Abstract: Tissue paper having a soft, silky, flannel-like tactile feel through incorporation of an effective amount of a chemical additive such as, for example, a polysiloxane. Preferably, less than about 2% of such a chemical additive on a dry fiber weight basis, is incorporated in the tissue paper: more preferably, only about 0.3% or less is so retained. Tissue paper embodiments of the present invention may further comprise a quantity of surfactant material to enhance softness and/or surface smoothness and/or wettability control; and/or a quantity of a binder material such as starch for linting control. For example, embodiments which would otherwise manifest a significant reduction in wettability due to incorporated chemical additives may further comprise sufficient surfactant to at least partially offset the reduction of wettability induced by the chemical additive: e.g., for tiolet tissue embodiments to be sufficiently wettable to be handled in contemporary sewage handling and disposal systems.

Abstract: A compact, low shipping volume paper product comprising a compression loaded, core-wound roll of paper and a compression constraining element; and concomitant method of making such a paper product. The roll comprises a length of paper which is wound on a tubular core, and which roll may have an obround or parallelopipedal shape due to being unidirectionally compressively loaded after winding; and then constrained against expanding by a suitable constraining element. Preferably, the roll is sufficiently compressively loaded to completely flatten the core. In another aspect of the invention, the roll may be further compressed by applying a compressive loading that is substantially greater than that needed to cause the core to become flat; and, some of that high compressive loading may be relieved before the constraining element is applied or secured.

Abstract: A cellulose fiber-reinforced structure useful for building and construction made from a composition including a water-curable, inorganic binder capable of setting to form a matrix and pulped softwood fibrous material having enhanced levels of summerwood fibers.

Abstract: Tissue paper having an enhanced tactile sense of softness through incorporation of an effective amount of a noncationic surfactant is disclosed. Preferably, less than about 2.0% of the noncationic surfactant, on a dry fiber weight basis, is incorporated in the tissue paper: more preferably, only about 1.0% or less is so retained. Tissue paper embodiments of the present invention may further contain a quantity of a binder material, such as starch, for linting control, and to increase paper strength.

Abstract: A paper structure having both high opacity and improved tensile strength through the incorporation of expanded fiber and an opacifying mineral pigment, such as titanium dioxide, is disclosed. The addition of expanded fiber to the paper structure makes it possible to increase the opacity of the paper through the use of the conventional mineral pigments without adversely affecting the paper's tensile strength. These opacified paper structures are especially useful for producing high quality, strong, light weight printing and writing papers which require material pigments for enhanced opacity.

Abstract: The present invention is a passive dosing dispenser for containing a solution which is to be isolated from a body of liquid when the dispenser is at least partially immersed therein. The dispenser is adapted to have a dose of the solution issue from the dispenser in response to the level of the body of liquid being lowered from a first elevation to a second elevation, and to have liquid taken into the dispenser as the level of the body of liquid rises from the second elevation to the first elevation. The dispenser has an internal reservoir which contains the solution, and an inlet/dishcarge passageway which, in use, provides fluid communication between the reservoir and the body of liquid. The inlet/discharge passageway has an intermediate, inverted, generally u-shaped section in which a gas-lock is formed to isolate the solution from the body of liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making soft tissue paper which includes the steps of wet-laying cellulose fibers to form a web, applying to the wet web, at a fiber consistency level of from about 10% to about 80%, a noncationic surfactant, and then drying and creping the web to form the finished tissue paper. The process may further include the steps of applying an effective quantity of a binder material, such as starch, to the wet web for linting control, and to contribute tensile strength to the tissue paper.

