Creped and/or apertured webs and process for producing the same

The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for aperturing, creping and optionally laminating webs such as, for example, films and fibrous nonwovens. The present invention is also directed to the resultant materials. The process for aperturing and creping webs utilizes a pattern roll and an anvil roll with the anvil roll being rotated faster that the pattern roll. The resultant material is visually much different than conventional materials which are typically run through similar rolls wherein the pattern roll and anvil roll are run at the same speed or wherein the pattern roll is run faster than the anvil roll. The resultant materials have a wide variety of applications not the least of which includes a liner material for personal care absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, bandages and the like.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a process for creping and/or 
aperturing a web such as a film, a nonwoven web or a laminate as well as 
the materials produced by the process. More particularly, the present 
invention is directed to a process wherein the web is fed between a pair 
of counterrotating pattern and anvil rolls wherein the smooth anvil roll 
is rotated faster than the pattern roll thereby yielding valuable 
properties in the resultant processed material. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Almost all personal care absorbent articles include a liquid pervious body 
side liner material or top sheet, an absorbent core and some type of 
backing material or bottom sheet which is generally liquid impervious. In 
the area of feminine care products and in particular sanitary napkins, 
apertured films are frequently used as a top sheet due to the fact that 
they do not absorb fluids such as menses and therefore readily pass such 
liquids through to the absorbent core where they are absorbed and 
subsequently masked by the non-apertured areas in the film. This creates a 
relatively clean post-use appearance which is maintained provided there is 
little or no fluid flowback from the absorbent core to the surface of the 
liner. 
One example of a product with a film cover used in such applications is a 
sanitary napkin manufactured by the Procter and Gamble Company of 
Cincinnati, Ohio. This product is marketed under the trademark Always.RTM. 
and is allegedly made in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 
3,929,135 to Thompson which discloses vacuum aperturing of films which, 
according to the patent teachings, makes more of a three-dimensional 
material. Although the process produces a functional three-dimensional 
material, the types of substrates capable of being apertured and the line 
speeds possible are believed to be inherent limitations in vacuum 
aperturing processes of this type. 
Another process for producing apertured films is taught in German Patent 
No. 26 14 160 to Endler and assigned to the Ramisch Company of Krefeld, 
West Germany. In this process a smooth backing roll and a patterned 
gravure roll are rotated at differential speeds with the pattern roll 
rotating at a faster rate than the smooth roll. A similar process is 
taught in European Patent Application No. 0 598 970 A1 to Giacometti and 
assigned to the Pantex Corporation of Pistoia, Italy. A wide range of 
substrates can be apertured using these types of processes at significant 
line speeds, however, the materials so apertured are relatively 
two-dimensional in nature and usually require an additional surge or 
transfer layer underneath to obtain acceptable fluid handling performance. 
In addition, because the pattern roll is moving faster, it tends to pull 
the material through the nip in between the two rolls and therefore 
stretches the material in the machine direction thereby exacerbating the 
two-dimensionality of the material. 
Ball et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,854,984 and 4,919,738 both disclose a dynamic 
mechanical bonding method and apparatus which bonds two or more materials 
together using a pattern roll and anvil roll either of which may be run 
faster than the other. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,734 to Minto and assigned to the Kimberly-Clark 
Corporation teaches the aperturing of meltblown nonwovens and U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,781,962 to Zamarripa et al. teaches a nonwoven and an apertured film 
bonded together using a pattern and anvil roll. 
The foregoing processes can be used to aperture a variety of materials 
including films and fibrous nonwovens. Despite the foregoing teachings, 
there is still a need for additional materials which can be apertured 
and/or acted upon to increase their three-dimensional characteristics. 
Materials which are three-dimensional give the appearance of being more 
cloth-like and aesthetically pleasing. This has been a common shortcoming 
of many apertured films which are often characterized as having a "plastic 
feel" and look. As a result, there is a need for materials and processes 
for forming the same which can be fluid pervious and more cloth-like in 
appearance. These and other needs are satisfied by the materials and 
process of the present invention as will become more apparent from a 
further review of the following specification, drawings and claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for aperturing 
and/or creping a web material such as a film, a fibrous nonwoven or a 
laminate of such materials or other materials. When running two or more 
materials through the process of the present invention at the same time, 
it is possible to laminate them too. The present invention also relates to 
the resultant materials which have been creped and/or apertured. 
The apparatus includes a pattern roll and an anvil roll either or both of 
which may be heated and/or cooled to facilitate the processes of creping, 
aperturing and laminating. The surface of the pattern roll has a plurality 
of raised and/or depressed areas to create a three-dimensional surface 
wherein only select areas of the surface contact the web material passing 
through the nip area defined between the pattern roll and the anvil roll. 
The anvil roll has a flat surface when compared to the pattern roll. 
