# US 9,518,360 B2 · Fibrous sheet disintegrating in water, process for manufacturing said fibrous sheet, use of said fibrous sheet for the manufacture of a core

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- Number: US 9,518,360 B2
- Document ID: US9518360B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/825,291
- Filed: 2015-08-13
- Published: 2016-01-07
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2009-08-03
- Assignees: Sca Tissue France
- Applicants: Sca Tissue France
- Inventors: Philippe Colin; Jean-Claude Dozzi; Pierre Probst; Véronique Wiss; Rémy Ruppel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518360B2

## CPC

- D21H 17/28: Starch
- A47K 10/22: for rolled-up webs
- A61F 13/266: {Insertion devices, e.g. rods or plungers, separate from the tampon}
- D21H 27/30: Multi-ply (for surface covering D21H27/18; making on paper-making machines D21F9/00, D21F11/00)
- D21H 19/54: Starch
- D21H 25/04: Physical treatment, e.g. heating, irradiating (D21H25/18 takes precedence; dryer section of machines for making continuous webs of paper D21F5/00)
- 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: 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
- A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

A fibrous sheet having a basis weight of between 20 and 1000 g/m2 being manufactured according to a wet papermaking process, and disintegrating in water in less than 120 seconds, has 10 to 70% starch and at least 30% of papermaking fibers on the basis of the total weight of the dry fibrous sheet. The sheet may be used for the manufacture of a water disintegrable core in a roll of tissue paper.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A core comprising a helical winding of one or more strips comprising a fibrous sheet having a basis weight of between 20 and 1000 g/m2, being manufactured according to a wet papermaking process, and disintegrating in water in less than 120 seconds as measured in accordance with the NF Q34-020 applied to a specimen of the sheet of 9×8 cm2, wherein the fibrous sheet comprises 10 to 70% starch and at least 30% of papermaking fibres on the basis of the total weight of the fibrous sheet when dry.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A toilet paper roll comprising the core according to claim 1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The core of claim 1, wherein the fibrous sheet comprises 15 to 40% starch on the basis of the total weight of the fibrous sheet when dry.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The core of claim 1, wherein the fibrous sheet has a basis weight of between 100 and 600 g/m2.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The core of claim 1, wherein the disintegration time of the fibrous sheet in water, measured in accordance with the NF Q34-020 applied to a specimen of the sheet of 9×8 cm2, is less than 50 seconds.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The core of claim 1, wherein a loss of strength of the fibrous sheet measured according to a defined table test corresponds to a loss of strength of a specimen of the fibrous sheet forming an angle of at least 85°, and wherein the defined table test comprises the steps of:
i) preparing a rectangular specimen of the fibrous sheet having a size of 2.54 cm in width by 13 cm in length;
ii) laying the specimen on a table having a horizontal plane surface, a vertical plane, and a straight edge at the intersection between the horizontal plane surface and the vertical plane, wherein 10 cm of the specimen extends beyond the table, and wherein the specimen make an angle of 0° with the table's horizontal plane;
iii) depositing 3 ml of water in 6 seconds at the center of the specimen above the straight edge to wet the specimen and allow the specimen to bend around the straight edge to have a bend angle between the specimen and the horizontal plane; and
iv) measuring the bend angle 6 seconds after depositing the water.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The core of claim 1, wherein the fibrous sheet in a wet state has a residual strength less than 1% of its dry state.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The core of claim 1, wherein the starch is substantially uniformly distributed through a thickness of the fibrous sheet.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The core of claim 1, wherein the fibrous sheet is a pressed or calendered fibrous sheet having one of the following features:
a) the starch added during the wet papermaking process is water-insoluble starch at the temperature at which it is incorporated;
b) the starch is substantially uniformly distributed through a thickness of the pressed or calendered fibrous sheet; and
c) the pressed or calendered fibrous sheet in a wet state has a residual strength less than 1% of its dry state.

### Claim 10

A tampon applicator comprising a fibrous sheet having a basis weight of between 20 and 1000 g/m2, being manufactured according to a wet papermaking process, and disintegrating in water in less than 120 seconds as measured in accordance with the NF Q34-020 applied to a specimen of the sheet of 9×8 cm2, wherein the fibrous sheet comprises 10 to 70% starch and at least 30% of papermaking fibres on the basis of the total weight of the fibrous sheet when dry.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The tampon applicator of claim 10, wherein the fibrous sheet comprises 15 to 40% starch on the basis of the total weight of the fibrous sheet when dry.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The tampon applicator of claim 10, wherein the fibrous sheet has a basis weight of between 100 and 600 g/m2.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The tampon applicator of claim 10, wherein the disintegration time of the fibrous sheet in water, measured in accordance with the NF Q34-020 applied to a specimen of the sheet of 9×8 cm2, is less than 50 seconds.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The tampon applicator of claim 10, wherein a loss of strength of the fibrous sheet measured according to a defined table test corresponds to a loss of strength of a specimen of the fibrous sheet forming an angle of at least 85°, wherein the defined table test comprises the steps of:
i) preparing a rectangular specimen of the fibrous sheet having a size of 2.54 cm in width by 13 cm in length;
ii) laying the specimen on a table having a horizontal plane surface, a vertical plane, and a straight edge at the intersection between the horizontal plane surface and the vertical plane, wherein 10 cm of the specimen extends beyond the table, and wherein the specimen make an angle of 0° with the table's horizontal plane;
iii) depositing 3 ml of water in 6 seconds at the center of the specimen above the straight edge to wet the specimen and allow the specimen to bend around the straight edge to have a bend angle between the specimen and the horizontal plane; and
iv) measuring the bend angle 6 seconds after depositing the water.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The tampon applicator of claim 10, wherein the fibrous sheet in a wet state has a residual strength less than 1% of its dry state.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The tampon applicator of claim 10, wherein the starch is substantially uniformly distributed through a thickness of the fibrous sheet.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The tampon applicator of claim 10, wherein the fibrous sheet is a pressed or calendered fibrous sheet having one of the following features:
a) the starch added during the wet papermaking process is water-insoluble starch at the temperature at which it is incorporated;
b) the starch is substantially uniformly distributed through a thickness of the pressed or calendered fibrous sheet; and
c) the pressed or calendered fibrous sheet in a wet state has a residual strength less than 1% of its dry state.