Absorbent cellulosic sheet having a variable local basis weight
An absorbent cellulosic sheet includes a papermaking-fiber reticulum. The papermaking-fiber reticulum includes a plurality of fiber-enriched regions that are oriented in a cross-machine direction (CD) of the sheet. The fiber-enriched regions have (i) a local basis weight and (ii) papermaking fibers that are oriented in the CD of the sheet. The papermaking-fiber reticulum also includes a plurality of linking regions that link corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions together in linking directions, the linking regions having (i) basis weights that are lower than those of the corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions and (ii) papermaking fibers that are oriented in the linking directions.
1. A fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising:
a reticulum including:
(a) a plurality of fiber-enriched regions that are oriented in a cross-machine direction (CD) oldie sheet, the fiber-enriched regions having (i) a local basis weight and (ii) fibers that are oriented in the CD of the sheet; and
(b) a plurality of linking regions that link corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions together in linking directions, the linking regions having (i) basis weights that are lower than those of the corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions and (ii) fibers that are oriented in the linking directions.
2. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber-enriched regions have a plurality of expanded micro-folds.
3. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits an absorbency of at least about 5 g/g.
4. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits an absorbency of from about 6 g/g to about 9 g/g.
5. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits a caliper of at least about 50 mils/8 sheets.
6. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits a caliper of from about 50 mils/8 sheets to 115 mils/8 sheets.
7. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits a machine direction of the sheet to cross-machine direction of the sheet (MD/CD) tensile ratio of less than about one.
8. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits a CD stretch of greater than about five percent.
9. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits a CD stretch of from about five to about fifteen percent.
10. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits an absorbency of from about 6 g/g to 9 g/g, a caliper of from about 50 mils/8 sheets to 115 mils/8 sheets, a machine direction to cross-machine direction (MD/CD) tensile ratio of less than about one, and a CD stretch of from about five to about fifteen percent.
11. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet exhibits absorbency suitable for use in tissue and towel products.
12. The fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet has a void volume of from about 48 g/g to about 9.8 g/g.