The pattern roll and the anvil roll are rotated in opposite directions to 
one another so as to draw the web material through the nip area defined 
therebetween. The first or pattern roll will have a first rotational speed 
and the second or anvil roll will have a second rotational speed. The 
second rotational speed of the anvil roll will be greater than the first 
rotational speed of the pattern roll. 
One or more webs of material are unwound and fed into the nip area between 
the counterrotating pattern and anvil rolls. The inlet speed of the web or 
webs may be adjusted to be less than, equal to or greater than the first 
rotational speed of the pattern roll. Once the web or webs exit the nip 
area they are wound up on a windup roll. The withdrawal speed of the web 
or webs from the nip area may be adjusted to be equal to or greater than 
the first rotational speed of the pattern roll and less than or equal to 
the second rotational speed of the anvil roll. 
Depending upon the speed differential between the pattern roll and the 
anvil roll as well as the nip pressure between the two rolls, various 
attributes can be imparted to the web or webs being processed. Generally 
the rotational speed of the anvil roll will be at least about 1.8 times 
faster than the rotational speed of the pattern roll. In other situations 
the speed of the anvil roll may be as much as six or more times the speed 
of the pattern roll. Increasing the speed differential will increase the 
amount of crepe in the material being processed. As a result, the web 
entering the nip area, which may be single or multiple layers of material, 
will have a first basis weight and a second basis weight as it exits the 
nip which will be greater than the first basis weight. The speed 
differential coupled with the nip pressure will also increase the shear 
rate between the two rolls thereby increasing the aperturing capability of 
the process. Generally the nip pressure will range between about 2.0 and 
about 6.0 kilograms per lineal millimeter. 
If desired, two or more web materials may be run through the nip at the 
same time. Depending upon the process conditions chosen, the materials may 
be laminated, creped, apertured or a combination of the foregoing. The 
resultant materials have a wide variety of applications not the least of 
which include a body side liner or backing material for personal care 
absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, incontinence devices, 
wipes, bandages and feminine care products such as sanitary napkins, 
pantiliners and the like. These products will typically include a liquid 
pervious top sheet and a bottom sheet with an absorbent core disposed 
therebetween. The top sheet may comprise the material or materials of the 
present invention. The same is also true with respect to the bottom sheet 
and other components of the product. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, the process of the present invention is shown in 
schematic form using a side-elevational view. The apparatus for the 
process is represented generally as element 10. The apparatus 10 includes 
a first web unwind 12 for a first web 14 and an optional second web unwind 
16 for a second web 18. For purposes of illustration only, the first web 
unwind 12 shall be described as having a roll of plastic film and the 
second web unwind 16 shall be described as having a roll of fibrous 
nonwoven web material such as a spunbond, meltblown or bonded carded web 
as well as an air laid or wet laid web. It should be understood, however, 
the unwinds 12 and 16 may be used to feed any type of web material into 
the process which is compatible with the equipment and objects of the 
present invention. In order to further manipulate the properties of the 
materials formed by way of the present invention, it has been found 
advantageous to control the speed of the unwinds 12 and 16. As a result, 
it is desirable to provide each of the unwinds with driving and/or braking 
means (not shown) to control the speed of the unwinds as will be explained 
in further detail below. Such driving and/or braking means are widely 
known and commonly used in conjunction with such unwinds to control 
tension. 
The first web 14 or simply "web" if only one unwind is being used is taken 
off the unwind 12 and is passed into a creping and aperturing assembly 20 
which includes a first or patterned roll 22 and a second or an anvil roll 
24 both of which are driven and/or braked with respect to one another so 
as to create a speed differential between the two rolls 22 and 24. 
Suitable means for driving the patterned roll 22 and the anvil roll 24 
include, for example, electric motors (not shown). 
The patterned roll 22 is typically made from a durable material such as 
steel to reduce the wear on the roll as much as possible. The patterned 
roll 22 has a pattern of raised areas 26 separated by a pattern of 
depressed areas 28. See FIG. 2. The raised areas 26 are designed to 
contact the surface of the anvil roll 24. The size, shape, pattern and 
number of raised areas 26 on the pattern roll 22 can be varied to meet the 
particular end-use needs of the user. Typically the relative percentage of 
raised areas per unit area of the roll will range between about 5 and 
about 50 percent and the average contact area of each of the raised areas 
26 will range between about 0.20 and about 1.6 square millimeters. 
Generally, the height of the raised areas 26 can range between about 0.25 
and about 1.1 millimeters though heights outside this range can be used 
for specific applications if so desired. As a result, the number of 
contact areas per unit area of the pattern roll 22 will generally range 
between about 3 and about 100 raised areas per square centimeter of the 
roll. The footprint or shape of the raised areas 26 on the pattern roll 22 
can also be varied. Ovals, squares, circles and diamonds are several 
examples of shapes that can be used. 
