Jan Michael Trinkaus, Euskirchen, Germany; Hans Adolf Jackels, Mechernich, Germany; Gueltekin Erdem, Beijing, China; and Uwe Schneider, Cincinnati, OH.
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

Filed: 2/12/18
Issued: 3/31/20

A method of making a three-dimensional, apertured substrate on an absorbent article manufacturing line, the method comprising: conveying a precursor substrate in a machine direction on the absorbent article manufacturing line; providing a first roll having a first rotational axis; providing a second roll having a second rotational axis, wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are positioned generally parallel to each other to form a nip between the first and second rolls; wherein the first roll comprises: a first radial outer surface; a first plurality of projections extending at least partially outwardly from the first radial outer surface, wherein the first plurality of projections are configured to form apertures in the precursor substrate; a first plurality of recesses defined in the first radial outer surface; first distal portions of at least some of the first plurality of projections forming elongated aperturing structures, wherein the elongated aperturing structures comprise side walls; and first distal ends of the at least some of the first plurality of projections forming a point; wherein the first plurality of projections each have a first central longitudinal axis extending through the point; wherein portions of the side walls have a first angle, relative to the first central longitudinal axis, in the range of about 5 degrees to about 40 degrees; wherein the second roll comprises: a second radial outer surface; a second plurality of projections extending at least partially outwardly from the second radial outer surface, wherein the second plurality of projections are configured to form three-dimensional elements in the precursor substrate, and wherein the second plurality of projections comprise second distal portions and second distal ends; a second plurality of recesses defined in the second radial outer surface; and wherein at least some of the second distal portions comprise shoulders positioned intermediate bases and the distal ends, wherein opposite side walls of the bases are substantially parallel to each other; wherein the second plurality of projections have a second central longitudinal axis; wherein portions of the shoulders have a second angle, relative to the second central longitudinal axes, in the range of about 3 degrees to about 25 degrees; wherein the second distal ends are flat, or substantially flat; rotating the first roll in a first direction about the first rotational axis; rotating the second roll in a second, opposite direction about the second rotational axis; intermeshingly engaging portions of the first plurality of projections with portions of the second plurality of recesses in the nip; intermeshingly engaging portions of the second plurality of projections with portions of the first plurality of recesses in the nip; conveying the precursor substrate through the nip; and forming in the nip: apertures in the precursor substrate using the at least some of the first plurality of projections and the at least some of the second plurality of recesses; three-dimensional elements in the precursor substrate in areas free of the apertures using the at least some of the second plurality of projections and the at least some of the first plurality of recesses; and compressed regions of the precursor substrate formed intermediate portions of the side walls and portions of the shoulders.