Abstract:
A method for producing a film with attached fibrils having a cloth-like look and feel. A flocking or metering device is provided for dispensing a layer of the fibrils. The fibrils are next delivered onto a moving vacuum belt, which has a porous surface for drawing the layer of fibrils thereto. After dispersion, the fibril layer is transported and held by the vacuum conveyor belt to a position under a slot cast extrusion die, where a lower temperature melt polymer is released. Upon release, the lower temperature melt polymer and fibril layer fuse and combine to interlock to create a composite temporary web. In one embodiment, the fibril layer and lower temperature melt polymer are delivered at a first nip point between a pair of nip rollers to create the composite temporary web. The composite temporary web may next be collected on collection rolls, or combined with a higher temperature melt polymer under a second slot cast extrusion die to form a permanent film with fibrils. During combination with the higher temperature melt polymer, the lower temperature melt polymer of the composite temporary web melts and fuses into the higher temperature melt polymer and is drawn between a nip roll and a perforated vacuum forming screen having a pressure differential at a second nip point to harden and create apertures in the film and allow the fibril layer to follow the contours of the film, while the openings of the apertures remain free from fibrils.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates in general to a method for affixing individual fibrils to a film, and in particular but not by way of limitation, to a method for affixing individual fibrils to a three-dimensional formed and apertured film by causing a low melt point web to intermingle with and/or captivate individual fibrils of essentially non-melting material, wherein the fibrils become partially embedded and/or entangled in the low melting point web to form a composite temporary web of both a low melt point polymer and the affixed fibrils, and subsequently introducing the composite temporary web into a second molten web of higher melt temperature, thereby causing the temporary web to melt into the contacting face of the second molten web and subsequently in preferred embodiments aperturing and forming the permanent film.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, incontinent devices, diapers, wound dressings and other products are well known. These articles absorb liquid and retain the liquid within a core. The interior or topsheet of the absorbent article is made of a flexible plastic film material. A negative characteristic of the flexible plastic film material is a glossy or “plastic” look and sticky tactile feel. It is desirable to produce absorbent devices which have a cloth-like look and feel to a user&#39;s skin.  
           [0003]    Many types of films have been proposed to overcome these tactile problems, such as the film disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,930, which depicts a system for laminating a perforated plastic film and a fibrous web material, wherein a pneumatic vacuum is used to perforate the film when it is in a thermoplastic condition. However, the prior art relies on the existence of a web, and does not teach the application of individual fibrils that are not in a web structure. In commonly-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 08/850,635, the lack of a web is compensated for by the presence of a continuous belt, which carries a controlled amount of individual fibrils onto the molten web. The resulting web is subsequently formed and apertured with the composite component of the fibrils affixed to the contour of the user-side surface.  
           [0004]    U.S. application Ser. No. 08/850,635 does not teach that fibrils are bound together to form a web, therefore the film disclosed therein lacks the integrity and transport properties of a web; hence, it is taught that they are conveyed by a belt. Further, because the conveying belt or drum of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/850,635 is cumbersome and difficult to maintain in the precise operating parameters required, inventive means must be incorporated to deliver the fibrils to the film-forming step in order to create the composite structure of a film with a fibrilized surface that follows the contour of the funnel-like cells, rendering them unobstructed.  
           [0005]    The method of this invention eliminates the need for the carrier/conveyor belt by providing a composite temporary web with web integrity that can be transported directly into the lamination/forming process. Once the temporary web is in contact with the molten face of the film forming web, the temporary web melts and fuses, thereby depositing and embedding the fibrils thereto.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In the first embodiment, a flocking or metering device is provided for dispensing a controlled amount of individual fibrils. The fibrils are delivered onto a moving conveyor belt, which in certain embodiments may comprise a vacuum belt having a porous surface for drawing the layer of fibrils thereto. The unbonded fibrils are individual or substantially individual during dispersion from the flocking device, and remain unbonded after dispersion. Next, the fibril layer is transported and held by the vacuum conveyor belt to a position under a slot cast extrusion die, where a low temperature polymer melt is released. Upon release of the low temperature polymer melt, a vacuum pulls the low temperature polymer melt onto the surface of the fibril layer with a predetermined amount of pressure. This pressure may be sufficient to cause the fibrils to embed in the contacting surface of the polymer film, especially if tacky polymers are employed such as EVA, EMA, EEA, and others.  
