MX2007004996A - Reinforced fibrous structures - Google Patents

Abstract

Fibrous structures that comprise a CD knuckle and/or that exhibit a product of caliper and CD modulus of at least about 10,000 and/or that exhibit a ratio of CD modulus to caliper of at least about 35, and methods for making such fibrous structures are provided.

Description

REINFORCED FIBROUS STRUCTURES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to fibrous structures and to tissue paper hygiene products comprising fibrous structures and methods for their manufacture. More specifically, the present invention relates to fibrous structures comprising a CD elbow (machine transverse direction) and / or having a product of caliber and CD module of at least about 10,000 and / or having a CD modulus relationship. -free of at least about 35 and the methods for making such fibrous structures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The softness, strength and / or absorbency are properties that consumers need in fibrous structures and / or tissue paper hygiene products that comprise fibrous structures. The formulators, especially the formulators of fibrous structures dried with passing air, have tried to satisfy the needs of the consumers by increasing the caliber (the apparent thickness) of the fibrous structures. Such prior art products provide an increased gauge and result in greater softness, which pleases consumers, but also result in a decrease in the CD module, which causes handling problems during the processing of fibrous structures and / or tissue paper hygiene products comprising said fibrous structures. Consequently, the need for fibrous structures and methods persists for preparing such fibrous structures having a sufficient caliber that meets the needs of consumers without adversely affecting the handling of fibrous structures and / or tissue paper hygiene products during the manufacture of such fibrous structures and / or tissue paper hygiene products as result of the negative impact on the CD module of the fibrous structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention satisfies the needs described above by providing fibrous structures comprising a CD elbow and / or having a product of caliber and CD module of at least about 10,000, and / or exhibiting a CD-caliber module ratio of at least about 35, and methods for making such fibrous structures. In an example of the present invention, a fibrous structure comprises: a. A network region; and b. a region of domes; wherein the network region comprising a CD elbow is provided. In another example of the present invention, a fibrous structure comprising a gauge and a CD module is provided such that the gauge product and the CD module is greater than about 10,000, and / or greater than about 15,000, and / or greater than about 20,000, and / or greater than about 25,000, and / or greater than about 30,000, and / or greater than about 33,000, and / or greater than about 35,000. In yet another example of the present invention, a fibrous structure having a CD-caliber modulus ratio of at least about and / or at least about 45 and / or at least about 55 and / or at least about 65 and / or at least about 75. In yet another example of the present invention, a hygienic product of single-ply or multi-ply tissue paper comprising a fibrous structure in accordance with the present invention. In yet another example of the present invention, there is provided a method for making a fibrous structure comprising the step of forming a fibrous structure comprising a network region and a region of domes, wherein the network region comprises a CD elbow. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a plan view of an example of a fibrous structure in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fibrous structure of the Figure 1 taken along line 2-2; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of an example of a machine used for the manufacture of a fibrous structure useful in the practice of the present invention; Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of a deflection member useful in the practice of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the deflection member of Figure 4 taken along line 5-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As used herein, "fibrous structure" and / or "weft" refer to a substrate formed of nonwoven fabric fibers. The fibrous structure of the present invention can be manufactured by any suitable process such as wet laying, air laying, and consolidated filament processes. The fibrous structure may be in the form of one or more sheets suitable for incorporation into a tissue paper hygienic product and / or may be in the form of non-woven garments such as surgical garments including surgical shoe covers, and / or surgical products. non-woven paper such as surgical towels and wipes. In general, an aqueous dispersion of fibers and dispersions in liquids other than water can be used to prepare an embryonic fibrous web. This liquid dispersion of fibers is often called fiber pulp. The fibers can be dispersed in the carrier liquid to have a consistency of about 0.1% to about 0.3%. It is believed that the present invention may also be applicable to wet forming operations where the fibers are dispersed in a carrier liquid to have a consistency of less than about 50%, more preferably less than about 10%. Alternatively, an embryonic fibrous web may be prepared using an airlaying method, wherein a fiber composition (generally, not dispersed in a liquid) is deposited on a surface, for example a forming member, so that an embryonic plot forms. The fibrous structures of the present invention can have physical properties such as dry tensile strength, wet tensile strength, caliper, basis weight, density, opacity, tear resistance in wet state, decomposition, softness, volume, lint and sides with different finishing suitable for the consumers of the fibrous structures used in tissue paper hygiene products and / or known by people of skill in the industry as suitable for the fibrous structures used in said products . "Fiber", as used herein, means an elongated particle having an apparent length that considerably exceeds its apparent width, i.e., a length-to-diameter ratio of at least about 10. More specifically, as used in the present, "fiber" refers to paper fibers. The present invention contemplates the use of a variety of papermaking fibers, such as, for example, natural fibers or synthetic fibers, or any other suitable fiber, and any combination thereof. Papermaking fibers useful in the present invention include cellulosic fibers, known as wood pulp fibers. Some pulps of wood useful herein are chemical pulps, such as Kraft, sulphite and sulphate pulps, as well as mechanical pulps including, for example, crushed wood, thermomechanical pulps and chemically modified thermomechanical pulps. However, chemical pulps may be preferred, since they impart a superior feeling of softness to the touch to the sheets of tissue paper made therefrom. Pulps derived from deciduous trees (hereinafter also called "hardwood") and coniferous trees (hereinafter also called "softwood") can be used. Hardwood and softwood fibers may be blended, or alternatively, layered to provide a stratified web. U.S. Pat. num. 4,300,981 and 3,994,771 are hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of disclosing the stratification of hardwood and softwood fibers. Also useful are fibers derived from recycled paper which may comprise one or all of the mentioned fiber categories and other non-fibrous materials such as fillers and adhesives that facilitate the original papermaking process. paper. In addition to the various wood pulp fibers, other cellulosic fibers such as cotton, rayon, and bagasse can be used in the present invention. Synthetic fibers such as rayon and other polymeric fibers such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyolefin, polyethylene terephthalate and nylon and various hydroxyl polymers can also be used. The polymer fibers can be produced by consolidated filament processes, melt processes, and other suitable methods known in the industry. The fibers can be short or long (for example, NSK fibers). Nonlimiting examples of short fibers include those derived from a source selected fiber the group comprising acacia, Eucalyptus, maple, oak, aspen, birch, poplar, alder, ash, cherry, elm, hickory, aspen, rubber, walnut, white acacia, sycamore, beech, catalpa, sassafras, melina, albizia, kadam, magnolia, bagasse, flax, hemp, kenaf, and mixtures of these. As used herein, "fibrous pulp" refers to a fiber composition. In one example, the fibrous pulp may comprise fibers and a liquid such as water. As used herein, "toilet tissue paper product" refers to a cleaning implement one or multiple sheets for subsequent hygiene urination or defecation (toilet tissue), for secretions otorhinolaryngological origin (tissue) and for absorbent uses and multifunctional cleaners (absorbent towels). The tissue paper hygiene products of the present invention may have physical properties such as dry tensile strength, wet tensile strength, caliper, basis weight, density, opacity, tear strength in wet state decomposition rate, softness, volume, lint and sides with different finish suitable for consumers who use sanitary paper tissue products and / or known to those of skill in the industry as suitable for sanitary tissue products . "Weight average molecular weight", as used herein, means the weight average molecular weight as determined using gel permeation chromatography according to the protocol found in "Colloids Surfaces A. (Colloids and surfaces A.) Physico Chemical &Engineering Aspects, Vol. 162, 2000, pp. 107-121. "Base weight", as used herein, is the weight per unit area of a sample indicated in pounds / 3000 ft2 og / m2. basis weight is measured by preparing one more samples of a given area (m2) and weighing the samples of a fibrous structure according to the present invention and / or a paper product comprising this fibrous structure on a top loading scale with a minimum resolution of 0.01 g The balance is protected from drafts and other disturbances using a shield against air currents, the weights are recorded when the readings on the balance are constant, then the average weight (g) is calculated and the average surface of the samples (m2). The basis weight (g / m2) is calculated by dividing the average weight (g) by the average