US-12623434-B2 - Embossed fibrous structures and methods for making same

US12623434B2US 12623434 B2US12623434 B2US 12623434B2US-12623434-B2

Abstract

Embossed fibrous structures containing a plurality of filaments and methods for making same are provided.

Inventors

Christopher Scott Kraus
David William Cabell

Assignees

THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230426

Claims (17)

1 . An embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product formed by embossing a multi-ply fibrous structure comprising: 1) a first ply of fibrous structure comprising a layer of filaments in contact with a plurality of solid additives, wherein the filaments exhibit a length of greater than or equal to 5.08 cm, wherein the filaments are selected from the group consisting of crosslinked starch filaments, crosslinked starch derivative filaments, crosslinked starch copolymer filaments and mixtures thereof, wherein the filaments account for >50 wt. % of the first ply, and 2) a second ply of fibrous structure attached to the first ply of fibrous structure by plybond glue to form the multi-ply fibrous structure; wherein the multi-ply fibrous structure is contacted with moisture making the multi-ply fibrous structure more easily deformable as the filaments' modulus decreases, and then subsequently contacting the multi-ply fibrous structure with at least one heated patterned emboss roll resulting in the filaments' modulus increasing, wherein the at least one heated patterned embossed roll comprises an emboss design such that a decorative surface comprising the emboss design is produced on a surface of the multi-ply fibrous structure to form an embossed multi-ply fibrous structure such that the emboss design is more permanent than such an emboss design imparted to the multi-ply fibrous structure without decreasing its modulus prior to imparting the emboss design and then increasing its modulus.
2 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 wherein one or more of the filaments further comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol derivatives, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, chitosan, chitosan derivatives, chitosan copolymers, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, cellulose copolymers, hemicellulose, hemicellulose derivatives, hemicellulose copolymers, gums, arabinans, galactans, proteins, and mixtures thereof.
3 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 wherein one or more of the filaments comprises a surfactant.
4 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 3 wherein the surfactant comprises a sulfosuccinate surfactant.
5 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 wherein the embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product exhibits a basis weight of from about 10 g/m 2 to about 120 g/m 2 .
6 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of solid additives comprises a pulp fiber.
7 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 6 wherein the pulp fiber is selected from the group consisting of hardwood pulp fibers, softwood pulp fibers and mixtures thereof.
8 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 wherein the second ply of fibrous structure is the same as the first ply of fibrous structure.
9 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 wherein the second ply of fibrous structure is different from the first ply of fibrous structure.
10 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 wherein the second ply of fibrous structure comprises a plurality of filaments.
11 . The embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 in roll form.
12 . A method for making an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising a first ply of fibrous structure comprising a plurality of filaments and a second ply of fibrous structure; b. embossing the multi-ply sanitary tissue product with a heated emboss roll to form an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product.
13 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the method further comprises the step of applying moisture to the multi-ply sanitary tissue product to form a moistened multi-ply sanitary tissue product prior to the embossing step.
14 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the method further comprises the step of winding the embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product to form a roll.
15 . A method for making an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising a first ply of fibrous structure comprising a plurality of filaments and a second ply of fibrous structure; b. passing the multi-ply sanitary tissue product through a nip formed by a heated anvil roll and a non-heated emboss roll; and c. embossing the multi-ply sanitary tissue product with the non-heated emboss roll to form the embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product.
16 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the method further comprises the step of applying moisture to the multi-ply sanitary tissue product to form a moistened multi-ply sanitary tissue product prior to the embossing step.
17 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the method further comprises the step of winding the embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product to form a roll.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to fibrous structures, more particularly to embossed fibrous structures comprising a plurality of filaments, and even more particularly to embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue products comprising fibrous structure plies comprising a plurality of filaments and one or more embossments, and methods for making such fibrous structures. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Embossed fibrous structures comprising filaments, such as polyvinyl alcohol filaments or starch filaments, are known in the art. However, consumer acceptance for such embossed fibrous structures has been hindered by the fact that the embossments relax and make them less visible to consumers. Accordingly, there is a need to create embossments in fibrous structures comprising a plurality of filaments, especially where the embossments comprise one or more filaments that are more visible to consumers. As shown in FIG. 1, it is known in the art to emboss a single-ply of fibrous structure, for example comprising starch filaments, by applying moisture to the fibrous structure and then passing the fibrous structure through an embossing nip formed by a non-heated embossing roll and a rubber roll. The embossed fibrous structure may then pass through a nip formed by the non-heated embossing roll and a heated anvil roll. It is not known in the art to pass a fibrous structure comprising filaments, such as polysaccharide filaments, for example starch filaments, through an embossing nip formed by a heated embossing roll. In the non-filament fibrous structure art, such as cellulosic pulp fiber fibrous structure art, it is known to apply steam to cellulosic pulp fiber fibrous structures such that the modulus of the fibrous structures themselves is reduced immediately prior to being embossed. This decrease in modulus results in a decrease in tensile and is associated with the disruption of hydrogen bonds, which are the bonds that provide the cellulosic pulp fiber fibrous structures their integrity and strength. Such cellulosic pulp fiber fibrous structures do not include filaments that extend through the embossments. Unlike the cellulosic pulp fiber fibrous structures, filament-based fibrous structures comprise filaments that oftentimes use entanglement with each other and/or thermal bonds to provide the strength and integrity of the fibrous structures. Typically, cellulosic pulp fiber fibrous structures rely on hydrogen bonds and/or temporary or permanent wet strength external crosslinking agents to provide strength and integrity. It is also known in the art to impart thermal bonds to fibrous structures comprising filaments. Thermal bonds cause the polymers in the filaments to melt and/or soften and flow such that two or more of the filaments fuse together. Thermal bonds, especially for starch filaments, are typically imparted to the fibrous structure comprising the starch filaments prior to the crosslinking of the starch filaments. For purposes of the present invention, thermal bonds are not within the scope of embossments. Although a thermal bond may form a part of an embossment merely by the fact that an embossment may be larger than a thermal bond and thus encompass a thermal bond or part thereof when an embossment is imparted to the fibrous structure. Accordingly, there is a need for an embossed fibrous structure, for example an embossed multi-ply fibrous structure and/or an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising two or more fibrous structure plies that comprise a plurality of filaments, for example starch filaments, and methods for making such fibrous structures. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention fulfills the needs described above by providing novel embossed fibrous structure, for example an embossed multi-ply fibrous structure and/or an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising two or more fibrous structure plies that comprise a plurality of filaments, for example starch filaments, and methods for making such fibrous structures. In one example of the present invention, an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product formed by embossing a multi-ply fibrous structure comprising a first ply of fibrous structure comprising a plurality of filaments and a second ply of fibrous structure, is provided. In another example of the present invention, a method for making an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising a first ply of fibrous structure comprising a plurality of filaments and a second ply of fibrous structure; andb. embossing the multi-ply sanitary tissue product with a heated emboss roll to form the embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product, is provided. In yet another example of the present invention, an embossed multi-ply sanitary tissue product made according to a method of the present invention, is provided. In still another example of the present invention, a method for maki