Unlike the prior apparatus and processes which ran the pattern roll faster 
than the anvil roll, when the anvil roll is run faster than the pattern 
roll, a much different material is created. By running the anvil roll 24 
faster, the material being sent through the process is compacted by the 
anvil roll 24 against and between the raised areas 26 on the pattern roll 
22 thereby causing creping and increasing the basis weight of the 
material. The degree of creping will depend in part upon the speed 
differential of the two rolls, the wind up speed and the area (spacing and 
depth) between the raised areas 26. It has been found, for example, that a 
pattern roll 22 with large surface area pins and a high density will 
produce a more open and visually apparent apertured film than when using 
smaller raised areas 26 or pins and a lower density. 
Another desired feature of the pattern roll 22 is that its temperature can 
be varied (heated or cooled) relative to the anvil roll 24. Heating and or 
cooling can affect the features of the web and/or the degree of bonding if 
multiple webs are being run through the process at the same time. Common 
heating techniques include hot oil and electrical resistance heating. 
The anvil roll 24 is characterized in that its surface is much smoother 
than the pattern roll 22 and preferably is flat. It is also possible, 
however, that the anvil or second roll 24 may have a slight pattern in it 
and still be considered flat for purposes of the present invention. For 
example, if the anvil roll is made from or has a softer surface such as 
resin impregnated cotton or rubber, it will develop surface irregularities 
yet will still be considered flat for purposes of the present invention. 
Such surfaces are collectively referred to as "flat." The anvil roll 24 
provides the base for the pattern roll 22 and the web material to shear 
against. Typically the anvil roll 24 will be made from steel or materials 
such as hardened rubber, resin-treated cotton or polyurethane. The 
composition, degree of tack and hardness of the anvil roll 24 will impact 
the shape of the resulting apertures in the web 32. 
The anvil roll 24 also may have flat areas separated by depressed areas 
(not shown) so that only select areas of the anvil roll 24 will contact 
the pattern roll 22. The same technique may be used on the pattern roll 
22. As a result, aperturing and/or creping can be selectively imparted to 
specific regions of the web being processed. As with the pattern roll 22, 
the anvil roll 24 may be heated and/or cooled to further affect the 
properties of the web being processed. 
The pattern roll 22 and the anvil roll 24 are counterrotated at 
differential speeds to create varying types of materials. The first or 
pattern roll 22 is rotated at a first rotational speed measured at its 
surface and the second or anvil roll 24 is rotated at a second rotational 
speed measured at its surface. In all cases, however, the anvil roll 24 is 
rotated at a faster speed than the pattern roll 22. The positioning of the 
two rolls with respect to one another may be varied to create a nip area 
30 between the pattern roll 22 and the anvil roll 24. The nip pressure can 
be varied depending upon the properties of the web itself and the type of 
aperturing and creping desired. Other factors which will allow variances 
in the nip pressure will include the speed differential between the 
pattern roll 22 and the anvil roll 24, the temperature of the rolls and 
the size and spacing of the raised areas 26. For such materials as films 
and nonwovens, the nip pressure will range between about 2.0 and about 6.0 
kilograms per lineal millimeter (kg/1 mm). Other pressures are also 
possible depending upon the particular end use. 
The differential speed between the pattern roll 22 and the anvil roll 24 
causes a shear between the raised areas 26 on the pattern roll 22 and the 
anvil surface on the anvil roll 24 which scores the web and creates 
apertures through the web 14. If the speed differential is increased 
further, the incoming web begins to bunch up in and around the raised 
areas 26 of the pattern roll 22 thereby creping the web as it passes 
through the nip area 30. Once the web 14 has gone through web creping and 
aperturing assembly 20 its features and contours are changed significantly 
as shown by the photomicrographs of the materials set forth in the 
examples below. As the web 14 leaves the creping and aperturing assembly 
20, the apertured and/or creped web 32 is collected on the web winder 34. 
The web winder collects the creped and/or apertured web 32. As with the 
first unwind 12 and the second unwind 16, the winder 34 is driven by an 
electric motor or other drive source which can be varied so as to adjust 
the speed at which the finished web 32 is wound up into a roll 36. As will 
be explained in further detail below, the speed at which the web 32 is 
wound on the winder 34 will also affect the properties and appearance of 
the web 32. Alternatively, the web winder 34 may be eliminated and the web 
32 may continue in line (not shown) for further processing as, for 
example, conversion into a liner material for a personal care absorbent 
article. 
Both the inlet speed and the withdrawal speed of the web or webs 14 can be 
varied to change the conditions of the process. For example, the inlet 
speed of the web 14 can be equal to or faster than the first or pattern 
roll 22. Its speed also can be equal to or slower than the rotational 
speed of the second or anvil roll 24. Exiting the nip area 30 the web, 
webs or laminate can have a withdrawal speed which is equal to or faster 
than the first roll and slower or equal to the rotational speed of the 
second roll. 
