Method for preparing fibrous water-soluble products

Abstract

A method of making a fibrous water-soluble product having particles, the method comprising: a) providing a first continuous water-soluble fibrous substrate comprising a first side and moving in a first direction, b) providing a discretized unit comprising one or more pockets having openings; c) providing a continuous feed of first particles through the pocket opening to at least one pocket of the one or more pockets of the discretization unit, thereby at least partially filling the at least one pocket of the one or more pockets, d) delivering the first particles from the pocket through the opening onto a portion of the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fibrous substrate, and e) at least partially covering the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fibrous substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] A method for preparing a fibrous water-soluble product using discrete units. Background Art

[0002] Fibrous, water-soluble products are gaining more and more attention from consumers. The technology associated with these products continues to advance in providing the products with the necessary active agents, allowing consumers to accomplish the tasks they want in the manner they want.

[0003] In the consumer goods sector, delivering the right active agent is not enough to satisfy consumers. The appearance and texture of a product is often very important to consumer perception and can arouse the desire to purchase the product.

[0004] Fibrous substrates have historically been used in consumer products, including dryer sheets, toilet products, and wipes. Such products tend to be floppy and droop around the consumer's hands or fingers when the product is used. This can make it difficult or a poor experience for the consumer to handle the product cleanly. For such products that include an active agent, it may be desirable to limit contact between the consumer's hands and the active agent. The surface texture of some fibrous substrates can be perceived as unpleasant to the touch by some consumers. In addition, when the active agent is carried by the fibrous substrate, the consumer may find it uncomfortable to touch the active agent.

[0005] The manufacture of multi-layer sheet products from fibrous substrates can be challenging because the individual layers of the product need to be bonded to each other to form a cohesive product. Bonding and cutting multi-layer sheet products can be difficult if the thickness of the individual products varies across the surface of the product, which can easily happen where the product is loaded with particles. In addition, loading particles in fibrous water-soluble products can also present challenges in dissolution of the product.

[0006] In view of these limitations, there remains an unmet need for a method of preparing fibrous water-soluble unit dose products having particles that can be manufactured economically and maintain acceptable solubility. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention includes a method for making a fibrous water-soluble product containing particles, which includes: a) providing a first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate including a first side and moving in a first direction, b) providing a discretized unit including one or more pockets having an opening; c) providing a continuous feed of first particles to at least one of the one or more pockets of the discretized unit through the pocket opening, thereby at least partially filling at least one of the one or more pockets, d) delivering the first particles from the pocket to a portion of the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate through the opening, and e) at least partially covering the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate.

[0008] This document also includes a method for manufacturing a fibrous water-soluble product containing particles, the method comprising: a) providing a first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate including a first side and moving in a first direction, b) providing a discretization unit including one or more pockets having openings; c) providing a continuous feed of a first type of particles to at least one of the one or more pockets of the discretization unit through the pocket openings, d) intermittently delivering the first type of particles from the pocket openings onto a portion of the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate, e) metering the first type of particles to a target dose, and f) at least partially covering the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate.

[0009] These and other iterations will be described more fully below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 is a representation of a discretization unit having pockets;

[0011] Figure 2 is a representation of a stator;

[0012] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the discretization unit and the stator;

[0013] Figure 4 is a representation of a combination of the stator and a hopper;

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a method for preparing a fibrous water-soluble product;

[0015] Figure 6 is a micro-CT image of a fibrous water-soluble product having particles;

[0016] Figure 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the dosing time and the angle formed with the horizontal plane at the stator outlet;

[0017] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the discretization unit and the stator; and

[0018] Figure 9 is a time-lapse photography of a cross-sectional view of the discretization unit and the stator showing the deposition of particles onto the fiber substrate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Manufacturing water-soluble products can be a delicate balance of materials and processes to achieve the desired end product, functionality, performance, and meet the economic requirements of mass production. Previous methods for manufacturing water-soluble products with particles have included directly incorporating small amounts of particles into a substrate, such as by incorporating the particles into the substrate during the substrate preparation method, or spraying the particles onto the finished substrate. However, these methods have several drawbacks. When particles are incorporated into the substrate during the manufacture of the substrate, the particles can interfere with the capture and entanglement methods for preparing the substrate. This can lead to inadequate or uncontrolled dissolution of the substrate and / or the inability to actually form the substrate. These problems greatly limit the types and properties of particles that can be added in such methods. These potentially limiting particle properties can include particle size, particle size distribution, chemical composition, particle surface properties (such as adhesiveness and cohesiveness), particle stability during the substrate preparation method, the difficulty of separating incompatible particles, etc. This method of addition also increases the cost of the manufacturing process, as it may require dissolving solid components to add them to the substrate. Another drawback is the difficulty in controlling the location where the particles are added to the substrate, and this can create sealing problems when the particles reach the areas of the substrate to be sealed.

[0020] Despite the many difficulties with known manufacturing methods, there is still a desire to be able to load larger amounts of particles, different types of particles, control the location of the particles within the water-soluble product, and achieve these goals in an economically viable manner. This allows for greater product flexibility. After reviewing possible solutions for in-industry unit dose application devices, no intermittent particle application device was found that could meet the following basic requirements: dosing frequency, individual dose mass (mass flow rate), dosing coverage area, and manufacturing flexibility within practical limits. For example, the application of a screw-based intermittent particle filler is typically limited to an operating frequency of 3.33 doses / second – about half of the target starting rate of 6 doses / second. Using this technology would require a large capital investment to "add" units in series in an attempt to reach the 6 doses / second target starting rate.

[0021] Another challenge in adding particles to water-soluble products is the manufacture of the water-soluble products. For example, one way to prepare water-soluble products is to use a continuous substrate. However, this continuous substrate is used to prepare discrete products. This means that even though the substrate is continuous, particles need to be applied intermittently to produce discrete products. To produce discrete products on a continuous substrate, the particles need to be delivered to the substrate in such a way that they mainly stay in a defined area, i.e., the target area. Other devices for delivering particles (such as rotary feeders) are typically designed for overall flow control and not for producing uniform discrete doses. In the absence of controlled delivery of particles, this can result in varying amounts of particles in different products or the inability to form discrete products due to the particles being in areas required for sealing.

[0022] In the case of substrate movement, another challenge in controlling the delivery of particles to the substrate is observed. This requires coordinating the delivery of particles to the substrate and the positioning of the substrate using a delivery mechanism. For unit dose applications, the intermittency of dosing is synchronized with the positioning of the substrate product location to be cut on the substrate to form discrete units. Therefore, it is necessary to coordinate the timing of particle dose delivery and substrate movement to allow the formation of discrete units.

[0023] Furthermore, the movement of the substrate during and after particle application may make attempts to deliver particles to the desired portion of the substrate worse, as the particles may roll and / or splash when they land on the moving substrate or as they continue to move with the substrate to complete the manufacturing process. Additionally, the inability to control the coverage area of the particles deposited on the substrate may cause some particles to flow into the area used to seal the substrate, resulting in a water-soluble product. While a small amount of particles in this area may be tolerated, too many particles in this area will interfere with the sealing and will cause the product to fail or prevent the formation of the product. Ideally, these problems are controlled through manufacturing conditions without the need to add corrective steps such as vacuum treatment to remove loose particles, thus allowing for more cost-effective and faster production of the product.

[0024] When looking for a solution, the present inventors sought something that could be used for intermittent particle delivery and had the ability to precisely control the deposition of particles into the target area of the substrate. One possible solution was to use an intaglio application device; however, intaglio application devices are most commonly associated with intaglio printing involving liquids rather than particles. In the intaglio printing method, an image is engraved into the surface of a metal cylinder. These grooves are very small microcavities that hold ink. The ink is most commonly placed in a basin, and the cylinder contacts the basin to pick up the ink, whereupon the ink is then transferred to the substrate by pressing the cylinder against the substrate. The size of the cavities and the contact surface between the inked intaglio cylinder and the substrate are designed such that the main forces governing mass transfer are surface tension / capillary force / compressive force. Additionally, intaglio printing is highly dependent on ink viscosity, substrate speed, and the pressure applied between the intaglio application device and the substrate to facilitate the intaglio printing process. Since particles cannot be applied in the same way for this application, it is not possible to directly apply an intaglio-type application device, and traditional intaglio methods would require significant adjustments to complete the desired manufacturing.

