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WO2025042621A1 - Produits en papier absorbant empilés et leurs procédés de formation - Google Patents

Produits en papier absorbant empilés et leurs procédés de formation Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2025042621A1
WO2025042621A1 PCT/US2024/042036 US2024042036W WO2025042621A1 WO 2025042621 A1 WO2025042621 A1 WO 2025042621A1 US 2024042036 W US2024042036 W US 2024042036W WO 2025042621 A1 WO2025042621 A1 WO 2025042621A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
tissue
tissue products
web
stack
less
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/US2024/042036
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English (en)
Inventor
Michael S. VANCE
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Kimberly Clark Corp
Original Assignee
Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Kimberly Clark Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc, Kimberly Clark Corp filed Critical Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Publication of WO2025042621A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025042621A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21F—PAPER-MAKING MACHINES; METHODS OF PRODUCING PAPER THEREON
    • D21F11/00—Processes for making continuous lengths of paper, or of cardboard, or of wet web for fibre board production, on paper-making machines
    • D21F11/14—Making cellulose wadding, filter or blotting paper
    • D21F11/145—Making cellulose wadding, filter or blotting paper including a through-drying process
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D21H27/00—Special paper not otherwise provided for, e.g. made by multi-step processes
    • D21H27/002—Tissue paper; Absorbent paper
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D21H27/00—Special paper not otherwise provided for, e.g. made by multi-step processes
    • D21H27/10—Packing paper
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D21H27/00—Special paper not otherwise provided for, e.g. made by multi-step processes
    • D21H27/30—Multi-ply

Definitions

  • Absorbent tissue product sheets are frequently stacked together and then packaged for transport in order to ease handing of the tissue product sheets. After transport, the stacked tissue product sheets can be removed from the paccrpkaging and loaded into a dispenser, from which an end user can take individual tissue product sheets. Stacking and packaging the absorbent tissue product sheets can allow for easier transport and handling but also poses challenges.
  • An improved packaged stack of tissue products would be useful. For instance, a packaged stack of tissue products with reduced bulk while maintaining absorbency and/or dispensability would be useful.
  • the present disclosure is directed to forming a tissue product that includes forming a web with non-compressing dewatering, such as through-air-drying (TAD), uncreped-through-air- drying (UCTAD), or advanced-tissue-molding-technology (ATMOS), and then calendaring the dried web in order to compress the web.
  • TAD through-air-drying
  • UTAD uncreped-through-air- drying
  • ATMOS advanced-tissue-molding-technology
  • the packaged stack of tissue products may have a Packing Density no less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.15 g/cm 3 ) and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.90 g/cm 3 ).
  • the packaged stack of tissue products may advantageously have a Packing Density to allow for transportation of a greater number of tissue products or the same number of tissue products within a smaller volume relative to packaged stacks with lesser Packing Densities.
  • the packaged stack of tissue products may also advantageously maintain absorbency and/or dispensability in combination with the above recited Packing Densities. For instance, by calendaring the dried web prior to packaging, the stack of tissue products may require less pressure to compress to the above recited Packing Densities. Surprisingly, calendaring the dried web and then compressing the stack of tissue products can advantageously allow the packaged stack of tissue products to have the above recited Packing Densities while also advantageously maintaining absorbency and/or dispensability.
  • a method for forming a tissue product includes forming a tissue web using an uncreped-through-air-dried continuous process, calendaring the tissue web to compress the tissue web, forming a stack of tissue products from the tissue web after calendaring the tissue web, and packaging the stack of tissue products to form a packaged stack of tissue products.
  • a Packing Density of the packaged stack of tissue products is no less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.15 g/cm 3 ) and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.90 g/cm 3 ).
  • a method for forming a tissue product includes depositing fibers onto a forming surface in order to form a wet web, drying the wet web to form a dried web, calendaring the dried web to form a compressed dried web, forming a stack of tissue products from the compressed dried web, and packaging the stack of tissue products to form a packaged stack of tissue products.
  • a Packing Density of the packaged stack of tissue products is no less than fifteenhundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.15 g/cm 3 ) and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.90 g/cm 3 ).
  • a packaged stack of tissue products includes a plurality of tissue products stacked together and a packaging around the plurality of tissue products.
  • a Packing Density of the plurality of tissue products and the packaging is no less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.15 g/cm 3 ) and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.90 g/cm 3 ).
  • the tissue products of the plurality of tissue products have an Absorption Capacity no less than three grams of water per gram of tissue (3 g/g) and no greater than ten grams of water per gram of tissue (10 g/g).
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package of stacked tissue product according to example aspects of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an uncreped through-air dried tissue making process to form a tissue web according to example aspects of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a calendaring process for a basesheet according to example aspects of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a system through which a stack of tissue product may be sequentially conveyed according to example aspects of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a stack of tissue product at an initial height according to example aspects of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the example stack of tissue product of FIG. 5 compressed from the initial height to a compressed height.
  • the present disclosure is generally directed to forming compressed, absorbent and/or dispensable, folded tissue products.
