US 12,291,819 B2
Zoned and/or layered substrates and method and apparatus for producing the same
Jian Qin, Appleton, WI (US); Sridhar Ranganathan, Alpharetta, GA (US); Francis P. Abuto, Johns Creek, GA (US); and Vikram Kaul, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US)
Appl. No. 17/915,833
Filed by KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC., Neenah, WI (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 31, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/025049
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 29, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/202640, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/002,570, filed on Sep. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0131582 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. D04H 1/4374 (2012.01); A61F 13/53 (2006.01); D04H 1/407 (2012.01); D04H 1/425 (2012.01); D04H 1/4382 (2012.01); D04H 1/541 (2012.01); D04H 1/544 (2012.01); D04H 1/55 (2012.01); D04H 1/732 (2012.01); D21F 1/02 (2006.01); D21F 11/00 (2006.01); A61F 13/15 (2006.01); A61F 13/537 (2006.01)
CPC D21F 11/002 (2013.01) [A61F 13/53 (2013.01); D04H 1/407 (2013.01); D04H 1/425 (2013.01); D04H 1/4374 (2013.01); D04H 1/43835 (2020.05); D04H 1/5412 (2020.05); D04H 1/544 (2013.01); D04H 1/55 (2013.01); D04H 1/732 (2013.01); D21F 1/022 (2013.01); A61F 13/15699 (2013.01); A61F 13/53717 (2013.01); D10B 2509/026 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
 
1. A substrate including a machine direction, a cross-direction, and a z-direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the machine direction and the cross-direction, the substrate comprising:
a first layer, the first layer comprising:
a first zone comprising a plurality of fibers;
a second zone comprising a plurality of fibers, the second zone being offset from the first zone in the cross-direction; and
an interface between the first zone and the second zone, the interface between the first zone and the second zone comprising at least some of the plurality of fibers of the first zone being mixed with at least some of the plurality of fibers of the second zone to provide a purity gradient with a transition width less than 3.8 cm as defined by a Purity Gradient Test Method.