Fibrous Tissue Structure With Graded Cellulose for Wet Bulk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sanitary tissue products, such as paper towels, face challenges in achieving improved bulk and absorbency without compromising softness, stiffness, flexibility, or strength, and maintaining these properties when wet.
Innovation Solution
The development of articles with fibrous structures that vary in cellulose content throughout their thickness, featuring a first portion with less than 40% cellulose, a second portion with 40% to 95% cellulose, and a third portion with 95% to 100% cellulose, incorporating a mixture of filaments and fibers, which enhances bulk and absorbency while maintaining softness and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If cellulose content is increased to improve bulk and absorbency, then absorbent capacity is improved, but softness and flexibility are negatively impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a graded cellulose content distribution through the thickness of the product, with different portions having different cellulose concentrations (0-40%, 40-95%, and 95-100% ranges). This allows each layer to contribute differently: lower cellulose content regions provide softness and flexibility, while higher cellulose content regions provide bulk and absorbency, thereby resolving the contradiction between these opposing properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining fibrous elements with different cellulose contents and compositions within a single product structure. The mixture of filaments and fibers with varying cellulose percentages creates a composite structure that simultaneously delivers the desired bulk, absorbency, softness, and flexibility that cannot be achieved with a single uniform material composition.
2Quantity of substance
If cellulose content is increased to improve absorbency, then absorbent capacity is improved, but strength is negatively impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a graded cellulose content distribution through the thickness of the product, with different portions having different cellulose concentrations (0-40%, 40-95%, and 95-100% ranges). This allows each layer to contribute differently: lower cellulose content regions provide strength and structural integrity, while higher cellulose content regions provide bulk and absorbency, thereby resolving the contradiction between these opposing properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining fibrous elements with different cellulose contents and compositions within a single product structure. The mixture of filaments and fibers with varying cellulose percentages creates a composite structure that simultaneously delivers the desired bulk, absorbency, and strength that cannot be achieved with a single uniform material composition.
3Volume of stationary object
If bulk is increased to improve roll bulk and sheet bulk, then bulk properties are improved, but opacity is negatively impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a graded cellulose content distribution through the thickness of the product, with different portions having different cellulose concentrations. This allows lower density regions to provide bulk and volume while higher density regions maintain opacity, resolving the contradiction between these properties through spatial differentiation of material composition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These articles exhibit improved bulk and absorbency while maintaining softness and flexibility, and the cellulose content variation ensures that bulk properties are preserved even when wet, offering enhanced consumer acceptance.
Implementation Method 1
the articles exhibit improved bulk and absorbent properties compared to known articles
Data Source
AI summary
Articles, such as sanitary tissue products, including fibrous structures, and more particularly articles including fibrous structures having a plurality of fibrous elements wherein the article exhibits differential cellulose content throughout the thickness of the article and methods for making same are provided.