  • a wet web may be formed on a formation surface, the wet web may be at least partially dewatered, and the dewatered web may be dried.
  • various non-compressing processes may be used to form the dried web, such as through-air-drying (TAD), uncreped-through-air-drying (UCTAD), or advanced-tissue-molding-technology (ATMOS).
  • TAD through-air-drying
  • UTAD uncreped-through-air-drying
  • ATMOS advanced-tissue-molding-technology
  • the dried web may be calendared to compress the dried web.
  • the compressed dried web may then be further processed to form a stack of tissue products. For instance, the compressed dried web may be cut, folded, stacked, and packaged to form a stack of tissue products with the compressed dried web.
  • Compressing the dried web via calendaring prior folding, stacking, packaging, etc. may advantageously reduce the bulk of the dried web while maintaining absorbency and/or dispensability for the final tissue products.
  • the stack of tissue products may require less pressure to compress the tissue products for packaging due to the calendaring of the dried web.
  • the packaged stack of tissue products can have a Packing Density no less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.15 g/cm 3 ) and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.90 g/cm 3 ) while also maintaining absorbency and/or dispensability for the final tissue product.
  • Packing Densities can advantageously allow for transportation of a greater number of tissue products or the same number of tissue products within a smaller volume relative to packed stacks with lesser Packing Densities.
  • the articles “a’’, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements.
  • the terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”
  • the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e. , “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, is applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related.
  • a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified.
  • the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value.
  • the approximating language may refer to being within a ten percent (10%) margin.
  • the term “basesheet” refers to a tissue web formed by any one of the papermaking processes described herein that has not been subjected to further processing, such as embossing, calendaring, treatment with a softening or wetting composition, perforating, plying, folding, or rolling into individual rolled products.
  • tissue product refers to products made from basesheets and includes, bath tissues, facial tissues, paper towels, industrial wipers, foodservice wipers, napkins, medical pads, and other similar products.
  • tissue web or “tissue sheet” refers herein to a cellulosic web suitable for making or use as a facial tissue, bath tissue, paper towels, napkins, or the like.
  • the tissue webs can be layered or unlayered, uncreped and can consist of a single ply or multiple plies.
  • the tissue webs referred to above are preferably made from natural cellulosic fiber sources, such as hardwoods, softwoods, and non-woody species, but can also contain significant amounts of recycled fibers, sized or chemically-modified fibers, or synthetic fibers.
  • the term “ply” refers to a discrete tissue web used to form a tissue product. Individual plies may be arranged in juxtaposition to each other.
  • the term “layer” refers to a plurality of strata of fibers, chemical treatments, or the like, within a ply.
  • a “layered tissue web” generally refers to a tissue web formed from two or more layers of aqueous papermaking furnish. In certain instances, the aqueous papermaking furnish forming two or more of the layers include different fiber types and/or may be manufactured by different manufacturing techniques.
  • tissue refers to a web having a structure of individual fibers that are interlaid, but not in an identifiable manner as in a knitted or woven fabric.
  • Nonwoven materials include, for example, carded webs, wet-laid webs, airlaid webs, foam-formed webs, and the like.
  • Pulp generally refers to a plurality of cellulose fibers that have undergone a pulping process such that the fibers have become individualized and have an elongate shape in which the apparent length exceeds the apparent width. Pulp fibers can be fibrillated and can have a measurable freeness.
  • the term “basis weight” generally refers to the conditioned weight per unit area of a tissue and is generally expressed as grams per square meter (gsm). While the basis weights of tissue products prepared according to the present disclosure may vary, in certain example embodiments, the products have a basis weight greater than ten (10) gsm, such as greater than twenty (20) gsm, such as greater than about thirty (30) gsm, such as from about ten (10) gsm to about fifty (50) gsm, such as from about fifteen (15) gsm to about forty (40) gsm, such as from about twenty (20) gsm to about thirty (30) gsm.
  • machine direction generally refers to the direction in which a tissue web or product is produced.
  • cross-machine direction or “CD” refers to the direction perpendicular to the machine direction.
  • the term “caliper” is the representative thickness of a single sheet (caliper of absorbent tissue web comprising one or more plies is the thickness of a single sheet of absorbent tissue web comprising all plies) measured in accordance with TAPPI test method T402 using a ProGage 500 Thickness Tester (Thwing-Albert Instrument Company, West Berlin, N.J.). The micrometer has an anvil diameter of 2.22 inches (56.4 mm) and an anvil pressure of 132 grams per square inch (per 6.45 square centimeters) (2.0 kPa). The sheet “bulk” is calculated as the quotient of the caliper of a dry sheet divided by the dry basis weight.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package 10 of stacked tissue products 20 according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. As shown, the package 10 contains a plurality of tissue products 20. The tissue products 20 are interfolded together. The tissue products 20 contained within the package 10 may vary depending upon the particular application. For example, the tissue products 20 may include facial tissues, bath tissues, paper towels, napkins, industrial wipers, and the like.