area of the samples (m2). "Machine direction" or "D", as used herein, means the direction parallel to the flow of the fibrous structure through the paper machine and / or the equipment to manufacture the product. "Transversal direction of the machine" or "DT", as used herein, means the direction perpendicular to the direction of the machine in the same plane of the fibrous structure and / or the paper product comprising the structure fibrous. The "dry tensile strength" (or simply "tensile strength", as used herein), of a fibrous structure of the present invention and / or of a tissue paper hygienic product comprising that fibrous structure is measured in the following manner: A 2.5 cm X 12.7 cm (1 inch by 5 inch) strip of a fibrous structure and / or the paper product comprising this fibrous structure is provided. The strip is placed on a Model 1 122 electronic traction tester commercially available from Instron Corp., Canton, Massachusetts in a conditioned room at a temperature of approximately 28 ° C ± 2.2 ° C (73 ° F ± 4 ° F) and a relative humidity of 50% ± 10%. The crosshead speed of the apparatus for tensile testing is approximately 5.1 cm / minute (2.0 inches per minute) and the reference length is approximately 10.2 cm (4.0 inches). To determine the dry stress resistance this method can be used in any direction. The "total resistance to dry tension" or "TDT" is the total arithmetic result of the tensile strength MD and CD of the strips. "Module" or "Voltage Module", as used herein, means the slope of the tangent to the load elongation curve taken at the point corresponding to 15 g / cm-width when performing a voltage measurement , as specified in the preceding paragraphs. "Elongation under maximum load" (or simply "elongation") as used herein, is determined by the following formula: Length of the fibrous structure ^ - Length of the fibrous structure; X 100 Length of the fibrosai structure where: Length of the fibrous structure PL is the length of the fibrous structure at maximum load; length of the fibrous structure t is the initial length of the fibrous structure before its elongation. The length of the fibrous structure PL and the length of the fibrous structure i are observed while performing a voltage measurement as specified above. The apparatus for voltage tests calculates the elongation at maximum load. Basically, the apparatus for tension tests calculates the degree of extensibility by the formula described above. "Caliber", as used herein, means the macroscopic thickness of a sample. The size of a sample of fibrous structure according to the present invention is determined by cutting a sample of the fibrous structure larger than that of a loading foot surface whose circular surface area is about 20.3 cm2 (3.14 inches2). The sample is confined between a flat horizontal surface and the loading surface of a loading foot. The loading surface of a loading foot applies a confining pressure to the sample of 1.45 kPa (15.5 g / cm2 (approximately 0.21 psi)). The gauge is the resulting space between the flat surface and the loading surface of the loading foot. These measurements can be obtained with a VIR Electronic Thickness Tester, Model II, available from Thwing-Albert Instrument Company, Philadelphia, PA. The caliber measurement is repeated and recorded at least five (5) times to calculate the average caliber. The result is reported in millimeters. "Apparent density" or "density", as used herein, means the basis weight of a sample divided by the caliber with the appropriate conversions incorporated therein. The bulk density that is used in the present has the units of g / cm3. The "softness" of a fibrous structure according to the present invention and / or of a tissue paper hygienic product comprising that fibrous structure is determined as follows: Ideally, before the softness test, the samples to be tested must be conditioned according to the Tappi method no. T4020M-88. Here, the samples are preconditioned for 24 hours at a relative humidity level of 10 to 35% and within a temperature range of 22 ° C to 40 ° C. After this step of preconditioning, the samples should be conditioned for 24 hours at a relative humidity of 48% to 52% and in a temperature range of 22 ° C to 24 ° C. Ideally, the softness panel test should be performed within constant environmental temperature and humidity values. In the event that this is not feasible, all samples, including control samples, must experience identical conditions of environmental exposure. The softness test is performed as a pairwise comparison, that is, in pairs, in a manner similar to that described in the "Manual on Sensory Testing Methods", ASTM Special Technical Publication 434, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1968 and which is incorporated here as a reference. Softness is evaluated by a subjective test using what is termed as a paired difference test. The method uses a standard that is external to the same test material. For perceived tactile smoothness two samples are presented so that the subject can not see the samples, and the subject is required to choose one of them based on the tactile smoothness. The result of the test is reported in what is called the Panel Rating Unit (Panel Score Unit or PSU). With regard to the softness test, to obtain the softness data reported here in the PSU, several softness panel tests are performed. In each of the tests you will be of the tests, ten judges with practice in the softness qualification are asked to rate the relative softness of three sets of paired samples. Each of the pairs of samples is judged one at a time by each judge: One sample from each pair is called X and the other is Y. Briefly, each sample X is scored against its paired sample Y as follows: 1. A sample is awarded. qualification of plus one if it is judged that X is a little softer than Y, and a grade of minus one is awarded if it is judged that Y may be a little softer than X; 2. a grade of plus two is awarded if it is judged that Y is surely a little softer than Y, and a grade of minus two is awarded if it is judged that Y is surely a little softer than X; 3. a grade of plus three is awarded if it is judged that X is softer than Y, and a grade of minus three is awarded if it is judged that Y is much softer than X, and finally 4. a rating of more than one is awarded. four if it is judged that X is much softer than Y, and a grade of minus 4 is awarded if it is judged that Y is much softer than X. The average of the ratings is calculated and the resulting value is in units of qualification of Panel (PSU). The resulting data is considered to be the results of a panel test. If more than one pair of samples is evaluated, then all pairs of samples are classified by category according to their ratings by paired statistical analysis. Then, the category moves up or down as required to give a PSU value of zero to any sample that is chosen to be the zero-based reference. The other samples then have values more or less as determined by their relative ratings with respect to the zero-based reference. The number of panel tests performed and averaged is such that approximately 0.2 of PSU represents a significant difference in subjective perceived softness. "Sheet" and "sheets", as used herein, means an individual fibrous structure optionally to be placed in a face-to-face relationship substantially contiguous with other sheets, forming a multi-leaf fibrous structure. It is also contemplated that a single fibrous structure can efficiently form two "sheets" or multiple "sheets", for example, by folding it over itself. The fibrous structure and / or the tissue paper hygienic product of the invention can be a single-ply or a single-ply or multi-ply structure. A multi-leaf fibrous structure may comprise multiple sheets of a fibrous structure of the present invention or of a combination of sheets, of which at least one is a sheet of fibrous structure of the present invention. "Fiber Length", "Average Fiber Length" and "Fiber Length Weighted Average" are terms that are used interchangeably in the present and are all intended to represent the "Weighted Average Length of Fiber Length" as determined, for example, by means of a FiberLab Kajaani fiber analyzer commercially available from Metso Automation, Kajaani, Finland. The instructions supplied with the unit detail the formula used to reach this average. The recommended method for measuring the length of the fiber using this instrument is essentially the same as that detailed by the FiberLab manufacturer in its operation manual. The consistencies recommended for loading in the FiberLab are somewhat lower than those recommended by the manufacturer as this allows a more reliable operation. Short fiber pulps, as defined herein, should be diluted to 0.02- 0. 04% before loading them into the instrument. Long-fiber pulps, as defined herein, should be diluted to 0.15% - 0.30%. Alternatively, the length of the fiber can be determined by sending the short fibers to an external laboratory such as Integrated Paper Services, Appleton, Wisconsin. "Center of the area", as used herein, means a point within the deflection conduit that would coincide with the center of mass of a fine uniform distribution of matter limited by the periphery of the deflection conduit. "Axis Major", as used herein, means the longest axis that crosses the center of the area of the deflection conduit and joins two points along the perimeter of the deflection conduit. "Axis Minor", as used herein, means the shortest axis or width that crosses the center of the area of the deflection conduit and that joins two points along the perimeter of the deflection conduit. The minor axis corresponds to the minimum width of the deflection conduit. "Aspect ratio", as used herein, means the ratio of the machine direction length of a deflection conduit with respect to the machine transverse direction length of a deflection conduit. "Average width", as used herein, means that the conduit is the average length of straight lines drawn by the center of the conduit area and that joins two points on the perimeter of the conduit. "Radius of curvature", as used herein, means the radius of instantaneous curvature at a point on a curve. "Infinite radius of curvature," as used herein, means the radius of curvature of a straight line in which the point of origin for a curve that produces a straight line must be an infinite distance from the line.