In addition to running just a single web 14 through the apparatus and 
process 10 shown in FIG. 1, it is also possible to run multiple webs 
through the same apparatus 10, provided one or more additional unwinds 
such as the second unwind 16 are added to the machinery. For example, the 
first unwind 12 may be fitted with a film and the second unwind 16 may be 
fitted with the same or a different material such as a fibrous nonwoven 
web 18. The two webs 14 and 18 are fed into the creping and aperturing 
assembly 20 in the same manner as before. Due to the increased thickness 
of material, the nip pressure and heating conditions may have to be varied 
to achieve the desired results and appearance in the laminate 32 formed by 
joining the two webs 14 and 18 together. If aperturing of the film in a 
film and nonwoven combination is desired, it is generally more 
advantageous to position the film layer 14 adjacent the pattern roll 22. 
Having described the process, a series of sample single layer and 
multi-layer web laminates were formed to further illustrate the present 
invention. The samples and the test methods used to evaluate them are set 
forth below. 
TEST METHODS 
Several test methods were employed in determining the properties of the 
materials according to the present invention. The methods for determining 
these properties are set forth below. 
BASIS WEIGHT 
The basis weights of the various materials described herein were determined 
in accordance with Federal Test Method Number 191A/5041. Sample size for 
the specimens was 15.24.times.15.24 centimeters and three values were 
obtained for each material and then averaged. The values reported below 
are for the average. 
THICKNESS 
The thickness of the materials including laminates was measured using the 
Starrett Bulk test. Under this test a 12.7.times.12.7 centimeter sample of 
the material was compressed under a load of 0.05 pounds per square inch 
(3.5 grams per square centimeter) and the thickness was measured while 
under this load. Higher numbers indicate a thicker material. Five samples 
were measured for each material and then averaged. Values given are for 
the average. 
POROSITY 
The Frazier air permeability of the materials was determined in accordance 
with Federal Test Method Number 191A/5450. Five specimens of each material 
were tested and then averaged to obtain the reported values. 
SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY (PROFILOMETER TEST) 
The surface of many of the materials according to the present invention had 
enhanced topography due to the process of the present invention. By 
running the anvil roll faster than the pattern roll the web material being 
processed is compacted within the nip area. Due to mechanical pressure and 
optional heating, the web material can be both creped and apertured. This 
creped and apertured material was found to have enhanced aesthetic 
acceptance due to its ability to channel fluids from its top surface down 
through to its bottom surface. The surface of the materials according to 
the present invention exhibited a relatively high topography which was 
irregular in design. As shown by the profilometry data below, the standard 
deviation of the film cross-sections between apertures was quite irregular 
from aperture to aperture. 
Stylus profilometry is a test method which allows measurements of the 
surface irregularity of a material using a stylus which is drawn across 
the surface of a material. As the stylus moves across the material, data 
is generated and is fed into a computer to track the surface profile 
sensed by the stylus. This information can in turn be plotted to show the 
degree of deviation from a standard reference line and thus demonstrate 
the degree of irregularity of a material. Surface profilometry data was 
generated for Examples 1 through 4 and is set forth below. This data was 
then plotted in FIG. 8. 
The film surfaces of the materials in Examples 1 through 4 were scanned 
using a Rank Taylor Talysurf Laser Interferometric Stylus Profilometer 
model from Rank Taylor Hobson Ltd. of Leicester, England. The stylus used 
a diamond tip with a nominal 2 micron radius (Part #112/1836). Prior to 
data collection, the stylus was calibrated against a highly polished 
tungsten carbide steel ball standard of known radius (22.0008 millimeters) 
and finish (Part #112/1844). During testing, the vertical position of the 
stylus tip was detected by a helium/neon laser interferometer pick-up 
(Part #112/2033). The data were collected and processed using Form 
Talysurf Version 5.02 software running on an IBM PC compatible computer. 
The stylus tip was drawn across the sample surface at a speed of 0.5 
millimeters per minute and over a distance of 1.25 millimeters. The test 
characterized the longer wavelength structure of the surface of the films 
between the apertures. The paths tracked by the stylus of the profilometer 
were across the top surface of the materials from aperture to aperture. 
The average profile waviness (Wa) was determined for each film from ten 
individual scans taken from aperture to aperture. 
To perform the procedure, a 5 millimeter by 5 millimeter scan consisting of 
256 datalogged profiles was taken from the top surface of each film using 
the diamond tip stylus. The surface data was filtered using a 0.25 
millimeter wave filter which rejected the finest surface detail but 
retained the longer wavelength structure. 
Ten profiles were extracted from the wave-filtered surfaces. Average 
profiles for each set of ten profiles were plotted on the same 500 micron 
vertical scale for a measured distance of about 1.25 millimeters and are 
shown in FIG. 8 along with the mean Waviness (Wa) and standard deviation 
values which define the convoluted structure of the film between the 
apertures. 
EXAMPLES 
A total of five examples are set forth below. In Examples 1 through 3 the 
web 14 was a thermoplastic film. In Example 4 there were two webs used 
including a thermoplastic film and a fibrous nonwoven web. In Example 5 
the web was a fibrous nonwoven web. 