  • the tissue products 20 include cellulosic fibers, such as softwood fibers and/or hardwood fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may also or alternatively include secondary or recycled cellulosic fibers and mixtures thereof.
  • suitable hardwood fibers include eucalyptus and maple fibers.
  • Softwood fibers particularly well suited for making tissue products 20 include northern softwood kraft fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may include cellulosic fibers in amount greater than about fifty percent (50%) by weight, such as in an amount greater than about eighty percent (80%) by weight.
  • the tissue products 20 may include essentially pulp fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may also include synthetic fibers, such as fibers made from a thermoplastic polymer.
  • the tissue products 20, for instance, may include pulp fibers combined with synthetic fibers.
  • the synthetic fibers may be present in an amount less than about fifteen percent (15%) by weight, such as an amount from about one percent (1%) to about ten percent (10%) by weight.
  • the tissue products 20 may include essentially pulp fibers, i.e., about one hundred percent (100%) by weight pulp fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may include both secondary or recycled cellulosic fibers as well as virgin cellulosic fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may include recycled cellulosic fibers, and the recycled cellulosic fibers may be present in an amount no less than about ninety percent (90%) by weight and no greater than about one hundred percent (100%) by weight.
  • the tissue products 20 may include virgin cellulosic fibers, and the virgin cellulosic fibers may be present in an amount greater than zero percent (0%) by weight and no greater than about ten percent (10%) by weight.
  • the virgin cellulosic fibers may be softwood pulp fibers, such as northern softwood kraft fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may include essentially secondary or recycled cellulosic fibers, e.g., about one hundred percent (100%) by weight secondary or recycled cellulosic fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may include both secondary or recycled cellulosic fibers as well as virgin cellulosic fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 with virgin cellulosic fibers may advantageously provide improved absorbency performance relative to tissue products 20 without virgin cellulosic fibers.
  • the tissue products 20 may be made with a homogeneous fiber furnish or can be formed from a stratified fiber furnish producing layers within each ply. Stratified based webs may be formed using equipment known in the art, such as multi-layered head boxes. Tissue products 20 packaged may generally be formed by any of a variety of paper making processes. In one example embodiment, for instance, the tissue products 20 can be formed as wet laid webs or foam formed webs. Processes that may be used in forming the tissue products 20 include through-air drying, adhesive creping, wet creping, double creping, embossing, as well as any other suitable processes or techniques.
  • Tissue products 20 may generally have a bulk of greater than about three cubic centimeters per gram (3 cm 3 /g), such as from about five cubic centimeters per gram (5 cm 3 /g), to about fifteen cubic centimeters per gram (15 cm 3 /g).
  • the tissue products 20 may be substantially dry, i.e., the tissue products 20 may only contain ambient moisture.
  • the number of tissue products 20 contained within the packaging 10 may vary depending upon the particular application.
  • the packaging 10 may contain at least about fifty (50) tissue products 20.
  • the package 10 may contain from about one hundred (100) tissue products 20 to about one thousand (1000) tissue products 20, such as from about two hundred (200) tissue products 20 to about five hundred (500) tissue products, such as about two hundred and fifty tissue products 20.
  • the tissue products 20 in the package 10 may be held together by a packaging 30.
  • the packaging 30 may include a paperboard or a plastic film.
  • the packaging 30 may be in the form of a sleeve or band that is wrapped around the tissue products 20 that have been stacked together.
  • the packaging 30 is wrapped around the tissue products 20 so as to include an open end on one side and an open end on an opposite side. In an alternative example embodiment, however, the tissue products 20 may be completely enclosed within the packaging 30.
  • the packaging 30 may compress together the tissue products 20.
  • the packaging 30 may compress the tissue products 20 together such that the compressed stack height is at least about ten percent (10%) less than the uncompressed stack height.
  • the compressed stack height may be at least about twenty percent (20%) less than the uncompressed stack height, at least about thirty percent (30%) less than the uncompressed stack height, and, in one example embodiment, even at least about fifty percent (50%) of the uncompressed stack height.
  • the tissue products 20 may be compressed such that the compressed stack height may be from about twenty percent (20%) to about forty percent (40%) less than the uncompressed stack height.
  • the amount of force exerted on the tissue products 20 by the packaging 30 may vary depending upon the particular application.
  • the packaging 30 may exert a force of greater than about seventy-five hundredths pound per square inch (0.75 psi), such as greater than about one pound per square inch (1 psi).
  • the packaging 30 may exert a force of from about pounds per square inch (0.75 psi) to about one and a half pounds per square inch (1 .5 psi).
  • the packaging 30 may include various printed matter.
  • the packaging 30 may include trademark and product information.
  • the packaging 30 may include instructions teaching users on how to refill a corresponding dispenser.
  • the printed matter may also include advertising for sheet quality, dispensing benefits, and environmental benefits.
  • the package 10 may define a longitudinal direction O, a transverse direction T, and a lateral direction A.