Abstract: The present invention is a passive dosing dispenser for containing a solution which is to be isolated from a body of liquid when the dispenser is at least partially immersed therein. The dispenser is adapted to have a dose of the solution issue from the dispenser in response to the level of the body of liquid being lowered from a first elevation to a second elevation, and to have liquid taken into the dispenser as the level of the body of liquid rises from the second elevation to the first elevation. The dispenser has an internal reservoir which contains the solution, and an inlet/discharge passageway which, in use, provides fluid communication between the reservoir and the body of liquid. The inlet/discharge passageway has an intermediate, inverted, generally u-shaped section in which a gas-lock is formed to isolate the solution from the body of liquid.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for dynamically mechanically bonding together a plurality of laminae, at least one of which comprises thermoplastic material: for example, polyethylene. In one aspect of the invention the laminae are forwarded in face to face relation through a pressure biased nip between a patterned nip defining member and an opposing nip defining member (e.g., a relief patterned cylinder and an anvil cylinder) which members are independently driven to maintain a predetermined surface velocity differential between them. In another aspect of the invention which is particularly useful at intermediate and higher line velocities--preferably for line velocities of about 300 feet or more per minute and, more preferably, for line speeds of about 450 feet or more per minute--the nip defining members may be operated with equal surface velocities.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for adjusting the impact angle of a doctor blade are provided to at least partially offset negative effects of doctor blade wear. For example and not by way of limitation, in papermaking machines for making creped tissue paper, a negative effect of progressive doctor blade wear is progressive diminution of machine-direction tensile strength of the paper, all other operating factors being constant. That is, machine-direction tensile strength of the paper is inversely related to doctor blade wear which wear is, generally speaking, directly related to operating time. This progressive lessening of the paper's machine-direction tensile strength can be at least partially offset or compensated for by adjusting the impact angle of the doctor blade.

Abstract: An improvement in web converting rewinders of the type which include a perforator cylinder, and a bedroll/chop-off roll combination comprising a set of chop-off blades, some of which chop-off blades are disposed on the bed roll, and some of which are disposed on the chop-off roll; and in which a running web is forwarded from an unwinding parent roll, and is converted into consumer product rolls such as, for example, tear-separable multi-sheet rolls of toilet tissue or paper towels. The improvement comprises parallel-motion chop-off blades which can be more closely spaced than in prior art chop-off blades, and thus induce greater stretching and more positive breaking of the web; and, preferably, the chop-off blades are disposed to act on a longer machine-direction-length of the running web than contemporary rewinders to enable more positively inducing roll endings by breaking along transverse lines of weakening rather than by inducing ragged transverse tears of the web.

Abstract: A self-expanding flexible pouch that can be used as the measuring device for reconstituting a concentrated product contained therein. The flexible pouch includes an extensible stay located in the throat area of the pouch that is biased toward a circular or elliptical configuration but initially held substantially flat in a stressed condition by the pouch's sealed top portion. When the pouch's top portion is removed, the extensible stay expands to its unstressed circular configuration and thereby expands and opens the pouch's throat area. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pouch's bottom section is provided with a pleated bottom gusset panel that is attached to the sidewall panels' inner surface. When the reconstituting fluid is poured into the pouch, the pouch's bottom gusset panel unfolds and drops downward which allows the pouch's bottom section to also expand and assume a substantially tubular configuration.

Abstract: A compact, low shipping volume paper product comprising a compression loaded, core-wound roll of paper and a compression constraining element; and concomitant method of making such a paper product. The roll comprises a length of paper which is wound on a tubular core, and which roll may have an obround or parallelopipedal shape due to being unidirectionally compressively loaded after winding; and then constrained against expanding by a suitable constraining element. Preferably, the roll is sufficiently compressively loaded to completely flatten the core. In another aspect of the invention, the roll may be further compressed by applying a compressive loading that is substantially greater than that needed to cause the core to become flat; and, some of that high compressive loading may be relieved before the constraining element is applied or secured.

Abstract: An improved, continuous airlaying apparatus for making airlaid articles such as discrete absorbent fibrous cores for catamenial napkins and disposable diapers and the like having high structural integrity, and good edge definition. The articles are airlaid in discrete cavities as they pass through a deposition zone of the apparatus, and are compacted a predetermined amount prior to their being removed from their respective deposition cavities. An exemplary mechanism for effecting the compacting comprises a lugged cylinder having circumferentially spaced lugs which are configured and pitched to mesh in a quasi gear-like manner with the deposition cavities.