"Negative radius", as used herein, means the radius of curvature of a segment of the periphery viewed as a convex segment from the center of the area. "Positive radius", as used herein, means the radius of a segment of the periphery viewed as a concave segment from the center of the area. "Positive radio deflection conduit" or "positive radius dome", as used herein, means a deflection conduit or dome having a periphery comprising straight or concave segments when viewed from the center of the conduit area of the conduit. deflection or dome The positive radio dome can be optimized with respect to the deflection of the fiber. "Negative radius deflection conduit" or "negative radius dome", as used herein, means a deflection or dome conduit having a periphery comprising at least one convex segment when viewing it from the center of the radius area. Deflection duct or dome. The negative radio dome may not be optimized with respect to the deflection of the fiber. "Curvilinear", as used in the present, corresponds to curved lines. "Rectilinear", as used herein, corresponds to straight lines. "Z direction height", as used herein, means the portion of the resin frame extending from the side of the reinforcing structure facing the weft. "Average length of the fiber", as used herein, means the weighted average length of the fiber by the length of a fiber pulp or fibrous web. "Essentially continuous network" or "essentially continuous network region", as used herein, means a pattern in which two points can be connected either on that pattern or within it by an uninterrupted line running entirely on that pattern or within it along the entire length of the line. The network is essentially continuous in that the minor deviation from the continuity of the network can be tolerated as long as minor deviations do not significantly affect the performance of the fabric. "Essentially semicontinuous network" or "essentially semicontinuous network region", as used herein, means a pattern having a "continuity" in all, or at least one, of the directions parallel to the XY plane and in whose pattern no two points can be connected on that pattern or inside it by an uninterrupted line that runs entirely on that pattern or within it throughout the length of the line. By the way, the semicontinuous pattern can have continuity only in a direction parallel to the X-Y plane. The network is essentially semicontinuous in terms of tolerating a minor deviation in the semicontinuity of the network as long as minor deviations do not significantly affect the performance of the fabric. "Elbow", as used herein, means a region of the fibrous structure having a value of an intensive property different from another region of the fibrous structure and extending through and / or practically through the fibrous structure in the MD and / or CD address. As used herein, "intensive property", "intensive properties", "common intensive property values" and / or "common intensive property values" mean density, basis weight, caliber, substrate thickness, elevation, opacity, creping frequency, tensile strength and any combination of these. The fibrous structures of the present invention can comprise two or more regions with different values of intensive properties common to each other. In other words, a fibrous structure of the present invention, can comprising a region with a first opacity value and a second region with a second opacity value other than the first opacity value. Said regions can be continuous and / or practically continuous. "Product of caliber and CD module" is a number without unit and is equal to the caliber (expressed in mils) multiplied by the CD module (expressed in g / cm). "Ratio module CD-caliber" is a number without unit and is equal to the module CD (expressed in g / cm) divided by the caliber (expressed in mils). As used in this, the articles "a" and "ones" when used in the present invention, for example, "an anionic surfactant" or "a fiber", are understood to mean one or more of the material claimed or described. All percentages and proportions are calculated by weight, unless otherwise indicated. All percentages and proportions are calculated based on the total composition, unless otherwise specified. Unless otherwise specified, all levels of the component or composition are expressed in reference to the active level of that component or composition, and are exclusive of impurities, for example, residual solvents or by-products, which may be present. in commercially available sources.

Fibrous structure: The present invention is applicable to fibrous structures in general, including, among others: fibrous structures conventionally pressed with felt; densified patterned fibrous structures, fibrous structures dried with through air, and non-compacted high volume fibrous structures. The fibrous structures can be homogeneous or multi-layered and the tissue paper hygienic products Manufactured with them can be single-leaf or multi-leaf. The fibrous structure of the present invention and / or the tissue paper hygienic products comprising it may have a basis weight of from about 10 g / m2 to about 120 g / m2, and / or from about 14 g / m2 to about 80 g / m2, and / or from approximately 20 g / m2 to approximately 60 g / m2.