  • the longitudinal direction O, the transverse direction T, and the lateral direction A may be mutually perpendicular.
  • the package 10 may have a length L along the longitudinal direction O.
  • the package 10 may extend between a first end portion 11 and a second end portion 12 along the longitudinal direction O, and the length L of the package 10 may be defined between the first and second end portions 11 , 12 of the package 10.
  • the first and second end portions 11 , 12 of the package 10 may be positioned opposite each other on the package 10 along the longitudinal direction O.
  • the package 10 may also have a height H along the transverse direction T.
  • the package 10 may extend between a top portion 13 and a bottom portion 14 along the transverse direction T, and the height H of the package 10 may be defined between the top and bottom portions 13, 14 of the package 10.
  • the top and bottom portions 13, 14 of the package 10 may be positioned opposite each other on the package 10 along the transverse direction T.
  • the package 10 may further have a width W along the lateral direction A.
  • the package 10 may extend between a first side portion 15 and a second side portion 16 along the lateral direction A, and the length L of the package 10 may be defined between the first and second side portions 15, 16 of the package 10.
  • the first and second side portions 15, 16 of the package 10 may be positioned opposite each other on the package 10 along the lateral direction A.
  • the tissue products 20 may be stacked within the packaging 30 along the transverse direction T in example embodiments.
  • the length of each of the tissue products 20 along the longitudinal direction O may also correspond to the length L of the package 10.
  • the width of each of the tissue products 20 along the lateral direction A may also correspond to the width W of the package 10.
  • the height of the each of the tissue products 20 along the transverse direction T may be significantly less than the height H of the package 10.
  • the height H of the package 10 may generally correspond to the collective height of the tissue products 20 along the transverse direction T.
  • the values of the length L, width W, and height H of the package 10 may vary depending upon the particular application.
  • the length L of the package 10 may be no less than ten centimeters (10 cm), no less than fifteen centimeters (15 cm), such as no less than twenty centimeters (20 cm), and the length L of the package 10 may be no greater than sixty centimeters (60 cm), such as no greater than forty-five centimeters (45 cm), such as no greater than thirty-five centimeters (35 cm).
  • the width W of the package 10 may be no less than five centimeters (5 cm), no less than seven centimeters (7 cm), such as no less than ten centimeters (10 cm), and the width W of the package 10 may be no greater than twenty centimeters (20 cm), such as no greater than fifteen centimeters (15 cm), such as no greater than ten centimeters (10 cm).
  • the height H of the package 10 may be no less than ten centimeters (10 cm), no less than fifteen centimeters (15 cm), such as no less than twenty centimeters (20 cm), and the height H of the package 10 may be no greater than sixty centimeters (60 cm), such as no greater than forty-five centimeters (45 cm), such as no greater than thirty-five centimeters (35 cm). It will be understood that such dimensions for the package 10 are provided by way of example.
  • the tissue products 20 may be compressed within the package 10.
  • the packaging 30 may compress the tissue products 20 together such that the compressed stack height is less than the uncompressed stack height.
  • the package 10 may be configured to facilitate transport of the package 10, e.g., due to the Packing Density of the package 10 described below resulting in the package 10 containing more tissue products 20 or the same number of tissue products within a smaller volume than conventional packages with lesser Packing Densities.
  • the tissue products 20 may maintain absorbency and/or dispensability when removed from the package 10 despite the compressed condition of the tissue products 20 while contained within the packaging 30.
  • the tissue products 20 may be compressed within the package 10 to provide a Packing Density for the package 10.
  • Packing Density may be defined as the weight of the package 10 divided with the packing volume of the package 10, with the packing volume corresponding to a product of the length L of the package 10, the width W of the package 10, and the height H of the package 10. Calculation of the Packing Density is also described in greater detail below in the “Test Methods” section.
  • the Packing Density of the package 10 may be no less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.15 g/cm 3 ) and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.90 g/cm 3 ), such as no greater than seventy-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.70 g/cm 3 ), such as no greater than fifty-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.50 g/cm 3 ), such as no greater than thirty-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.30 g/cm 3 ), such as no greater than twenty-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.20 g/cm 3 ).
  • the Packing Densities of the package 10 may advantageously provide more tissue products 20 within the same volume relative to conventional packages with lesser Packing Densities. Moreover, as noted above, the Packing Densities of the package 10 may provide more tissue products 20 or the same number of tissue products within a smaller volume while maintaining absorbency and/or dispensability. Surprisingly, the Packing Densities of the package 10 may be achieved without substantially reducing the absorbency and/or dispensability of the tissue products 20.
  • the tissue products 20 may have a desirable Absorption Capacity after removing the tissue products 20 from the packaging 30.
  • Absorption Capacity may be defined as the amount of water absorbed by a tissue sheet, expressed as grams of water absorbed per gram of tissue (dry weight). Calculation of the Absorption Capacity is also described in greater detail below in the “Test Methods” section.