The film used in Examples 1 through 3 had a thickness or bulk of 0.025 
millimeters. Its composition included, on a weight percent basis based 
upon the total weight of the web, 76 percent NA-206 low density 
polyethylene (LDPE) with a density of 0.918 grams per cubic centimeter 
(g/cm.sup.3) and a melt index of 13.0 grams per 10 minutes at 190.degree. 
C. under a load of 2160 grams. The polymer is available from Quantum 
Incorporated of Wallingford, Conn. The remaining portion of the 
composition was 24 weight percent titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) concentrate 
which included 50 weight percent TiO.sub.2 and 50 weight percent low 
density polyethylene carrier thus making the total weight percent of 
TiO.sub.2 in the film 12 percent and the remaining 88 percent LDPE. The 
TiO.sub.2 is available from the Ampacet Company of Mount Vernon, N.Y. 
under the grade designation 41171. 
In Example 4 the film was a 0.019 millimeter thick cast film containing on 
a weight percent basis based upon the total weight of the film, 94 percent 
of the above-described NA-206 LLDPE and 6 percent of a titanium dioxide 
concentrate (grade designation 110313) from the Ampacet Company. This 
concentrate included 70 weight percent TiO.sub.2 and 30 weight percent 
LDPE carrier resin. Thus the effective TiO.sub.2 concentration in the film 
was 4 weight percent and the LDPE concentration was 96 percent. 
The fibrous nonwoven web used in Example 4 was a spunbond web made from 
side-by-side bicomponent fibers. The fibers comprised approximately 50 
weight percent Dow grade 6811A polyethylene from the Dow Chemical Company 
of Midland, Mich. and approximately 50 weight percent Exxon 3445 
polypropylene from the Exxon Chemical Company of Darien, Conn. The fibers 
so produced were essentially continuous in nature and had an average fiber 
diameter of 22 microns. The nonwoven web had a basis weight of 16.6 grams 
per square meter (gsm) and the fibers of the nonwoven web were treated 
with Y12488 polyalkylene oxide-modified polydimethylsiloxane non-ionic 
surfactant wetting package from OSi Specialties, Inc. of Danbury, Conn. 
This package references U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,361. The surfactant addition 
to the nonwoven web was 0.4 percent based upon the total dry weight of the 
web. For more information on forming bicomponent spunbond webs see U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,336,552 to Strack et al. which is incorporated herein by 
reference in its entirety. 
In Example 5 the fibrous nonwoven web used was a three layer prebonded 
composite of spunbond, meltblown and spunbond webs with the meltblown web 
in the middle. The laminate included a 7.0 gsm meltblown layer between two 
layers of approximately 10.5 gsm spunbond material for a total laminate 
weight of 28 gsm. The spunbond fibers were approximately 20 microns in 
diameter and the meltblown fibers were approximately 3 microns in 
diameter. The laminate was point bonded with a bond area of approximately 
15 percent and approximately 48 bond points per square centimeter. The 
spunbond resin was grade PF-304 polypropylene from Himont U.S.A., Inc. and 
the meltblown resin was grade 3746G polypropylene from the Exxon Chemical 
Company. An example of how to form such a laminate can be found in Brock 
et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 which is incorporated herein by reference 
in its entirety. 
The equipment used to aperture the webs in the examples was similar to that 
described above. Three different bond pattern rolls were used. The pattern 
roll for Examples 1, 2 and 5 used diamond-shaped pins set in offset rows. 
The pin specifications included a pin height of 0.38 mm, equal axis 
lengths of 1.06 mm, total pin surface area of 1.12 mm.sup.2, a pin density 
of 30.3 pins per square centimeter and a total bond or contact area of 35 
percent. The patterned roll used in Example 3 was similar to the one just 
described in that the pins were also diamond-shaped in offset rows with 
the difference being the pin dimensions and density. The pins used on this 
roll had a pin height of 0.42 mm, equal axis lengths of 0.85 mm, total pin 
surface area of 0.72 mm.sup.2, a pin density of 42.2 pins per cm.sup.2 and 
a total bond or contact area of 31 percent. For Example 4 the patterned 
roll used round pins set in a random pattern not in uniform offset rows. 
The pin height was 0.48 mm, the surface area of each pin was 0.40 
mm.sup.2, the pin density was 93.5 pins per square centimeter and the 
total bond or contact area was 37 percent. All of the above pattern rolls 
had a diameter from raised surface to raised surface of 18.0 centimeters. 
The anvil roll was constructed from steel, had a smooth surface and a 
diameter of 18 centimeters. Both of the rolls were heated using an 
internal hot oil system. The two rolls were adjusted to be in contact with 
one another and the nip pressure was adjusted as indicated below. 
