초록 ▼

A laminate of thermoplastic polymeric films comprises at least one fluted ply A and at least one substantially flat ply B, adhered to one another in bonded zones along the flute crests. The wavelength of the flutes is preferably no more than 3 mm. Ply A has a generally uniform thickness or can have

A laminate of thermoplastic polymeric films comprises at least one fluted ply A and at least one substantially flat ply B, adhered to one another in bonded zones along the flute crests. The wavelength of the flutes is preferably no more than 3 mm. Ply A has a generally uniform thickness or can have attenuated zones of lessor thickness extending parallel to the flute direction, each bonded zone being located mainly within an attenuated zone. The flutes can be sinuous with crests on both sides of ply A and can be adhered on each side to a ply B, in which case, attenuated zones can be on both sides and can have different widths. The flutes can be filled with filler material, including reinforcement strands, and one or both sides can be perforated. The method and apparatus employ aligned grooved fluting rollers and a grooved laminating roller.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of manufacturing a laminate comprising: fluting a ply A using first grooved fluting rollers to impart a first fluted configuration to the ply A to form a fluted ply A,first solid-state stretching the fluted ply A between first grooved stretching rollers to form first attenuated zones dis

1. A method of manufacturing a laminate comprising: fluting a ply A using first grooved fluting rollers to impart a first fluted configuration to the ply A to form a fluted ply A,first solid-state stretching the fluted ply A between first grooved stretching rollers to form first attenuated zones disposed parallel to a flute direction of the stretched fluted ply A, where the stretching occurs perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the flute direction, andlaminating the fluted ply A to a ply B using heat and pressure to adhesively bond a first side of the ply B to a first side of the ply A using laminating rollers to form a laminate having bonding zones,where each grooved stretching roller is different from each laminating roller, and where each laminating roller is coordinated with each grooved stretching roller so that the bonding zones are disposed substantially within the first attenuated zones, andwhere a wavelength of the flutes of the fluted ply A is less than or equal to about 5 mm. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ply B is flat and the bonding zones comprise regions of the ply B that contact crests of the fluted ply A. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: prior to the fluting, orienting the ply A in one or both directions so that a main direction of orientation in the oriented ply is substantially the same as the flute direction of the ply,after laminating, thermally shrinking the fluted ply A in a direction substantially the same as the flute direction of the flute ply A to form flutes in the ply B, where a flute direction of the fluted ply B make an angle with the flute direction of the fluted ply A,wherein at least one oldie laminating rollers is grooved, the bonding zones comprise spotbonds between crests on the first side of the ply A and crests on the first side of the ply B, andwavelengths of the flutes of the plies A and B are less than or equal to about 10 mm, andthe wavelength of the flutes in at least one of the plies A or B is less than or equal to about 5 mm. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: prior to the laminating, first solid-state stretching the ply B between the first grooved stretching rollers to form first attenuated zones disposed parallel to a flute direction of the stretched ply B, where the stretching occurs perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the flute direction of ply A, where each grooved stretching roller is different from each laminating roller, and where each grooved laminating roller is coordinated with each grooved stretching roller so that the bonding zones are disposed substantially within the first attenuated zones. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: prior to or after the formation of the first attenuated zones, second solid-state stretching at least one of the fluted ply A or ply B between second grooved stretching rollers to form second attenuated zones in the fluted ply A or the ply B both of which have the first attenuated zones, where the second attenuated zone are parallel with the first attenuated zones, where the second attenuated zones are narrower than the first attenuated zones, and where the second grooved stretching rollers are coordinated with the first grooved stretching rollers so that the second attenuated zones are disposed substantially between neighboring first attenuated zones. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein each grooved roller used to form the flutes in one of the plies and each grooved roller used to form the first attenuated zones in both the fluted ply A and the ply B, and each grooved roller used to form the second attenuated zones in the fluted ply A and/or the ply B, and a grooved roller which the plies follow before and during lamination, if present, are rollers in which the grooves are substantially parallel with the roller axis, and means are provided to hold the flutes of the fluted ply A in the respective grooves during the passage from the position where the flutes are formed to the position where lamination takes place, the holding means adapted to avoid a frictional rubbing on the plies during the passage. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second attenuated zones are formed by grooved rollers acting in coordination with the first grooved stretching rollers, and the coordination comprises an automatic fine regulation of relative velocities between the rollers. 