  • the Absorption Capacity of the tissue products 20 may be no less than three grams of water per gram of tissue (3 g/g) and no greater than ten grams of water per gram of tissue (10 g/g), such as no less than three and a quarter grams of water per gram of tissue (3.25 g/g) and no greater than seven grams of water per gram of tissue (7 g/g), such as no less than three and a half grams of water per gram of tissue (3.5 g/g) and no greater than six grams of water per gram of tissue (6 g/g).
  • the Absorption Capacities of the tissue products 20 recited above may advantageously provide superior absorbent properties relative to conventional tissue products removed from compressive packaging, which have lesser Absorption Capacities.
  • the Absorption Capacities of the tissue products 20 may withstand the compression of the packaging 30. Surprisingly, the Absorption Capacities of the tissue products 20 may be achieved in combination with the Packing Densities of the package 10. Moreover, in example embodiment, the tissue products 20 may have the Absorption Capacities recited above with basis weights no less than fifteen (15) gsm to about forty (40) gsm, such as about twenty-five (25) gsm.
  • the tissue products may be constructed from tissue webs Tissue webs suitable for this purpose can be made using any process that produces a resilient tissue structure. Such processes include uncreped through-air dried processes.
  • the tissue substrate may be an uncreped through-air dried tissue web. Exemplary processes to prepare uncreped through-air dried tissue are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,607,551 , 5,672,248, 5,593,545, 6,083,346 and 7,056,572, all herein incorporated by reference. However, it will be understood that the tissue products may be formed using other non-compressive dewatering processes in other example embodiments.
  • the tissue web may be formed using through-air-drying (TAD) or advanced-tissue-molding- technology (ATMOS).
  • TAD through-air-drying
  • ATMOS advanced-tissue-molding- technology
  • a method for making through-air dried basesheets is illustrated.
  • a twin wire former having a papermaking headbox 34, such as a layered headbox, which injects or deposits a stream 36 of an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers onto a forming fabric 38 positioned on a forming roll 39.
  • the forming fabric 38 serves to support and carry the newly-formed wet web downstream in the process as the web is partially dewatered to a consistency of about ten (10) dry weight percent. Additional dewatering of the wet web may be carried out, such as by vacuum suction, while the wet web is supported by the forming fabric.
  • the wet web is then transferred from the forming fabric 38 to a transfer fabric 40.
  • the transfer fabric 38 may be traveling at a slower speed than the forming fabric 38 in order to impart increased stretch into the web. This is commonly referred to as a “rush” transfer.
  • the relative speed difference between the two fabrics can be from zero (0) to sixty (60) percent, more specifically from about fifteen (15) to forty-five (45) percent. Transfer is preferably carried out with the assistance of a vacuum shoe 42 and a fixed gap or space between the forming fabric 38 and the transfer fabric 40 or a kiss transfer to avoid compression of the wet web.
  • the wet web is then transferred from the transfer fabric 40 to a through-air drying fabric 44 with the aid of a vacuum transfer roll 46 or a vacuum transfer shoe, optionally again using a fixed gap transfer as previously described.
  • the through-air drying fabric 44 may be traveling at about the same speed or a different speed relative to the transfer fabric 40. If desired, the through-air drying fabric 44 may be run at a slower speed to further enhance stretch. Transfer may be carried out with vacuum assistance to ensure deformation of the sheet to conform to the through-air drying fabric 44, thus yielding desired bulk and imparting the web with a three-dimensional topographical pattern.
  • the level of vacuum used for the web transfers can be from about seventy-five (75) to about three hundred and eighty (380) millimeters of mercury, preferably about one hundred and twenty-five (125) millimeters of mercury.
  • the vacuum shoe (negative pressure) may be supplemented or replaced by the use of positive pressure from the opposite side of the web to blow the web onto the next fabric in addition to or as a replacement for sucking the web onto the next fabric with vacuum.
  • a vacuum roll or rolls can be used to replace the vacuum shoe(s).
  • the web While supported by the through-air drying fabric, the web is dried to a consistency of about ninety-four (94) percent or greater by the through-air dryer 48 and thereafter transferred to a carrier fabric 50.
  • the dried basesheet 52 is transported to the reel 54 using carrier fabric 50 and an optional carrier fabric 56.
  • An optional pressurized turning roll 58 can be used to facilitate transfer of the web from carrier fabric 50 to fabric 56.
  • the reel 54 shown in FIG. 2 may run at a speed slower than the fabric 56 in a rush transfer process for building bulk into the tissue web 52.
  • the relative speed difference between the reel 54 and the fabric 56 may be from about five (5) to about twenty-five (25) percent and, particularly from about twelve (12) to about twenty (20) percent, such as about eighteen (18) percent.
  • Rush transfer at the reel 54 may occur either alone or in conjunction with a rush transfer process upstream, such as between the forming fabric 38 and the transfer fabric 40.
  • Reel calendaring or subsequent off-line calendaring can be used to improve the smoothness and softness of the basesheet 52.
  • the tissue web 52 may be carried through one or more fixed gap calendars nips 60.