[0025] First, to accommodate the delivery of particles from a gravure application device, the scale was adjusted. The microcavities were removed and larger pockets were included on the application device (i.e., the discretization unit). The use of the larger pockets allows for the accommodation of both smaller and larger particles and at the desired levels for addition to the fibrous substrate. Additionally, it is desired to be able to flexibly and dynamically change the amount of material dispensed using the fixed pockets on the discretization unit. Different from traditional gravure rotors that are almost always locked to the desired image to be printed, the use of oversized pockets on the discretization unit allows the use of inserts to adjust the amount of particle dispensing as needed without the need to replace the entire discretization unit. The oversized pockets also allow for an air gap, which would be undesirable in printing applications.

[0026] Furthermore, the physical contact between the gravure application device and the target substrate needs to be removed, as the contact between the discretization unit and the substrate can damage the substrate. In the case of no physical contact between the discretization unit and the substrate, a method different from that used in traditional gravure methods is needed to transfer the particles to the substrate. Through appropriate settings, the main path for particle transfer from the discretization unit and the substrate can be gravity.

[0027] To facilitate the deposition of particles from the discretization unit to the substrate using gravity rather than compressive force, fixed components such as stators can be used. Although stators are not necessary for traditional gravure methods, here, stators can be helpful in many ways. For example, stators can be used to help guide the particles into the discretization unit and to guide the particles out of the discretization unit. Additionally, the position of the stator inlet can be optimized to help minimize the amount of particles entering the annular space between the stator and the discretization unit. Furthermore, the position of the stator output can affect how the particles are deposited on the substrate and the coverage area of these particles on the substrate. The use of stators deviates significantly from traditional gravure printing methods.

[0028] From the above description, it can be seen that although the concept of the gravure method is generally followed, the present inventors have made significant changes to accommodate the use of such a system in a particulate and non-contact environment.

[0029] Manufacturing method

[0030] As discussed above, the method for manufacturing a substrate with particles can have two main elements, namely, the discretization unit 200 and the stator 300. The discretization unit 200 can help obtain a particle stream and convert it into discrete particle units. An example of the discretization unit 200 can be seen in Figure 1 . Then, the discretization unit 200 can deliver these discrete particle units to the substrate. This function can be achieved, for example, by including pockets 210 for receiving particles on the discretization unit 200.

[0031] The discretization unit 200 may have one or more pockets 210. The pockets may be fixed relative to the discretization unit, i.e., they do not move separately from the discretization unit. The number of pockets 210 may be optimized based on the desired and / or operable size of the discretization unit 200. They may also be optimized based on the desired delivery of the particles onto the substrate. For example, the pockets may be arranged side by side or one above the other to allow the simultaneous delivery of multiple particle loads. These particle loads may be the same particles or may be different. The discretization unit may include, for example, from about 1 to about 20 pockets, from about 2 to about 20 pockets, from about 3 to about 20 pockets, from about 5 to about 18 pockets, from about 6 to about 16 pockets, from about 8 to about 16 pockets, from about 8 to about 12 pockets, or any combination thereof.

[0032] The positions of the pockets 210 of the discretization unit 200 may be equidistant, for example, around the circumference of the discretization unit. The equidistant positions of the pockets on the discretization unit are preferred if it is operated at a fixed speed because non-equidistant positions of the pockets may result in a cyclic and / or non-constant motion profile of the discretization unit, which may be difficult to control and tune at high operating speeds. They may also cause timing problems for the particles to enter and / or exit the pockets.

[0033] The pockets 210 on the discretization unit 200 may be sized according to the needs of the desired dose. This may include dimensions in the lateral, longitudinal, and depth directions. The lateral direction is aligned with the axis of rotation of the discretization unit. For the lateral direction, this may determine the width of the particle coverage area when the particles are placed on the substrate. The wider the pocket in the lateral direction, the wider the particle coverage area on the substrate. The lateral dimension may also affect the entry of the particles into the pockets and their exit from the pockets. A larger dimension in the lateral direction may allow the particles to be discharged onto the substrate more quickly and may allow the particles to enter the pockets more quickly. These may be important parameters to consider when assembling the particle delivery system. The desired lateral dimension of the pocket may be, for example, from about 1 mm to about 100 mm, from about 3 mm to about 95 mm, from about 10 mm to about 90 mm, from about 20 mm to about 50 mm, from about 25 mm to about 40 mm, or any combination thereof.

[0034] The longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the lateral direction. The dimension of the pocket in the longitudinal direction may also determine the particle coverage area on the substrate. The longer the longitudinal dimension, the longer the potential particle coverage area on the substrate. Therefore, the longitudinal dimension may be limited based on the desired particle coverage area. The longitudinal dimension may also affect the entry of the particles into the pockets and their exit from the pockets. The desired longitudinal dimension of the pocket may be, for example, from about 1 mm to about 100 mm, from about 3 mm to about 95 mm, from about 10 mm to about 90 mm, from about 20 mm to about 50 mm, from about 25 mm to about 40 mm, from about 10 mm to about 15 mm, from about 8 mm to about 12 mm, or any combination thereof.

[0035] There is an additional consideration for the longitudinal dimension. The combination of the longitudinal dimension and the stator inlet dimension helps to determine the exposure time of the pocket to the particulate feed. For a given rotational speed of the discretization unit, an increase in the longitudinal dimension will allow the pocket to "have more time to fill" with particles. Thus, it is a balance point between a longitudinal dimension that is long enough to properly fill with particles and a longitudinal dimension that is small enough so as not to cause an unnecessarily long dosing time.

[0036] The pocket will also have a depth. The depth can be optimized to allow particles to enter and exit. The depth of the pocket can also be optimized to account for the entry of particles and the expulsion of air from the pocket. A minimum depth is preferred, where the particles can retreat into the pocket, thereby minimizing the sharp turning of the particles on the stator. For example, the pocket can have a depth of from about 1 mm to about 25 mm, preferably from about 2 mm to about 15 mm, or from about 3 mm to about 10 mm. The sharp turning of the particles can cause hygiene problems in the system and lead to malfunctions over time.

[0037] The pocket can also have a certain shape. The shape can be any shape that meets the needs of the desired particle delivery. For example, the pocket can be a rectangular prism, cube, cone, pyramid, concave "V" shape, divot, cylinder, having a triangular cross-section, rectangular cross-section, or any combination thereof. For example, a dimple grid can be a repeating pattern on the circumference of the discretization unit. In this pattern, for example, a 5×5 grid can be a unit dose and replace a single pocket per unit dose. In the case where the pocket is a dimple, the number of pockets thereon can be much higher than discussed above, for example, about 100 to 1000 dimples. For elongated particles, such as pellets, the preferred shape can be a concave V shape. Additionally, the interior of the pocket can be textured.

[0038] The discretization unit 200 can also function as a metering device. In this configuration, the pockets 210 or the set of pockets used together to prepare a unit dose on the discretization unit 200 have an exact volume of the target dose of particles. If the discretization unit 200 does not meter either, the pocket 210 is likely to be oversized for the target dose, and a separate metering device, such as a loss-in-weight feeder, can be used to meter the particulate stream into the pocket 210 of the discretization unit 200. The target dose of the discretization unit pocket can be by weight or by volume. Using volume can be more accurate because the density of the particles can vary from particle to particle. The target dose by weight can be, for example, from about 0.1 g to about 15 g, from about 0.2 g to about 15 g, from about 0.3 g to about 10 g, from about 0.4 g to about 8 g, from about 0.1 g to about 4.0 g. The target dose by volume can be, for example, from about 0.1 cm 3 to about 8 cm 3 、from about 0.1 cm 3 to about 7 cm3 , about 0.1 cm 3 to about 6 cm 3 , about 0.1 cm 3 to about 5 cm 3 and about 0.1 cm 3 to about 4.0 cm 3 or any combination thereof.