EXAMPLE 1 
In this example the pattern roll described above was heated to a 
temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and the anvil roll was heated to a 
temperature of 82 degrees Celsius. The nip pressure along the interface 
between the pattern roll and the anvil roll was 35 psig (4.98 kilograms 
per lineal millimeter (kg/lmm)). The pattern roll was adjusted to a 
rotational speed of 6.7 meters per minute and the anvil roll had a 
rotational speed of 12.2 meters per minute. This resulted in a pattern 
roll to anvil roll speed ratio of 1.0:1.8. The film unwind had a constant 
brake tension applied thereto. The inlet speed of the film was 7.3 meters 
per minute. As a result, the film was being fed into the aperturing 
assembly while under a slight tension to reduce wrinkling. Once the film 
exited the aperturing assembly, it was wound up on a winder roll at a rate 
of 7.9 meters per minute. 
The resultant film is shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. As can be seen from 
the photomicrograph, the film was both apertured and slightly creped. 
Before processing, the film had a basis weight of 25.4 grams per square 
meter (gsm) a thickness of 0.025 millimeters and essentially no porosity. 
After processing, the basis weight increased to 28 grams per square 
centimeter. Thickness increased to 0.48 millimeters and the porosity was 
measured to be 6.2 standard cubic meters per minute. The percent open area 
due to the aperturing was 7 percent which was much less than the 31 
percent contact area on the pattern roll thus further demonstrating the 
creped nature of the resultant web. 
The film web of Example 1 was subjected to the profilometry testing 
outlined above. The average waviness (Wa) of the ten samples was 47.0 
microns as measured over a width of approximately 1.25 millimeters and the 
standard deviation for the ten samples was 17. A plot of the profilometry 
data is presented in FIG. 8 of the drawings. As can be seen in relation to 
the other curves, the material of Example 1 (as compared to the 
below-discussed materials of Examples 2 through 4) was the second 
smoothest of the materials due to the lower speed differential between the 
pattern roll and the anvil roll. In addition, the standard deviation was 
relatively low which indicated that the undulations in the film between 
the apertures was more uniform than with the other film only materials. 
As a point of comparison, two commercially available apertured films were 
also subjected to the same profilometry testing. The first film was a 
Driweave body side liner material from an ALWAYS.RTM. sanitary napkin 
manufactured by the Procter and Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. It had 
an average surface waviness (Wa) of 53.9 and a standard deviation of 8.9. 
This material had a higher amplitude but a lower standard deviation thus 
indicating a more uniform material across the solid film areas between the 
apertures. 
The second material was a vacuum apertured film (Code #2 AIBNN) from the 
Bi-Plast Company of Pieve Fissiraga (MI), Italy. It had an average surface 
waviness (Wa) of 27.3 and a standard deviation of 6.7. Here again, this 
material when compared to the apertured film of Example 1 had a lower 
standard deviation thus indicating a more uniform film surface between 
apertures. 
EXAMPLE 2 
In this example the pattern roll described above was heated to a 
temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and the anvil roll was heated to a 
temperature of 82.2 degrees Celsius. The nip pressure along the interface 
between the pattern roll and the anvil roll was 30 psig (4.23 kg/lmm). The 
pattern roll was adjusted to a rotational speed of 3.6 meters per minute 
and the anvil roll had a rotational speed of 12.2 meters per minute. This 
resulted in a pattern roll/anvil roll speed ratio of 1.0:3.3. The film 
unwind had a constant brake tension applied thereto. The film inlet speed 
was 6.1 meters per minute. Once the film exited the aperturing assembly, 
it was wound up on a winder roll at a rate of 4.3 meters per minute. 
The resultant film is shown in FIG. 4 of the Drawings. As can be seen from 
the photomicrograph, the film was both apertured and creped. The creping 
was much more pronounced than in Example 1 and, as a result of the extra 
creping, the film exhibited stretch properties in the machine direction. 
Before processing, the film had a basis weight of 25.4 gsm, a thickness of 
0.025 millimeters and essentially no porosity. After processing, the basis 
weight increased to 41.4 gsm. Thickness increased to 0.84 millimeters and 
the porosity was measured to be 15.7 standard cubic meters per minute. The 
percent open area due to the aperturing was 19 percent which once again 
was less than the contact area (31 percent) of the pattern roll. 
The film web of Example 2 was subjected to the profilometry testing 
outlined above. The average waviness (Wa) of the ten samples was 90.6 
microns as measured over a width of approximately 1.25 millimeters and the 
standard deviation for the ten samples was 42. A plot of the profilometry 
data is presented in FIG. 8 of the Drawings. As can be seen in relation to 
the other curves, the material of Example 2 had a higher degree of 
undulations and a greater average amplitude of the surface waviness (Wa) 
than the material in Example 1. The standard deviation was also greater 
thus showing a greater degree of irregularity of the web material between 
the apertures. 