  • the dried basesheet 52 may be calendared in order to compress the dried basesheet 52.
  • the dried basesheet 52 may pass through one or more rollers or nips 62, 64 that are configured to compress and smooth the surfaces of materials.
  • the dried basesheet 52 may be compressed such that the thickness of the dried basesheet 52 decreases from an initial thickness TH1 to a compressed thickness TH2.
  • the difference between the initial thickness TH1 and the compressed thickness TH2 may vary depending upon the particular application. In example embodiments, the difference between the initial thickness TH1 and the compressed thickness TH2 may be no greater than three hundred microns (300 pm), such as no greater than two hundred microns (200 pm), such as no greater than one hundred microns (100 pm).
  • calendaring may vary depending upon temperature, the pressure applied, and the duration of the pressure. Calendaring may be carried out at either at ambient or elevated temperatures. Suitable calendaring pressures may be from about fifty (50) to about fourteen-hundred (1400) pounds per linear inch (pli). Suitable temperatures may be from about twenty degrees Celsius (20° C) to about two hundred and forty degrees Celsius (240° C). The duration of calendaring may vary in conjunction with the nip pressure to produce the desired compression for the dried basesheet 52.
  • the method shown in FIG. 2 may be a continuous production process in example embodiments.
  • the web may be continuous between the various components described above, and the web may not be rolled onto a reel and transported to another line between components.
  • the dried basesheet 52 may be calendared prior to the reel 54.
  • the web may move continuously between the headbox, the through-air-drying drying, and the calendaring during the method.
  • a roll of dried basesheet may be transferred to a separate calendar or a folding apparatus with a calendar to compress the basesheet prior to folding and packaging.
  • the calendaring may be a discrete or separate process from the formation of the basesheet.
  • calendaring on the continuous production process for the dried web and calendaring discrete or separate from the production process may both be used to compress the dried web.
  • a system 70 may be configured for converting tissue products into the packaged stack of tissue products, such as package 10.
  • System 70 may include a folding assembly 72, a stacking assembly 74, a compression assembly 76; and a packaging assembly 78.
  • Tissues products such as tissue products 20 (FIG.
  • the folding assembly 72 e.g., in which each tissue is folded
  • the stacking assembly 74 e.g., in which the folded tissues are stacked into a stack of tissues
  • the compression assembly 76 e.g., in which the stack of tissues is compressed in order to reduce the height of the stack of tissues
  • the packaging assembly 78 e.g., in which the compressed stack of tissues are packaged.
  • the stack of tissue products 20 from the stacking assembly 74 may have an initial height as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the compression assembly 76 may compress the stack of tissue products 20 from the initial height as shown in FIG. 5 to the compressed height shown in FIG. 6.
  • the packaging 30 may be applied to the stack of tissue products 20 to maintain the compressed height shown in FIG. 6.
  • the compression of the stack of tissue products 20 may vary depending upon the particular application. For instance, the compression assembly 76 may compress the stack of tissue products 20 such that the compressed height is at least about ten percent (10%) less than the initial height, such as at least about twenty percent (20%) less than the initial height, such as at least about thirty percent (30%) less than the initial height, and, in one example embodiment, even at least about fifty percent (50%) of the initial height. In one particular example embodiment, the compression assembly 76 may compress the stack of tissue products 20 such that the compressed height may be from about twenty percent (20%) to about forty percent (40%) less than the initial height.
  • the compression assembly 76 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is provided by way of example only. Other methods and mechanisms may be used to cut, fold, compress, package and otherwise convert the calendared web into a packaged stack of tissue products, such as package 10.
  • the compression apparatuses described in U.S. Pat. No. 11 ,542,048, which is incorporated herein by reference, may be used to compress the stack of tissue products 20. Test Methods:
  • the dry basis weight of the material forming the tissue product in the stack can be obtained using the ASTM active standard 0646-96(2001 ), Standard Test Method for Grammage of Paper and Paperboard (Mass per Unit Area), or an equivalent method.
  • the Packing Density may be calculated in the manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 11 ,542,048, which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • a package of tissue product has a length L, a width W, and a height H, which are mutually perpendicular.
  • the volume of a stack is determined by calculating the product of the length L, the width W, and the height H, i.e., LxWxH.
  • Sample stacks are conditioned during forty-eight hours (48 hrs.) to twenty-three degrees Celsius (23° C) and fifty percent relative humidity (50% RH).
  • the density to be determined is the density of a free stack, the following height determination procedure should be followed:
  • the stack is positioned on a generally horizontal support surface, resting so that the height H of the stack extends in a generally vertical direction. At least one side of the stack may bear against a vertically extending support, so as to ensure that the stack as a whole extends in a generally vertical direction.
  • the height H of the stack is the vertical height measured from the support surface.
  • a measurement bar held parallel to the horizontal support surface and parallel to the width W of the stack is lowered towards the stack, and the vertical height of the bar when the bar touches the stack is recorded.
