fabric has a melting point that is greater than the temperature of said melt when said melt is applied to the surface of said nonwoven fabric, and wherein the melt forms an elastic layer bonded to said surface of said nonwoven fabric.

11 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 10 , further comprising a second nonwoven fabric having a major surface bonded to the elastic layer opposite the at least one nonwoven fabric so that the elastic layer is sandwiched between the nonwoven fabrics.

12 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 10 , wherein the at least one nonwoven fabric comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephthalate, polyamides, polyacrylates, polyacrylonitrile, viscose, aramid, polyvinylalcohol, and rayon.

13 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 10 , wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises natural fibers selected from the group consisting of cellulose, cotton, hemp, wool and flax.

14 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 10 , wherein the elastic material comprises a styrene block copolymer.

15 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 10 , wherein the elastic layer is comprised of a plurality of layers formed by co-extruding the elastic material and at least one other material.

16 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 15 , wherein the elastic layer comprises first and second outer layers and at least one core layer.

17 . The stretchable elastic laminate of claim 16 , wherein the first and second outer layers are tie layers.

18 . A stretchable laminate of claim 10 , wherein the laminate has, without necking, a tensile force at 5% machine direction stretch of at least 150 grams.

19 . A stretchable laminate of claim 10 , wherein the laminate has, without necking, a tensile force at 5% machine direction stretch of at least 200 grams.

20 . A stretchable laminate of claim 10 , wherein the laminate has, without necking, a tensile force at 5% machine direction stretch of at least 250 grams.

21 . A stretchable laminate of claim 10 , wherein the laminate has, without necking, a tensile force at 5% machine direction stretch of at least 300 grams.

22 . A method of forming a stretchable elastic laminate comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a spunlace nonwoven fabric that is stretchable in at least one direction;

(b) heating an elastic material to form an elastic melt;

(c) applying said elastic melt to major surface of said spunlace nonwoven fabric; and

(d) applying a compressive force to at least one of said elastic melt and said spunlace nonwoven fabric to farm an elastic layer bonded to said surface of said spunlace nonwoven fabric.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein a single elastic material is applied to the surface of said spunlace nonwoven to form a single elastic layer.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the applying step comprises co-extruding at least two materials, at least one of which is an elastic material, onto the surface of the spunlace nonwoven fabric.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the elastic melt and the spunlace nonwoven fabric are conveyed through a nip to form the elastic layer bonded to the surface of the spunlace nonwoven fabric.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the compressive force is generated by using at least one of an air knife, a vacuum box, nonwoven web tension, or a static bar.

27 . A method of forming a stretchable elastic laminate comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a nonwoven fabric that is stretchable in at least one direction;

(b) heating an elastic material to form an elastic melt; and

(c) applying the elastic melt to a major surface of the nonwoven fabric to form an elastic layer bonded to the surface of said nonwoven fabric, wherein said nonwoven fabric has a melting point that is greater than the temperature of the elastic melt when the elastic melt is applied to said nonwoven fabric.