[0039] The discretization unit is movable, preferably rotatable. The discretization unit can rotate, for example, at a speed of about 10 rpm to about 100 rpm. The discretization unit 200 can be a rotor. A rotor can generally be described as a rotating assembly. It is typically a driven element controlled by a motor. The rotor can operate at a desired speed. This speed can be uniform or variable. This speed determines the pocket residence time of the particles in the pocket. When using a non-uniform speed, the discretization unit can first slow down to allow the particles to enter through the stator inlet and then speed up to pass through the portion of the discretization unit without pockets. Similarly, the discretization unit can first speed up to capture fewer particles at the stator inlet and then slow down to pass through the portion of the discretization unit without pockets. This also applies to discharging from the pockets of the discretization unit. The discretization unit can speed up or slow down at the particle exit point to accommodate the desired particle coverage area on the substrate or to help coordinate the timing of the dose on the substrate.

[0040] The rotor can be uniform or non-uniform, depending on the desired setting. The benefit of a fairly uniform rotor is that it allows the method to operate at a set speed to achieve the desired unit target per minute. It also allows for better control of the annular space between the discretization unit and the stator. A rotor with varying pocket spacing can also be utilized, including the motion curve of the rotational speed.

[0041] The next element for the particle delivery system can include a stator 300. Examples of stators can be seen in Figure 2 and in Figure 3 the exploded view of the stator 300 and the discretization unit 200 in

[0042] The stator 300 can be the housing for discretization unit 200 and is positioned around the discretization unit 200, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 . The position of the stator relative to the discretization unit also determines another parameter - the annular space between the discretization unit and the stator. The specifications and tolerances of this component can ensure a minimum of particle transfer into this annular space, which can lead to: particle shearing / crushing, surface fouling, and / or blockage. Additional mechanisms can be added to help prevent or minimize particle entry into the annular space. For example, mechanical seals or vanes can be utilized to prevent particles from entering the gap between the discretization unit and the stator.

[0043] The annular space between the discretization unit and the stator can be adjusted as needed, depending on, for example, the size of the particles deposited on the substrate, processing constraints, cost, and assembly feasibility. The annular space can be, for example, from about 10 μm to about 125 μm, from about 20 μm to about 100 μm, from about 20 μm to about 90 μm, from about 30 μm to about 80 μm, from about 40 μm to about 80 μm, from about 50 μm to about 75 μm, or any combination thereof.

[0044] Another way to minimize the particles entering the annular space is to minimize the contact between the particles and the annular space. This can be achieved by positioning the stator inlet such that it delivers the particles from the pinch point downwards to the discretization unit. The position of the pinch point is determined by the stator inlet wall and the direction of rotation of the discretization unit. A visualization of this concept can be seen in Figure 8 , which shows the pinch point on the left side view and how the stator inlet can be moved to a downhill position to minimize the impact of the particles on the pinch point (i.e., the annular space). This minimization helps to keep the particle integrity intact, which is particularly important for particles such as spice microcapsules that can benefit from being unbroken. It also helps to prevent the generation of fines in a shearing process, the generation of which can change the particle size distribution of the particles deposited on the substrate.

[0045] Additional features of the stator 300 can include the size and position of the outlet 320 along the circumference of the stator. The combination of the outlet design and the pocket geometry of the discretization unit can be a major factor in the deposition of the particles on the substrate. For example, by making a slight modification to the design of the stator outlet, the ejection time of the particles from a gravure process can be significantly increased or decreased, which, when combined with moving the substrate, will directly translate into a modification of the deposition coverage area of the particles on the substrate. Specifically, a stator opening at an angle of about 45 degrees to the horizontal plane provides the best minimum ejection time for most particles, as can be seen in Figure 7 . Designing the stator outlet in such a way that the trajectory of the last part of the particles leaving the stator outlet is not mainly downwards but along the longitudinal direction of the substrate is also beneficial. The net effect is that this reduces the overall particle coverage area and brings the economic advantage of being able to accelerate the process and have a better coverage area on the substrate.

[0046] As described below, the discretization unit and stator can be incorporated into a method for preparing fibrous water-soluble products.

[0047] Method for preparing a fibrous water-soluble product having particles

[0048] A method for preparing fibrous water-soluble products may first include preparing a fibrous water-soluble substrate. The substrate can be continuous or discontinuous. A description of methods for preparing water-soluble fiber substrates can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 10,683,618, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0049] Once the substrate is formed, it can be provided to the method. A single substrate, multiple substrates, or even a parent substrate that is cut into multiple substrates during the manufacturing process can be provided. Examples of a single substrate that forms multiple substrates can be seen in Figure 5 In Figure 5 In this case, the parent continuous substrate 59 can be formed on the die block assembly 40 and then cut in the longitudinal MD by a knife 70 (e.g., a rotary cutting knife cut in the longitudinal MD) to form a first continuous substrate 60 and a second continuous substrate 65. Cutting the second substrate from the parent continuous laminate substrate 59 is practical for providing better manufacturing quality control.

[0050] Regardless of starting from a parent substrate separated into two substrates, from a single substrate, or from multiple individual substrates, the discretization unit 200 and stator 300 can be used to add particles to the substrate. The particles are supplied to the hopper 400, where the particles are fed into the stator 300. At least a portion of the particles enter the discretization unit pocket 210 through the stator inlet 310. The discretization unit pocket 210 can be fully or partially filled with particles. The size of the discretization unit pocket can be set to meter a dose. In this embodiment, the discretization unit pocket size determines the volume of the dose. The dose volume can be changed by, for example, replacing the discretization unit with a discretization unit having a different-sized pocket, or by adding pocket inserts to adjust the volume as needed. The dose can also be metered upstream of the discretization unit by, for example, a metering device. In this embodiment, the discretization unit pocket can be oversized and then filled to the target dose under the control of the metering device.

[0051] The substrate may have a target area for particle application and / or deposition. The target area is the portion of the substrate where particles are desired to be applied. The configuration of the gravure device can affect the ability of the delivered particles to be applied to and remain within the target area. The gravure method may allow for the deposition of about 75% or more, about 80% or more, about 85% or more, about 90% or more, about 95% or more, or most preferably about 97% or more of the particles delivered from the pockets to remain within the target area after leaving the discretization unit (e.g., pocket opening) or until the substrate containing the particles is covered and / or sealed. Multiple pockets may deliver particles to the same target area of the substrate.

[0052] As Figure 9 Visible in, the discretization unit rotates to bring the particles to the stator outlet. The discretization unit may rotate in the same direction as the substrate (preferably) or in the opposite direction of the substrate. The particles leave the discretization unit pocket, pass through the stator outlet, and are deposited onto the substrate. During the deposition process, the substrate may be stationary or in motion. For example, the substrate may move at a rate of about 15 meters per minute or higher, about 20 meters per minute or higher, about 25 meters per minute or higher, 30 meters per minute or higher, or preferably about 30 meters per minute to about 60 meters per minute. Gravity may assist the particles in leaving the discretization unit pocket and depositing onto the substrate located below the discretization unit.

[0053] The substrate may be at any reasonable distance from the stator outlet. Generally, this distance is minimized to reduce the particle velocity and thus reduce the bounce of the particles when they contact the substrate. The distance from the stator outlet to the substrate should not be too close, otherwise the substrate will be shaved. In one case, a target distance of about 1 cm from the stator outlet to the substrate surface is used. Additionally, an air flow passing through the substrate, a vacuum within the substrate, or an air curtain may be utilized to help suppress the splashing or movement of the particles when they contact the substrate. Furthermore, the substrate may be at least partially coated with a material to help the particles stick to the substrate and / or minimize the bounce of the particles when applied to the substrate. This may include any material that makes the substrate itself sticky, such as water or any material that partially wets the particles and makes the particles themselves sticky. These materials may be, for example, other liquid active substances such as fragrances, silicones (e.g., antifoaming agents), etc. Such substances may also be, for example, adhesives. Suitable adhesives can be found in “Viscoelastic Windows of Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives”, E.P. Chang, J. Adhesion 34 (1991) 189 - 200. These materials may be applied to the substrate, for example, by atomization. This can be in a patterned or random manner.

