Durable and dispersible creped multi-ply tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12188182-B2
Application number	US-202318530474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2023
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

The multi-ply tissue products that are both durable and dispersible may be manufactured using a creping process that employs a non-crosslinked vinyl acetate-ethylene polymer as a creping agent. The products generally have a Slosh time less than 2 minutes, such as less than about 60 seconds, such as less than about 45 seconds. Surprisingly, the foregoing Slosh times are achieved despite the tissue products having relatively high cross-machine direction (CD) wet tensile strength, such as greater than about 100 g/3″. Typically, increasing wet tensile strength, particularly wet CD tensile strength, negatively effects dispersability and increases Slosh time. Despite this trend, the multi-ply tissue products have a relatively high degree of wet strength and good dispersability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product comprising the steps of:
a. providing a first tissue web having a first outer surface and a second outer surface;
b. providing a heated creping surface;
c. applying a latex emulsion comprising a non-crosslinked vinyl acetate-ethylene polymer to at least the first outer surface of the first tissue web to yield a latex treated tissue web;
d. adhering the latex treated tissue web to the heated creping surface;
e. contacting the adhered tissue web with a creping blade to remove the adhered tissue web from the heated creping surface and yield a creped tissue ply;
f. conveying two or more creped tissue plies through an embossing-laminating device to yield a multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product having a geometric mean tensile strength (GMT) from 700 to 1,700 g/3″, a Durability Index from 10.0 to 18.0 and a Slosh time from 10 seconds to 2 minutes.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying a softening composition to the outer surface of at least one creped tissue ply, wherein the softening composition is selected from the group consisting of a polyhydroxy compound having a molecular weight of at least about 1,000 g/mol, a diamidoamine quaternary compound, an ester quaternary compound, an alkoxy alkyl quaternary compound, a benzyl quaternary compound, an alkyl quaternary compound, an imidazolinium quaternary compounds, a polysiloxane and glycerin.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion further an anti-blocking agent selected, from the group consisting of surfactants, silicones, waxes and polysaccharides.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of spirally winding the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product around a core to yield a rolled tissue product.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tissue web consists essentially of wood pulp fibers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tissue web has a basis weight ranging from about 10 to about 30 grams per square meter (gsm).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a wet CD tensile from about 110 to about 160 g/3″.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Wet/Dry Ratio from about 0.10 to about 0.15.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Durability Index from 15.0 to 18.0.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Stiffness Index from 4.0 to 6.0.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Slosh time from about 15 to about 45 seconds.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a wet burst strength from 150 to 200 gf.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion is applied to the first tissue web by gravure printing, spraying, flexographic printing or ink jet printing.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion is applied to the first tissue web in a pattern.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the pattern is a continuous pattern.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of discrete dots.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the density of discrete dots ranges from about 25 to about 35 dots per square inch (25.4 mm 2 ) of tissue web surface area.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the pattern is a continuous reticulated pattern.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion comprises a non-carboxylated latex emulsion.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion comprises a carboxyl-functional latex emulsion polymer.

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Vogt Kevin Joseph
• Sachs Mark William
• Mccormick Erin Ann
• Curley Devon Gaynelle
• Stabelfeldt Sara Jane Wille
• Vogel Nathan John
• Lecount Christopher Steven

Classifications

• B31F1/12

  Crêping · CPC title

• D21H27/005

  relating to physical or mechanical properties, e.g. tensile strength, stretch, softness · CPC title

• B31F2201/0764

  the layers being nested · CPC title

• B31F2201/0715

  The tools being rollers · CPC title

• B31F1/126

  including making of the paper to be crêped · CPC title