The Procter Gamble Company

Michael Gomer Stelljes, Jr

Paul Dennis Trokhan

Osman Polat

Andrew Julian Wnuk

Mark Ryan Richards

John William Toussant

Donald Eugene Ensign

Glenn David Boutilier

Dean Arthur Zimmerman

Timothy Jude Lorenz

Robert Charles Dreisig

Junan Kao

Wilbur R Knight

Michelle Renee Gannon

A dual intensive property tissue. The tissue has a first set of intensive properties including density, surface area, thickness and void volume as presented to the consumer. The consumer plastically activates the tissue by pulling it in tension. A series of slitsor other lines of weakness elongate in a direction parallel to the line of tension, allowing the tissue to achieve a second state of intensive properties. The value of the second state of intensive properties is different after activation. The change in value of the intensive properties allows for economies in shipping, where a higher density product is shipped to the consumer. At the point of use, the consumer activates the product to achieve the increase surface area and lower density. The increase in surface area and concomitant decrease in density provides for increased efficacy in cleaning. The plastically activatable state may be provided by a series of slitsor other lines of weakness in the tissue. The tissue may comprise cellulosic and/or synthetic fibers. The tissue may be used as a facial tissue, bath tissue, paper towel, napkin, body wipe, mophead, etc.

Tension activatable substrate

A method for drying fibrous webs utilizing a limiting orifice medium with a plurality of pores. The web is disposed on a supporting fluid permeable carrier. The web is pressed between the supporting carrier and the limiting orifice medium. A vacuum greater than the breakthrough pressure of the pores of the medium is drawn through the pores and the web.

Method of drying fibrous structures

A micropore drying apparatus having a noncircular profile. The apparatus has a machine direction and dries a web thereon as the web or apparatus moves in the machine direction. The micropore drying apparatus comprises a micropore drying medium which has pores therethrough smaller than the interstitials in the web to be dried thereon. The micropore drying medium may be movable or stationary, as desired. The noncircular profile may have a major axis which is substantially vertically oriented. This arrangement provides the advantage that greater residence time for the web to be dried thereupon is provided, without increasing the machine direction footprint.

Noncircular drying apparatus

A micropore drying apparatus having a variable wet flow resistance. The flow resistance preferably decreases in the machine direction. The micropore drying apparatus may comprise a single integral unit having an decreasing wet flow resistance from the beginning to the end of the unit. Alternatively, the micropore drying apparatus may comprise a plurality of discrete units, each unit having a successively lesser flow resistance than that of the preceding unit. Alternatively, a hybrid arrangement may be used wherein each discrete unit has a successively decreasing flow resistance within that unit. The micropore drying apparatus may comprise one or more micropore drying media. The micropore drying media have pores which allow air flow therethrough. The pores are disposed in a grid, to form a field of pores. The decreasing flow resistance may preferably be provided by adjusting one or more of said pores, which affect the flow resistance through a single pore or through the entire field of the pores.

Variable wet flow resistance drying apparatus, and process of drying a web therewith

The present invention is a papermaking belt comprising two primary elements: a reinforcing structure and pattern layer. The reinforcing structure comprises a web facing first surface of interwoven first machine direction yarns and cross-machine direction yarns, the first surface having an FSI of at least about 68. The reinforcing structure has a machine facing second surface which comprises second machine direction yarns binding only with the cross-machine direction yarns in a N-shed pattern, where N is greater than four, wherein the second machine direction yarns bind only one of the cross-machine direction yarns per repeat. The pattern layer extends outwardly from the first surface, wherein the pattern layer provides a web contacting surface facing outwardly from the first surface, the pattern layer extending at least partially to the second surface.

Papermaking belt providing improved drying efficiency for cellulosic fibrous structures

A process and an apparatus for making a foreshortened paper web are disclosed. A wet web disposed on a fluid-permeable papermaking fabric is being pressed between two parallel and mutually opposed first and second press surfaces, the first press surface contacting the web, and the second press surface contacting the fabric. In the continuous process, the press surfaces, the web and the fabric move in a machine direction. Under pressure, at least selected portions of the web become densified and adhered to the first press surface which can be treated with a creping adhesive. The first surface is heated to create a temperature differential between two surfaces. The temperature differential causes the water contained in the web to move from the web into the fabric, thereby drying the web. After the web is released from the pressure, the web is foreshortened either by creping or by transferring the web to a slower moving transfer fabric. Creping is performed with a creping doctor blade juxtaposed with the creping surface having the web adhered thereto. A creping adhesive may be deposited on the creping surface according to a predetermined pattern. The creping surface may comprise the first press surface. Optionally, the web may be calendered after being foreshortened.

Process and apparatus for making foreshortened cellulsic structure

A limiting orifice through-air-drying medium for papermaking or other absorbent embryonic webs. The medium may be used in an apparatus which can be embodied in a cover and a roll. The medium has the unique combination of a relatively high bending fatigue strength and relatively low pressure drop. The medium may comprise a laminate of a plurality of plies. The intermediate plies of the laminate may be woven with a square weave. The medium may also be used for other types of drying.