  • the measurement bar is lowered towards the stack at three different locations along the length L of the stack. The first location should be at the middle of the stack, i.e.. 0.5 L.
  • the second location should be about two centimeters (2 cm) from the first end portion 11 (measured along the length L), and the third location at about two centimeters (2 cm) from the second end portion 12 (measured along the length (L).
  • the height H of the stack is determined to be a mean value of the three height measurements made at the three different locations.
  • the height H will correspond to a maximum height of the stack.
  • the density to be determined is the density of a stack when included in a package
  • the height measurement procedure outlined in the above is performed when the stack is included in the package. If the packaging material has a thickness such that the packaging material significantly affects the measurement, the thickness of the packaging material may be determined after removal thereof from the stack, and the value achieved during the height measurement procedure may be adjusted accordingly.
  • the length L and width W of the stack is determined by opening the stack and measuring the length L and width W of the tissue products in the stack. Edges and/or folds in the tissue paper material will provide necessary guidance for performing the length L and width W measurements. It will be understood that the length and width of the stack may vary during compression and relaxation of the stack. Such variations are however deemed not significant for the results required herein. Instead, the length L and width W of the stack are regarded to be constant and identical to the length L and width W as measured on the tissue products.
  • the weight of the stack is measured by weighing the stack to the nearest tenth of a gram (0.1 g) with a suitable calibrated scale. To determine the density of a stack when inside the package, the package is removed before weighing the stack.
  • the calculated volume of the stack (LxWxH) is divided by the measured weight of the stack to calculate the Packing Density.
  • the Absorbent Capacity is a measure of the amount of water absorbed by the tissue sheet, expressed as grams of water absorbed per gram of tissue (dry weight).
  • dry weight is determined by cutting a sheet of the product to be tested into a square measuring 100 millimeters by 100 millimeters ( ⁇ 1 mm.) The resulting test specimen is weighed to the nearest 0.01 gram and the value is recorded as the “dry weight”. The specimen is attached to a 3-point clamping device and hung from one corner in a 3-point clamping device such that the opposite corner is lower than the rest of the specimen, then the sample and the clamp are placed into a dish of water and soaked in the water for 3 minutes ( ⁇ 5 seconds).
  • the water should be distilled or de-ionized water at a temperature of 23 ⁇ 3° C.
  • the clamping device should be such that the clamp area and pressure have minimal effect on the test result. Specifically, the clamp area should be only large enough to hold the sample and the pressure should also just be sufficient for holding the sample, while minimizing the amount of water removed from the sample during clamping.
  • the sample specimen is allowed to drain for 3 minutes ( ⁇ 5 seconds). At the end of the draining time, the specimen is removed by holding a weighing dish under the specimen and releasing it from the clamping device. The wet specimen is then weighed to the nearest 0.01 gram and the value recorded as the “wet weight”.
  • the difference between the measured wet weight and the measured dry weight may be divided by the measured dry weight to calculate the Absorbent Capacity.
  • At least five (5) replicate measurements are made on representative samples from the same roll or box of product to yield an average value for the Absorbent Capacity.
  • the inventive samples corresponded to the furnish of the Scott® 1804 paper towels and the corresponding formation process with added calendaring to compress the dried web and provide a Packing Density for the sheet clip of about eighteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.18 g/cm 3 ) prior to unpackaging.
  • the Scott® 1804 paper towel samples correspond to the comparative, uncalendared samples below.
  • the Packing Densities of the sheet clips of commercially available folded paper towels were each less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter (0.15 g/cm 3 ) prior to unpackaging.
  • the testing included one hundred and twenty (120) participants. Each testing participant evaluated inventive samples and samples of five commercially available folded paper towels in the manner described below. The participants were asked to wash and dry their hands in the same manner as they normally do in a public restroom and then answer questions about each sample. During the testing of each sample, the participants applied makeup to their hands and distributed the soil onto palms and backs of their hands. One pump of soap was given to each participant, and they washed their handles in the normal manner. Participants were asked to take samples from a dispenser and dry their hands. Afterwards, the participants were asked to rate how well the samples dried their hands. The results are summarized below as a percentage of participants that preferred the inventive samples versus the commercial samples and as a percentage of participants that preferred the comparative samples versus the other commercial samples.
  • inventive samples offered similar drying and thus absorption properties as the comparative, uncalendared samples. Moreover, the calendaring of the dried web did not negatively affect the drying and thus absorption properties in a significant manner.
  • inventive samples also offered comparable or better absorption properties relative to the commercial samples. The participants were also asked how easy it was to get the desired amount of sample from the dispensers. The results are summarized below as a percentage of participants that preferred the inventive samples versus the commercial samples and as a percentage of participants that preferred the comparative samples versus the other commercial samples.
  • the inventive samples offered improved dispensing quality as the comparative, uncalendared samples.
  • the calendaring of the dried web did not negatively dispensing of the samples and rather improved dispensing.
  • the reduction in compression force required to achieve the Packing Density provided by calendaring the web prior to compression reduces interference between adjacent sheets.
