Partitionable paper product
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current paper products, such as paper towels and napkins, lack the ability to be easily partitioned into smaller sizes, leading to waste and inconvenience, as they are typically only available in fixed sizes and cannot be effectively perforated in the machine direction without introducing weaknesses that cause breakage during the converting process.
Innovation Solution
A paper product with perforations in both the cross-machine direction and the machine direction, where the machine direction perforations have a higher tensile strength than the cross-machine direction, allowing for reliable separation into smaller sizes without breaking, and are designed to maintain consumer convenience and reduce waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If perforation lines are added in the machine direction to enable partitioning into smaller sizes, then the consumer's ability to select desired sheet sizes is improved, but the paper product introduces weaknesses that cause breakage during the converting process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating perforations with non-uniform characteristics along the machine direction. The perforation lines include alternating strong and weak segments, where the weak segments are designed to break first during separation, while the strong segments maintain structural integrity during converting. This localized variation in perforation strength allows the product to be partitioned reliably without causing widespread breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the perforation line into multiple functional zones along the machine direction. Each zone contains perforations with different tensile strengths, creating a segmented structure that controls the separation process. The segmentation allows different portions of the paper product to be separated at different stages, enabling flexible sizing while maintaining overall product integrity during manufacturing.
2Ease of operation
If perforation lines are made with lower tensile strength to facilitate easy separation, then the ease of operation for separating sheets is improved, but the product becomes prone to unintended breakage and loss of integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by varying the tensile strength of perforation segments at different locations along the machine direction. Weak perforation segments are positioned to facilitate easy separation when needed, while strong segments are positioned to maintain overall product integrity and prevent unintended breakage during handling and converting operations.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a paper towel product that will capably separate from the paper towel roll as a full sheet, a half sheet or a quarter sheet. A method of making a paper towel with machine direction perforations is also disclosed.