Stack of interfolded absorbent sheet products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Interfolded paper napkins with single folds have high basis weight to achieve absorbency, resulting in low softness and drape properties, while multiple folds lead to elongated shapes and dispensing issues.
Innovation Solution
A stack of interfolded absorbent sheet products with at least two folds perpendicular to each other, where the first fold is offset, and the second fold bisects the sheet, providing a predetermined pattern through embossing or TAD, resulting in a balanced basis weight and improved tactile and visual quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If single fold is used to achieve simpler structure, then device complexity is reduced, but absorbency is insufficient requiring high basis weight
Solution Approach 1:
The napkin sheet is divided into multiple folded sections creating multiple folds perpendicular to each other, which increases the effective surface area and absorbency without requiring a single large high-weight sheet. The segmentation of the sheet into folded panels achieves better absorbency distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces multiple dimensions of folding by creating folds perpendicular to each other (first fold in one direction, second fold in perpendicular direction), transforming a simple single-dimension fold into a multi-dimensional folded structure that increases surface area and absorbency efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If high basis weight is used to achieve absorbency, then absorbency is improved, but softness and drape properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the sheet into multiple folded sections, the effective absorbent surface area is increased without proportionally increasing the total basis weight. The multiple folds create more panels that can absorb liquid, improving absorbency efficiency while maintaining softer, more drapable paper quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-dimensional folding approach increases the functional surface area in three-dimensional space, allowing the napkin to achieve higher absorbency with lighter, softer paper that has better drape properties, resolving the trade-off between absorbency and tactile quality.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple parallel folds are used to increase absorbency, then absorbency is improved, but the napkin shape becomes elongated
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the napkin in one dimension with multiple parallel folds, the invention uses perpendicular folds to create a multi-dimensional folded structure. This approach increases absorbent surface area while maintaining more balanced, proportional napkin dimensions without excessive elongation in any single direction.
4Quantity of substance
If twice folded about perpendicular axes is used to increase surface area, then absorbency is improved, but interlinking and dispensing become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different fold characteristics to different local regions of the napkin stack. The offset fold creates asymmetry in the folded structure that provides natural interlinking between successive napkins, while the perpendicular bisecting fold maintains symmetry that facilitates clean separation during dispensing. This local differentiation of fold qualities resolves the dispensing problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The first fold is deliberately offset from the centerline, creating an asymmetric folded structure that provides natural interlinking between napkins in the stack. This asymmetry ensures proper stacking and dispensing characteristics while the second perpendicular fold maintains functional symmetry for absorbency.
Data Source
AI summary
A stack of interfolded absorbent sheet products comprises a plurality of absorbent sheets each of which is itself folded at least twice about axes that are perpendicular to one another. Each sheet comprises a first fold that is offset from a line parallel to the first fold bisecting the sheet, and a second fold approximately bisecting the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the first fold. Each sheet is folded such that offset portions of the sheet are positioned interiorly of the sheet when folded. The absorbent sheets preferably have an embossed surface relief of a predetermined pattern or design. Each of the absorbent sheets within the stack comprises at least one pair of panels sandwiched between a pair of adjacent panels of another of the absorbent sheets in the stack.