Limiting orifice drying medium, apparatus therefor, and cellulosic

A papermaking belt including two primary elements: a reinforcing structure and pattern layer. The reinforcing structure includes a web facing first surface of interwoven first machine direction yarns and cross-machine direction yarns, the first surface having an FSI of at least about 68. The reinforcing structure has a machine facing second surface which includes second machine direction yarns binding only with the cross-machine direction yarns in a N-shed pattern, where N is greater than four, wherein the second machine direction yarns bind only one of the cross-machine direction yarns per repeat. The pattern layer extends outwardly from the first surface, wherein the pattern layer provides a web contacting surface facing outwardly from the first surface, the pattern layer extending at least partially to the second surface.

Papermaking belt providing improved drying efficiency for cellulosic

An apparatus for drying a cellulosic fibrous structure. The apparatus comprises a micropore medium having pores therethrough. The pores are the limiting orifice in the air flow used in the drying process. The micropore medium has a relatively low wet pressure drop therethrough. This relatively low wet pressure drop advantageously reduces the energy costs used in drying, and/or allows for greater drying to be obtained at constant energy costs.

Low wet pressure drop limiting orifice drying medium and process of

A papermaking belt comprised of a resinous polymer with improved elongation. The papermaking belt of this invention is comprised of a reinforcing element and a resinous polymer wherein the resinous polymer exhibits improved elongation both at room temperature and elevated temperatures while maintaining creep resistance and without any undue loss of tensile strength. In addition to papermaking belts, the resinous polymer of this invention may also be used for other applications.

Papermaking belt with improved life

An apparatus for drying an embryonic web. The apparatus comprises a micropore medium having pores therethrough. The pores are the limiting orifice in the air flow used in the drying process. The micropore medium has a surface oriented towards and preferably contacting the web to be dried. This surface has a relatively low surface energy, and preferably a surface energy of less than 46 dynes per centimeter.

Reduced surface energy limiting orifice drying medium process of making

A differential micro-regions single lamina fibrous web comprises at least two pluralities of micro-regions disposed in a non-random and repeating pattern: a first plurality of micro-regions comprising fibers interconnected with a fiber-bonding substance, and a second plurality of micro-regions, preferably not interconnected with the fiber-binding substance. The fiber-binding substance is selected from the group consisting of hemicelluloses, lignin, polymeric extractives, and any combination thereof. The fibers of the first plurality of micro-regions are bonded together by a process of softening, flowing, and immobilization of the fiber-binding substance between the cellulosic fibers. The process for making the fibrous web comprises the steps of heating the web containing the fiber-binding substance to a temperature sufficient to cause the fiber-bonding substance to soften; pressurizing the fibrous web thereby causing the fiber-binding substance to flow and interconnect those fibers which are mutually juxtaposed in the first plurality of micro-regions; and then immobilizing the fiber-binding substance thereby creating fiber-bonds between the fibers which are interconnected in the first plurality of micro-regions.

Fibrous structure and process for making same

A differential density single lamina web of cellulosic fibers comprises at least two pluralities of micro-regions disposed in a non-random and repeating pattern: a first plurality of high density regions and a second plurality of low density regions. The high density regions comprise cellulosic fibers comprising fluid latent indigenous polymers (FLIP), such as hemicelluloses and lignin. The fibers of the high-density regions are FLIP-bonded, i.e., bonded together by a process of softening, flowing and immobilization of the FLIP between the cellulosic fibers of the high density regions. The process for making the web comprises the steps of providing a plurality of papermaking fibers comprising FLIP; providing a macroscopically monoplanar papermaking belt having a web-facing surface and deflection conduits; depositing the plurality of the cellulosic fibers on the papermaking belt to form a web; heating the web to a temperature sufficient to cause the FLIP contained in a first portion associated with the web-facing surface of the belt to soften; impressing the web-side surface of the belt into the web; immobilizing the flowable FLIP and creating FLIP-bonds between the fibers comprising the first portion of the web.

Differential density cellulosic structure and process for making same

An apparatus for drying a cellulosic fibrous structure. The apparatus comprises a micropore medium having pores therethrough. The pores are the limiting orifice in the air flow used in the drying process. The micropore medium has a relatively low pressure drop therethrough. This relatively low pressure drop advantageously reduces the energy costs used in drying, and/or allows for greater drying to be obtained at constant energy costs.

Process of reducing wet pressure drop in a limiting orifice drying

A papermaking belt, comprising either a forming wire or a through-air-drying belt. The papermaking belt comprises a reinforcing structure having two layers tied together and a resinous framework. The yarns of the first layer are interwoven so that, except for the tie yarns, each yarn remains within 1.5 yarn diameters of the top plane defined by the knuckles of the first layer. The belt has a thickness of at least 2.5 times the yarn diameter for rigidity.

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, OH, United States of America

Michael Gomer Stelljes, Jr