           [0007]    If low melt temperature polyethylenes are used, one can then deliver the combined polymer film and fibril layer to a nip point between a pair of nip rollers to cause sufficient pressure to captivate the fibrils and create the composite temporary web. Proximity positioning or very light pressure of the nip rollers is preferable to avoid flattening the fibrils onto the polymer film. In this manner, only a portion of most of the fibrils becomes embedded and affixed to the temporary polymer film. The more substantial portion of the fibrils maintain at least one loose end protruding off the surface of the composite temporary web.  
           [0008]    These composite temporary webs may next be spooled or wound into master rolls for further processing at a later time, or processed in-line with subsequent process equipment to be combined with the higher temperature polymer melt under a second slot cast extrusion die for formation of the permanent film. This second in-line option will provide a continuous process mode as opposed to the roll option, which requires a secondary batch process. These options are available for all embodiments described herein.  
           [0009]    During the combination with the higher temperature polymer melt, the lower melt temperature portion of the composite temporary web melts and fuses into the higher temperature polymer melt. The resulting permanent film is drawn against a perforated vacuum forming screen having a pressure differential to create funnel-like contours and apertures in the film and allow the fibrils to embed into and follow contours of the permanent film. A majority of aperture openings remain free of fibrils. It is also contemplated within the scope of this invention that these methods can apply to any known film making process. Smooth films and embossed films, as well as the preferred three-dimensional apertured films, can benefit by being enhanced with a surface of soft fibrils.  
           [0010]    In a second embodiment, a flocking or metering device is provided to dispense the fibrils. From the device, the fibrils are delivered onto a moving vacuum belt having a porous surface for drawing and holding the fibrils thereto. The unbonded fibrils are individual or substantially individual during dispersion and remain unbonded after dispersion. Next, the fibril layer is transported and held by the vacuum conveyor belt to a position under a nonwoven meltblown extrusion die, which has a plurality of air slots releasing air streams at converging angles. The converging air streams create a turbulent zone for the dispersion of the lower temperature polymer melt, which is released from the extrusion die in fiber-like strands.  
           [0011]    The layer of fibrils is next combined with the lower temperature polymer melt on a porous surface of a conveyor belt wheel having an internal vacuum which creates a vacuum zone to form a composite temporary web. While the fibrils are somewhat adhered to but mostly entangled in the lower temperature polymer melt web, the fibrils do not melt or bond by fusing. Nonetheless, the fibrils are captivated in the lower temperature polymer melt to form the composite temporary web.  
           [0012]    In a third embodiment of the present invention, a flocking device for dispersing a controlled amount of fibrils is suspended adjacent to a nonwoven meltblown extrusion die. Gravity and venturi forces cause the controlled amount of fibrils dispersed over a controlled slot-like area, as determined by the exit slot of the flocking/metering device, to fall and be pulled into the path of converging air streams of the nonwoven meltblown process. Then, being caught in the converging air streams, the fibrils become somewhat adhered to and mostly entangled in and thus captivated during the forming of the lower temperature polymer melt as it is drawn down to the vacuum belt, which flattens and forms the lower temperature polymer melt. This process creates the composite temporary web.  
           [0013]    To summarize, the first embodiment extrudes a molten polymer film on a surface of a layer of fibrils combined with a light pressure to embed a portion of the fibrils into the polymer film surface, thereby captivating the fibril layer. The second and third embodiments introduce fibrils into a nonwoven meltblown web at various stages of the formation of the temporary composite web. A meltblown process extrudes multiple strands of hot polymer into converging air streams that create a turbulent zone. The turbulence causes the strands to ‘dance’ and entangle as a vacuum belt pulls the strands to the belt surface. As the strands strike the vacuum belt, they remain in a molten state to thereby fuse and bond at the interstices of the randomly dispersed fibers.  
