Web Substrate Emboss Design for Maintained Bulk and Quilted Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tissue paper products with embossed designs face challenges in maintaining aesthetic appeal and thickness due to the collapse of pillowed regions under pressure, and existing embossing processes struggle to balance softness, absorbency, drape, and bond strength.
Innovation Solution
The development of a tissue paper product with an embossed surface featuring a ratio of line embossment area to dot embossment area greater than 1.5, utilizing a combination of regular and irregular embossing patterns to enhance aesthetic appeal and structural integrity, including specific embossment patterns and footprints to optimize consumer preference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If knob-to-knob embossing is used to increase thickness, then the web exhibits increased bulk, but the pillows collapse under pressure during converting and packaging, losing the thickness benefit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nested embossing where the pattern on one ply is inserted within the pattern of the other ply, creating interlocking structures that provide mutual support. The first ply has a first pattern and the second ply has a second pattern that is nested within the first pattern, preventing pillow collapse while maintaining bulk.
2Stability of the object's composition
If nested embossing is used to maintain quilted appearance, then the web exhibits softer appearance and maintained thickness, but the complexity of the embossing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The embossing process is segmented into two separate embossing steps applied to different plies. The first embossing applies a first pattern to the first ply, and the second embossing applies a second nested pattern to the second ply. This segmentation simplifies the overall process compared to attempting to create nested patterns in a single embossing operation.
3Shape
If more embossments are added to enhance aesthetic appeal, then the decorative pattern quality improves, but the softness and drape of the product deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies embossing patterns at specific locations on the plies rather than uniformly across the entire surface. The nested patterns are strategically positioned to provide aesthetic appeal in visible areas while leaving other areas relatively flat to maintain softness and drape properties.
Data Source
AI summary
A web substrate having at least one embossed ply having a surface thereof is disclosed. The surface has surface area comprising at least about 0.2 percent line embossments and a ratio of line embossment area to dot embossment area greater than 1.5.