Film with Layered Segments and Apparatus and Method for Making the Same

Abstract

A film having first segments and second segments arranged across the film's width direction is disclosed. The first and second segments are separated from each other by polymer interfaces. The first segments include a first polymeric composition and the second segments include a second polymeric composition. At least some of the second segments are layered second segments having first and second layers in the film's thickness direction, and one of the first or second layers includes a third polymeric composition different from the second polymeric composition. An extrusion die useful for making the film and a method for making the film using the extrusion die are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A film comprising first segments and second segments arranged across the film's width direction and separated from each other by polymer interfaces, the first segments comprising a first polymeric composition and the second segments comprising a second polymeric composition, wherein the first segments and second segments each have first major surfaces that collectively form the first major surface of the film, wherein at least some of the second segments are layered second segments comprising first and second layers in the film's thickness direction, wherein one of the first or second layers comprises a third polymeric composition different from the second polymeric composition, wherein neither the second or third polymeric composition extends through the entire thickness of a given layered second segment, wherein at least two of the layered second segments have the second polymeric composition and the third polymeric composition in an identical arrangement, wherein the film has a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than 800 g/m 2 /day, wherein when the first segments are layered in the film's thickness direction, the first major surfaces of the first segments and the first major surfaces of the second segments do not share a common polymeric composition, and wherein when the layered second segments consist of the first and second layers and the third polymeric composition is the same as the first polymeric composition, the first polymeric composition extends through the entire thickness of the first segments. 
     
     
         2 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the layered second segments further comprise a third layer in the film's thickness direction, wherein the first layer is a middle layer of the second polymeric composition disposed between the second layer and the third layer at opposite surfaces of the film, wherein the second layer comprises the third polymeric composition, wherein the third layer comprises a fourth polymeric composition, and wherein the third and fourth polymeric compositions can be identical or different. 
     
     
         3 . The film of  claim 2 , wherein the first polymeric composition extends throughout the thickness of the first segments. 
     
     
         4 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the first segments are layered first segments comprising fourth and fifth layers in the film's thickness direction, wherein one of the fourth or fifth layers comprises a fifth polymeric composition different from the first polymeric composition, and wherein neither the first or fifth polymeric composition extends through the entire thickness of a given layered first segment. 
     
     
         5 . The film of  claim 4 , wherein the layered first segments further comprise a sixth layer, wherein the fourth layer is a middle layer of the first polymeric composition disposed between the fifth layer and the sixth layer at opposite surfaces of the film, wherein the fifth layer comprises the fifth polymeric composition, wherein the sixth layer comprises a sixth polymeric composition, and wherein the fifth and sixth polymeric compositions can be identical or different. 
     
     
         6 . The film of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the fifth or sixth polymeric compositions is a hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric composition is more elastic than the first polymeric composition and the third polymeric composition. 
     
     
         8 . The film of  claim 7 , wherein the time to failure in a hang shear evaluation is at least 100 minutes, wherein the hang shear evaluation is carried out at 38° C. by hanging a 200-gram weight on a sample 2.54 cm in length and such that the second segments in a 3.8 cm-wide portion of the film are stretched in the film's width direction. 
     
     
         9 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the first segments have stretch-induced molecular orientation in a direction parallel to their lengths. 
     
     
         10 . A laminate comprising the film of  claim 1  joined to a fibrous carrier. 
     
     
         11 . A laminate comprising a film joined to a fibrous carrier, the film comprising first segments and second segments arranged across the film's width direction and separated from each other by polymer interfaces, the first segments comprising a first polymeric composition and the second segments comprising a second polymeric composition that is more elastic than the first polymeric composition, wherein at least some of the second segments are layered second segments comprising first and second layers in the film's thickness direction, wherein one of the first or second layers comprises a third polymeric composition different from the second polymeric composition, wherein neither the second or third polymeric composition extends through the entire thickness of a given layered second segment, and wherein the second segments each have a width in the film's width direction of less than one millimeter. 
     