           [0014]    The second embodiment introduces the layer of fibrils onto the vacuum belt such that the nonwoven meltblown web lands on top of the layer of fibrils and partially adheres to, but mostly entangles, the upper ends of the fibrils to captivate the fibrils.  
           [0015]    The third embodiment introduces the fibrils into the turbulent air stream formed in the nonwoven meltblown process wherein the fibrils become entangled and captivated.  
           [0016]    In all embodiments, the material with the highest melt point stability is the fibril, whose temperature parameters are controlled to maintain the fibril softness and integrity. The material with the lowest melt point stability is the polymer used to form the temporary web. The material of the permanent film has a melt point in between, such that the permanent film melts and fuses the temporary film or web onto its contacting surface, thereby leaving the fibrils deposited and embedded thereto with most of the fibrils maintaining at least one loose end. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a side view of a film forming system, including formation of a temporary composite web, according to the principles of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a side view of an alternate film forming system, including formation of a temporary composite web, according to the principles of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a side view of yet another alternate film forming system, including formation of a temporary composite web, according to the principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a side view of a film forming system  10  according to the principles of the present invention. A metering or flocking device  20  distributes individual fibrils  30  to form a layer  40 . It is to be understood that the present invention is especially useful in applying fibrous material which comprises loose individual fibrils (i.e., which are not bonded or entangled together to form a web). For purposes of this application, fibrils differ from fibers in that fibrils are microscopically short in length and are typically created by chopping fibers into the micro-scale length of fibrils. Fibrils are essentially individual and are not bonded to each other by adhesives, melt-fusing, pressure-fusing, intentional permanent entanglement, or other means. However, if several random fibrils become somewhat entwined together, they can be separated from each other with minuscule force and without breaking, distorting or otherwise changing their original integrity. Conversely, a fiber is a very long strand amongst thousands of other long strands combined and bonded together to form a web-most commonly known as a nonwoven web. Spun-bonded, melt-blown, carded, spun laced, and other nonwoven webs are commonly known and would be appropriate material for use in the lamination art. Woven webs are made of woven threads, whereby the threads are made by twisting thousands of long fibers together.  
         [0021]    The fibrils  30  ideally will have a predetermined micro-scale length such that the possibility is negligible for a single fibril or groups of entwined fibrils to bridge across the opening of a cell of a three-dimensionally formed and apertured film. This accounts for the soft feel of the fibrilized surface while avoiding any significant obstruction to the intended fluid flow through a topsheet&#39;s funnel-like formed and apertured cells or openings.  
         [0022]    For a common  25  mesh pattern of cells for three-dimensionally formed and apertured topsheet films, the ideal fibril length will be determined as follows:  
         [0023]    1. Since ‘mesh’ is the number of formed cells aligned in a one inch length, the distance from rim to rim of a single cell is about 40 mils;  
         [0024]    2. For a fibril to have a length which could bridge entirely across the formed cell, it would require a length of at least about 40 mils;  
         [0025]    3. To have an average fibril micro-length with negligible probability for bridging entirely across the formed cell, a length of less than about 40 mils will suffice;  
         [0026]    4. No fiber chopping method exists which delivers a consistent micro-length to every fibril; hence, if the average micro-length of the fibril is set somewhat below the micro-length required to bridge across the cell, then the cell&#39;s openings will be caused to remain unobstructed due to the absence of fibril bridging.  
         [0027]    Referring still to FIG. 1, the layer  40  of fibrils  30  is formed on and adheres to a conveyor belt  50  at first end  55  of the conveyor belt  50 . In a preferred embodiment, the conveyor belt  50  may comprise a porous medium so a vacuum  52  may cause suction therethrough. The conveyor belt  50  may be made of woven cloth, woven metallic wires, woven polymeric strands, nickel deposited screens, etch screens and the like.  