[0054] Once the particles are positioned on the substrate, a second part of the substrate or a second substrate is positioned on the first substrate on which the particles have been deposited. Once one or more substrates are positioned as desired, they can be bonded to each other, for example, by thermal bonding. Thermal bonding can be feasible if one or more of these layers contain a thermoplastic powder, optionally a water-soluble thermoplastic material. Thermal bonding can also be feasible if the fibers constituting one or more of these substrates are thermoplastic. The substrates can optionally be calender bonded, point bonded, ultrasonically bonded, infrared bonded, air bonded, needled, hydroentangled, melt bonded, adhesive bonded, cold pressed, or bonded by any other known technical method for bonding material layers.

[0055] The water-soluble products 5 can be separated from each other by a die cutter 160 (optionally a rotary die cutter 160). The rotary die cutter 160 includes a die roller and an anvil roller that rotate relative to each other.

[0056] Reciprocating bonding and die-cutting equipment or a single rotary bonding and die-cutting equipment can be used to bond and die-cut the substrates to each other in one step. In a rotary bonding and die-cutting device that combines bonding and die-cutting, the die is shaped to provide die-cutting, where the material being cut is sandwiched between the cutting edge of the die and the smooth surface of the anvil. In addition, the die is shaped to compress together parts of the product or continuous substrates and their layers so that they bond to each other. The die can be a patterned die that provides a cutting and bonding pattern to the sheets, continuous sheet substrates, and their layers. Optionally, the die can be heated, which may be practical for thermal bonding.

[0057] For economic viability, the manufacturing method can have a target minimum number of fibrous water-soluble products per second. This can be, for example, about 6 doses of water-soluble products per second. The manufacturing method can have a target of about 100 to about 1000 doses per minute per pass.

[0058] Fibrous water-soluble product

[0059] As discussed above, the substrate can be a fibrous water-soluble substrate. The fibrous water-soluble substrate can be continuous or discrete, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown. The fibrous water-soluble substrate can be used to form fibrous water-soluble products, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0060] The fibrous water-soluble products can include one or more layers. These layers can be stacked on top of each other. These layers can be placed directly on top of each other, with particles between these layers, or a combination thereof. For example, as Figure 5As can be seen, a substrate layer 500 is located at the bottom, with particles 510 on top of it, a second substrate layer 520 above the particles 510, a second group of particles 530 on top of the second layer 520, and a third substrate layer 540 stacked on top of the second group of particles 530 and the second layer 520 to form a fibrous water-soluble product. In Figure 5 this, the edges of these layers appear to be pressed together because they have been pressed together and sealed to hold the particles inside.

[0061] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose products may contain 50% or more of bio-based materials, such as, for example, 50% to 95% of bio-based materials. Some of the individual components of the fibrous water-soluble unit dose products may be completely bio-based to produce a product with a total bio-based content greater than 50%.

[0062] These fibrous water-soluble unit dose products can dissolve under various washing conditions, such as low temperature, low water, and / or one or more short wash cycles, where consumers have overloaded the machine, especially items with high water absorption capacity, while providing sufficient surfactant delivery to achieve the desired effect on the target consumer substrate (having performance similar to today's liquid products).

[0063] The surface of the fibrous water-soluble unit dose product may include a printed area. The printed area may cover from about 10% to about 100% of the product surface. The printed area may include inks, pigments, dyes, blueing agents, or mixtures thereof. The printed area may be opaque, translucent, or transparent. The printed area may include single-color or multi-color. The printed area may be on more than one side of the product and contain instructional text, graphics, etc. The surface of the water-soluble unit dose product may contain an aversive agent, such as a bittering agent. Suitable bittering agents include, but are not limited to, naringin, sucrose octaacetate, quinine hydrochloride, denatonium benzoate, or mixtures thereof. Any suitable content of the aversive agent may be used. Suitable contents include, but are not limited to, 1 ppm to 5000 ppm, or even 100 ppm to 2500 ppm, or even 250 ppm to 2000 ppm.

[0064] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose product may exhibit a thickness of, for example, greater than 0.01 mm and / or greater than 0.05 mm and / or greater than 0.1 mm and / or up to about 100 mm and / or up to about 50 mm and / or up to about 20 mm and / or up to about 10 mm and / or up to about 5 mm and / or up to about 2 mm and / or up to about 0.5 mm and / or up to about 0.3 mm.

[0065] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose product may have a basis weight of about 500 g / m 2 to about 5,000 g / m 2 、or about 1,000 g / m 2 to about 4,000 g / m2 or about 1,500 g / m 2 to about 3,500 g / m 2 or about 2,000 g / m 2 to about 3,000 g / m 2 or a basis weight of a combination thereof.

[0066] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may exhibit different regions, such as different regions of basis weight, density, thickness, and / or wetting characteristics. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may be compressed at the edge seal. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include a texture on one or more surfaces of its surface. The surface of the fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include a pattern, such as a non-random repeating pattern. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include pores. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include a fibrous structure having a discrete region of fibrous elements that is different from other regions of the fibrous elements in the structure. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may be used as is or coated with one or more active agents.

[0067] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include one or more laminae. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include at least two and / or at least three and / or at least four and / or at least five laminae. The fiber lamina may be a fibrous structure. Each lamina may include one or more layers, such as one or more fibrous element layers, one or more particle layers, and / or one or more fibrous element / particle mixture layers. The layer may be sealed. Specifically, the particle layer and the fibrous element / particle mixture layer may be sealed so that the particles do not leak. The water-soluble unit dose article may include a plurality of laminae, wherein each lamina includes two layers, one of which is a fibrous element layer and one of which is a fibrous element / particle mixture layer, and the plurality of laminae are sealed (e.g., at the edge) together. Sealing may inhibit the leakage of particles and help the unit dose article maintain its original structure. However, after the water-soluble unit dose article is added to water, the unit dose article dissolves and releases the particles into the washing liquid.

[0068] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose may be in the form of any three-dimensional structure. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may be open-celled. The article may also be cut or formed into various sizes for different intended uses. For example, the water-soluble unit dose may be square, rounded square, kite-shaped, rectangular, triangular, circular, oval, and mixtures thereof.

[0069] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose may include fewer than 10 components. The water-soluble unit dose may include 3 to 9 components, such as 4 components, 5 components, 6 components, 7 components, or 8 components.

[0070] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose products disclosed herein comprise a water-soluble fibrous structure and one or more particles. The fibrous water-soluble fibrous structure may include a plurality of fibrous elements, such as a plurality of filaments. One or more particles, such as one or more active ingredient-containing particles, may be distributed throughout the structure. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose product may include a plurality of two or more and / or three or more fibrous elements, which are entangled with each other or otherwise associated with each other to form a fibrous structure and one or more particles, and the particles may be distributed throughout the fibrous structure.

[0071] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose product may include a water-soluble fibrous structure. The water-soluble fibrous structure may include two or more different fibrous elements. Non-limiting examples of differences in fibrous elements may be physical differences, such as differences in diameter, length, texture, shape, rigidity, elasticity, etc.; chemical differences such as crosslinking level, solubility, melting point, Tg, active ingredient, filament-forming material, color, active ingredient content, basis weight, filament-forming material content, whether there is any coating on the fibrous element, whether it can be biodegradable, whether it is hydrophobic, contact angle, etc.; differences in whether the fibrous element loses its physical structure when exposed to the expected use conditions; differences in whether the fibrous element changes its morphology when exposed to the expected use conditions; and differences in the rate of release of one or more of its active ingredients when the fibrous element is exposed to the expected use conditions. Two or more fibrous elements in the fibrous structure may contain different active ingredients. This may be the case where different active ingredients may be incompatible with each other, such as anionic surfactants and cationic polymers. When different fibrous elements are used, the resulting structure may exhibit different wetting, absorption, and dissolution characteristics.

