# US 12,110,637 B2 · Dispersible tissue laminate

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- Number: US 12,110,637 B2
- Document ID: US12110637B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/028,381
- Filed: 2020-09-25
- Published: 2023-11-16
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-25
- Assignees: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Applicants: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Inventors: Kenneth J. Zwick; Nicholas S. Wolter; Eric Hartl; Stephen J. Ratajczak; Daniel M. Piette; Robert S. Monson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110637B2

## CPC

- A61Q 19/10: Washing or bathing preparations
- D21H 27/32: with materials applied between the sheets (attaching together paper or cardboard sheets B31F5/00; adhesives C09J)
- A61K 8/0208: {Tissues; Wipes; Patches}
- B32B 3/28: characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet {, i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane}, e.g. corrugated, crumpled (B32B29/08 takes precedence)
- B32B 3/30: characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)}
- B32B 5/02: characterised by structural features of a {fibrous or filamentary} layer {(layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02)}
- B32B 5/022: {Non-woven fabric}
- B32B 5/026: {Knitted fabric}
- B32B 5/06: characterised by a fibrous {or filamentary} layer {mechanically connected, e.g. by needling} to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
- B32B 5/26: another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)}
- B32B 7/02: Physical, chemical or physicochemical properties
- B32B 7/022: Mechanical properties
- B32B 7/06: permitting easy separation
- B32B 7/14: applied in spaced arrangements, e.g. in stripes
- B32B 23/00: Layered products comprising {a layer of} cellulosic plastic substances {, i.e. substances obtained by chemical modification of cellulose, e.g. cellulose ethers, cellulose esters, viscose}
- B32B 29/005: {next to another layer of paper or cardboard layer}
- D21H 11/04: Kraft or sulfate pulp
- D21H 27/002: {Tissue paper; Absorbent paper (D21H21/22, D21H27/02, D21H27/20 take precedence; toilet paper A47K10/00; absorbent pads for physiological fluids A61L15/16; making on paper-making machines D21F11/00)}
- D21H 27/005: {relating to physical or mechanical properties, e.g. tensile strength, stretch, softness}
- D21H 27/38: at least one of the sheets having a fibrous composition differing from that of other sheets
- B32B 2250/02: 2 layers
- B32B 2250/20: All layers being fibrous or filamentary
- B32B 2250/26: All layers being made of paper or paperboard
- B32B 2260/023: Two or more layers
- B32B 2260/028: Paper layer
- B32B 2260/044: Water-setting substance, e.g. concrete, plaster
- B32B 2262/04: Cellulosic plastic fibres, e.g. rayon
- B32B 2307/54: Yield strength; Tensile strength
- B32B 2307/7166: Water-soluble, water-dispersible
- B32B 2307/718: Weight, e.g. weight per square meter
- B32B 2554/00: Paper of special types, e.g. banknotes
- B32B 2555/02: Diapers or napkins
- A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS
- D21H: PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM

## Abstract

Dispersible adhesively bonded wet tissue laminates comprising two or more adhesively bonded tissue plies. The first and second tissue plies may be adhesively bonded to one another discrete bond points by adhesive, such as a triggerable adhesive binder. The first and second tissue plies may differ in respect to at least one of basis weight, sheet bulk, tensile strength or fiber composition. The adhesively bonded wet tissue laminates are generally strong enough to withstand use, such as having a geometric mean wet tensile strength (GMWT) greater than about 200 g/in, but disperse quickly in water, such as having a Slosh Time less than about 60 minutes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dispersible tissue laminate comprising a first wet-laid tissue ply and a second wet-laid tissue ply arranged in facing relation with one another, the first and second plies having a dry basis weight from about 15 gsm to about 60 gsm and wherein the dry basis weight of the first and second plies differs by at least about 25%; an adhesive disposed as a plurality of discrete deposits between the first and second tissue plies; and a wetting composition at an add-on ranging from about 10 to about 600 percent, based upon the weight of the dry tissue laminate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first tissue ply and the second tissue ply are bonded together at a plurality of discrete bond points by an adhesive at each of the plurality of discrete bond points.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first tissue ply has a dry basis weight ranging from about 25 gsm to about 30 gsm and the second tissue ply has a basis weight ranging from about 45 to about 50 gsm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first and second plies are through-air dried tissue.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The tissue laminate of claim 1 wherein the fiber composition of the first and second tissue plies is different and the first ply comprises at least about 80%, by dry weight of the ply, Southern softwood kraft pulp and the second ply comprises at least about 80%, by dry weight of the ply, Northern softwood kraft pulp.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 having a geometric mean wet tensile strength (GMWT) greater than about 250 g/in and a Slosh Time less than about 60 minutes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 having a GMWT from about 175 to about 300 g/in, a CDWT from about 150 to about 250 g/in and a Slosh Time less than about 20 minutes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 wherein the adhesive add-on ranges from about 2.0 to about 10 grams per square meter (gsm) of laminate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 wherein the wetting composition comprises water and from about 0.4 and about 3.5 percent, by weight of the wetting composition, of an insolubilizing agent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 further comprising a co-binder selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), poly(styrene-butadiene), poly(styrene-acrylic), a vinyl acrylic terpolymer, a polyester latex, an acrylic emulsion latex, polyvinyl chloride), ethylene-vinyl chloride copolymer, and a carboxylated vinyl acetate latex.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first ply has a first dry geometric mean tensile (GMT) and the second ply has a second GMT and wherein the second GMT is from about 30% to about 150% greater than the first GMT.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first ply has a GMT from about 600 g/3″ to about 900 g/3″ and the second ply has a GMT from about 1,200 g/3″ to about 2,000 g/3″.