         [0028]    The layer  40  of fibrils  30  is held on the surface of the conveyor belt  50  by suction of the vacuum  52  and is transported along the vacuum conveyor belt  50  to a second end  58  of the conveyor belt  50 , where an extrusion slot die  60  of a first extruder  62  releases lower temperature polymer melt  70 . The lower temperature polymer melt  70  preferably is a polymer web. The polymer web is comprised of a polymer, including but not limited to polyethylene, polypropylene, EVA, EMA and copolymers thereof. Polyethylene is a preferred component of the polymer web. The lower temperature polymer melt  70  is pulled down by suction from within the vacuum conveyor belt  50  into contact on the layer  40  of fibrils  30 . System parameters are controlled, as determined by experimentation, such that most of the fibrils  30  become imbedded and locked into the lower temperature polymer melt  70 . A pair of light pressure nip rollers  90  compresses the lower temperature polymer melt  70  and a layer  40  of fibrils  30  to form a composite temporary web  100 , which then cools by natural convective losses of heat or by assisted cooling.  
         [0029]    The composite temporary web  100  may be collected onto a take-up roll, or next delivered in-line between a second nip roller  110  and a forming screen  120  at a nip point  121 . At the nip point  121 , the composite temporary web  100  is moved underneath a second extrusion slot die  122  of a second extruder  124 , where a higher temperature polymer melt  126  is released. The higher temperature polymer melt  126  is combined in a semi-molten state with the composite temporary web  100  and is drawn between the second nip roller  110  and forming screen  120 . Perforations  130  in the forming screen  120  allow suction from a second vacuum  140  within the forming screen  120  to draw the composite temporary web  100  through the perforations  130  and create apertures  160  on the resulting permanent film  150 . The film  150  is cooled by ambient air and the vacuum  140 , but also may be cooled by other available alternatives.  
         [0030]    There are three basic components that are desirable for practicing this method: the fibrils  30 ; the lower temperature polymer melt  70  used to form the composite temporary web  100  which captivates the fibrils; and the higher temperature polymer melt  126  used to form the final permanent film  150 . The fibrils  30  are preferably composed of material having the highest melting point. Fibrils  30  can be derived from natural fibers, such as cotton, cellulosics from pulp, animal hair, or synthetic fibers from polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, rayon and other materials. The lower temperature melt polymer  70  must be comprised of the lowest melting point material. Finally, the higher temperature melt polymer  126  used to form the permanent film  150  must have a melting point above the temporary web&#39;s melting point, yet below the fibril&#39;s melting point. Melting point separation of at least 10° F. and preferably, around 20° F. has been shown to be successful. A greater separation is of course desirable.  
         [0031]    Because the selection of fibrils  30  prevents the fibrils  30  from melting or distorting by the thermal load of the other melt polymers  70 ,  126 , the composite temporary web  100  will effectively ‘disappear’ into the face of the higher temperature melt polymer  126  during formation of the permanent film  150  while maintaining fibril integrity. It is therefore necessary to select a higher temperature melt polymer  126  that has a melting temperature above the melting point of the composite temporary web  100 , yet below the distortion temperature of the fibrils  30 .  
         [0032]    To best meet the thermal requirements, the fibrils  30  are preferably composed of natural fibers. Natural fibers do not typically ‘melt’ but rather burn, and then only at extreme high temperatures—usually about two to three times the thermal load of extrusion temperatures used in the film forming system  10 . However, polymer fibrils are contemplated within the scope of this method. Nylon, rayon, polyethylene and polypropylene polymers exist with sufficiently high melting points for the purposes of this methodology.  
         [0033]    The lower temperature polymer melt  70  is thin, preferably in the range of 0.1-0.5 mils. The fibrils  30  can vary in length, diameter, polymer type, and cross sectional shape. These parameters are decided via experimentation against targets of fluid acquisition, aesthetics and softness. Once defined and set, the metering device  20  is calibrated and loaded to deliver the correct “controlled” layer  40  of individual fibrils  30  onto a moving conveyor belt  50 .  