The fibrous structures of the present invention and / or the tissue paper hygienic products comprising them can have a total dry strength strength of greater than about 59 g / cm (150 g / in), and / or approximately 78 g / cm (150 g / in). g / cm (200 g / in) at about 394 g / cm (1000 g / in) and / or from about 98 g / cm (250 g / in) to about 335 g / cm (850 g / in). The fibrous structures of the present invention or tissue paper hygienic products comprising said fibrous structures may have a density of about 0.60 g / cc or less, and / or about 0.30 g / cc or less, and / or about 0.04 g. / cc to 0 approximately 20 g / cc. In one embodiment, the fibrous structure of the present invention is a densified fibrous structure with a pattern characterized in that it has a relatively bulky field with a relatively low fiber density and an array of densified zones with a relatively high fiber density. The high-volume field is alternatively characterized as a field of quilted regions. On the other hand, the densified zones can alternatively be referred to as articulated regions. The densified zones may be distinctly separate within the high volume field, or they may be totally or partially interconnected within the high volume field. The processes for making patterned densified fibrous structures are well known in the industry, as shown in the patents of the USA num. 3,301, 746, 3,974,025, 4,191, 609 and 4,637,859. In general, to prepare the pattern densified fibrous structures, the papermaking material is preferably placed in a porous forming wire such as a Fourdrinier machine to form a wet fibrous structure which is juxtaposed to a three-dimensional substrate comprising a distribution of supports. The fibrous structure is pressed against the three-dimensional substrate thus producing densified zones in the geographical locations of the fibrous structure corresponding to the points of contact between the distribution of supports and the wet fibrous structure. The parts of the fibrous structure that are not compressed in this operation constitute the high volume field. This field can be densified again by applying fluid pressure, for example, with a vacuum device or an air dryer or by mechanical pressure of the fibrous structure against the distribution of supports of the three-dimensional substrate. The method used to dewater the fibrous structure and optionally apply the previous drying step practically prevents the compression of the high volume field. Preferably, the fluid pressure is used, for example, with a vacuum device or an air dryer or alternatively by mechanically pressing the fibrous structure against the distribution of supports of the three-dimensional substrate where the high-volume field is not compressed. Operations that involve draining, applying an optional pre-drying and forming densified zones can be fully or partially integrated to reduce the number of process steps. After these operations, the web is finished drying, preferably without applying mechanical pressure. Preferably, from about 8% to about 65% of the surface of the fibrous structure comprises densified elbows, wherein the elbows preferably have a relative density of at least 125% of the density of the high volume field.

The three-dimensional substrate comprising a support arrangement is preferably a printing carrier fabric having a pattern elbow displacement that functions as the arrangement of supports that facilitate the formation of the densified zones when pressure is applied. The pattern of the elbows constitutes the arrangement of supports previously referred to. Printing carrier fabrics are well known in the industry, as shown in U.S. Pat. num. 3,301, 746, 3,821, 068, 3,974,025, 3,573,164, 3,473,576, 4,239,065 and 4,528,239. In one embodiment, the papermaking paste is first formed in a wet fibrous structure on a porous forming carrier, such as a Fourdrinier wire. The fibrous structure is drained and transferred to a three-dimensional substrate (also generally referred to as a "printing fabric"). Alternatively, the paste can be initially deposited on a porous three-dimensional support carrier. Once formed, the wet fibrous structure is drained and, preferably, thermally pre-dried to a selected fiber consistency of between about 40% and about 80%. Dewatering is preferably carried out with suction boxes or other vacuum suction devices or through-air dryers. The mark of the elbow of the printing fabric is recorded in the fibrous structure, according to the above, before drying the fibrous structure completely. One method used to achieve this is the application of mechanical pressure. This can be done, for example, by pressing a presser roller that supports the printing fabric against the face of a drying drum, such as a Yankee dryer, wherein the fibrous structure is disposed between the presser roller and the drying drum. Also, preferably, the fibrous structure is molded against the printing fabric before complete drying by application of fluid pressure with a vacuum suction device, such as a suction box, or with a through-air dryer. Fluid pressure can be applied to induce printing in densified areas during initial dewatering, at a later stage, separate from the process or a combination of these. Generally, it is this drying / printing fabric that induces the structure to have a differential density, although other patterned densification methods are possible and these are included within the scope of the invention. Differential density structures may comprise a low density field with different high density areas distributed within the field. These may comprise, alternatively or additionally, a high density field with different low density areas distributed within the field. It is also possible that a differential density pattern is composed strictly of different elements or regions, that is, elements or regions that are not continuous. Continuous elements or regions are those defined as those that extend to end at all edges of the periphery of the repeating unit (or unit usable in the case that the pattern does not recur within said usable unit). More commonly, differential density structures comprise two different densities; however, three or more densities are possible, and these are included within the scope of this invention. For the purposes of this invention, a region is defined as a "low density region" if it has a density less than the average density of the entire structure. Similarly, a region is defined as a "high density region" if it has a density greater than the average density of the entire structure. The differential density structure of the present invention possesses a "structural aspect ratio". Physically, this structural aspect ratio is refers to the average directionality of the shapes of the different areas within the whole field. It should be noted that each different area has an aspect ratio. The total structure has an aspect ratio that is the weighted average of each of the aspect ratios of the different individual areas. The weighting is done by multiplying the aspect ratio of each different region by its respective area, adding all the products and dividing the sum by the total area of different regions. The algorithm for determining the structural aspect ratio consists essentially in the repetition of this process, treating each direction of 180 ° around the structure, until the direction that calculates the highest aspect ratio is found.; this is called a structural aspect ratio, and the direction to which it corresponds is called the structural aspect ratio. As shown in Figure 1, in an example of a fibrous structure according to the present invention, a portion of a fibrous structure 10 comprises a surface 12, wherein the surface 12 comprises a network region 14 and a region of domes 16. The region of network 14, which is called elbow, comprises a CD elbow 18, represented by the dotted line passing through the fibrous structure 10 in the CD orientation along the network region 14. The region of domes 16 comprises a first sub region of domes 20 comprising a negative radius dome 20 'and a second sub region of domes 22 comprising at least two domes of positive radius 22'. At least the two positive radius domes 22 'are arranged spatially so that their major axes are not aligned. The CD elbow 18 can be oriented along the CD axis at an angle of less than 45 °, and / or less than 35 °, and / or less than 25 °, and / or less than 15 °, and / or less than 10 °, and / or less than 5 °, and / or less than 3 °, and / or approximately 1 ° from the CD axis The elbow on CD 18 can be practically linear. "Practically linear", as used herein, means linear or generally linear. For example, the elbow on CD is considered linear unless such deviations along the elbow tracing away from the linear make the elbow look as non-linear by people of ordinary skill in the industry. The first sub-region of domes 20 may comprise a first negative radio dome 24 and a second negative radio dome 26. The first sub-region of domes 20 may further comprise a third dome of negative radius 28. The first dome of negative radio 24 and the Second negative radio dome 26 present different shapes to each other. The third negative radio dome 28 presents a different form of the first and second negative radius domes 24, 26. The region of network 14 may have a different value of intensive property of the region of domes 16 and / or the first subregion of domes 20 and / or the second sub-region of domes 22. The region of domes 16 or the first and / or second subregions of domes 20, 22 and / or the domes of negative radius and / or the domes of positive radius can be comprised by the network region 14. Network region 14 may have a basis weight that is less than the basis weight of the first sub region of domes 20 and / or of the second sub region of dome 22. Network region 14 may have a density that is greater than the density of the first sub-region of domes 20 and / or the second sub-region of domes 22. The region of network 14 can exhibit an elevation that is less than the elevation of the negative-radius dome of the first subregion of domes and / or at least one of at least two domes of positive radio of the second region of domes. As shown in Figure 2, which is a partial cross-sectional view of the fibrous structure 10 of Figure 1 taken along line 2-2, the domes appear to extend from (or protrude from) a plane 29 of the fibrous structure 10 towards an imaginary observer looking in the direction of the arrow T. In view of an imaginary observer looking in the direction indicated by arrow B, the domes look like cavities or small holes. The portions of the fibrous structure 10 forming the domes may be intact; however, the portions of the fibrous structure 10 forming the domes may comprise one or more orifices or openings that extend practically through the fibrous structure 10. Such orifices may include orifices to which persons of ordinary skill in the industry commonly referred to as pin holes.