### Claim 13

A dispersible tissue laminate comprising:
a. a first wet-laid tissue ply comprising at least about 80%, by weight dry weight of the tissue ply, Southern softwood kraft pulp and having a first geometric mean tensile strength (“GMT”);
b. a second wet-laid tissue ply comprising at least about 80%, by weight dry weight of the tissue ply, Northern softwood kraft pulp and having a second GMT, wherein the first and the second GMT differ by at least about 30%;
c. an adhesive; and
d. a wetting composition at an add-on ranging from about 10 to about 600 percent, based upon the weight of the dry tissue laminate,
wherein the first and second tissue plies are bonded together at discrete bond points.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The laminate of claim 13 having a geometric mean wet tensile strength (GMWT) greater than about 250 g/in and a Slosh Time less than about 60 minutes.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The laminate of claim 13 having a GMWT from about 175 to about 300 g/in, a CDWT from about 150 to about 250 g/in and a Slosh Time less than about 20 minutes.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The laminate of claim 13 wherein the adhesive add-on ranges from about 2.0 to about 10 grams per square meter (gsm) of laminate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The laminate of claim 13 wherein the wetting composition comprises water and from about 0.4 and about 3.5 percent, by weight of the wetting composition, of an insolubilizing agent and the add-on of wetting composition ranges from about 10 to about 600 percent by weight of the dry tissue laminate.

### Claim 18

A method of making a dispersible adhesively bonded wet tissue laminate:
a. providing a first wet-laid tissue ply having a first and a second surface and a GMT of about 900 g/3″ or less;
b. providing a second wet-laid tissue ply having a first and a second surface and a GMT of about 1,200 g/3″ or greater;
c. applying an adhesive to the first surface of the first wet-laid tissue ply;
d. bringing the first surface of the first wet-laid tissue ply into facing relation with the first surface of the second wet-laid tissue ply;
e. passing the first and second wet-laid tissue plies through a nip to form an adhesively bonded tissue laminate; and
f. applying a wetting composition wetting composition to the adhesively bonded tissue laminate, wherein the add-on of the wetting composition ranges from about 10 to about 600 percent, based upon the weight of the dry tissue laminate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of applying a second binder to the first surface of the second wet-laid tissue ply.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the nip comprises a first roll having a substantially smooth surface and a second roll having an embossing pattern disposed thereon.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 wherein the embossing pattern comprises a plurality of discrete dot embossments having an emboss element density from about 10 to about 60 embossments per square centimeter of roll surface area.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the nip comprises first and second rolls loaded in opposition to one another at a load of at least about 100 pli and wherein at least the first or second roll is heated.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further comprising heat curing the laminate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the first and second tissue plies are through-air dried tissue plies having a basis weight from about 30 to about 60 gsm, wherein the basis weight of the first ply is less than the basis weight of the second ply.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of conveying the second wet-laid tissue ply through the nip on a continuous topographical belt having a plurality of protuberances disposed on its ply contacting surface.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 wherein the continuous topographical belt comprises a woven fabric comprising at least about 50 protuberances per square centimeter of fabric surface area.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 wherein the protuberances are discrete and have a protuberance height of at least about 1.00 mm.