         [0034]    Upon contact of the higher temperature polymer melt  126  and the ambient temperature composite temporary web  100 , the composite temporary web  100  melts and fuses into the mass of the higher temperature polymer melt  126 . The composite temporary web  100  then loses its own definition and integrity, and will move and behave as an incorporated part of the higher temperature polymer melt  126 . The resulting film  150  has the individual fibril layer  40  which follows the contour of the reshaping caused by the second nip roller  110 , forming screen  120 , perforations  130 , and vacuum  140  to result in a film  150  with a coating of individual fibrils  30 . It is important to note that after formation of the film  150 , a majority of the fibrils  30  do not block the apertures  160  that form in the film  150 .  
         [0035]    Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a side view of an alternate film forming system  210  according to the principles of the present invention. A metering or flocking device  220  distributes individual fibrils  230  to form a layer  240  of fibrils  230  on a conveyor belt  250 . In this embodiment, it is preferable the conveyor belt  250  is made of a porous medium so suction from a vacuum  252  may be applied therethrough. The conveyor belt  250  may be made of woven cloth, woven metallic wires, woven polymeric strands, nickel deposited screens, etch screens and the like. Fibril selection and thermal requirements are made similar to that described for the previous embodiments.  
         [0036]    The porous conveyor belt  250  serves two purposes: first, it aids in the formation of the composite temporary web  300 ; and second, it holds the delivered layer  240  of fibrils  230  in place while the lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  is being delivered. As the lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  lands on the fibril layer  240  in the suction zone  282 , the lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  partially sticks to the layer  240  of fibrils  230  by melt-adhesion. More so, the semi-molten lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  and layer  240  of fibrils  230  will entangle and mechanically lock together in the newly combined composite temporary web  300  having intermingled fibrils.  
         [0037]    The layer  240  of fibrils  230  is held to the surface and transported along the conveyor belt  250  to a second end  258  at the conveyor belt  250 , where extrusion die slot orifices  260  of a nonwoven meltblown extruder  262  releases lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270 . The nonwoven meltblown extruder  262  has a plurality of air slots  264  at opposing sides of nonwoven meltblown die  266  with the extrusion die orifices  260  therebetween. The air slots  264  are positioned at a converging angle such that the air streams from each air slot  264  will intercept and collide to create a turbulence. The lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270 , which are nonwoven polymer melt-blown fibers, extrudes out of the nonwoven extrusion slot orifices  260  in fiber-like strands. The converging air streams from the adjacent air slots  264  collide in a turbulent zone  263  below the exit point of the extrusion die orifices  260 . The turbulent zone  263  pushes, elongates and thins the strands of the lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270 . The turbulent zone  263  also simultaneously causes the lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  to dance in random disarray. The mass of randomly entangling, dancing, lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  is drawn by suction from a second vacuum  265  in a conveyor wheel  267  into a suction zone  282  which pulls the nonwoven meltblown lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  onto the porous conveyor belt  250  and conveyor wheel  267 . The air streams are heated such that the molten state of the elongating and entangling lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  maintains its melting phase. Thereby, when the suction pulls the molten lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  down upon itself, the fiber-like strands of the nonwoven meltblown lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  fuse and bond while entangling the fibrils  230  to form a composite temporary web  300 , which then cools by natural convective losses of heat or by assisted cooling.  
         [0038]    The composite temporary web  300  may be collected onto a take-up roll, or next delivered in-line between a nip roller  310  and a forming screen  320  at a nip point  321 . At the nip point  321 , the composite temporary web  300  is moved underneath a second extrusion slot die  322  of a second extruder  324 , where a higher temperature melt polymer  326  is released. The higher temperature melt polymer  326  is combined in a semi-molten state with the composite temporary web  300  and is drawn between the second nip roller  310  and forming screen  320 . Perforations  330  and the forming screen  320  combined with a vacuum  340  in the forming screen  320  create apertures  360  therein to create a film  350 . The film  350  is cooled by ambient air and a vacuum  340 , but also may be cooled by other available alternatives.  