Additives of the fibrous structure In addition to the fibers, the fibrous structures of the present invention may comprise an optional additive selected from the group comprising resins of temporary and / or permanent wet strength, resins of strength in the dry state, wetting agents, agents for resist lint formation, absorbency enhancing agents, immobilizing agents, particularly in combination with emollient lotion compositions, antiviral agents, including organic acids, antibacterial agents, polyol polyesters, antimigration agents, polyhydroxy plasticizers and mixtures thereof. These optional additives can be added to the fiber stock, to the embryonic fibrous web and / or to the fibrous structure. The concentration of these optional additives in the fibrous structures varies depending on the dry weight of the fibrous structure.

The approximate concentration of the optional additives in the fibrous structures varies from about 0.001 to about 50%, and / or from about 0.001 to about 20%, and / or from about 0.01 to about 5%, and / or from about 0.03 to about 3% and / or from about 0.1 to about 1.0% by weight, based on a dry fibrous structure.

Processes for Making Fibrous Structures The fibrous structures of the present invention can be made by any suitable process known in the industry. In an example of a process for manufacturing a fibrous structure of the present invention, the process comprises the step of contacting the embryonic fiber web with a deflection member such that at least a portion of the embryonic fibrous web is deflected away from the plane of another portion of the embryonic fibrous web. As used herein, the phrase "out of plane" means that the fibrous structure comprises a projection, such as a dome, or a cavity extending outwardly from the plane of the fibrous structure. In another example of a process for making a fibrous structure of the present invention, the process comprises the steps of: (a) Providing a fibrous pulp comprising fibers; and (b) depositing the fiber paste on a deflection member, such that at least one fiber deviates out of the plane of the other fibers present in the deflection member. In yet another example of a process for making a fibrous structure of the present invention, the process comprises the steps of: (a) Providing a fibrous pulp comprising fibers; (b) depositing the fibrous pulp on a porous member to form an embryonic fibrous web; (c) associating the embryonic fibrous web and a deflection member in such a way that at least one fiber deviates out of the plane of the other fibers present in the embryonic fibrous web; and (d) drying said embryonic fibrous web in such a way as to form the dried fibrous structure. In another example of a process for making a fibrous structure of the present invention, the process comprises the steps of: (a) Providing a fibrous pulp comprising fibers; (b) depositing the fibrous pulp on a first porous member in such a way that an embryonic fibrous web is formed; (c) associating the embryonic web with a second porous member having a surface (the surface in contact with the embryonic fibrous web) comprising a macroscopically monoplane network surface, which is continuous and has a pattern, and which defines a first region of deflection conduits and a second region of deflection conduits; (d) diverting the fibers of the embryonic fibrous web towards the deflection conduits and removing the water from the embryonic web through the deflection conduits in order to form an intermediate fibrous web under conditions such that the deflection of the fibers begins no further than the moment when water removal begins through the deflection conduits; and (e) optionally, drying the intermediate fibrous web; Y (f) optionally, foreshortening the intermediate fibrous web. The fibrous structures of the present invention can be made by a process in which a fibrous pulp is applied to a first porous member to produce an embryonic fibrous web. The embryonic fibrous web may then come into contact with a second porous member comprising a deflection member to produce an embryonic fibrous web comprising a network surface and at least one region of domes. This intermediate web can then be dried to form a fibrous structure of the present invention. Figure 3 is a simplified schematic representation of an example of a process for manufacturing a continuous fibrous structure and a machine useful for the practice of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 3, an example of a process and equipment identified as 30 for making a fibrous structure in accordance with the present invention comprises supplying an aqueous dispersion of fibers (fiber stock) to an inlet box 32, which can be of any convenient design. The aqueous dispersion of fibers is distributed from the inlet box 32 to the first porous member 34, generally a Fourdrinier wire, to produce an embryonic fibrous web 36. The first porous member 34 may be supported by a suction roller 38 and a plurality of return rolls 40, 40 ', of which only two are shown. The first porous member 34 can be driven in the direction indicated by the directional arrow 42 using a pulling means, which is not shown. The optional auxiliary units and / or devices commonly associated with machines for manufacturing fibrous structures and with the first porous member 34, but not shown, include molding tables, hydrofoils, vacuum boxes, tension rollers, support rollers, showers of wire cleaning, and the like.

