Interfolded dispenser napkins

• US 6,213,346 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Skerrett, John Richard, Chan, Micharl Yuwah
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dillon, Joe
• Application Number:
  US09/106,978
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 221/48, 428/126, 428/130
• US Class Current: 221/48
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/42 dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/428 Details of the folds or interfolds of the sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/24 Interfolding sheets, e.g. cigarette or toilet papers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24231 At opposed marginal edges
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24264 Particular fold structure [e.g., beveled, etc.]

Abstract

The present invention provides a napkin assembly for a dispenser. The napkin assembly may include a first napkin sheet further including a plurality of napkins and a second napkin sheet further including a plurality of napkins. Each napkin of both sheets having a basis weight from about 20 gsm to about 40 gsm may be connected to an adjacent napkin in series by a plurality of tabs. The second napkin sheet may be positioned proximate to the first napkin sheet in an offset relation and the first and second napkin sheets may be formed into a nested configuration for dispensing.

Claims

1. A napkin assembly for a dispenser, the napkin assembly comprising:

a first continuous napkin sheet further comprising a plurality of napkins wherein each napkin is connected to an adjacent napkin in series by a plurality of tabs;

a second continuous napkin sheet further comprising a plurality of napkins wherein each napkin is connected to an adjacent napkin in series by a plurality of tabs;

each napkin of the first and second napkin sheets further includes a first member, a second member, and a third member wherein the first member is formed integrally with the second member forming a first fold between the first and second members and the second member is formed integrally with the third member forming a second fold between the second and third members; and

at least one napkin from the first napkin sheet terminates at the tabs connecting the third member of the napkin to the first member of the adjacent napkin at about the second fold of a respective napkin from the second napkin sheet when nestably configured for dispensing.

2. The napkin assembly of claim 1 wherein the napkins comprise pulp fibers.

3. The napkin assembly of claim 1 wherein the machine direction tensile is greater than about 2000 g_f.

4. The napkin assembly of claim 1 wherein the T/S ratio is greater than about 0.03.

5. The napkin assembly of claim 1 wherein the tab strength is greater than about 30 g_f.

6. The napkin assembly of claim 1 wherein at least 500 napkins from the first napkin sheet terminate at about the second fold of a respective napkin from the second napkin sheet.

7. The napkin assembly of claim 1 wherein the napkin basis weight is from about 20 gsm to about 40 gsm.

8. The napkin assembly of claim 1 wherein the napkin basis weight is about 30 gsm.