Abstract: Absorbent structures containing individualized, crosslinked fibers. The individualized, crosslinked fibers preferably have between about 0.5 mole % and about 3.5 mole % crosslinking agent, calculated on a cellulose anhydroglucose molar basis, reacted with the fibers in the form of intrafiber crosslink bonds, wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 dialdehydes, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 dialdehyde acid analogues having at least one aldehyde functionality, and oligomers of such C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 dialdehydes and dialdehyde acid analogues. More preferably, the crosslinking agent is glutaraldehyde, and between about 0.75 mole % and about 2.5 mole % crosslinking agent react to form the intrafiber crosslink bonds. Also preferably, the absorbent structures have actual dry densities greater than their corresponding equilibrium wet densities, and expand upon wetting. The absorbent structures may also contain hydrogel-forming material.

Abstract: A sheet material dispensing package which includes a U-folded bundle of sheets of material and a carton wherein the carton includes integral elements for substantially obviating rotational shifting of the bundle during shipping and handling. In a preferred embodiment, lower distal corner portions of the more interior closure flaps of the carton are configured to extend sufficiently into the carton to engage side portions of the bundle to effectively key the bundle to the carton and thereby substantially preclude rotational shifting of the bundle inside the carton.

Abstract: A process for making mechanically expanded fiber from fibrous material having a fibrillar ultrastructure. The expanded fiber is made by impacting the fibrous material with a plurality of fine media. Impacting by the fine media causes the fibers to expand from a fibrous form to a highly fibrillated form, wherein fibrils separate from, or become substantially disassociated from, the fibrous material ultrastructure. Cellulosic fibrous material is particularly applicable to the process. Cellulosic fibrous material is preferably impacted with fine media at least until the cellulose-containing phase of an aqueous slurry containing 0.5%, by weight, of cellulosic material will retain at least fifty percent of the initial volume of such cellulose-containing phase upon unagitated settling for a period of sixty minutes.

Abstract: Pulps having a tactile sense of softness which are made from hardwoods and processes for making such pulps. The process comprises the steps of: providing hardwood chips having specified sizes; introducing the chips into a digester; removing substantially all the free oxygen from the chips within the digester; providing a cooking liquor comprising from about 0.4% to about 3% ammonia and from about 9% to about 14% sulphur dioxide; completely submerging in cooking liquor all the chips within the digester; sulfonating the lignin within the chips at a temperature of less than about 110.degree. C.; rapidly increasing the temperature to an appropriate hydrolysis temperature; hydrolyzing the lignin sulfonation products at a temperature of from about 140.degree. to about 155.degree. C. at a pH from about 2 to about 3; and rapidly reducing the temperature of the system following the hydrolysis. Pulps made by this process were made into useful tissue paper webs having enhanced softness properties.

Abstract: A disposable waste containment garment which is particularly useful and leakage resistant for bedridden incontinent adults. The garment has side-edge-leakage-guard gutters having closed ends, and longitudinally elasticized distal edges. The gutters and the other garment elements are configured and disposed to substantially obviate inversion or unfolding of the gutters during application and use of the garment. The garment is sized and configured so that, when secured on a user, the elasticized distal edges of the gutters will normally extend along the groin regions of the user, and diverge upwardly across abdominal, hip and lower back areas of the user rather than encircling the thighs of the user. The absorbent core of the garment is preferably sufficiently resilient to cause it to stand away from some lower abdominal and hip regions of the user. This, in conjunction with the gutters being sufficiently flexible and elasticized, causes adjacent portions of the gutters to be biased open.

Abstract: A shaped sanitary napkin. The sanitary napkin of this invention has an absorbent means, such as an absorbent core, and two flaps extending outwardly from the absorbent means. Each flap is associated with the absorbent means along a nonlinear line of juncture and each has two axes of flexibility. In use, the absorbent means is secured in the crotch of a panty and the flaps are secured about the elastic edges of the panty so that, when the panty is worn, the absorbent means is held adjacent the body while the flaps form a wall at each side of the absorbent means and seals against the body. Both the walls and the seals serve to prevent soiling of the body and clothing by menstrual fluid.