SOFT, ABSORBENT SHEETS HAVING HIGH ABSORBENCY AND HIGH CALIPER, AND METHODS OF MAKING SOFT, ABSORBENT SHEETS

• US 20150129145A1
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chou, Hung Liang, Sze, Daniel H., Fan, Xiaolin, Harper, Frank D., Olson, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,303,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 162/116
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/425 Cellulose series
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/006 Making patterned paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/08 Felts
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/12 Drying
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/005 relating to physical or mechanical properties, e.g. tensile strength, stretch, softness
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/007 relating to absorbency, e.g. amount or rate of water absorption, optionally in combination with other parameters relating to physical or mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/30 Multi-ply for surface covering D21H27/18; making on paper-making machines D21F9/00, D21F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/40 at least one of the sheets being non-planar, e.g. crêped crêping or corrugating paper B31F
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering

Abstract

Paper products, such as hand towels, have high absorbency, high caliper, and good perceived softness. Two-ply products have a caliper of at least about 260 mils/8 sheets and an SAT capacity of at least about 650 g/m². The paper products are made using a structuring fabric that has a high planar volumetric index, which indicates a relation between the contact area ratio of a papermaking web contacting surface of the structuring fabric and the volume of pockets of the fabric.

Claims

1. An absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising:

a first ply providing a first surface of the sheet; and

a second ply providing a second surface of the sheet, the second ply being directly attached to the first ply,

wherein the sheet has a caliper of at least about 260 mils/8 sheets, and the sheet has an SAT capacity of at least about 650 g/m².

2. An absorbent sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has an SAT capacity of at least about 700 g/m².

3. An absorbent sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a caliper of at least about 260 mils/8 sheets.

4. An absorbent sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a caliper of at least about 265 mils/8 sheets.

5. An absorbent sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a tensile ratio of less than about 1.0.

6. An absorbent sheet according to claim 5, wherein the sheet has a tensile ratio of about 0.85 to about 1.0.

7. An absorbent sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a stretch ratio of about 2.2.

8. An absorbent sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a basis weight of less than about 32 lbs/ream.

9. An absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising:

a first ply providing a first surface of the sheet; and

a second ply providing a second surface of the sheet,

wherein the sheet has a tensile ratio of less than about 1.0, and the sheet has a caliper of at least about 255 mils/8 sheets.

10. An absorbent sheet according to claim 9, wherein the first ply is directly attached to the second ply.

11. An absorbent sheet according to claim 9, wherein the sheet has a tensile ratio of about 0.85 to about 1.0.

12. An absorbent sheet according to claim 9, wherein the sheet has a stretch ratio of about 2.2.

13. An absorbent sheet according to claim 9, wherein the sheet has a caliper of at least about 260 mils/8 sheets.

14. An absorbent sheet according to claim 9, wherein the sheet has a caliper of at least about 265 mils/8 sheets.

15. An absorbent sheet according to claim 9, wherein the sheet has a basis weight of less than about 32 lbs/ream.

16. An absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising:

a first ply providing a first surface of the sheet; and

a second ply providing a second surface of the sheet,

wherein the sheet has a tensile ratio of less than about 1.0, and the sheet has an SAT capacity of at least about 675 g/m².

17. An absorbent sheet according to claim 16, wherein the second ply is directly attached to the first ply.

18. A method of making a paper product, the method comprising:

forming an aqueous cellulosic web on a structuring fabric in a papermaking machine;

non-compactively dewatering the cellulosic web on the structuring fabric; and

drying the cellulosic web to form the paper product,

wherein the portion of the structuring fabric on which the cellulosic web is formed has a planar volumetric index of at least about 26.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the planar volumetric index is about 26 to about 30.5.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein a contact area of the portion of the structuring fabric is formed entirely by knuckles on warp yarns of the structuring fabric.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising using a furnish to form the cellulosic web that includes cellulosic long fiber having a coarseness of at least about 15.5 mg/100 mm.

22. A method of making a paper product, the method comprising:

forming an aqueous cellulosic web on a structuring fabric in a papermaking machine;

non-compactively dewatering the cellulosic web on the structuring fabric; and

drying the cellulosic web to form the paper product,

wherein a portion of the structuring fabric on which the cellulosic web is formed has a planar volumetric index of least than about 26 during (i) an initial period in which the cellulosic web is formed on the structuring fabric on the papermaking machine and (ii) after the structuring fabric is run for about 950,000 cycles of operation of the papermaking machine.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein a contact area of the portion of the structuring fabric is entirely formed by knuckles on warp yarns of the structuring fabric.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the planar volumetric index is about 26 to about 30.5 during (i) the initial period in which the cellulosic web is formed on the structuring fabric and (ii) after the structuring fabric is run for about 950,000 cycles of operation of the papermaking machine.

25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising using a furnish used to form the cellulosic web that includes cellulosic long fiber having a coarseness of at least about 15.5 mg/100 mm.

26. A papermaking machine for making a paper product using a through air drying process, the papermaking machine comprising:

a headbox for supplying an aqueous furnish;

a structuring fabric having a surface with a contact area, the structuring fabric being configured (i) to receive the furnish from the headbox on the surface to thereby form a cellulosic web from the furnish and (ii) to non-compactively dewater the cellulosic web; and

at least one through air drier for drying the cellulosic web on the structuring fabric,

wherein a portion of the structuring fabric on which the cellulosic web is formed has a planar volumetric index of at least about 26.

27. The papermaking machine according to claim 26, wherein the planar volumetric index is about 26 to about 30.5.

28. The papermaking machine according to claim 26, wherein the contact area of the structuring fabric is entirely formed by knuckles on warp yarns of the structuring fabric.

29. An absorbent cellulosic sheet made by a method that comprises:

forming an aqueous cellulosic web on a structuring fabric in a papermaking machine;

non-compactively dewatering the cellulosic web on the structuring fabric; and

drying the cellulosic web to form the absorbent cellulosic sheet,

wherein a portion of the structuring fabric on which the cellulosic web is formed has a planar volumetric index of at least about 26.

30. The absorbent sheet according to claim 29, wherein the planar volumetric index is about 26 to about 30.5.

31. The absorbent sheet according to claim 29, wherein the sheet has a caliper of at least about 260 mils/8 sheets and an SAT capacity of at least about 650 g/m².

32. The absorbent sheet according to claim 29, wherein the sheet has a basis weight of less than about 32 lbs/ream.