Multi-ply tissue paper product and method for manufacturing the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-ply tissue paper products, particularly those using the TAD manufacturing method, face challenges in achieving softness and suppleness while maintaining productivity and cost-effectiveness, as they often require reducing tissue strength and increasing production costs.
Innovation Solution
The method involves micro-embossing the outer structured TAD ply during the converting operation, adjusting micro-embossing pressure to balance softness and strength properties, using a pattern with protuberance densities between 30 to 100/cm², and combining this with wet pressed plies to create a softer and more absorbent final product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the TAD ply is made as soft and smooth as possible during manufacturing, then softness and suppleness are improved, but tissue strength decreases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies micro-embossing to the TAD ply before the converting operation to pre-establish the desired softness and suppleness characteristics. By creating a microstructured surface pattern in advance, the tissue achieves the required hand feel without needing to reduce strength during subsequent processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the surface parameters of the TAD ply by applying micro-embossing with specific patterns (dot, line, or geometric patterns at controlled densities). This modifies the surface topology to enhance softness and suppleness while maintaining the bulk structural integrity and strength of the tissue.
2Ease of operation
If the TAD ply strength is reduced below 40N/m CDT or 110N/m MDT to achieve high softness, then softness is improved, but the number of breaks increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-embossing process modifies surface parameters without compromising bulk strength parameters. The embossed patterns create surface-level softness characteristics while the underlying fiber network maintains its tensile strength and break resistance, allowing the tissue to meet both softness and reliability requirements.
3Reliability
If the production speed of TAD tissue is reduced to decrease breaks, then break resistance is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By applying micro-embossing as a preliminary action that enhances surface softness without reducing strength, the invention eliminates the need to slow down production speeds to prevent breaks. The tissue can be produced at high speeds while maintaining both break resistance and softness through the pre-applied microstructure.
4Ease of operation
If multiple plies are combined to achieve softness and bulkiness, then softness and thickness are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-embossing technique changes the surface parameters of individual plies to enhance softness and hand feel. This allows for reduced ply counts while maintaining perceived softness, as the microstructured surface provides tactile softness without requiring multiple thick plies to be combined.
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
This approach results in a multi-ply tissue paper product with improved softness and hand-feel, maintaining machine productivity, and allowing for adaptable strength and softness levels, reducing the number of plies needed for facial tissues, and achieving economic and environmental benefits.
Implementation Method 1
adjusting a micro-embossing pressure applied to the structured outer ply such as to adjust a softness related property relatively to a strength related property
Implementation Method 2
drying the sheet, at least partly, by means of a current of hot air passing through it
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
A multi-ply tissue paper product (1) comprises at least two plies (2, 3, 4, 5) made of tissue paper base-sheet, at least one outer ply being a structured outer ply (2, 4) produced by a structuring manufacturing method. The structured outer ply (2, 4) comprises a microstructure pattern (7, 8, 9) on substantially at least 80% of the structured outer ply surface, said microstructure pattern being applied by micro-embossing during a converting operation. The softness property of the structured outer ply is adjusted during a micro-embossing step.