  • the inventive samples also consistently provided better dispensing properties relative to all commercial samples.
  • a method for forming a tissue product comprising: forming a tissue web using an uncreped-through-air-dried continuous process; calendaring the tissue web to compress the tissue web; after calendaring the tissue web, forming a stack of tissue products from the tissue web; and packaging the stack of tissue products to form a packaged stack of tissue products, wherein a Packing Density of the packaged stack of tissue products is no less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter.
  • Second example embodiment The method of the first example embodiment, wherein the Packing Density of the packaged stack of tissue products is less than twenty-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter.
  • Third example embodiment The method of either the first or the second example embodiment, wherein a basis weight of the tissue web is no less than one gram per square centimeter and no greater than five grams per square meter.
  • Fourth example embodiment The method of any one of the first through third example embodiments, wherein the tissue products of the packaged stack of tissue products have an Absorption Capacity no less than three grams of water per gram of tissue and no greater than ten grams of water per gram of tissue.
  • Fifth example embodiment The packaged stack of tissue products formed according to the method of any one of the first through fourth example embodiments.
  • a method for forming a tissue product comprising: depositing fibers onto a forming surface in order to form a wet web; drying the wet web to form a dried web; calendaring the dried web to form a compressed dried web; forming a stack of tissue products from the compressed dried web; and packaging the stack of tissue products to form a packaged stack of tissue products, wherein a Packing Density of the packaged stack of tissue products is no less than fifteenhundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter.
  • Seventh example embodiment The method of the sixth example embodiment, wherein the Packing Density of the packaged stack of tissue products is less than twenty-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter.
  • Eighth example embodiment The method of either of the sixth or seventh example embodiments, wherein a basis weight of the compressed dried web is no less than one gram per square centimeter and no greater than five grams per square meter.
  • tissue products of the packaged stack of tissue products have an Absorption Capacity no less than three grams of water per gram of tissue and no greater than ten grams of water per gram of tissue.
  • Tenth example embodiment The method of any one of the sixth through nineth example embodiments, wherein drying the wet web comprises through-air drying the wet web.
  • Eleventh example embodiment The method of any one of the sixth through tenth example embodiments, wherein the compressed dried web is uncreped.
  • Twelfth example embodiment The method of any one of the sixth through eleventh example embodiments, wherein calendaring the dried web comprises either: on a continuous production line for a roll of the compressed dried web, calendaring the dried web downstream from a dryer and upstream from a reel for the roll of the compressed dried web; or on a folder for a roll of the dried web, calendaring the dried web.
  • a packaged stack of tissue products comprising: a plurality of tissue products stacked together; and a packaging around the plurality of tissue products, wherein a Packing Density of the plurality of tissue products and the packaging is no less than fifteen-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter and no greater than ninety-hundredths of a gram per cubic centimeter, and wherein the tissue products of the plurality of tissue products have an Absorption Capacity no less than three grams of water per gram of tissue and no greater than ten grams of water per gram of tissue.
  • Sixteenth example embodiment The packaged stack of tissue products of either the fourteenth example embodiment or the fifteenth example embodiment, wherein a basis weight of the plurality of tissue products is no less than ten grams per square centimeter and no greater than fifty grams per square meter.
  • Seventeenth example embodiment The packaged stack of tissue products of any one of the fourteenth through sixteenth example embodiments, wherein the plurality of tissue products comprises no less than two hundred and fifty tissue products and no greater than one thousand tissue products.
  • Eighteenth example embodiment A method for forming a tissue product, substantially as herein described.

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Abstract

Un procédé de formation d'un produit en papier comprend la formation d'une nappe humide et le séchage de la nappe humide. Le procédé comprend également le calandrage de la nappe séchée, la formation d'un empilement de produits en papier à partir de la nappe séchée comprimée, et l'emballage de l'empilement de produits en papier pour former un empilement emballé de produits en papier. L'empilement emballé de produits en papier peut avoir une densité de tassement non inférieure à quinze centièmes de gramme par centimètre cube.
PCT/US2024/042036 2023-08-18 2024-08-13 Produits en papier absorbant empilés et leurs procédés de formation Pending WO2025042621A1 (fr)

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US202363520395P 2023-08-18 2023-08-18
US63/520,395 2023-08-18

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210221544A1 (en) * 2018-05-15 2021-07-22 Essity Hygiene And Health Aktiebolag Method for compressing structured tissues
WO2023282811A1 (fr) * 2021-07-09 2023-01-12 Essity Hygiene And Health Aktiebolag Empilement d'un produit de papier ouaté comprenant des fibres non ligneuses

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210221544A1 (en) * 2018-05-15 2021-07-22 Essity Hygiene And Health Aktiebolag Method for compressing structured tissues
WO2023282811A1 (fr) * 2021-07-09 2023-01-12 Essity Hygiene And Health Aktiebolag Empilement d'un produit de papier ouaté comprenant des fibres non ligneuses

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