Method of producing low density resilient webs

• US 6,187,137 B1
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Shan Liang, Hermans, Michael Alan, Kamps, Richard Joseph, Hu, Sheng-Hsin, Druecke, Frank Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Peter
• Application Number:
  US08/961,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 162/109, 162/113, 162/116, 162/111, 162/117, 162/112, 162/205, 162/206, 162/207, 162/281
• US Class Current: 162/109
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/006 Making patterned paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/14 Making cellulose wadding, filter or blotting paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/145 including a through-drying process

Abstract

A method of using a conventional wet-pressed creped tissue machine produces a textured tissue sheet that is dried on a conventional cylindrical drum dryer to create an uncreped product with throughdried-like properties. Machine modifications and a proper balance of adhesive compounds and release agents permit a textured sheet to be dried on a Yankee drier and then pulled off without use of a crepe blade.

Claims

1. A method for producing an uncreped tissue web comprising the steps of:

a) depositing an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers onto a forming fabric to form an embryonic web;

b) noncompressively dewatering said embryonic web to a consistency of about 30 percent or greater;

c) texturing said web against a three-dimensional substrate to form a three-dimensional high bulk structure;

d) transferring said three-dimensional high bulk structure to a surface of a cylindrical dryer;

e) applying an interfacial control mixture which includes adhesive compounds and release agents to said surface of said cylindrical dryer, said interfacial control mixture adapted to adhere said three-dimensional high bulk structure to said surface of said cylindrical dryer without fluttering and permitting detachment of said three-dimensional high bulk structure without significant damage;

f) drying said three-dimensional high bulk structure on said cylindrical dryer; and

g) detaching said three-dimensional high bulk structure from said surface of said cylindrical dryer without creping.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said three-dimensional high bulk structure is pressed against said surface of said cylindrical dryer while said three-dimensional high bulk structure is in contact with a textured substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said three-dimensional high bulk structure is pressed onto said surface of said cylindrical dryer at a consistency of from between about 30 to about 45 percent while said three-dimensional high bulk structure is in contact with a textured substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said adhesive compounds are applied to said surface of said cylindrical dryer and said release agents are applied to said aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein both said adhesive compounds and said release agents are applied to said surface of said cylindrical dryer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said adhesive compounds are water soluble.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said adhesive compounds remain water soluble after a thin coating of said adhesive compounds in aqueous solution has been dried and heated at 150°

C. for 30 minutes.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said adhesive compounds in said interfacial control mixture are at least 90 percent water-soluble after being dried and heated to 250°

F. for 30 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said interfacial control mixture is substantially free of crosslinking agents.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said interfacial control mixture is applied at a dose of about 0.02 to 0.15 grams of solid per square meter of application area.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said interfacial control mixture comprises an effective amount of a polyol.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said release agents include a hydrocarbon emulsion.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said interfacial control mixture comprises greater than 0 to 80 percent sorbitol on a dry solids basis.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said interfacial control mixture comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of wrapping a fabric against said three-dimensional high bulk structure as said three-dimensional high bulk structure contacts said surface of said cylindrical dryer, wherein the length of said fabric wrap is less than 60 percent of the circumference of said cylindrical dryer.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the maximum pressure applied to said three-dimensional high bulk structure when transferred to said surface of said cylindrical dryer is less than 400 psi, measured across a one-inch square region encompassing the point of maximum pressure.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of rush transferring said web to a transfer fabric traveling at least 10 percent slower than the velocity of said web prior to said rush transfer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said transfer fabric has a fabric coarseness of at least 0.3 mm.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of spraying a fabric release agent on said three-dimensional substrate prior to texturing said web against said three-dimensional substrate.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said web is dewatered to a consistency of about 30 percent or greater with nonthermal dewatering.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said web is dewatered to a consistency of about 30 percent or greater using only noncompressive dewatering means.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said web is dewatered to a consistency of about 30 percent or greater using an air press, said air press including a pressurized air chamber operatively associated with a vacuum box.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein dewatering of said web and drying of said three-dimensional high bulk structure is achieved without the use of a rotary throughdryer.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein drying said three-dimensional high bulk structure on said cylindrical dryer comprises heated air impingement drying in a hood.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said air impingement drying comprises air jets directed at said three-dimensional high bulk structure having mean velocities of at least 10 m/s.

39. The method of claim 1 wherein said release agents are applied to a surface of said three-dimensional high bulk structure and said adhesive compounds are applied to said aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein said release agents are applied to a surface of said three-dimensional high bulk structure and said adhesive compounds are applied to said surface of said cylindrical dryer.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said adhesive compounds and said release agents are applied to the surface of said three-dimensional high bulk structure that contacts said cylindrical dryer prior to transferring said three-dimensional high bulk structure to said surface of said cylindrical dryer.