After the aqueous dispersion of fibers is deposited on the first porous member 34, the embryonic fibrous web 36 is formed, generally by removing a portion of the aqueous dispersion medium employing techniques that are well known to those with knowledge in the industry. . Vacuum boxes, molding tables, hydrofoils and the like are useful for removing water. The embryonic fibrous web 36 can be moved with the first porous member 34 around the return roller 40 and contacted with a deflection member 44, which can also be referred to as a second porous member. While in contact with the deflection member 44, the embryonic fibrous web is diverted, rearranged and / or drained further. The deflection member 44 may be in the form of an endless belt. In this simplified representation, the deflection member 44 passes around the return rollers 46, 46 ', 46"of the deflection member and the engraving pressure roller 48 and can be moved in the direction indicated by the directional arrow 50. Associated with the deflection member 44, although not shown, there may be several support rollers, other return rollers, cleaning means, traction means and the like, familiar to those of ordinary skill in the industry and commonly used in the machines for manufacturing fibrous structure The deflection member 44 must have certain physical characteristics, whatever the physical form it may have, whether it be a worm like mentioned above, some other example, such as a stationary plate used in manufacturing of standard sheets or a rotary drum for use in other types of continuous processes, for example, the deflection member can present be in a variety of configurations such as tapes, drums, flat plates, and the like. First, the deflection member 44 must be porous. That is, you must having continuous passages connecting its first surface 52 (or "upper surface" or "working surface", ie the surface with which the embryonic fibrous web is associated, sometimes referred to as "surface in contact with the embryonic fibrous web") with its second surface 54 (or "bottom surface", ie the surface with which the return rollers of the deflection member are associated). In other words, the deflection member 44 must be constructed such that, when the water is removed from the embryonic fibrous web 36, such as by the application of differential fluid pressure, as does a vacuum box 56, and when the water is removed from the embryonic fibrous web 36 in the direction of the deflection member 44, the water can be discharged from the system without having to come into contact with the embryonic fibrous web 36 in a liquid or vapor state again. Second, the first surface 52 of the deflection member 44 should comprise a network 58, such as a monoplane or essentially monoplane network of macroscopic or essentially macroscopic shape, as illustrated by an example in Figure 4. The network 58 can be manufactured from any adequate material. For example, a resin may be used to create network 58. Network 58 may be continuous or substantially continuous. The network 58 can have a pattern. The net 58 can define within the deflection member 44 a plurality of deflection conduits 60. The deflection conduits 60 can be separate or isolated deflection conduits. The network has been described here as "macroscopically monoplane" or "practically monoplane macroscopically". When a surface 62 of the network 58 of the deflection member 44 is placed in a planar configuration, the surface of the network 62 is practically monoplane. It is said to be "practically" monoplane to recognize the fact that deviations from the absolute plane are tolerable, but not preferred, insofar as the deviations are not so significant as to negatively affect the performance of the fibrous structure formed on the deflection member 44. It is said that the network surface 62 is "continuous" because the areas formed by the surface of the network 62 must constitute at least one pattern similar to a practically uninterrupted network. The pattern is said to be "essentially" continuous to recognize the fact that interruptions of the pattern are tolerable, but not preferred, insofar as the interruptions are not so significant as to adversely affect the performance of the fibrous structure made in the deflection member 44. The deflection conduits 60 of the deflection member 44 can be of any size and shape or configuration. The deflection conduits 60 can be repeated in a random or uniform pattern. The portions of the deflection member 44 may comprise deflection conduits 60 that are repeated in a random pattern, and other portions of the deflection member 44 may comprise deflection conduits 60 that are repeated in a uniform pattern. The deflection conduits 60 may comprise two or more kinds of deflection conduits. A class of deflection conduits 60 'can be converted into ("produce") the first region of domes of a fibrous structure made in accordance with the present invention, for example, as illustrated in Figures 3-6. Another class of deflection conduits 60 'can be converted into the second region of domes of a fibrous structure made in accordance with the present invention, for example, as illustrated in Figures 3-6. The network surface 62 defines the openings 64 of the deflection conduits 60. The network 58 of the deflection member 60 may be associated with a ribbon, wire or other type of substrate. As shown in Figure 4, the network 58 of the deflection member 60 is associated with a woven belt or band 66. As an alternative, the member of Deflection 44 may consist of only network 58. Woven tape 66 may be made of any suitable material known to those with knowledge in the industry, for example, polyester. As shown in Figure 5, a cross-sectional view of a portion of the deflection member 44 taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4, the deflection member 44 may be porous as the deflection conduits 60 extend completely through the network 58. In addition, the openings through the deflection member 44 are present in the deflection member 44 since the deflection conduits 60, in combination with the interstices present in the woven tape 66, they provide openings completely through the deflection member 44. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the finite shape of the deflection conduits 60 depends on the pattern selected for the surface of the network 62. In other words, the conduits of Deflection 60 are enclosed differently and perimetrically by the network surface 62. An infinite variety of geometries are possible for the network surface and the openings of the deflection conduits. Practical forms of the deflection conduits and / or deflection conduit openings include circles, ovals and polygons of six sides or less. There is no requirement for the openings in the deflection ducts to be regular polygons or for the sides of the openings to be straight.; openings with curved sides, such as trilobal figures, can be used. In an example of a deflection member according to the present invention, the open area of the deflection member (measured only in the open area of the network surface) should range from about 35% to about 85%. The actual dimensions of the open areas of the network surface (in the plane of the surface of the deflection member) can be expressed in terms of effective free stretch. The free effective section is defined as the area of the opening of the deflection conduit in the plane of the surface of the deflection member divided by a quarter of the perimeter of the opening of the deflection conduit. The effective free stretch, for most purposes, should range from about 0.25 to about 3.0 times and / or from about 0.35 to about 2.0 times the average length of the fibers used in the manufacturing process of the fibrous structure. As mentioned above, the network surface and the deflection conduits can have unique coherent geometries. Two or more geometries can be superimposed on each other to create fibrous structures that have different physical and aesthetic properties. For example, the deflection member may comprise first deflection conduits having openings described by certain shapes in a certain pattern and defining a monoplane network surface, all as mentioned above. A second network surface may be superimposed on the first one. This second network surface may be coplanar with the first and may itself define second conduits of such size as to include one or more integers or fractions of first conduits within its scope. Alternatively, the second network surface may not be coplanar with the first one. In other variants, the second network surface may not be planar. In still other variants, the second (superimposed) network surface can simply describe open or closed figures and not really be a network; it can, in this case, be coplanar or not with respect to the network surface. It is expected that these last variations (in which the second network surface does not really form a network) are the most useful to provide an aesthetic character to the paper web. As in the previous case, an infinite number of geometries and combinations of geometries are possible.

In one example, the deflection member of the present invention can be a worm conveyor constructed, inter alia, by a method adapted from the techniques used to manufacture screen screens. By "adapted" is meant the application of the techniques for manufacturing screen printing screens in a broad and general sense, although the improvements, refinements and modifications described below are used to manufacture members having a thickness significantly greater than that normally used for Screen printing screens. In general, a porous member (such as a woven ribbon) is covered thoroughly with a liquid photosensitive polymer resin according to a predetermined thickness. A mask or negative that incorporates the pattern of the preselected network surface to the liquid photosensitive resin is juxtaposed; then the resin is exposed to light with a suitable wavelength through the mask. This exposure to light cures the resin in the exposed areas. The unintended (and uncured) resin is removed from the system and the cured resin forming the network is left, which defines a plurality of deflection conduits therein.

