Patent Application
20060068162
Various fold configurations are well known for use in the sanitary sheet products (i.e., paper towels, tissues, napkins, etc.) art. In general, different fold configurations have been utilized to reduce dimensions of the dispensed products and/or to facilitate the dispensing process. Known fold configurations include basic C-fold, V-fold, Z-fold, M-fold, and numerous other single-ply or multi-ply configurations that may generally be referred to as “folded towels.”
Typically, folded sheet towel products of the type dispensed in lavatories are stacked and banded together as a package for shipment and storage. For use, the stacked sheets are loaded into an appropriate dispenser. Adjacent sheets in the stack may be interleafed to promote the appearance of the next sheet in the opening of the dispenser after removal of a sheet. Often, due to the nature of the particular fold configuration, the stack of towels must be loaded with a specific orientation for proper grasping and dispensing by a subsequent user.
A primary and ongoing concern in the industry is to provide the user with a fold configuration that promotes efficient and non-wasteful dispensing of the towels.
One problem encountered with dispensing paper towels of conventional fold configurations is that the towels are typically folded and dispensed in a two-ply configuration that may provide more fiber per sheet than is necessary for efficient drying or that is not particularly amenable to being unfolded by the user into a larger single-ply sheet. The users may not unfold the towel and thus may perceive that the folded towel is not large enough to adequately dry their hands. After using one towel, the user will typically pull another towel to finish the drying process. This results in significant waste.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for an improved fold configuration for stacked towel products that provides efficient and non-wasteful dispensing of optimally sized towels that are readily unfolded and utilized by a user.
In accordance with the invention, a stack of interleaved towels is provided. Each towel is formed of a single sheet of material having a length and a width, typically a single-ply material. The towels according to the invention are not limited to any particular type of sheet material and may be formed of any absorbent material for use as a towel, wiper, napkin, or other stacked absorbent product. The sheet material may be, for example, a nonwoven, natural, or synthetic fiber material. Desirably, the sheet material is substantially rectangular in shape.
In one embodiment, each sheet of material includes a first fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the width of the sheet to create a first panel folded toward a first surface of the sheet. The first panel extends between the first fold and a first end of the sheet and has a length less than about 25 percent of the overall sheet length. Each sheet of material further includes a second fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the first fold. The second fold creates a second panel folded toward a first surface of the sheet. The second panel extends between the second fold and a second end of the sheet and has a length less than about 25 percent of the overall sheet length. Each sheet of material further includes a third fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the first and second folds. The third fold creates a lead flap and a trailing flap. The lead flap is defined between the first fold and the third fold such that the first fold presents a continuous folded leading edge for grasping by a user. The trailing flap is defined between the second fold and the third fold such that the second fold presents a continuous folded trailing edge. The third fold is configured such that, prior to interfolding, the first panel is positioned directly adjacent the second panel. Additionally, the trailing flap of each sheet of material is disposed between the lead flap and the trailing flap of an adjacent towel such that the sheets of material are interleaved. The lead flap may be shorter than the trailing flap and/or may include a two-ply tab.
In another embodiment, each sheet of material includes a first fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the width of the sheet to create a first panel folded toward a first surface of the sheet. The first panel extends between the first fold and a first end of the sheet and has a length less than about 25 percent of the overall sheet length. Each sheet of material further includes a second fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the first fold. The second fold creates a second panel folded toward the first surface of the sheet. The second panel extends between the second fold and a second end of the sheet and has a length less than about 25 percent of the overall sheet length. Each sheet of material further includes a third fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the first and second folds. The third fold creates a third panel extending between the first and third folds and a fourth panel extending between the second and third folds. The third and fourth panels are desirably folded toward the first surface of the sheet. The third fold is configured such that, prior to interfolding, the first and second ends of the sheet are positioned between the third and fourth panels. Additionally, the second panel of each towel is disposed adjacent the first panel of an adjacent towel such that the towels are interleaved. The third panel may be shorter than the fourth panel. In a further aspect, the second and fourth panels of each towel may be disposed between the first and third panels of the next two upper adjacent towels.