[0072] Fiber structure

[0073] The fibrous structure includes one or more fibrous elements. The fibrous elements may be associated with each other to form a structure. The fibrous structure may include particles within and / or on the structure. The fibrous structure may be homogeneous, layered, integral, partitioned, or, if desired, have different active ingredients defining the various parts described above.

[0074] The fibrous structure may include one or more layers, and the layers together form a lamina.

[0075] Fiber element

[0076] The fibrous element may be water-soluble. The fibrous element may contain one or more filament-forming materials and / or one or more active ingredients, such as surfactants. One or more active ingredients can be released from the fibrous element, such as when the fibrous element and / or the fibrous structure including the fibrous element is exposed to the conditions of the expected use.

[0077] The fibrous element can be spun from a filament-forming composition (also referred to as a fibrous element-forming composition) by suitable spinning processes such as meltblowing, spunbonding, electrospinning, and / or rotary spinning using filaments.

[0078] As used herein, "filament-forming composition" and / or "fibrous element-forming composition" means a composition suitable for preparing a fibrous element, such as by meltblowing and / or spunbonding. The filament-forming composition comprises one or more filament-forming materials that exhibit properties rendering them suitable for spinning into a fibrous element. The filament-forming materials can comprise polymers. In addition to one or more filament-forming materials, the filament-forming composition can also comprise one or more active agents, such as surfactants. Further, the filament-forming composition can comprise one or more polar solvents (such as water) in which one or more (e.g., all) of the filament-forming materials and / or one or more (e.g., all) of the active agents in the filament-forming materials are dissolved and / or dispersed prior to spinning the fibrous element (such as filaments from the filament-forming composition).

[0079] The filament-forming composition can comprise two or more different filament-forming materials. Thus, the fibrous element can be single-component (one filament-forming material) and / or multi-component, such as bicomponent. Two or more different filament-forming materials are combined randomly to form the fibrous element. For the purposes of this disclosure, two or more different filament-forming materials can be combined in an ordered manner to form a fibrous element such as a core-shell bicomponent fibrous element, which is not considered a random mixture of different filament-forming materials. The bicomponent fibrous element can be in any form, such as side-by-side, core-shell, sea-island, etc.

[0080] The fibrous element can be substantially free of alkyl alkoxylated sulfates. Each fibrous element can comprise from about 0%, or about 0.1%, or about 5%, or about 10%, or about 15%, or about 20%, or about 25%, or about 30%, or about 35%, or about 40% to about 0.2%, or to about 1%, or to about 5%, or to about 10%, or to about 15%, or to about 20%, or to about 25%, or to about 30%, or to about 35%, or to about 40%, or to about 50% of alkyl alkoxylated sulfate, based on the weight of the dry fibrous element. The amount of alkyl alkoxylated sulfate in each fibrous element of the fibrous element is small enough so as not to affect its processing stability and film dissolution. Alkyl alkoxylated sulfates, when dissolved in water, can undergo a highly viscous hexagonal phase in a certain concentration range (e.g., 30 wt% to 60 wt%), producing a gel-like substance. Thus, if incorporated in a significant amount into the fibrous element, alkyl alkoxylated sulfates can significantly slow down the dissolution of the water-soluble unit dose article in water and, worse, result in undissolved solids thereafter. Accordingly, most such surfactants are formulated as granules.

[0081] The fibrous elements may each comprise at least one filament-forming material and an active agent, preferably a surfactant. The surfactant may have a relatively low hydrophilicity as such surfactants are less likely to form a viscous, gel-like hexagonal phase upon dilution. By using such surfactants in forming filaments, gel formation during washing can be effectively reduced, which in turn can lead to faster dissolution and low or no residue in washing. The surfactant may be selected from, for example, unalkoxylated C 6 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl sulfates (AS), C 6 -C 20 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), and combinations thereof. The surfactant may be a C 6 -C 20 linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). LAS surfactants are well known in the art and can be readily obtained by sulfonating commercially available linear alkylbenzenes. Exemplary C 6 -C 20 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates include alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or C 6 -C 20 ammonium salts of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, such as C 11 -C 18 linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid or C 11 -C 14 sodium, potassium, magnesium, and / or ammonium salts of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid. The sodium or potassium salt of C 12 linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, for example the sodium salt of C 12 linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, namely sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, may be used as the first surfactant.

[0082] The fiber element may comprise at least about 5 wt%, and / or at least about 10 wt%, and / or at least about 15 wt%, and / or at least about 20 wt%, and / or less than about 80 wt%, and / or less than about 75 wt%, and / or less than about 65 wt%, and / or less than about 60 wt%, and / or less than about 55 wt%, and / or less than about 50 wt%, and / or less than about 45 wt%, and / or less than about 40 wt%, and / or less than about 35 wt%, and / or less than about 30 wt%, and / or less than about 25 wt% of a filament-forming material based on the dry fiber element and / or dry fiber structure and greater than about 20 wt%, and / or at least about 35 wt%, and / or at least about 40 wt%, and / or at least about 45 wt%, and / or at least about 50 wt%, and / or at least about 55 wt%, and / or at least about 60 wt%, and / or at least about 65 wt%, and / or at least about 70 wt%, and / or less than about 95 wt%, and / or less than about 90 wt%, and / or less than about 85 wt%, and / or less than about 80 wt%, and / or less than about 75 wt% of an active agent, preferably a surfactant, based on the dry fiber element and / or dry fiber structure. The fiber element may comprise greater than about 80% surfactant by weight based on the dry fiber element and / or dry fiber structure.

[0083] Preferably, each fiber element may be characterized by a total surfactant content that is high enough, such as at least about 30%, or at least about 40%, or at least about 50%, or at least about 60%, or at least about 70% of a first surfactant by weight based on the dry fiber element and / or dry fiber structure.

[0084] The total content of the filament-forming material present in the fiber element may be from about 5% to less than about 80% by weight based on the dry fiber element and / or dry fiber structure, and the total content of the surfactant present in the fiber element may be from greater than about 20% to about 95% by weight based on the dry fiber element and / or dry fiber structure.

[0085] One or more fiber elements may comprise at least one other surfactant selected from the group consisting of: other anionic surfactants (i.e., excluding AS and LAS), nonionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, cationic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

[0086] Other suitable anionic surfactants include C 6 -C 20 linear alkyl sulfonates or branched alkyl sulfonates, C 6 -C 20 linear alkyl carboxylates or branched alkyl carboxylates, C 6 -C 20Linear alkyl phosphates or branched alkyl phosphates, C 6 -C 20 Linear alkyl phosphonic acids or branched alkyl phosphonates, C 6 -C 20 Alkyl N-methyl glucamides, C 6 -C 20 Methyl ester sulfonates (MES), and combinations thereof.

[0087] Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated fatty alcohols. The nonionic surfactant may be selected from ethoxylated alcohols and ethoxylated alkylphenols of the formula R(OC 2 H 4 ) n OH, where R is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbon groups containing from about 8 to about 15 carbon atoms and alkylphenyls in which the alkyl group contains from about 8 to about 12 carbon atoms, and the average value of n is from about 5 to about 15. Non-limiting examples of nonionic surfactants useful herein include: C 8 -C 18 Alkyl ethoxylates, such as those from Shell nonionic surfactants; C 6 -C 12 Alkylphenol alkoxylates, where the alkoxylate units may be ethyleneoxy units, propyleneoxy units, or mixtures thereof; C 12 -C 18 Alcohols and C 6 -C 12 Condensates of alkylphenols with ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block polymers, such as those from BASF C 14 -C 22 Medium-chain branched alcohols, BA; C 14 -C 22 Medium-chain branched alkyl alkoxylates, BAE x , where x is from 1 to 30; alkyl polysaccharides; specifically alkyl polyglycosides; polyhydroxy fatty acid amides; and ether-capped poly(alkoxylated) alcohol surfactants. Suitable nonionic detergent surfactants also include alkyl polyglucosides and alkyl alkoxylated alcohols. Suitable nonionic surfactants also include those sold by BASF under the trade name .