EXAMPLE 3 
In this example the pattern roll described above was heated to a 
temperature of 90.5 degrees Celsius and the anvil roll was heated to a 
temperature of 76.7 degrees Celsius. The nip pressure along the interface 
between the pattern roll and the anvil roll was 40 psig (5.74 kg/lmm). The 
pattern roll was adjusted to a surface rotational speed of 3.0 meters per 
minute and the anvil roll had a surface rotational speed of 18.3 meters 
per minute. This resulted in a pattern roll/anvil roll speed ratio of 
1.0:6.0. The film unwind had a constant brake tension applied thereto. The 
film inlet speed was 7.6 meters per minute. Once the film exited the 
aperturing assembly, it was wound up on a winder roll at a rate of 4.9 
meters per minute. 
The resultant film is shown in FIG. 5 of the Drawings. As can be seen from 
the photomicrograph, the film was both apertured and creped. The creping 
was more pronounced than in Examples 1 and 2 and as a result of the extra 
creping, the film exhibited stretch and recovery properties in the machine 
direction. Before processing, the film had a basis weight of 25.4 gsm, a 
thickness of 0.025 millimeters and essentially no porosity. After the 
processing, the basis weight increased to 40.3 gsm. Thickness increased to 
0.81 millimeters and the porosity was measured to be 16.9 standard cubic 
meters per minute. The percent open area due to the aperturing was 20 
percent based upon the surface area of the film. 
The film web of Example 3 was subjected to the profilometry testing 
outlined above. The average waviness (Wa) of the ten samples was 106.7 
microns as measured over a width of approximately 1.25 millimeters and the 
standard deviation for the ten samples was 38. A plot of the profilometry 
data is presented in FIG. 8 of the drawings. As can be seen in relation to 
the other curves, the material of Example 3 had a higher degree of 
undulations and a greater average amplitude of the surface waviness (Wa) 
than the rest of the materials tested. This was due to the much higher 
speed differential in this example between the pattern roll and the anvil 
roll. The standard deviation was also high thus showing a greater degree 
of irregularity of the web material between the apertures as compared to 
the commercially available materials described above. 
EXAMPLE 4 
In this example the pattern roll described above was heated to a 
temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and the anvil roll was heated to a 
temperature of 79.5 degrees Celsius. The nip pressure along the interface 
between the pattern roll and the anvil roll was 5.03 kg/lmm. The pattern 
roll was adjusted to a rotational speed of 3.3 meters per minute and the 
anvil roll had a rotational speed of 18.3 meters per minute. This resulted 
in a pattern roll/anvil roll speed ratio of 1.0:5.5. The film unwind had a 
constant brake tension applied thereto. The film had an inlet speed of 3.7 
meters per minute. As a result, the film was being fed into the aperturing 
assembly while under a slight tension to reduce wrinkles. Along with the 
film, there was also fed into the nip a supply of the above-describe 
nonwoven from a second unwind at the same speed. The film was positioned 
adjacent the patterned roll although it should be noted that other 
aperturing and creping attempts were successful with the film oriented to 
the anvil roll side of the assembly. The material emerging from the exit 
side of the nip was a coapertured laminate with the apertures extending 
through both layers of the laminate. See FIG. 6. Once the film/nonwoven 
laminate exited the aperturing assembly, it was wound up on a winder roll 
at a rate of 3.3 meters per minute. 
Before the aperturing/bonding process, the film had a basis weight of 18.7 
gsm and the nonwoven had a basis weight of 16.6 gsm for a non-bonded 
combined basis weight of 35.3 gsm. After processing, the basis weight 
increased to 36.0 gsm. Before processing, the film thickness was 0.019 mm 
and the nonwoven thickness was 0.43 mm for a combined unbonded thickness 
of 0.45 mm. After processing, the laminate thickness was 0.33 mm thereby 
showing a reduction in overall thickness. Porosity went from essentially 
zero due to the unapertured film to a value of 13.7 standard cubic meters 
per minute. Open area for the laminate was 16 percent. A notable 
observation with respect to this example was the lack of residual film 
around the perimeters of the apertures. On the film only samples (Examples 
1 through 3), there was consistently observed the presence of a flap-like 
member around the perimeter of the apertures. With the coapertured 
film/nonwoven laminate of Example 4, this flap was not nearly as 
prevalent. As a result, the material was very soft to the touch with no 
scratchy surface and this was believed to be attributed to the lack of the 
residual film flaps. Such a material may be used in a personal care 
absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin with the film side positioned 
towards the absorbent core or with the nonwoven positioned towards the 
absorbent core. 
The film and fibrous nonwoven web laminate of Example 4 was subjected to 
the profilometry testing outlined above. The average waviness (Wa) of the 
ten samples was 22.0 microns as measured over a width of approximately 
1.25 millimeters and the standard deviation for the ten samples was 11. A 
plot of the profilometry data is presented in FIG. 8 of the drawings. As 
can be seen in relation to the other curves, the material of Example 4 had 
a lower degree of undulations and a lower average amplitude of the surface 
waviness (Wa) than the rest of the materials tested. It is believed that 
this was due to the cushioning effect the fibrous nonwoven layer had on 
the film layer even though the speed differential in this example between 
the pattern roll and the anvil roll was almost a great as that used in 
Example 3 which did have the greatest average surface waviness. The 
standard deviation was also low thus showing less irregularity in the 
surface of the material of the web between the apertures. Here again it is 
believed that this was due to the cushioning effect of the fibrous 
nonwoven web layer. 