26. A method for producing an uncreped tissue web at industrially useful speeds, said method comprising the steps of:

a) depositing an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers onto a forming fabric to form an embryonic web;

b) noncompressively dewatering said embryonic web to a consistency of about 30 percent or greater;

c) texturing said embryonic web to form a three-dimensional high bulk structure and transferring said three-dimensional high bulk structure to a first transfer fabric;

d) transferring said three-dimensional high bulk structure to a second transfer fabric;

e) transferring said three-dimensional high bulk structure to a surface of a cylindrical dryer;

f) applying an effective amount of an interfacial control mixture which includes adhesive compounds and release agents, said interfacial control mixture adapted to adhere said three-dimensional high bulk structure to said surface of said cylindrical dryer without fluttering and permitting detachment of said three-dimensional high bulk structure without significant damage;

g) drying said three-dimensional high bulk structure on said surface of said cylindrical dryer; and

h) detaching said three-dimensional high bulk structure from said surface of said cylindrical dryer without creping.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said embryonic web is dewatered to a consistency of about 30 percent or greater after said web has been formed into a three-dimensional high bulk structure and has been transferred to one of said transfer fabrics.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein dewatering of said web and drying of said three-dimensional high bulk structure prior to detaching said three-dimensional high bulk structure from said surface of said cylindrical dryer is achieved without the use of a rotary throughdryer.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said transfer of said three-dimensional high bulk structure from at least one of said transfer fabrics is achieved with at least 10 percent rush transfer.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said first transfer fabric has a fabric coarseness at least 30 percent greater than that of said forming fabric.

31. A method for producing an uncreped tissue web comprising the steps of:

a) depositing an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers onto a forming fabric to form an embryonic web;

b) noncompressively dewatering said embryonic web to a consistency of about 30 percent or greater;

c) texturing said web against a three-dimensional textured substrate to form a three-dimensional high bulk structure;

d) transferring said three-dimensional high bulk structure to a surface of a cylindrical dryer at a consistency of from between about 30 to about 45 percent using said textured substrate;

e) applying an interfacial control mixture which includes adhesive compounds and release agents, said adhesive compounds being water soluble and substantially free of crosslinking adhesive agents, said interfacial control mixture adapted to adhere said three-dimensional high bulk structure to said surface of said cylindrical dryer without fluttering and permitting detachment of said three-dimensional high bulk structure without significant damage;

f) drying said three-dimensional high bulk structure on said surface of said cylindrical dryer; and

g) detaching said three-dimensional high bulk structure from said surface of said cylindrical dryer without creping.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said adhesive compounds comprise sorbitol and polyvinyl alcohol.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein said adhesive compounds remain water soluble after a thin coating of said adhesive compounds in aqueous solution having a dry solids mass of 1 gram has been dried and heated at 150°

C. for 30 minutes.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein said adhesive compounds in said interfacial control mixture are at least 90 percent water-soluble after being dried and heated to 250°

F. for 30 minutes.

35. A method for producing an uncreped tissue web comprising the steps of:

a) depositing an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers onto a forming fabric to form an embryonic web;

b) noncompressively dewatering said embryonic web;

c) texturing said web against a three-dimensional textured substrate to form a three-dimensional high bulk structure;

d) transferring said three-dimensional high bulk structure to a surface of a cylindrical dryer;

e) applying an interfacial control mixture which includes adhesive compounds and release agents, said interfacial control mixture adapted to adhere said three-dimensional high bulk structure to said surface of said cylindrical dryer without fluttering;

f) drying said three-dimensional high bulk structure on said surface of said cylindrical dryer;

g) detaching said three-dimensional high bulk structure from said surface of said cylindrical dryer using a creping blade;

h) adjusting said interfacial control mixture such that said interfacial control mixture is adapted to adhere said three-dimensional high bulk structure to said surface of said cylindrical dryer without fluttering and permitting detachment of said three-dimensional high bulk structure without significant damage; and

i) detaching said three-dimensional high bulk structure from said surface of said cylindrical dryer without creping.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said interfacial control mixture is adjusted by decreasing the amount of said adhesive compounds relative to the amount of said release agents.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein said three-dimensional high bulk structure is pressed onto said surface of said cylindrical dryer at a consistency of from between about 30 to about 45 percent while said three-dimensional high bulk structure is in contact with said textured substrate.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein said three-dimensional high bulk structure is detached from said surface of said cylindrical dryer without creping by increasing the speed of a reel onto which said three-dimensional high bulk structure is wound.