[0088] Non-limiting examples of cationic surfactants include: quaternary ammonium surfactants, which may have up to 26 carbon atoms, including: alkoxylated quaternary ammonium (AQA) surfactants; dimethyl hydroxyethyl quaternary ammonium; dimethyl hydroxyethyl lauryl ammonium chloride; polyamine cationic surfactants; cationic ester surfactants; and amino surfactants such as amide propyl dimethylamine (APA). Suitable cationic detersive surfactants also include alkyl pyridinium compounds, alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, alkyl quaternary phosphonium compounds, alkyl tri-sulfonium compounds, and mixtures thereof.

[0089] Suitable cationic detersive surfactants are quaternary ammonium compounds having the following general formula:

[0090] (R)(R 1 )(R 2 )(R 3 )N + X -

[0091] wherein R is a straight-chain or branched, substituted or unsubstituted C 6-18 alkyl moiety or alkenyl moiety, R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from a methyl moiety or an ethyl moiety, R 3 is a hydroxy moiety, hydroxymethyl moiety or hydroxyethyl moiety, X is an anion providing electrical neutrality, and suitable anions include: halide ions (such as chloride ions); sulfate; and sulfonate. Suitable cationic detersive surfactants are mono-C 6-18 alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride. Highly suitable cationic detersive surfactants are mono-C 8-10 alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride, mono-C 10-12 alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride and mono-C 10 alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride.

[0092] Suitable examples of zwitterionic surfactants include: derivatives of secondary and tertiary amines, including derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines; derivatives of quaternary ammonium, quaternary phosphonium or tertiary sulfonium compounds; betaines, including alkyl dimethyl betaines, coconut oil dimethylamidopropyl betaines, sulfobetaines and hydroxybetaines; C 8 to C 18 (e.g., C 12 to C 18 ) amine oxides; N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylamino-1-propane sulfonates, wherein the alkyl group may be C 8 to C 18 .

[0093] Suitable amphoteric surfactants include aliphatic derivatives of secondary or tertiary amines, or aliphatic derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines, wherein the aliphatic group can be straight-chain or branched-chain, and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains at least about 8 carbon atoms, or about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, and at least one of the aliphatic substituents contains an anionic water-solubilizing group such as carboxyl, sulfonate, sulfate. Suitable amphoteric surfactants also include sarcosinates, glycinate, taurates and mixtures thereof.

[0094] The fiber element can include a surfactant system containing only anionic surfactants, such as a single anionic surfactant or a combination of two or more different anionic surfactants. Alternatively, the fiber element can include a composite surfactant system, for example, a combination containing one or more anionic surfactants and one or more nonionic surfactants, or a combination of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more zwitterionic surfactants, or a combination of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more amphoteric surfactants, or a combination of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more cationic surfactants, or a combination of all of the above types of surfactants (i.e., anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and cationic surfactants).

[0095] Typically, the fiber element is an elongated particle whose length greatly exceeds the average diameter, for example, the ratio of length to average diameter is at least about 10. The fiber element can be a filament or a fiber. Filaments are relatively longer than fibers. The filament can have a length greater than or equal to about 5.08 cm (2 inches), and / or greater than or equal to about 7.62 cm (3 inches), and / or greater than or equal to about 10.16 cm (4 inches), and / or greater than or equal to about 15.24 cm (6 inches). The fiber can have a length less than about 5.08 cm (2 inches), and / or less than about 3.81 cm (1.5 inches), and / or less than about 2.54 cm (1 inch).

[0096] One or more filament-forming materials and active agents can be present in the fiber element in an amount such that the weight ratio of the filament-forming material to the total content of the active agent is about 2.0 or less, and / or about 1.85 or less, and / or less than about 1.7, and / or less than about 1.6, and / or less than about 1.5, and / or less than about 1.3, and / or less than about 1.2, and / or less than about 1, and / or less than about 0.7, and / or less than about 0.5, and / or less than about 0.4, and / or less than about 0.3, and / or greater than about 0.1, and / or greater than about 0.15, and / or greater than about 0.2. One or more filament-forming materials and active agents can be present in the fiber element in a weight ratio of about 0.2 to about 0.7 of the filament-forming material to the total content of the active agent.

[0097] The fibrous element may comprise from about 10% to less than about 80% by weight of the dry fibrous element and / or dry fibrous structure of a filament-forming material such as a polyvinyl alcohol polymer, a starch polymer, and / or a carboxymethyl cellulose polymer, and from greater than about 20% to about 90% by weight of an active agent such as a surfactant based on the dry fibrous element and / or dry fibrous structure. The fibrous element may also comprise a plasticizer such as glycerol and / or an additional pH regulator such as citric acid. The fibrous element may have a weight ratio of filament-forming material to active agent of about 2.0 or less. The filament-forming material may be selected from the group consisting of: polyvinyl alcohol, starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene oxide, and other suitable polymers, especially hydroxyl-containing polymers and their derivatives. The weight average molecular weight range of the filament-forming material may be from about 100,000 g / mol to about 3,000,000 g / mol. It is believed that within this range, the filament-forming material can provide extensional rheology without elasticity, thereby suppressing fiber attenuation during fiber manufacturing.

[0098] When the fibrous element and / or the fibrous structure comprising the fibrous element are exposed to the conditions of the intended use, one or more active agents may be capable of being released and / or released. One or more active agents in the fibrous element may be selected from the group consisting of: surfactants, organic polymeric compounds, and mixtures thereof.

[0099] The fibrous element may exhibit a diameter of less than about 300 μm, and / or less than about 75 μm, and / or less than about 50 μm, and / or less than about 25 μm, and / or less than about 10 μm, and / or less than about 5 μm, and / or less than about 1 μm. The fibrous element may exhibit a diameter greater than about 1 μm. The diameter of the fibrous element can be used to control the release rate of one or more active agents present in the fibrous element and / or the loss rate and / or change rate of the physical structure of the fibrous element.

[0100] Particle

[0101] Particles may be incorporated into the fibrous water-soluble product as discussed above at a level, for example, of from about 0.1 g to about 30 g. The type of particles used can be any type compatible with the manufacturing system. One parameter that can contribute to the successful deposition of particles according to this method is the flowability of the particles. The flowability (f p ) of the particles may be defined as the ratio of the consolidation stress (cs) to the unconfined yield strength (ys). The greater the f p , the better the particle flow. Generally, it is considered that f p < 1 is non-flowing, f p > 1 but less than 2 is very cohesive, f p from 2 to less than 4 is considered cohesive, f pis considered to be readily flowable for 4 to less than 10, and f p is considered to be free-flowing for 10 or greater. For the above method, f p Particles with an f value of about 4 or greater are preferred. The flowability level can be determined by the flowability methods listed below. The flowability of the particles can be, for example, about 1 or greater, about 2 or greater, about 3 or greater, about 4 or greater, about 5 or greater, about 5 or greater, about 6 or greater, about 7 or greater, about 8 or greater, about 9 or greater, about 10 or greater, up to about 1000 or less.

[0102] The particles can be powders, granules, agglomerates, encapsulates, microcapsules, and / or pellets. Many well-known methods in the art can be used to prepare the particles, such as spray drying, agglomeration, extrusion, granulation, encapsulation, tabletization, and combinations thereof. The shape of the particles can be in the form of: spherical, rod-shaped, plate-shaped, tubular, square, rectangular, disc-shaped, star-shaped, fibrous, or having a regular or irregular random shape. The particles can have a D50 particle size of about 100 μm to about 1600 μm.

