IP Library Granted Patent US 10,273,635
Granted Patent B2
US 10,273,635 · App. 14/951,121 · Granted Apr 30, 2019

Soft tissue produced using a structured fabric and energy efficient pressing

Inventors: Byrd Tyler Miller, IV (Easley, SC); Justin S. Pence (Anderson, SC); James E. Sealey (Belton, SC)
Assignee: First Quality Tissue, LLC
D21H27/005D21H5/14D21H11/12D21H17/28D21H17/375D21H21/14D21H21/18D21H21/20D21H21/22D21H21/24D21H21/28D21H27/002D21H27/30D21H27/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,273,635
App. No.
14/951,121
Granted
Apr 30, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A structured tissue product produced using a structured or imprinting fabric and a press roll. The tissue product has at least two plies, and has a crumple resistance of less than 30 grams force and an average peak to valley depth of at least 65 microns.

Claims (69)

1. A structured tissue product comprising at least two plies, wherein the tissue has a crumple resistance of less than 30 grams force and an average peak to valley depth of at least 65 microns, and wherein:

a web that makes up one of the at least two plies comprises a first exterior layer, an interior layer and a second exterior layer;

the interior layer contains a first wet end additive comprising an ionic surfactant and a second wet end additive comprising a non-ionic surfactant; and

wherein the ratio of the ionic surfactant to the non-ionic surfactant added to a pulp mix for the interior layer of the tissue product is between one to eight and one to ninety by weight.

2. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has an average peak to valley depth of at least 100 microns.

3. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the first exterior layer comprises at least 50% virgin hardwood fibers.

4. The structured tissue product according to claim 3 , wherein the first exterior layer comprises at least 75% virgin hardwood fibers.

5. The structured tissue product according to claim 3 , wherein the virgin hardwood fibers is virgin eucalyptus fibers.

6. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the interior layer comprises cannabis fibers in an amount of 1% to 10%.

7. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the second exterior layer comprises cannabis fibers in an amount of 1% to 10%.

8. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , the first exterior layer comprises a wet end temporary wet strength additive.

9. The structured tissue product according to claim 8 , wherein wet end temporary wet strength additive comprises glyoxalated polyacrylamide.

10. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the first exterior layer comprises a wet end dry strength additive.

11. The structured tissue product according to claim 10 , wherein the wet end dry strength additive comprises amphoteric starch.

12. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the second exterior layer comprises a wet end dry strength additive.

13. The structured tissue product according to claim 12 , wherein the wet end dry strength additive comprises amphoteric starch.

14. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the second wet end additive comprises an ethoxylated vegetable oil.

15. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the second wet end additive comprises a combination of ethoxylated vegetable oils.

16. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the ionic surfactant comprises a debonder.

17. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second exterior layers are substantially free of surface deposited softener agents or lotions.

18. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the first exterior layer comprises a surface deposited softener agent or lotion.

19. The structured tissue product according to claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of less than 10.

20. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a caliper of 400 microns/2 ply to 600 microns/2 ply and is un-calendered.

21. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a caliper of 250 microns/2 ply to 375 microns/2 ply and is calendered.

22. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a caliper of 600 microns/2 ply to 800 microns/2 ply and is calendered.

23. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a caliper of 500 microns/2 ply to 700 microns/2 ply and is calendered.

24. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a basis weight in g/m 2 per 2 ply of at least 28g/m 2 .

25. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a machine direction tensile strength per 2 ply of 110 N/m to 190 N/m.

26. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a cross machine direction tensile strength per 2 ply of 35 N/m to 90 N/m.

27. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a machine direction stretch of 4% to 30% per 2 ply.

28. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a cross direction stretch of 4% to 20% per 2 ply.

29. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a 2-ply cross direction wet tensile strength of 0 to 25 N/m.

30. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a ball burst strength of 150 gf to 300 gf per 2-ply.

31. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a lint value of 2.5 to 7.5 per 2 ply as measured using a Sutherland® 2000™ Rub Tester.

32. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a softness of 85 TSA to 100 TSA as measured using a Tissue Softness Analyzer.

33. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein a web that makes up at least one of the two plies contains a glyoxylated polyacrylamide, an amphoteric starch and a debonder.

34. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the first exterior layer is comprised of 100% eucalyptus fibers.

35. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the interior layer contains 10% cannabis fibers, 30% northern bleached softwood kraft fibers and 60% eucalyptus fibers.

36. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the second exterior layer contains 10% cannabis fibers, 20% northern bleached softwood kraft fibers and 70% eucalyptus fibers.

37. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the tissue product has a caliper of at least 450 microns/2 ply.

38. The structured tissue product of claim 1 , wherein the bulk softness (TS7) of the tissue product is 10 or less as measured using a Tissue Softness Analyzer.

39. A method of forming a structured tissue product, comprising:

depositing a slurry into a nip formed by a forming roll and at least one forming wire so as to form a nascent multi-layer web;

conveying the nascent multi-layer web on a structured fabric to a belt press;

dewatering the nascent multi-layer web on the structured fabric at the belt press;

transferring the nascent multi-layer web from the structured fabric to a steam heated cylinder;

drying the nascent multi-layer web at the steam heated cylinder;

creping the nascent multi-layer web off the steam heated cylinder so as to form a multi-layer web; and

converting the multi-layer web to a tissue product having at least two plies, the tissue product having a crumple resistance of less than 30 grams force and an average peak to valley depth of at least 65 microns, wherein:

a web that makes up one of the at least two plies comprises a first exterior layer, an interior layer and a second exterior layer;

the interior layer contains a first wet end additive comprising an ionic surfactant and a second wet end additive comprising a non-ionic surfactant; and

wherein the ratio of the ionic surfactant to the non-ionic surfactant added to a pulp mix for the interior layer of the tissue product is between one to eight and one to ninety by weight.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the step of depositing a slurry comprises depositing the slurry between a first forming wire and a second forming wire.

41. The method of claim 39 , wherein the step of depositing a slurry comprises depositing the slurry between the structured fabric and the at least one forming wire.

42. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has a 5-shed design with a non-consecutive 1,3,5,2,4 warp pick sequence.

43. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has a mesh of 40 filaments/inch to 60 filaments/inch.

44. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has a count of 25 filaments/inch to 45 filaments/inch.

45. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has warp monofilaments with diameters of 0.25 mm to 0.45 mm.

46. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has weft monofilaments with diameters of 0.30 to 0.50 mm.

47. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has a web contacting surface that is sanded at knuckles such that 10% to 35% of the web is supported and imprinted by the sanded web contacting surface.

48. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has an air permeability value of 500 cfm to 1000 cfm.

49. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric has an air permeability value of 500 cfm to 700 cfm.

50. The method of claim 39 , wherein the structured fabric is resistant to at least one of hydrolysis and temperatures which exceed 100 degrees C.

51. The method of claim 39 , wherein the nascent multi-layer web is dried from 30% to 50% solids to up to 99% solids on the steam heated cylinder.

52. The method of claim 39 , wherein the nascent multi-layer web is creped from the steam heated cylinder using a steel or ceramic doctor blade.

53. The method of claim 39 , wherein a surface of the nascent multi-layer web contacting the steam heated cylinder is free of any surface deposited softener agents or lotions.

54. The method of claim 39 , wherein a surface of the nascent multi-layer web contacting the steam heated cylinder contains surface deposited softener agents or lotions.

55. The method of claim 39 , further comprising the step of dewatering the nascent multi-layer web conveyed on the structured fabric using a vacuum box prior to dewatering at the belt press.

56. The method of claim 39 , wherein the tissue product has a caliper of at least 450 microns/2 ply.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2017
From: MILLER, BYRD TYLER, IV; PENCE, JUSTIN S.; SEALEY, JAMES E., IV
To: FIRST QUALITY TISSUE, LLC
Reel/Frame 044506/0717 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2017
From: FIRST QUALITY TISSUE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 042871/0016 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62083735 · Nov 24, 2014
Related Publication 20160145810A1 · May 26, 2016
Cited By (6)
US 12,247,322 US 12,286,735 US 12,331,465 US 12,416,118 US 12,520,973 US 12,679,581