8. The method of claim 4, wherein the adhesive bonding is directly between the ply A and the ply B and established through a lamination layer on at least one of these plies, and where the lamination layer is heated to a lamination temperature by heating from an opposite side of the fluted ply A and/or the ply B, wherein a temperature of the laminating rollers and a thickness of the fluted ply A and/or the ply B in the first attenuated zones of both fluted ply A and ply B allow the lamination layer to reach the lamination temperature, while a thickness of the fluted ply A and/or the ply B outside the first attenuated zones of both fluted ply A and ply B in contact with crests of the grooved laminating roller is such that the lamination layer outside the first attenuated zones of both the fluted ply A and the ply B do not reach the lamination temperature and where the first attenuated zones of both fluted ply A and ply B and the bonding zones become substantially coincident. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein a pitch of the grooved lamination roller less than or equal to 3.0 mm. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the fluting step, which establishes the flute configuration in one of the plies A or B substantially in a machine direction comprises taking one of the plies A or B before laminating through a set of driven mutually intermeshing grooved rollers, the grooves on the rollers being circular or helical and forming an angle of at least 60° with the roller axis. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein one of the plies A or B passing directly from its exit from the last of the grooved stretching rollers and grooved fluting rollers to the grooved laminating roller, these two mutually intermeshing grooved rollers being in close proximity to each other and having the same pitch when measured at each ones operational temperature and being mutually adjusted in the axial direction for alignment of the grooves. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the ply A and/or the ply B passing from its exit from the last of the grooved fluting rollers to the grooved laminating roller over one or a series of heated, grooved transfer rollers, the grooved rollers in the row starting with the grooved stretching rollers and ending with the grooved laminating roller each being in close proximity to its neighbor or neighbors, whereby each of the grooved rollers in the row has the same pitch when measured at their respective operational temperature, and being mutually adjusted in the axial direction for alignment of the grooves. 13. The method of claim 4, further comprising: forming a distinct stripe formation in the first attenuated zone zones of both the fluted ply A and the ply B, where the stripes are established at least in part by giving the crests on the grooved stretching roller intended to produce the stripes a temperature higher than a temperature on the crests of the other grooved stretching roller and/or by giving the crests on the grooved stretching roller intended to produce the stripes a radius of curvature smaller than a radius of curvature of the crests on the matching grooved stretching roller. 14. The method of claim 4, wherein the first attenuated zones are formed by grooved rollers acting in coordination with the grooved laminating roller used and the coordination comprises an automatic fine regulation of relative velocities between the rollers. 15. The method of claim 3, wherein at least a part of a depth of each flute in at least one of the two plies A or B, is carried out after lamination by thermal shrinking one of the plies A or B in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flute direction of the other ply. 16. The method of claim 3, further comprising: after the lamination, flattening at least some of the flutes in each ply in locations placed at intervals and subjecting each ply to heat and pressure sufficient to bond the plies to each other in the locations so that the two arrays of flutes together form channels or closed pockets. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least some of the flattening is carried out with bars or cogs which have their longitudinal direction arranged substantially in the machine direction and/or a direction transverse thereto. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein particulate, liquid, fiber or yarn material is filled into some at least of the channels formed by the two arrays of flutes, this filling taking place prior to or during laminating. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: after filling, the filled channels are closed at intervals by pressure and heat to form filled pockets. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: prior to, simultaneously with or following the filling step perforating the pockets at least on one side to facilitate the filling material or part thereof to dissipate into the surroundings or to allow air or liquid to pass through the filling material. 21. The method of claim 16, further comprising: forming a multitude of perforations in the two plies A and B, but limited to areas, where the two plies are not bonded together, and the perforations in the ply A are displaced from the perforations in the ply B to force air or liquid which passes through the laminate to run a distance along one or more channels. 22. The method of claim 3, further comprising: melting a multitude of holes in the ply A, but not in the ply B or in the ply B, but not in the ply A, where the holes are formed by contacting flutes of the ply A or B with protruding surface parts of a hot roller, where the parts are moving at substantially the same velocity as the laminating rollers. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the holes are formed by contacting flutes of the second ply with protruding, surface parts of a hot roller, which are moved at substantially the same velocity as the laminating roller, while heat insulating material prevents the flutes from contacting the hot surfaces of the hot roller. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising: drawing a protruding nap of fibre-like film portions out from the molten surroundings of holes by blowing air in between the laminate and a hot roller, where the laminate leaves the hot roller. 