Multi-ply tissue products and methods of manufacturing the same
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsGeoffrey R. INMAN, Lynda COLLINS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are through-air dried multi-ply tissue products having two or more tissue plies. The tissue products have a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are outer surfaces of the tissue product. At least the first surface comprises a three-dimensional surface topography, and the surface topography comprises a plurality of discrete dome-shaped protrusions extending outwardly from the first surface. Each protrusion has a length:width ratio of 1:1 to 4:1. A footprint area of the protrusions covers at least about 15% of a total footprint area of the first surface, and the tissue product has a Stiffness Index of about 10 or less.
Claims22
A multi-ply tissue product comprising two or more through-air dried tissue plies, the tissue product having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are outer surfaces of the tissue product, at least the first surface comprising a three-dimensional surface topography, the surface topography comprising a plurality of discrete dome-shaped protrusions extending outwardly from the first surface, each protrusion having a length:width ratio of 1:1 to 4:1, wherein a footprint area of the protrusions covers at least about 15% of a total footprint area of the first surface and the tissue product has a Stiffness Index of about 10 or less.
A method of making a tissue product comprising:
- forming an aqueous suspension of fibers;
- depositing the aqueous suspension of fibers onto a forming fabric traveling at a rate of speed to form a wet web;
- dewatering the web to a consistency of fibers of about 20 percent or greater based on a dry weight of the fibers;
- transferring the web to a through-air drying fabric defining a plurality of discrete recesses having a depth of about 0.30 mm to about 1.5 mm, each recess defined by two adjacent machine-direction oriented protuberances and two adjacent cross-direction oriented protuberances in two adjacent rows;
- and
- through-air drying the web to form a tissue product, wherein the tissue product has two plies of the through-air dried web, and at least one outer surface of the tissue product has a plurality of discrete dome-shaped protrusions extending therefrom, each protrusion having a length:width ratio of 1:1 to 4:1, wherein a footprint area of the protrusions covers at least about 15% of a total footprint area of the at least one outer surface and an average TS750 value of about 50 or less.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.