         [0039]    As in process  10 , there are three basic components that are desirable for practicing this method: the fibrils  230 ; the lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  used to form the composite temporary web  300  which captivates the fibrils; and the higher temperature melt polymer  326  used to form the final permanent film  350 . The fibrils  230  are preferably composed of material having the highest melting point. Fibrils  230  can be derived from natural fibers, such as cotton, cellulosics from pulp, animal hair, or synthetic fibers from polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, rayon and other materials. The lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  must be comprised of the lowest melting point material. Finally, the higher temperature melt polymer  326  used to form the permanent film  350  must have a melting point above the temporary web&#39;s melting point, yet below the fibril&#39;s melting point. Melting point separation of at least 10° F. and preferably, around 20° F. has been shown to be successful. A greater separation is of course desirable.  
         [0040]    Since the selection of fibrils  230  prevents the fibrils  230  from melting or distorting by the thermal load of the other melt polymers  270 ,  326 , the composite temporary web  300  will effectively ‘disappear’ into the face of the higher temperature melt polymer  326  during formation of the permanent film  350  while maintaining fibril integrity. It is therefore necessary to select a higher temperature melt polymer  326  that has a melting temperature above the melting point of the composite temporary web  300 , yet below the distortion temperature of the fibrils  230 .  
         [0041]    To best meet the thermal requirements, the fibrils  230  are preferably composed of natural fibers. Natural fibers do not typically ‘melt’ but rather burn, and then only at extreme high temperatures—usually about two to three times the thermal load of extrusion temperatures used in the film forming system  210 . However, polymer fibrils are contemplated within the scope of this method. Nylon, rayon, polyethylene and polypropylene polymers exist with sufficiently high melting points for the purposes of this methodology.  
         [0042]    The meltblown nonwoven material of the lower temperature nonwoven melt polymer strands  270  will preferably have a range of 2-10 gsm. The fibrils  230  can vary in length, diameter, polymer type, and cross sectional shape. These parameters are decided via experimentation against targets of fluid acquisition, aesthetics and softness. Once defined and set, the metering device  220  is calibrated and loaded to deliver the correct “controlled” layer  240  of individual fibrils  230  onto a moving conveyor belt  250 .  
         [0043]    Upon contact of the higher temperature melt polymer  326  with the ambient temperature composite temporary web  300 , the composite temporary web  300  melts and fuses into the mass of the higher temperature melt polymer  326 . The composite temporary web  300  then loses its own definition and integrity, and will move and behave as an incorporated part of the higher temperature melt polymer  326 . The resulting film  350  has the individual fiber layer  240  which follows the contour of the reshaping caused by the nip roller  310 , forming screen  320 , perforations  330 , and vacuum  340 , to result in a three dimensional apertured film  350  with a coating of individual fibrils. It is important to note that a majority of the apertures  360  resultingly formed in the film  350  remain unblocked by the fibrils  230 .  
         [0044]    Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a side view of yet another alternate film forming system  410  according to the principles of the present invention. A fibril metering or flocking device  420  is suspended adjacent to a nonwoven meltblown extrusion die  422  having a plurality of air slots  424 . The metering device  420  distributes individual fibrils  430  directly into an air stream  440 , which flows from the air slots  424 , and onto a rotating drum  450 . The air stream  440  forms a turbulent zone  442  and the venturi effect draws the fibrils  430  into the same turbulent zone  442  of lower temperature melt polymer strands  460  released from the die  422 . Then, a vacuum  480  pulls the fibrils  430  and polymer  460  together onto a screen  490  of the drum  450  over a vacuum zone  482 .  
