Patent ID: 7087287

Claim:
A porous, macroscopically-expanded, three-dimensional elastomeric web having a continuous first surface and a discontinuous second surface, said first surface and said second surface being located in substantially parallel planes which are remote from one another, said elastomeric web comprising at least one substantially elastomeric layer having a first side and a second side and at least one substantially less elastomeric skin layer substantially continuously joined to one side of said substantial elastomeric layer, and said elastomeric web comprising a multiplicity of elastomeric interconnecting members of upwardly concave-shaped cross-section for substantially decoupling applied strain-induced stresses in said first surface from said second surface, said interconnecting members defining at least one primary aperture in said first surface and having interconnected sidewall portions extending in the direction of said second surface, said interconnected sidewall portions terminating to form at least one secondary aperture having tear initiation sites in said second surface of said elastomeric web, such tat strain-induced stresses on said elastomeric web are substantially decoupled from tear initiation sites in said secondary apertures, at least until said second surface is no longer remote from said plane of said first surface when said stresses are applied to said web, and wherein said web exhibits a draw ratio of approximately 10:1.