Through-Air-Dried Fibrous Structures for High Dry Burst
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for fibrous structures that exhibit a Dry Burst of greater than 100 g, as existing fibrous structures often fall short in achieving this desired property.
Innovation Solution
The development of single-ply, embossed fibrous structures with specific properties such as Dry Burst ranging from greater than 100 g to less than 290 g, and Cross-Machine Direction Flexural Rigidity, Total Dry Tensile, Geometric Mean Tensile, and Machine Direction Modulus within defined limits, achieved through processes like through-air-drying and embossing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fibrous structure manufacturing processes are used, then production is simpler and faster, but the Dry Burst property remains below the desired threshold of 100 g
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the drying process parameters - specifically using through-air-drying instead of conventional drying methods. This changes the moisture removal parameters to achieve superior Dry Burst properties greater than 100 g while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through controlled parameter adjustment rather than fundamental process redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The embossing process is applied as a preliminary action before final product formation. By pre-embossing the fibrous structure to create specific void patterns and air permeability characteristics, the structure is prepared in advance to achieve the desired Dry Burst performance during subsequent drying and forming operations
2Reliability
If the Dry Burst is increased to greater than 100 g through process modifications, then consumer satisfaction improves, but the manufacturing complexity and process control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs pneumatic principles through the through-air-drying process, where heated air is blown through the fibrous structure to remove moisture. This pneumatic approach achieves the required Dry Burst enhancement without requiring complex mechanical processing equipment or multi-step chemical treatments, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The embossing process creates local quality variations in the fibrous structure by forming specific patterns of raised and recessed areas. These localized structural modifications optimize air flow paths and void distribution in critical regions, achieving enhanced Dry Burst performance through targeted local improvements rather than uniform structural changes throughout the entire product
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 fibrous structures effectively meet the requirement of a Dry Burst of greater than 100 g while maintaining appropriate flexural rigidity and tensile properties, enhancing their performance and consumer appeal.
Implementation Method 1
through-air-dried (TAD), embossed fibrous structure
Implementation Method 2
embossed fibrous structure
Data Source
AI summary
Fibrous structures that exhibit a Dry Burst of greater than 100 g and a Cross-Machine Direction Flexural Rigidity (CD Flexural Rigidity) of greater than 56 mg*cm2/cm as measured according to the Flexural Rigidity Test Method and/or a Total Dry Tensile (TT or TDT) of less than 3000 g/76.2 mm as measured according to the Tensile Strength Test Method and/or a Geometric Mean Tensile (GM Tensile or GMT) of less than 750 g/76.2 mm as measured according to the Tensile Strength Test Method and/or a Machine Direction Modulus (MD Modulus) of less than 900 g/cm as measured according to the Modulus Test Method are provided.