In a further embodiment, each sheet of material includes a first fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the width of the sheet to create a first panel folded toward a first surface of the sheet. The first panel extends between the first fold and a first end of the sheet and has a length less than about 25 percent of the overall sheet length. Each sheet of material further includes a second fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the first fold. The second fold creates a second panel folded toward a first surface of the sheet. The second panel extends between the second fold and a second end of the sheet and has a length less than about 25 percent of the overall sheet length. Each sheet of material further includes a third fold in the sheet substantially parallel to the first and second folds. The third fold creates a lead flap and a trailing flap. The lead flap is defined between the first fold and the third fold. The trailing flap is defined between the second fold and the third fold. The third fold is configured such that, prior to interfolding, the first panel is positioned directly adjacent the second panel. Additionally, the trailing flap of each sheet of material is disposed directly adjacent and between the lead flaps of the next two adjacent towels such that the sheets of material are interleaved. In one aspect, the next two adjacent towels may be the next two upper adjacent towels.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is presented by way of explaining the invention, and is not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to create still further embodiments. It is intended that the present invention include such modifications and variations.
Referring to
In the embodiment shown, a single sheet 20 having a first surface 21 is folded along a first fold line 22 across the width of the single sheet to create a folded lead edge 34. The first fold line 22 creates a first panel 24 extending between the lead edge 34 and a first end 26 of the sheet. The first panel 24 is desirably folded toward the first surface 21 of the single sheet 20. Desirably, the length of the first panel 24 is less than about 25 percent of the overall length of the single sheet 20. Unless specified otherwise, the lengths herein are measured with respect to the direction perpendicular to the first fold line 22.
A second fold line 28 is imparted across the width of the single sheet 20 to create a folded trailing edge 30. The second fold line 22 creates a second panel 32 extending between the folded trailing edge 30 and a second end 38 of the sheet 20. The second panel 32 is desirably folded toward the first surface 21 of the single sheet 20. Desirably, the length of the second panel 32 is less than about 25 percent of the overall length of the single sheet 20.
A third fold line 40 is imparted to the single sheet 20 substantially parallel to and between the first and second fold lines 22, 28. The third fold line 40, which is desirably a one-ply fold of the single-ply sheet material 20, thereby creates a third panel 42 extending between the first and third fold lines 22, 40, and a fourth panel 44 extending between the second and third fold lines 28, 40. The direction of the third fold 40 is such that the first and second ends 26, 38 of the sheet 20 are positioned between the third and fourth panels 42, 44. Put another way, the first, second, and third folds 22, 28, 40 are all three positioned on the same side of the sheet 20. In other words, the third fold 40 is made such that, prior to interfolding, the first panel 24 is positioned directly adjacent the second panel 32. The length of the third panel 42 may range from about 25 percent to about 100 percent of the length of the fourth panel 44. The length of the third panel 42 ranges desirably from about 50 percent to about 95 percent of the length of the fourth panel 44, and more desirably from about 75 percent to about 90 percent of the length of the fourth panel to facilitate dispensing and/or unfolding of the towels 10. For example, in one embodiment the length of the third panel 42 is about 80 percent of the length of the fourth panel 44. The length of the first panel 24 is desirably from about 5 percent to about 100 percent of the length of the third panel 42, more desirably from about 25 percent to about 95 percent of the length of the third panel, and even more desirably from about 50 percent to about 90 percent of the length of the third panel. For example, in one embodiment the length of the first panel 24 is about 70 percent of the length of the third panel 42. The length of the second panel 32 is desirably from about 5 percent to about 100 percent of the length of the fourth panel 44, more desirably from about 25 percent to about 95 percent of the length of the fourth panel, and even more desirably from about 40 percent to about 80 percent of the length of the fourth panel. For example, in one embodiment the length of the second panel 32 is about 60 percent of the length of the fourth panel 44.
The third fold line 40 also creates a lead flap 36 and a trailing flap 46. The lead flap 36 is defined between the third fold line 40 and the first fold line 22. The lead flap 36 is two-ply as a result of the first fold line 22 that created the folded lead edge 34 and the first panel 24. The lead flap 36 has a leading two-ply tab 48 running the width of the towel 10 having the lead edge 34 that is folded as shown most clearly in
The trailing flap 46 is defined between the second fold line 28 and the third fold line 40. The trailing flap 46 has a trailing two-ply tab 50 running the width of the towel 10 having the trailing edge 30 that is folded as shown most clearly in
The overall length of the single sheet 20 is desirably less than about 160 percent of the overall width of the single sheet, more desirably less than about 140 percent of the overall width of the single sheet, and even more desirably less than about 120 percent of the overall width of the single sheet. In one embodiment, the overall length of the single sheet 20 is substantially equal to the overall width of the single sheet. That is, in one embodiment the sum of the lengths of the first, second, third, and fourth panels 24, 26, 42, 44 is substantially equal to the width of the single sheet 20, the width corresponding to the length of the first fold line 22. As one example, the single sheet 20 may be from about 9 to about 11 inches long and from about 9 to about 11 inches wide. As another example, the single sheet 20 may be about 10.4 inches long and about 9.4 inches wide. After folding, the length of the folded towel 10 would desirably be reduced to from about 3.1 to about 3.7 inches, more desirably to about 3.4 inches, while the width would remain at about 9.25 inches wide. In another embodiment, the length of the towel 10 is about 10.2 inches, the length of the first panel 24 is about 2.0 inches, the length of the second panel 26 is about 2.0 inches, the length of the third panel 42 is about 2.8 inches, and the length of the fourth panel 44 is about 3.4 inches.