[0103] The particles can include a mixture of chemically different particles such as: surfactant particles including surfactant agglomerates, surfactant extrudates, surfactant needles, surfactant pellets, surfactant flakes; phosphate particles; zeolite particles; silicate particles, especially sodium silicate particles; carbonate particles, especially sodium carbonate particles; polymer particles such as carboxylate polymer particles, cellulose polymer particles, starch particles, polyester particles, polyamine particles, terephthalic acid polymer particles, polyethylene glycol particles; aesthetic particles such as colored pellets, needles, layered particles and ring particles; enzyme particles such as protease particles, amylase particles, lipase particles, cellulase particles, mannanase particles, pectate lyase particles, xyloglucanase particles, bleaching enzyme particles and co - particles of any one of these enzymes, which enzyme particles can contain sodium sulfate; bleaching agent particles such as percarbonate particles, especially coated percarbonate particles such as percarbonate coated with carbonate, sulfate, silicate, borosilicate, or any combination thereof, perborate particles, bleach activator particles such as tetraacetylethylenediamine particles and / or alkoxylated benzene sulfonate particles, bleach catalyst particles such as transition metal catalyst particles, and / or isoquinolinium bleach catalyst particles, pre - formed peracid particles, especially coated pre - formed peracid particles; filler particles such as sulfate particles and chloride particles; clay particles such as montmorillonite particles and clay and siloxane particles; flocculant particles such as polyethylene oxide particles; wax particles such as wax agglomerates; siloxane particles, optical brightener particles; dye transfer inhibitor particles; dye fixative particles; fragrance particles such as fragrance microcapsules and starch - encapsulated fragrance blend particles, and pre - fragrance particles such as Schiff base reaction product particles; color - tone dye particles; chelating agent particles such as chelating agent agglomerates; and any combination thereof.

[0104] Combination

[0105] 1. A method of manufacturing a fibrous water - soluble product comprising particles, the method comprising: a) providing a first continuous water - soluble fibrous substrate including a first side and moving in a first direction, b) providing a discretizing unit including one or more pockets having openings; c) providing a continuous feed of a first type of particles to at least one of the one or more pockets of the discretizing unit through the pocket openings, thereby at least partially filling the at least one of the one or more pockets, d) delivering the first type of particles from the pocket through the opening onto a portion of the first side of the first continuous water - soluble fibrous substrate, and e) at least partially covering the first side of the first continuous water - soluble fibrous substrate.

[0106] 2. A method of manufacturing a fibrous water-soluble product comprising particles, the method comprising: a) providing a first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate including a first side and moving in a first direction, b) providing a discretization unit including one or more pockets having openings; c) providing a continuous feed of a first particulate to at least one of the one or more pockets of the discretization unit through the pocket openings, d) intermittently delivering the first particulate from the pocket openings to a portion of the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate, e) metering the first particulate to a target dose, and f) at least partially covering the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate.

[0107] 3. The method according to any one of 1 or 2, the method further comprising sealing the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate and the covering, thereby entrapping at least a portion of the first particulate between the first water-soluble substrate and the covering, wherein the covering comprises a second fibrous water-soluble substrate.

[0108] 4. The method according to 3, wherein the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate is sealed to the second continuous water-soluble fiber substrate to entrap at least a portion of the particulate, thereby forming a unit dose.

[0109] 5. The method according to any one of 1 to 4, wherein the first particulate is delivered to a target area on the first side of the first continuous water-soluble substrate, and at least 75%, about 80% or more, about 85% or more, about 90% or more, about 95% or more, or most preferably about 97% or more of the first particulate remains on the target area when leaving the discretization unit.

[0110] 6. The method according to any one of 1 to 5, wherein the discretization unit includes a rotor.

[0111] 7. The method according to 6, wherein the rotor includes the one or more pockets, and the particulate is received in at least one of the one or more pockets of the rotor before being delivered to a portion of the first side of the first continuous substrate.

[0112] 8. The method according to any one of 1 to 7, wherein the size of the pocket meters the amount of the first particulate to be delivered to the portion of the first side of the first continuous substrate.

[0113] 9. The method according to any one of 1 to 8, wherein the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate moves at a speed of about 5 m / min to about 100 m / min in the first direction.

[0114] 10. The method according to any one of 1 to 9, wherein the first particles are intermittently delivered from the one or more pockets of the discretization unit.

[0115] 11. The method according to any one of 1 to 10, wherein the particles have a flowability of about 4 or greater, preferably about 4 to about 1000.

[0116] 12. The method according to any one of 1 to 11, wherein the particles are delivered from the discretization unit to an area of about 20 mm 2 to about 6000 mm 2 of the first continuous substrate to form a unit dose, and one or more unit doses can be formed on the first continuous substrate.

[0117] 13. The method according to any one of 1 to 12, wherein the discretization unit discretizes a continuous stream of the first particles into one or more individual doses.

[0118] 14. The method according to any one of 1 to 13, the method further comprising: a) providing a third continuous water-soluble fibrous substrate moving in the first direction and having a first side and a second side, b) providing a feed of second particles to a second discretization unit, c) delivering the second particles from the discretization unit to a portion of the second side of the second continuous water-soluble substrate; d) placing the first side of the third continuous substrate on the second particles.

[0119] 15. The method according to any one of 1 to 14, the method further comprising providing a feed of second particles to the discretization unit, wherein the first particles and the second particles are the same or different.

[0120] 16. The method according to any one of 1 to 15, wherein the discretization unit moves at a constant speed.

[0121] 17. The method according to any one of 1 to 16, wherein the discretization unit moves at a variable speed.

[0122] 18. The method according to any one of 1 to 17, wherein during deposition of the particles onto the first continuous water-soluble fibrous substrate, at least one pocket of the discretization unit travels synchronously with the first continuous water-soluble fibrous substrate.

[0123] 19. The method according to any one of 1 to 18, wherein the particles include powders, granules, agglomerates, encapsulates, microcapsules, pellets, or combinations thereof.

[0124] 20. The method according to any one of 1 to 19, wherein the first particles have a flowability of about 4 or greater.

[0125] 21. A granular application device, the granular application device comprising:

[0126] a stator, the stator comprising an inlet and an outlet; and

[0127] a rotating discretization unit for receiving and delivering granules, the rotating discretization unit comprising one or more pockets, pits or a combination thereof;

[0128] wherein the stator and the rotating discretization unit are operably connected.

[0129] 22. The granular application device according to claim 21, wherein the rotating discretization unit rotates at a variable speed.

[0130] 23. The granular application device according to any one of claims 21 to 22, wherein the rotating discretization unit comprises pockets, preferably equally spaced pockets.

[0131] 24. The granular application device according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the rotating discretization unit comprises from about 1 to about 20 pockets, from about 2 to about 20 pockets, from about 3 to about 20 pockets, from about 5 to about 18 pockets, from about 6 to about 16 pockets, from about 8 to about 16 pockets or from about 8 to about 12 pockets.

[0132] 25. The granular application device according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the rotating discretization unit comprises pockets having a transverse dimension of from about 1 mm to about 100 mm, from about 3 mm to about 95 mm, from about 10 mm to about 90 mm, from about 20 mm to about 50 mm or from about 25 mm to about 40 mm.

[0133] 26. The granular application device according to any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein the rotating discretization unit comprises pockets having a longitudinal dimension of from about 1 mm to about 100 mm, from about 3 mm to about 95 mm, from about 10 mm to about 90 mm, from about 20 mm to about 50 mm, from about 25 mm to about 40 mm, from about 10 mm to about 15 mm or from about 8 mm to about 12 mm.

[0134] 27. The granular application device according to any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the rotating discretization unit comprises pockets having a depth of from about 1 mm to about 100 mm, from about 3 mm to about 95 mm, from about

[0135] 10 mm to about 90 mm, from about 20 mm to about 50 mm, from about 25 mm to about 40 mm, from about 10 mm to about 15 mm or from about 8 mm to about 12 mm.