         [0045]    The fibrils  430 , being caught in the converging air streams  440  of the turbulent zone  442 , become somewhat adhered to, but mostly entangled in one another. The turbulent zone  442  causes the lower temperature melt polymer  460  and fibrils  430  to intermingle in the turbulent air flow, such that the lower temperature melt polymer  460  and fibrils  430  mechanically interlock to form a composite temporary web  500 . The composite web  500  hardens upon contact with the surface of the screen  490 .  
         [0046]    After the composite web  500  has formed, it may be wound onto take-up rolls for collection, or delivered in-line to a nip roller  510  and a forming screen  520  at a nip point  521 . At the nip point  521 , the composite web  500  is moved underneath a second extrusion slot die  522  of a second extruder  524 , where a higher temperature melt polymer  526  is released. The higher temperature melt polymer  526  is combined in a semi-molten state with the composite web  500  and is drawn between the nip roller  510  and forming screen  520 . Perforations  530  on the forming screen  520  combined with a vacuum  540  in the forming screen  520  create apertures  560  therein, resulting in a film  550 . The film  550  is cooled by ambient air and a vacuum  540 , but also may be cooled by other available alternatives.  
         [0047]    The fibrils  430  are preferably composed of material having the highest melting point. Fibrils  430  can be derived from natural fibers, such as cotton, cellulosics from pulp, animal hair, or synthetic fibers from polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, rayon and other materials. The lower temperature melt polymer  460  must be comprised of the lowest melting point material and is preferably a nonwoven. Finally, the higher temperature melt polymer  526  used to form the permanent film  550  must have a melting point above the temporary web&#39;s melting point, yet below the melting point of the fibrils  430 . Melting point separation of at least 10° F. and preferably, around 20° F. has been shown to be successful. A greater separation is of course desirable.  
         [0048]    Because the selection of fibrils  430  prevents the fibrils from melting or distorting by the thermal load of the other melt polymers  460 ,  526 , the composite temporary web  500  will effectively ‘disappear’ into the face of the higher temperature melt polymer  526  during formation of the permanent film  550  while maintaining fibril integrity. It is therefore necessary to select a higher temperature melt polymer  526  that has a melting temperature above the melting point of the composite temporary web  500 , yet below the distortion temperature of the fibrils  430 .  
         [0049]    To best meet thermal requirements, the fibrils  430  are preferably composed of natural fibers. Natural fibers do not typically ‘melt’ but rather burn, and then only at extreme high temperatures—usually about two to three times the thermal load of extrusion temperatures used in the film forming system  410 . However, polymer fibrils are contemplated within the scope of this method. Nylon, rayon, polyethylene and polypropylene polymers exist with sufficiently high melting points for the purposes of this methodology.  
         [0050]    The lower temperature melt polymer  460  is preferably in the range of 2-10 gsm. The fibrils  430  can vary in length, diameter, polymer type, and cross sectional shape. These parameters are decided via experimentation against targets of fluid acquisition, aesthetics and softness. Once defined and set, the metering device  420  is calibrated and loaded to deliver the correct “controlled” amount of individual fibrils  430 .  
         [0051]    Upon contact of the higher temperature melt  526  with the ambient temperature composite web  500 , the composite temporary web  500  melts and fuses into the mass of the higher temperature melt polymer  526 . The composite temporary web  500  then loses its own definition and integrity, and will move and behave as an incorporated part of the higher temperature melt polymer  526 . The resulting permanent film  550  has the individual fibrils  430  following the contour of the reshaping caused by the nip roller  510 , forming screen  520 , perforations  530 , and vacuum  540 , to result in a three dimensional apertured film  550  with a coating of individual fibrils. It is important to note that a majority of resulting apertures  560  that form on the film  550  remain unblocked by fibrils  430 .  
         [0052]    The benefit in all embodiments of the present invention for affixing fibrils to a low melt temperature film or nonwoven web is to create a composite temporary web. This composite temporary web later melts and fuses into the contacting surface of the molten web of the film forming process, depositing and embedding the fibrils thereto.  
         [0053]    It is thus believed that the operation and construction of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description of the preferred exemplary embodiments. It will be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.