     
         12 . The laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the first polymeric composition extends throughout the thickness of the first segments. 
     
     
         13 . The laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the fibrous carrier is an extensible fibrous carrier with a tensile elongation at maximum load of at least 50 percent, or wherein the laminate is incrementally activated. 
     
     
         14 . The laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the film is discontinuously bonded to the fibrous carrier, and wherein the fibrous carrier is bonded to the film predominantly at one of the first segments or the second segments. 
     
     
         15 . An absorbent article comprising the laminate of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         16 . A method of making the film of  claim 2 , the method comprising:
 providing an extrusion die comprising at least a first cavity, a second cavity, and a dispensing surface having a dispensing slot,   
       wherein a first fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from the first cavity to a first slot segment of the dispensing slot; 
       wherein a second fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from the second cavity to a second slot segment of the dispensing slot; and 
       wherein a third fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends on one side of the second fluid passageway from a die cavity within the extrusion die, wherein upstream from the dispensing slot the third fluid passageway is diverted into branches that meet the second fluid passageway at areas above and below the second fluid passageways at the point where the second fluid passageway enters the dispensing slot; and
 extruding the first, second, and third polymeric compositions from the first, second, and die cavities, respectively, so as to form the film, wherein the third and fourth polymeric compositions in the second and third layers of the layered second segments, respectively, are identical. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method of making the film of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 providing an extrusion die comprising at least a first cavity, a second cavity, and a dispensing surface having a dispensing slot,   
       wherein a first fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from the first cavity to a first slot segment of the dispensing slot, 
       wherein a second fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from the second cavity to a second slot segment of the dispensing slot, wherein the second slot segment and first slot segment are arranged side-by-side to provide a combined width; and 
       wherein a third fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from a die cavity within the extrusion die to the second slot segment, wherein the third fluid passageway meets the second fluid passageway from an area above the second fluid passageway at a point where the second fluid passageway enters the dispensing slot, and wherein the third fluid passageway has a width at a point where it meets the second fluid passageway that is less than the combined width of the first and second slot segments; and
 extruding the first, second, and third polymeric compositions from the first, second, and die cavities, respectively, so as to form the film. 
 
     
     
         18 . An extrusion die comprising at least a first cavity, a second cavity, and a dispensing surface having a dispensing slot,
 wherein a first fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from the first cavity to a first slot segment of the dispensing slot,   wherein a second fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from the second cavity to a second slot segment of the dispensing slot, wherein the second slot segment and first slot segment are arranged side-by-side to provide a combined width; and   wherein a third fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from a die cavity within the extrusion die to the second slot segment, wherein the third fluid passageway meets the second fluid passageway from an area above the second fluid passageway at a point where the second fluid passageway enters the dispensing slot, and wherein the third fluid passageway has a width at a point where it meets the second fluid passageway that is less than the combined width of the first and second slot segments.   
     
     
         19 . The extrusion die of  claim 18 , wherein a fourth fluid passageway within the extrusion die extends from a cavity within the extrusion die to the first slot segment, wherein the fourth fluid passageway meets the first fluid passageway from an area above or below the first fluid passageway at a point where the first fluid passageway enters the dispensing slot, and wherein the fourth fluid passageway has a width at a point wherein it meets the first fluid passageway that is less than the combined width of the first and second slot segments. 
     
     
         20 . The extrusion die of  claim 19 , wherein the third fluid passageway extends on one side of the second fluid passageway, wherein upstream from the dispensing slot the third fluid passageway is diverted into branches that meet the second fluid passageway at areas above and below the second fluid passageway at the point where the second at the point where the second fluid passageway enters the dispensing slot. 
     
     
         21 . The extrusion die of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid passageways are provided by a plurality of sequences of shims, wherein each sequence comprises at least one first shim that provides the first fluid passageway, at least one second shim that provides the second fluid passageway, and at least one third shim that provides the at least one third fluid passageway.