Looking next at
Walking through the dispensing of a few of the towels 10 of stack 48 will illustrate a number of advantages of the present invention. Assuming that the lead edge 34 of towel A is extending through the dispensing opening 18 of a dispenser 16, the user grasps towel A typically somewhere along leading two-ply tab 48. As the user pulls towel A through the dispensing opening 18, the trailing flap 46 of towel A drags the lead flap 36 of towel B through the dispensing opening, ready for dispensing next. The frictional forces between the trailing flap 46 of towel A and the lead flap 36 of towel B reduce the chance that the trailing flap of towel A could be withdrawn while leaving the lead flap of towel B inside the dispenser. Further, the two-ply leading edge 34 of the towel 10 next to be dispensed extends through the dispensing opening 18 of the dispenser 16. As such, the user can grasp the lead flap 36, thus spreading the force required to withdraw the towel 10 over the leading two-ply tab 48 of the towel 10. It is believed that this distribution of forces minimizes the incidence rate of tear-out and tab-out failure of the dispensing of towel A. The user may now grab the leading two-ply tab 48 of towel B causing it to be dispensed. As towel B is dispensed, the lead flap 36 of towel C is pulled through the dispensing opening 18 of the dispenser 16.
As towel A of
The two-ply lead flap 36 of the towel 10 next to be dispensed provides an advantage even over a typical laminated two-ply V-fold towel. It is known that laminated two-ply towels can delaminate. Delamination can occur at the dispensing opening as a result of the forces imparted on the lead end of such an interleaved, laminated two-ply towel when it is dragged through the dispensing opening of a dispenser by the trailing flap of the towel immediately preceding it. Delamination in such manner may present to the user two (2) lead flaps. If the user grasps a single ply of the two-ply sheet, it is likely to result in a tear-out or tab-out failure of dispensing, particularly if the user's hands are wet. Because the two-ply nature of the towel 10 of the present invention is created by folding a single sheet 20, and because the leading two-ply tab 48 is always at the folded lead edge 34, the user will always be grasping a two-ply tab. The force exerted by the user in dispensing a towel 10 is always transmitted through both plies thereby adding strength and minimizing tab-out failure.
It is known that superior water absorbency is achieved when paper towels are used in a two-ply configuration. The towel 10 of the present invention allows such usage even though it may be formed from a single-ply sheet 20. As the towel 10 is dispensed, the action of the trailing flap 46 in pulling the lead flap 36 of the towel next to be dispensed causes the towel 10 being dispensed to open at the third fold line 40. After dispensing and prior to further unfolding, the towel 10 as dispensed is at least partially two-ply. Desirably, the towel as dispensed is at least 25 percent two-ply, more desirably at least 50 percent two-ply, and even more desirably at least 66 percent two-ply. The user is thus presented with an option to use the towel 10 as presented or to unfold the first and/or second fold to obtain a larger towel size. Depending on the user's needs, either option may be desirable.
The towel 10 of the present invention is desirably designed for use in a typical C-fold, V-fold, or M-fold dispenser such as depicted in
As used herein, water capacity is a measure of the quantity of water absorbed per grams of fiber in the towel as used. Machine direction absorbency rate is a measure of the distance water travels (cm) in the machine direction of the sheet in fifteen seconds. Basis weight is expressed in grams per square meter. Geometric mean tensile strength is a composite property equal to the square root of the tensile strength of the web in the machine direction multiplied by the tensile strength of the web in the cross machine direction in grams-force per 25.4 millimeter sample width.
As used herein and in the claims, the terms “comprising” and “including” are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional unrecited elements, compositional components, or method steps. Accordingly, the terms “comprising” and “including” encompass the more restrictive terms “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of.”
It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the fold configuration according to the invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. It is intended that the invention include such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