In another example, the deflection member can be prepared using the porous member of the appropriate width and length, such as a woven ribbon, for use in the machine selected to manufacture the fibrous structure. The net and the deflection ducts are formed in this woven ribbon in a series of sections of convenient dimensions in discontinuous form, i.e. one section at a time. The following is the details of this non-restrictive example of a process for preparing the deflection member. First, a flat molding table is supplied. The width of the molding table is at least equal to the width of the porous woven element and the length is whichever is convenient. It is provided with a means to secure the film of support softly but firmly to its surface. Suitable means include the provision for applying vacuum across the surface of the molding table, such as a plurality of holes and means for tensioning with little separation from each other. A flexible polymer support film (such as polypropylene) is placed on the molding table and secured thereto, for example, by the application of vacuum or the use of tension. The support film serves to protect the surface of the molding table and to provide a smooth surface from which cured photosensitive resins will be readily released. This support film will not be part of the deflection member once completed. The support film is of a color that absorbs the activating light or is at least semi-transparent, and it is then the molding table that absorbs the activating light. A thin film of adhesive is applied, such as the high performance aerosol adhesive 8091 Crown, manufactured by Crown Industrial Products Co. of Hebron, Illinois, to the exposed surface of the supporting film or, alternatively, to the elbows of the woven ribbon. A section of the woven tape is then placed in contact with the supporting film at the place where the adhesive holds it in place. The woven tape is in tension the moment it is adhered to the support film. Then, the woven ribbon is coated with the liquid photosensitive resin. As used herein, "coated" means that the liquid photosensitive resin is applied to the woven tape where it is worked and handled with care to ensure that the openings (interstices) of the woven tape are filled with the resin and that all the filaments comprising the woven ribbon are encased in the resin as completely as possible. Since the elbows of the woven ribbon are in contact with the supporting film, it is not possible to completely wrap the whole of each filament with photosensitive resin. Sufficient additional liquid photosensitive resin is applied to form a deflection member having a certain preselected thickness. The deflection member may range from approximately 0.35 mm (0.014 in.) To approximately 3.0 mm (0.150 in.) In regard to its thickness, and the network surface may be spaced from approximately 0.10 mm (0.004 in.) To approximately 2.54 mm (0.100 in.) from the top half surface of the elbows of the woven ribbon. Any technique with which those with knowledge in the industry are familiar can be used to control the thickness of the coating with the liquid photosensitive resin. For example, shims of the proper thickness can be provided on each side of the section of the deflection member under construction; an excess of liquid photosensitive resin can be applied to the ribbon woven between the wedges, with a straight edge resting on the wedges, and then these are removed through the surface of the liquid photosensitive resin to remove excess material and form a coating of uniform thickness. Suitable photosensitive resins are selected from various commercially available resins. These are generally polymeric materials, cured or crosslinked by activating radiation, usually ultraviolet (UV) light radiation. References that contain more information about liquid photosensitive resins include: Green et al., "Photocross-linkable Resin Systems" (Photo-crosslinkable resin systems) J. Macro. Sci-Revs. Macro. Chem., C21 (2), 187-273 (1981 -82); Bayer, "A Review of Ultraviolet Curing Technology" (A review of ultraviolet radiation curing technology) Tappi Paper Synthetics Conf. Proa, September 25-27, 1978, p. 167-172, and Schmidle, "Ultraviolet Curable Flexible Coatings," J. of Coated Fabrics, 8, 10-20 (July, 1978). The three above references are incorporated herein by reference. In For example, the network is made with the Merigraph series of resins, manufactured by Hercules Incorporated of Wilmington, Delaware. Once the woven ribbon is coated with the suitable amount and thickness of liquid photosensitive resin, the cover film is optionally applied to the exposed surface of the resin. The cover film, which must be transparent to the wavelength of the activating light, serves essentially to protect the mask from direct contact with the resin. A mask (or negative) is placed directly on the cover film or on the surface of the resin. The mask is formed with any suitable material to protect or obscure certain portions of the liquid photosensitive resin from light while allowing light to reach other portions of the resin. Of course, the preselected design or geometry for the network region is reproduced in this mask in regions that allow the transmission of light, while the preselected geometries for most of the pores are in regions that are opaque to the light. A rigid member, such as a glass cover plate, is placed on the mask, which serves to help maintain the top surface of the photosensitive liquid resin in planar configuration. The liquid photosensitive resin is then exposed to the light of the appropriate wavelength through the glass cover, the mask, and the cover film, so as to initiate the cure of the liquid photosensitive resin in the exposed areas. It is important to note that, when the described procedure is followed, the resin that normally would be in the shadow of a filament, usually opaque to the activating light, is cured. Curing this particularly small mass of resin contributes to making the lower part of the deflection member flat and isolating one deflection conduit from another.

After the exposure, the cover plate, the mask, and the cover film of the system are removed. The resin is cured sufficiently in the exposed areas to allow the woven tape, together with the resin, to be stripped from the backing film. The uncured resin is removed from the woven tape using any convenient method, such as vacuum removal and aqueous washing. At this height, a section of the deflection member is practically in its final form. Depending on the nature of the photosensitive resin and the nature and amount of radiation previously supplied thereto, the remaining partially cured photosensitive resin may be subjected to more radiation in a post-curing operation, as necessary. The support film is removed in strips from the molding table and the process is repeated with another section of the woven ribbon. The woven tape is appropriately divided into sections of essentially equal and convenient lengths that are numbered in series along its length. Sections with odd numbers are processed sequentially to form the sections of the deflection member, and then sections with even numbers are processed sequentially until the entire tape has the characteristics required for the deflection member. The woven ribbon can be kept in tension at all times. In the construction method just described, the elbows of the woven ribbon actually form a portion of the lower surface of the deflection member. The woven tape may be physically spaced from the bottom surface. Multiple replicas of the technique described above can be used to construct deflection members having more complex geometries. The deflection member of the present invention can be made total or partially in accordance with U.S. Pat. no. 4,637,859, granted on January 20, 1987 to Trokhan. As shown in Figure 3, after the embryonic fibrous web 36 has been associated with the deflection member 44, the fibers inside the embryonic fibrous web 36 are deflected towards the deflection channels present in the deflection member 44. In an example of this process step, there is practically no water removal from the embryonic fibrous web 36 through the conduits of deflection after the embryonic fibrous web 36 has been associated with the deflection member 44, but prior to the deflection of the fibers in the deflection conduits. More water may be removed from the embryonic fibrous web 36 during and / or after the moment the fibers are deflected in the deflection conduits. The removal of water from the embryonic fibrous web 36 may continue until the consistency of the embryonic fibrous web 36 associated with the deflection member 44 increases from about 25% to about 35%. When this consistency of the embryonic fibrous web 36 was reached, then said web 36 is called intermediate fibrous web 68. During the process of forming the embryonic fibrous web 36, sufficient water can be removed, for example, by a non-compressive process, of the embryonic fibrous web 36 before it is associated with the deflection member 44 so that the consistency of the embryonic fibrous web 36 may be from about 10% to about 30%. Although the applicants do not intend to be restricted by the theory, it would seem that the deflection of the fibers of the embryonic web and the removal of the water from the embryonic web start almost simultaneously. However, examples can be imagined where deflection and water removal are sequential operations. Under the influence of applied differential fluid pressure, for example, fibers can be deflect in the deflection conduit with a rearrangement of the accompanying fibers. The removal of water can occur with a continuous rearrangement of the fibers. The deflection of the fibers and the embryonic fibrous web can cause an apparent increase in the surface area of the embryonic fibrous web. Moreover, it may appear that the rearrangement of the fibers causes a rearrangement of the spaces or capillaries between the fibers. It is believed that the rearrangement of the fibers can encompass one or two modes depending on a number of factors such as, for example, the length of the fiber. The free ends of the longer fibers can simply bend towards the space defined by the deflection conduit, while the opposite ends are confined to the region of the network surface. On the other hand, the shorter fibers can actually be transported from the region of the network surface to the deflection conduit (the fibers in the deflection conduits will also rearrange themselves). Naturally, it is possible that both modes of rearrangement occur simultaneously. As indicated, water removal takes place during and after deflection; this removal of water can cause a decrease in the mobility of the fibers of the embryonic fibrous web. This decrease in fiber mobility may tend to fix and / or freeze the fibers in place after deviating and rearranging. Certainly, the drying of the web in a later step of the process of the present invention serves to fix and / or freeze the fibers in their position. Any suitable means conventionally known in the papermaking industry can be used to dry the intermediate fibrous web 68. Examples of such a suitable drying process include subjecting the intermediate fibrous web 68 to conventional and / or through-air dryers and / or Yankee dryers.

