EMBOSSED FIBROUS STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME

• US 20100297400A1
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Byrne, Thomas Timothy, Manifold, John Allen, McNeil, Kevin Benson, Jones, Jason Merrill, Mellin, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 9,243,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/167
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/00 Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/02 Patterned paper patterned coatings D21H19/66; embossing B31F1/07; prepared on the paper-making machines D21F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 5/02 Patterned paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves

Abstract

Embossed fibrous structures having one or more line element embossments and one or more linear elements and to methods for making same are provided.

Claims

1. A fibrous structure comprising a plurality of linear elements and one or more line element embossments.

2. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein the linear elements are present in at least one region and at least one of the line element embossments is present in a different region.

3. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the line element embossments overlaps one or more of the linear elements.

4. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein two of more of the linear elements exhibit different widths.

5. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein the linear elements are uniformly spaced apart from each other.

6. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein the linear elements are non-uniformly spaced apart from each other.

7. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the line element embossments exhibits a uniform line element width.

8. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the line element embossments exhibits a non-uniform line element width.

9. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one linear element exhibits a maximum linear element width and at least one line element embossment exhibits a maximum line element width, wherein the maximum line element width is greater than the maximum linear element width.

10. The fibrous structure according to claim 9 wherein at least one linear element has a linear element width such that the ratio of the linear element width to the line element width is 1:

1.5 or less.

11. The fibrous structure according to claim 10 wherein the ratio of the linear element width to the line element width is 1:

2 or less.

12. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of the linear elements are oriented in substantially the machine direction on the fibrous structure.

13. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of the linear elements are oriented in substantially the cross-machine direction on the fibrous structure.

14. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the linear elements is imparted to the fibrous structure during the fibrous structure making process.

15. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the linear elements is imparted to the fibrous structure by an embossing process.

16. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the line element embossments is a partially enclosed line element embossment.

17. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the line element embossments is an enclosed line element embossment.

18. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of linear elements are spaced apart from one another at a distance of at least 0.30 mm.

19. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of linear elements are spaced apart from one another at a distance of less than 3.0 mm.

20. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the line element embossments exhibits a line element width of at least 0.30 mm.

21. The fibrous structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the line element embossments exhibits a line element width of at least 0.75 mm.

22. A single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising a fibrous structure according to claim 1.

23. A method for making a fibrous structure, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a fibrous structure comprising a plurality of linear elements; and

b. embossing the fibrous structure with a line element embossment.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the step of providing a fibrous structure comprises the step of depositing a fiber furnish onto a patterned belt comprising a plurality of linear element forming elements.

25. A method for making a fibrous structure, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a fibrous structure comprising a plurality of linear elements having a linear element width; and

b. embossing the fibrous structure with one or more line element embossments at least one of the line elements embossments having a line element width wherein the ratio of the linear element width to the line element width is 1;

1.5 or less.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the step of providing a fibrous structure comprises the step of depositing a fiber furnish onto a patterned belt comprising a plurality of linear element forming elements.

27. A fibrous structure comprising a plurality of linear elements and one or more line element embossments, wherein at least one of the line element embossments exhibits a line element width that is greater than a maximum linear element width and less than the average linear element spacing.

28. A fibrous structure comprising a plurality of linear elements and one or more line element embossments, wherein at least one of the line element embossments is phase registered with at least one of the linear elements.