25. The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive bonding is i) directly between the ply A and the ply B and established through a lamination layer on at least one of these plies;ii) established through a separate thin bonding film; oriii) established through a fibrous web including surface bonding layers. 26. The method of claim 1, wherein the ply A comprises a monofilm-formed ply or multifilm-formed ply and/or the ply B comprises a monofilm-formed ply or multifilm-formed ply and the plies A and B comprise polymeric materials that are orientable at room temperature. 27. The method of claim 1, wherein the plies A and B comprise polyolefins. 28. The method of claim 1, wherein the ply A comprises a main layer and a lower melting surface layer on the first side of the ply A, wherein the ply B comprises a main layer and optionally a lower melting point layer on the first side of the ply B, and wherein the ply A is co-extruded prior to fluting and if the ply B includes the lower melting point layer, then the ply B is co-extruded prior to laminating. 29. The method of claim 1, further comprising: prior to the fluting, orienting the film or films constituting at least one of the plies A or B in one or both directions so that a main direction of orientation in the oriented ply is substantially the same as the flute direction of the ply A and/or the ply B. 30. A method of manufacturing a laminate of a first ply with a second ply both comprising an orientable thermoplastic polymer material and each having one face comprising a lamination layer in which the first and second plies are continuously fed in face to face relationship with the lamination layers in direct contact with one another between a pair of laminating rollers between which heat and pressure is applied, whereby the lamination layers become adhered to one another, in which the second ply is oriented substantially transversely of a machine direction, and is substantially non-shrinkable in solid state in a direction transverse to its orientation, and the first ply as it is fed to the laminating rollers is heat-shrinkable substantially in a shrink direction which is substantially parallel with the machine direction, the laminating rollers apply heat and pressure in bonding zones arranged in continuous or discontinuous rectilinear lines extending in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the shrink direction, and after lamination, the first ply is caused to shrink in a solid state or semisolid state in the shrink direction, where the second ply becomes fluted with flutes extending perpendicular to the shrink direction and having a wavelength less than or equal to about 5 mm. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the wavelength is less than or equal to about 3 mm. 32. The method of claim 30, wherein the first ply is kept substantially flat throughout the manufacturing process. 33. The method of claim 30, wherein the first ply is supplied with waves prior to the lamination, the wavelength being less than or equal to about 3 mm, and the lamination zones are on crests on one side of the waved first ply. 34. The method of claim 30, wherein by use of a take-off roller (13) having a slightly waved surface, the laminate on its whole is supplied with a longitudinal waving to eliminate a tendency to curling around its transverse direction. 35. The method according to claim 30 in which said rectilinear lines are discontinuous and in which the discontinuities in adjacent lines are aligned in the shrink direction. 36. A method of manufacturing a laminate of a first ply with a second ply both comprising an orientable thermoplastic polymer material and each having one face comprising a lamination layer in which the first and second plies are continuously fed in face to face relationship with the lamination layers in direct contact with one another between a set of laminating devices between which heat and pressure is applied, whereby the lamination layers become adhered to one another, in which the second ply is oriented substantially transversely of a machine direction, and is substantially non-shrinkable in solid state in a direction transverse to its orientation, and is prior to the laminating devices, segmentally stretched in its machine direction to introduce first attenuated zones perpendicular to the machine direction, the first ply as it is fed to the laminating devices is heat-shrinkable substantially in a shrink direction which is substantially parallel with the machine direction, the laminating devices comprise on the side facing the second ply a heated flat roller or a heated porous bar adapted to produce a film of hot air to press the plies towards the opposite laminating devices, which may be either a roller or a similar bar, a speed of the machine and temperatures of the rollers being adapted to heat the lamination layer in the first attenuated zones to a lamination temperature, but not to heat the lamination layer in adjacent non-attenuated zones to the lamination temperature, where bonding takes place only in the first attenuated zones, and after lamination, the first ply is caused to shrink in the solid state or the semisolid state in the shrink direction, where the second ply becomes fluted with flutes extending perpendicular to the shrink direction and having a wavelength less than or equal to about 5 mm. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the wavelength is less than or equal to about 3 mm. 38. The method of claim 36, wherein the first ply is kept substantially flat throughout the manufacturing process. 39. The method of claim 36, wherein the First ply is supplied with waves prior to the lamination, the wavelength being less than or equal to about 3 mm, and the lamination zones are on crests on one side of the waved first ply. 40. The method of claim 36, wherein by use of a take-off roller (13) having a slightly waved surface, the laminate on its whole is supplied with a longitudinal waving to eliminate a tendency to curling around its transverse direction. 41. The method according to claim 36 in which said rectilinear lines are discontinuous and in which the discontinuities in adjacent lines are aligned in the shrink direction.