[0136] 28. The particulate application device according to any one of claims 21 to 27, wherein the rotary discretization unit includes pockets having a shape that is a rectangular prism, a cube, a cone, a pyramid, a concave "V" shape, a recessed area, a cylinder, any shape having a triangular cross-section, any shape having a rectangular cross-section, or any combination thereof.

[0137] 29. The particulate application device according to any one of claims 21 to 28, wherein the discretization unit measures a target dose of the particulate.

[0138] 30. The particulate application device according to any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein the rotary discretization unit includes pockets, and the pockets are a volume of the target dose of the particulate.

[0139] 31. The particulate application device according to any one of claims 21 to 30, wherein the target dose of the particulate for the rotary discretization unit is from about 0.1 g to about 15 g, from about 0.2 g to about 15 g, from about 0.3 g to about 10 g, from about 0.4 g to about 8 g, from about 0.1 g to about 4.0 g. The target dose by volume can be, for example, from about 0.1 cm 3 to about 8 cm 3 、from about 0.1 cm 3 to about 7 cm 3 、from about 0.1 cm 3 to about 6 cm 3 、from about 0.1 cm 3 to about 5 cm 3 and from about 0.1 cm 3 to about 4.0 cm 3 or any combination thereof.

[0140] 32. The particulate application device according to any one of claims 21 to 31, wherein the rotary discretization unit includes a rotor.

[0141] 33. The particulate application device according to any one of claims 21 to 32, wherein the stator includes a housing.

[0142] 34. The particulate application device according to claim 33, wherein the rotary discretization unit is at least partially located inside the stator housing.

[0143] 35. The particulate application device according to claim 34, wherein an annular space exists between the stator housing and the rotary discretization unit.

[0144] 36. The particulate application device according to 35, wherein the annular space is about 10 μm to about 125 μm, about 20 μm to about 100 μm, about 20 μm to about 90 μm, about 30 μm to about 80 μm, about 40 μm to about 80 μm, about 50 μm to about 75 μm, or any combination thereof.

[0145] 37. The particulate application device according to any one of 21 to 36, wherein the stator inlet is positioned such that the rotating discretization unit receives particles as a portion of the rotating discretization unit that receives particles travels in a downward trajectory.

[0146] 38. The particulate application device according to any one of 21 to 37, wherein the stator outlet is positioned at an angle of about 45° with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0147] 39. The particulate application device according to any one of 21 to 38, wherein the particulate application device applies particles to a fibrous substrate.

[0148] Flowability method

[0149] The following comparative tests were conducted to demonstrate the flowability of the particles at ambient temperature and humidity

[0150] The device suitable for this test is the commercially available flowability test system FloDex TM (Teledyne HansonResearch, Chatsworth, Calif., USA), which includes a flat-bottomed cylindrical hopper with a removable bottom and a set of interchangeable chassis that contain orifices of different sizes. In addition, additional chassis with orifices of smaller sizes (diameter less than 4 mm) were fabricated in order to provide a more complete range of orifice diameters, including 3 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm, 14 mm, 16 mm, 18 mm up to 34 mm.

[0151] FloDex TM The device includes a funnel for loading a particulate test sample into a flat-bottomed stainless steel cylindrical hopper with a diameter of about 5.7 cm. The hopper has a removable bottom defined by a removable chassis that has an orifice of a specific size. As mentioned above, a plurality of removable chassis with orifices of different sizes are provided, and the plurality of removable chassis are interchangeably fitted at the bottom of the hopper in place of the disk, thereby defining bottom orifices of different sizes. A discharge gate is placed directly below the orifice and above the receiver. When the flowability measurement begins, the discharge gate moves to expose the bottom orifice and allow the particulate test sample to flow downward from the hopper through the bottom orifice into the receiver.

[0152] To test the flowability of a specific test sample, the following steps are followed:

[0153] a. Fill the hopper by pouring approximately 75 ml of the test sample through the funnel. This corresponds to an approximately 1" (25 mm) powder layer in the cylindrical hopper.

[0154] b. After the sample has settled for 30 seconds, open the spring-loaded discharge door and allow the sample to flow through the orifice into the receiver.

[0155] c. Repeat steps (a) and (b) for the same test sample using different trays with orifices of gradually increasing orifice sizes. At the beginning, when using a tray with a relatively small orifice, the flow of the test sample will usually stop due to clogging at a certain point, i.e., it cannot pass through the orifice due to the small orifice size. Once the flow of the test sample stops, clogging is declared, and the specific tray causing the clogging is removed and replaced with another tray with a slightly larger orifice, and steps (a) and (b) are repeated again. When the test sample can flow continuously through the orifice of a specific size three (3) times without clogging, such an orifice size is recorded as the FloDex TM Blocking Parameter and B refers to the diameter of the orifice in the flow tray used in the test. FloDex TM The smaller the Blocking Parameter, the better the flowability of the test sample (i.e., it can flow through a smaller orifice without clogging).

[0156] Then the flowability is calculated according to the following formula:

[0157]

[0158] , where H(θ′) = (130° - θ′) / 65° is the hopper flow function proposed by Jenike, θ′ is the internal flow channel angle in the powder, A is the cross-sectional area of the FloDex TM of the FloDex TM of the FloDex TM perimeter, K is the lateral stress ratio proposed by Janssen, φ′ is the wall friction coefficient between the powder and the side wall of the steel cylinder, B is the critical blocking diameter in the FloDex TM (in mm), and h is the powder filling height in the FloDex TM (in mm). After inserting the values of the FloDex

[0159]

[0160] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, each such dimension is intended to mean the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0161] Unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited, each document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or patent application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or its benefits, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any one or more other references, teaches, suggests, or discloses any such invention. Further, when any meaning or definition of a term in this invention conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this invention shall govern.

[0162] While the specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the invention be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a fibrous water-soluble product comprising particles, the method comprising: a) providing a first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate including a first side and moving in a first direction, b) providing a discretization unit including one or more pockets having openings; c) providing a continuous feed of a first type of particles to at least one of the one or more pockets of the discretization unit through the pocket openings, thereby at least partially filling the at least one of the one or more pockets, d) delivering the first type of particles from the pocket through the opening onto a portion of the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate, and e) at least partially covering the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising sealing the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate and the covering, thereby entrapping at least a portion of the first type of particles between the first water-soluble substrate and the covering, wherein the covering comprises a second fibrous water-soluble substrate.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the first type of particles is delivered to a target area on the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate, and at least 75%, preferably 80% or more, more preferably 85% or more, even more preferably 90% or more, even more preferably 95% or more, or most preferably 97% or more of the first type of particles remain on the target area when leaving the discretization unit.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the discretization unit includes a rotor.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the rotor includes the one or more pockets, and the particles are received in at least one of the one or more pockets of the rotor before being delivered onto a portion of the first side of the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the size of the pocket measures the amount of the first type of particles to be delivered to the portion of the first continuous substrate.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the discretization unit discretizes the continuous stream of the first type of particles into one or more individual doses.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first type of particles is intermittently delivered from the one or more pockets of the discretization unit.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein preferably measured according to the flowability method, the particles have a flowability of about 4 or greater.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the particles are delivered from the discretization unit to an area of from about 20 mm 2 to about 6000 mm 2 to form a unit dose, and one or more unit doses are formed on the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein during deposition of the particles onto the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate, at least one pocket of the discretization unit travels synchronously with the first continuous water-soluble fiber substrate.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the discretization unit moves at a constant speed.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the discretization unit moves at a variable speed.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the method further comprising providing a feed of second particles to the discretization unit, wherein the first particles and the second particles are the same or different.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the method further comprising: a) providing a third continuous water-soluble fiber substrate having a first side and a second side and moving in the first direction, b) providing a feed of second particles to a second discretization unit, c) delivering the second particles from the discretization unit onto a portion of the second side of the second continuous water-soluble fiber substrate; d) placing the first side of the third continuous water-soluble fiber substrate on the second particles.

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