BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1
a is a schematic view of a three-dimensional film for use in absorbent articles according the present invention;
FIG. 1
b is a partially broken-away perspective view of the film shown in FIG. 1a taken along line 1B in FIG. 1a;
FIG. 1
c is an enlarged photomicrograph of the three-dimensional film schematically shown in FIG. 1a, showing a top surface thereof;
FIG. 1
d is an enlarged photomicrograph of the three-dimensional film shown in FIG. 1c, showing a bottom surface thereof;
FIG. 1
e is a schematic view of a three-dimensional film, according a second embodiment, for use in absorbent articles according to the present invention;
FIG. 1
f is a partially broken away perspective view of the film shown in FIG. 1e taken along line “1f” in FIG. 1e;
FIG. 1
g is a photomicrograph of the top surface of the three-dimensional film schematically shown in FIG. 1e;
FIG. 1
h is a photomicrograph of the bottom surface of the three-dimensional film shown in FIG. 1g;
FIG. 1
i is an enlarged photomicrograph of a portion of the three-dimensional film shown in FIG. 1g, said portion corresponding to the portion of the film encircled by the circle “1f” in FIG. 1e;
FIG. 1
j is an photomicrograph of the portion of the three-dimensional film shown in FIG. 1i showing a bottom surface thereof;,
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one type of three dimensional topographical support member useful to make films useful in absorbent articles according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for laser sculpting a workpiece to form a three dimensional topographical support member useful to make a film used in absorbent articles according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a computer control system for the apparatus of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of a file to laser sculpt a workpiece to produce a three dimensional topographical support member for producing an apertured film shown in FIGS. 1a-1d;
FIG. 5
a is a graphical representation of the file shown in FIG. 5 showing an enlarged portion thereof;
FIG. 5
b is a graphical representation of a file to laser sculpt a workpiece to produce a three dimensional topographical support member for producing the apertured film shown in FIGS. 1e-1j;
FIG. 5
c is an enlarged portion of the graphical representation of the file shown in FIG. 5b showing the portion of the file encircled by the circle 5c in FIG. 5b;
FIG. 5
d is an enlarged portion of the graphical representation of the file shown in 5b showing the portion of the file encircled by the circle 5d in FIG. 5b;
FIG. 5
e is an enlarged portion of the graphical representation shown in FIG. 5d showing the portion of the file encircled by the circle 5e in FIG. 5d;
FIG. 6 is a photomicrograph of a workpiece after it was sculpted utilizing the file of FIG. 5;
FIG. 6
a is a photomicrograph of a workpiece after it was sculpted using the file shown in FIGS. 5b-5e;
FIG. 6
b is a enlarged portion of the workpiece shown in FIG. 6a, said enlarged portion corresponding to the area encircled by the circle 6b in FIG. 6a;
FIG. 7 is a view of a support member used to make a film according to the invention in place on a film-forming apparatus;
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an apparatus for producing an apertured film according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the circled portion of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of a file to drill a workpiece using raster scan drilling to produce a three dimensional topographical support member for producing an apertured film;
FIG. 11 is a top plan view of an absorbent article according to the present invention;
FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the absorbent article shown in FIG. 10; and
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of the absorbent article shown in FIG. 10 with the layers thereof partially cut away to reveal the underlying structure.
Patent Application
20070191802
