Flushable fibrous structures

• US 6,433,245 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Mansfield, Todd Leon, Bjorkquist, David William
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruhl, Dennis
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, CATHARINE L
• Application Number:
  US09/592,149
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 604/364, 604/365, 604/367, 604/370, 604/372, 604/374, 604/375, 604/376, 604/377, 525/61, 525/54.7
• US Class Current: 604/364
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/24 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives thereof A61L15/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/62 Compostable, hydrosoluble or hydrodegradable materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/14 of esters containing halogen, nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen atoms in addition to the carboxy oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/36 Polyalkenyalcohols; Polyalkenylethers; Polyalkenylesters
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/37 Polymers of unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof, e.g. polyacrylates
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/66 Salts, e.g. alums
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/20 Wet strength agents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31743 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomer[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2492 Polyether group containing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flushable fibrous structure that is particularly useful as a disposable tissue product and as a component (e.g., topsheets) for absorbent articles such as catamenial pads, diapers, incontinent articles and the like. The invention specifically relates to a flushable fibrous structure that has an in-use wet tensile strength of at least about 100 g/in. and a disposal wet tensile strength of not more than about 30 g/in. The invention also relates to absorbent articles comprising the fibrous structures, and methods for making the structures.

Claims

1. A flushable fibrous structure having an in-use wet tensile strength of at least about 100 g/in. and a disposal wet tensile strength of not more than about 30 g/in.

2. The flushable fibrous structure of claim 1 wherein the structure has an in-use wet tensile strength of at least about 200 g/in.

3. The flushable fibrous structure of claim 2 wherein the structure has an in-use wet tensile strength of at least about 300 g/in.

4. The flushable fibrous structure of claim 2 wherein the structure has a disposal wet tensile strength of not more than about 25 g/in.

5. The flushable fibrous structure of claim 1 wherein the structure has a disposal wet tensile strength of not more than about 25 g/in.

6. The flushable fibrous structure of claim 1 comprising natural or synthetic fibers.

7. The flushable fibrous structure of claim 6 wherein the fibers are cellulosic fibers.

8. The flushable fibrous structure of claim 1 wherein said flushable fibrous structure is tissue or an absorbent article.

9. A flushable fibrous structure having an in-use wet tensile strength of at least about 100 g/in. and a disposable wet tensile strength of not more than about 30 g/in. wherein said flushable fibrous structure is tissue or an absorbent article.