EXAMPLE 5 
In this example the pattern roll described above was heated to a 
temperature of 99 degrees Celsius and the anvil roll was heated to a 
temperature of 82 degrees Celsius. The nip pressure along the interface 
between the pattern roll and the anvil roll was 5.74 kg/lmm. The pattern 
roll was adjusted to a rotational speed of 3.0 meters per minute and the 
anvil roll had a rotational speed of 18.0 meters per minute. This resulted 
in a pattern roll to anvil roll speed ratio of 1.0:6.0. The nonwoven 
unwind had a constant brake tension applied thereto. As a result, the 
spunbond/meltblown/spunbond (SMS) nonwoven laminate was being fed into the 
aperturing assembly while under a slight tension and at a speed of 6.1 
meters per minute. Once the SMS laminate exited the aperturing assembly, 
it was wound up on a winder roll at a rate of 3.6 meters per minute. 
The resultant film is shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. As can be seen from 
the photomicrograph, the SMS laminate was both apertured and slightly 
creped with an open area of 12 percent. Before processing, the web had a 
basis weight of 28.4 gsm, a thickness of 0,228 millimeters and a porosity 
of 3.8 standard cubic meters per minute. After the processing, the basis 
weight increased to 36.2 gsm, thickness increased to 0.73 millimeters and 
the porosity increased to 12.3 standard cubic meters per minute. 
As can be seen from the foregoing examples, the process of the present 
invention is capable of providing a wide variety of materials including 
single layer materials and laminates which may be creped and/or apertured. 
These materials can be used in a wide variety of applications, one being 
as a liner material for a sanitary napkin. 
A small scale confidential consumer use test was conducted to evaluate one 
of the materials according to the present invention against a conventional 
pattern roll faster film cover on a sanitary napkin. Referring to FIG. 9 
of the drawings, the personal care absorbent article, which in this case 
was a sanitary napkin 90, included a liquid pervious top sheet 92 and a 
bottom sheet 94 with an absorbent core 96 disposed between the top sheet 
92 and the bottom sheet 94. The sanitary napkin according to the present 
invention utilized the apertured and creped film from Example 2 above as 
the top sheet 92. The second film used for the top sheet 92 was made 
according to a more conventional process whereby the pattern roll rotates 
at a faster surface velocity than the anvil roll. Both films were made 
from the same film composition as was described in Example 2. The 
preapertured bulk and basis weight for the conventional pattern faster 
film were 0.0375 millimeters and 37.5 grams per square meter respectively. 
This film was apertured using the previously described pattern roll with a 
31 percent bond area. The pattern roll was rotated approximately two times 
faster than the anvil roll. The resultant pattern faster film had a final 
basis weight of 30.5 gsm which was a reduction in basis weight due to the 
stretching of the film during the aperturing process. The pattern faster 
film had a bulk of 0.64 millimeters, a 23 percent open area and a porosity 
of 26.7 cubic meters per minute. 
Both sanitary napkins used the same chassis which included an absorbent 
core 96 made from two layers of wood pulp fluff each weighing 6 grams and 
with a combine bulk of 9 millimeters. The bottom sheet or baffle 94 was a 
0.025 millimeter thick low density polyethylene film. In between the top 
sheet and the absorbent core there was positioned a 33.2 gsm bicomponent 
through-air bonded spunbond nonwoven web 98 made from 5 denier 
polyethylene/polypropylene side-by-side bicomponent fibers which had been 
treated to render the fibers wettable. The top sheets were placed on top 
of the spunbond layers and the top sheets and bottom sheets of the 
sanitary napkins were peripherally sealed to one another. 
Twelve napkins of each construction were worn by women with medium to heavy 
menstrual flows. Each woman wore both constructions for four hours each or 
until leakage occurred. At the end of each wearing, the women were asked 
to evaluate each napkin construction for dryness, stain masking, cover 
cleanliness and absorbency. The sanitary napkin using the top sheet 
according to the present invention (Example 2) was rated better overall 
especially in the areas of cover cleanliness and stain masking. The 
surface of the pattern roll faster top sheet had less three-dimensionality 
thus resulting in fluid hang-up and a wet surface whereas the material of 
the present invention did not exhibit these traits. These results were 
significant considering the fact that the pattern faster film had greater 
open area and greater porosity. The resilient and irregular surface of the 
material of the present invention is believed to be especially important 
in the area of maintaining a clean and dry surface with distancing from 
the body. Despite the significant land area between the apertures, the 
highly creped surface topography kept fluid away from the body while 
transporting the fluid into and through the apertures. 
Having thus described the invention in detail, it should be apparent that 
various modifications and changes can be made in the present invention 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.