Unitary deflection member for making fibrous structures having increased surface area and process for making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9976261-B2
Application number	US-201615132293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2016
Priority date	May 1, 2015
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A unitary deflection member. The unitary deflection member can have a fluid pervious reinforcing member and a patterned framework. The patterned framework can have a plurality of regularly spaced protuberances extending from the reinforcing member. At least two of said protuberances can be similar in size and shape, and each protuberance can have a transition portion having a transition portion width and a forming portion having a forming portion width. The transition portion width can be less than the forming portion width.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary deflection member, the unitary deflection member comprising:
a. a fluid pervious reinforcing member;
b. a patterned framework comprising a plurality of regularly spaced protuberances extending from said reinforcing member, at least two of said protuberances being similar in size and shape; and
c. wherein at least two of said protuberances have a stepped, multilevel shape.

2. The deflection member of claim 1 , wherein the at least two of said protuberances are adjacent one another and separated by a void defining a deflection conduit.

3. The deflection member of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of regularly spaced protuberances are linear segments spaced apart in either the MD or CD.

4. The deflection member of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of regularly spaced protuberances are generally parallel linear segments oriented predominantly in the MD or CD.

5. The deflection member of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of regularly spaced protuberances are disposed in a regular, spaced apart configuration of discrete units in an X-Y plane and distributed in both the MD and CD in a regular, spaced pattern.

6. The deflection member of claim 1 , wherein the framework is a semi-continuous framework.

7. The deflection member of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of regularly spaced protuberances are substantially identical in size and shape.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Manifold John Allen
• Brent Jr John Leslie
• Singer James Michael

Classifications

• D21H27/005 Primary

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

• D21H27/004

  characterised by specific parameters (D21H27/008 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D21H27/002 Primary

  Tissue paper; Absorbent paper (D21H21/22, D21H27/02, D21H27/20 take precedence; toilet paper A47K10/00; absorbent pads for physiological fluids A61L15/16; making on paper-making machines D21F11/00) · CPC title

• D21F1/009 Primary

  Fibre-rearranging devices · CPC title

• D21H11/04

  Kraft or sulfate pulp · CPC title