In one example of a drying process, the intermediate fibrous web 68 associated with the deflection member 44 passes around the return roller 46 of the deflection member and moves in the direction indicated by the directional arrow 50. The intermediate fibrous web 68 can first pass through an optional pre-dryer 70. This pre-dryer 70 can be a conventional through-air dryer (hot air dryer), with which those with knowledge in the industry are familiar. Optionally, the pre-dryer 70 may be the so-called capillary dewatering apparatus. In said apparatus, the intermediate fibrous web 68 passes through a sector of a cylinder that preferably has pores the size of capillaries in the porous cover with cylindrical shape. Optionally, the pre-dryer 70 may be a combination of the capillary dewatering apparatus and a through-air dryer. The amount of water removed in the pre-dryer 70 can be controlled such that the pre-dried fibrous web 72 leaving the pre-dryer 70 has a consistency of about 30% to about 98%. The presequent fibrous web 72, which may remain associated with the deflection member 44, may pass through another return roller 72 of the deflection member while traveling to an engraving press roll 48. As the pre-dried fibrous web 72 passes through. of a grip line formed between the engraving press roll 48 and a surface of the Yankee dryer 74, the web pattern formed by the upper surface 52 of the deflection member 44 is etched into the preseparated fibrous web 72 to form an engraved fibrous web 76. The etched fibrous web 76 can then be adhered to the surface of the Yankee dryer 74, where it can be dried to a consistency of at least about 95%. The engraved fibrous web 76 can then be foreshortened by creping the etched fibrous web 76 with a creping blade 78 to remove the fibrous web engraved 76 of the surface of the Yankee dryer 74, which results in the production of a fibrous structure 80 in accordance with the present invention. As used herein, foreshortening refers to reducing the length of a dry fibrous web (having a consistency of at least about 90% and / or at least about 95%), which occurs when it is applied. energy to the dried fibrous web such that the length of the fibrous web is reduced and the fibers in the fibrous web are rearranged with a concomitant alteration of the bonds between fibers. The foreshortening can be achieved in any of several known ways. A common method of foreshortening is creping. Since the network region and the domes are physically associated in the frame, a direct effect on the network region must have, and has, an indirect effect on the domes. In general, the effects produced by the creping of the network region (the highest density regions) and the domes (the lowest density regions) of the frame are different. It is currently believed that one of the most notable differences is an accentuation of the force properties between the network region and the domes. That is, as creping destroys the bonds between the fibers, the tensile strength of the creped weave is reduced. It appears that in the frame of the present invention, while the tensile strength of the network region is reduced by creping, the tensile strength of the domes is reduced at the same time to a greater extent. Therefore, the difference in resistance to tension between the network region and the domes seems to be accentuated by creping. The differences of other properties can also be accentuated depending on the fibers particularly used in the plot and the geometries of the network region and the domes. Finally, the fibrous structure 80 can be subjected to post-process steps, such as calendering, and / or etching, and / or conversion.

The relevant part of all documents cited in the section "Detailed description of the invention" are incorporated by reference herein and should not be construed that the citation of said documents is the admission that they conform the prior industry with respect to the present invention . Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the industry that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It has been intended, therefore, to cover all the changes and modifications within the scope of the invention in the appended claims.

Claims (2)

1. CLAIMS 1 . A fibrous structure comprising: a. A network region; and b. a region of domes; characterized in that the network region comprises a bend in the transverse direction.
2. 2. The fibrous structure according to claim 1, further characterized in that the domed region comprises a first subregion d domes comprising a dome of negative radius and a second sub region of dome comprising at least two domes of positive radius, in wherein preferably each of the at least two domes of positive radius have a major axis, wherein at least the two domes of positive radius are spatially arranged so that their major axes are not aligned, wherein preferably the dome of Negative radius comprises at least one side of the dome with positive radius. 4. The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that the first sub region of domes comprises a prime dome of negative radius and a second dome of negative radius, wherein the first dome of negative radius has a different form of the second dome of negative radius, wherein preferably the first sub region of domes further comprises a third negative radius dome having a different shape from the first and second negative radius domes. 5. The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that the network region has a different value for an intensive property than the first sub region of domes and / or second sub region of domes. 6. The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that the negative radio dome of the first sub region of domes is enclosed by the network region. 7. The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that at least one of the positive radio domes of the second sub region of domes is enclosed by the network region. The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that the negative radio dome of the first sub region of domes is separated from at least one of at least the two positive radio domes of the second sub region of domes by the network region. 9. The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that the network region has a basis weight that is less than the basis weight of the first sub region of domes and / or the second sub region of domes. 10. The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that the network region has a density that is greater than the density of the first sub region of domes and / or the second sub region of domes. eleven . The fibrous structure according to claim 2, further characterized in that the network region exhibits an elevation that is less than the elevation of the negative radio dome of the first sub region of domes and / or at least one of at least two positive radio domes of the second sub region of domes. 12. The fibrous structure according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the fibrous structure has a caliper and a CD module such that the product of the caliper and the CD module is greater than about 10,000, preferably greater than 30,000, wherein preferably the CD-caliber modulus ratio is at least about 35. 13. The fibrous structure according to claim 12, further characterized in that the fibrous structure is a fibrous structure dried with through air. 14. The fibrous structure according to claim 12, further characterized in that the fibrous structure is a fibrous structure of densified pattern. 15. The use of the fibrous structure according to any of the preceding claims in a single-sheet or multi-sheet tissue paper hygiene product. 16. A method for making a fibrous structure according to any of claims 1-14, further characterized in that the method comprises the step of forming a fibrous structure comprising a network region and a region of domes, wherein the region of network comprises an elbow on CD.