CZ9904155A3 - Arrangement of moist pocket handkerchiefs by folding and stacking - Google Patents

Abstract

Wet handkerchiefs (1) having a backing and a liquid composition for wiping surfaces in the home, industry and human body form first set (40) of tissues (1) and second set (50) handkerchiefs (1), where each handkerchief (1) has two folds, wherein the tissue (1) of the first set (40) is formed a first panel fold (44x) and a second panel fold (45x), and a fold is formed on the tissues (1) of the second set (50) (54x) of the first panel and the fold (55x) of the second panel such that the tissues (1) of the first and second sets (40, 50) are folded, interleaved with each other, and placed so that the consumer can easily separate each tissue (1) from a stack (23) of wet tissues (1).

Description

Arrangement of wet tissues by folding and stacking

Technical field

The present invention relates to stacks of wet handkerchiefs that are provided with an improved folding and interleaving arrangement so that the consumer can easily separate each handkerchief from the stack of wet handkerchiefs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wet wipes are generally pre-moistened small towels that can be used in a variety of domestic and industrial applications and perform many functions. Wet wipes are generally used to wipe both animal and non-animal surfaces and can provide a number of benefits such as cleaning, disinfection and skin care.

One particular application is the use of wet handkerchiefs for wiping parts of the human body, especially when there is no washing water available, for example when traveling. Handkerchiefs are commonly used by people to clean and wipe places such as the anal, perineal, and genital areas, as well as to clean faces and hands, for example, as intimate hygiene handkerchiefs such as wet handkerchiefs for women. Wet wipes can also be used to apply substances to the body, including removing and applying make-up, skin conditioners and medicines. Another application of handkerchiefs is during diaper replacement and also for the treatment of dermatitis in adults and toddlers caused by the use of diapers and

anti-incontinence agents. Wet wipes are also useful for wiping and cleaning other surfaces or for applying compositions to surfaces, such as kitchen and bathroom surfaces, glasses, shoes, and surfaces that require industrial cleaning, such as machine or automobile surfaces. Wet wipes also include products used for cleaning or combing pets.

Wet wipes typically consist of combinations of synthetic and natural fibers, such as polyolefin fibers, viscose fibers and cotton fibers, among other surfactants, preservatives, oils and fragrances. Wet wipes are then generally offered folded and stacked in a closed container, such as a tubular container having a lid. Handkerchiefs may alternatively be offered in tubular containers having a dispensing slot. In both cases, this allows for easy transport and storage of handkerchiefs.

However, the problem of simultaneous stacking of folded wet handkerchiefs is the lack of easy dispensing of individual handkerchiefs from a stack of wet handkerchiefs. This problem is particularly acute in the case of use where the consumer holds the baby during diaper replacement. Under these conditions, the consumer needs to be able to take and separate the tissue from the stack with only one hand. This will not be achieved satisfactorily with current products.

The problem of insufficiently satisfactory dispensing of handkerchiefs from the stack and cartridge is caused by a number of causes. First, the wet handkerchiefs are generally folded and either are on top of one another or interleaved with an adjacent handkerchief. The exact positioning of the front edge of the topmost handkerchiefs of the stack cannot be easily detected by sight or touch. This is because the handkerchief substrate is generally homogeneous and therefore the leading edge of the handkerchief, especially when folded, cannot be distinguished from the handkerchief substrate on which it rests. In addition, the front edge portion of the handkerchief also tends to adhere to the underlying material of the handkerchief underlying it. Therefore, even by detecting the edge by touch, with the fingers sliding or sliding over the surface of the handkerchief, this does not immediately lead to the location of the edge.

Second, after finding out where the edge is, it is difficult for the consumer to grasp the backing material well enough to hold it while separating one handkerchief from the stack on which it lies. Often, the consumer is able to grasp only a small portion of the leading edge so that it does not grip firmly and therefore the handkerchief easily slips out of the user's fingers.

These problems associated with dispensing wet handkerchiefs are known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent 5,540,332 deals with dispensing of wet handkerchiefs and methods of making such wet handkerchiefs. Improvement in the dispensing capability is achieved by providing at least a portion of one of the edges of the handkerchief with a repeating non-linear pattern to have a sinusoidal shape. The problem of dispensing a single wet handkerchief but using a non-linear front edge is neither solved nor overcome.

Another proposed solution to the dispensing problem is described in U.S. Patent 4,778,048, which discloses a product comprising a stack of wet handkerchiefs that are tilted at the rim of the cartridge for improved access, dispensing, and uniform distribution of liquid. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the edge of each handkerchief has a Gurley stiffness greater than that of the main portion of the handkerchief, but the formation of such a stiff edge is itself an undesirable parameter of a wet handkerchief. Wet wipes, especially those intended for use on> · · «> 9 9 ·

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9999 · 9 sensitive skin areas, such as toddler tissues, require some degree of softness. The edge of the handkerchief that is stiffened is no longer suitable for use as set forth in this patent, and therefore the handkerchiefs have a reduced surface of the substrate suitable for use. Care should also be taken to reduce or prevent contact of this edge portion with the skin, as this may cause irritation. Moreover, the edge stiffness does not again solve the problem of dispensing a single handkerchief. Moreover, providing such a non-linear edge on the nonwoven substrate using current manufacturing methods has also led to fraying of the edges of the substrate, which is also highly undesirable.

Alternatively, it has also been proposed to provide specially designed dispensers having dispensing openings to aid in the recognition of the leading edge by the consumer. These cartridges are designed so that during removal of the uppermost handkerchief from the container, the adjacent handkerchief is lifted from the stack so as to partially pass through the opening once the top handkerchief has been removed. In this way, the uppermost handkerchief is positioned so that the consumer can easily grasp it. A disadvantage of such products, however, is that too much of the underlying tissue of the adjacent tissue is pushed out through the opening. The tissue then dries quickly and is no longer suitable for use and must be discarded. EP 747 313 proposes a means to solve this problem and discloses multiple folded paper, such as a moistened tissue paper for continuous dispensing through an opening in a tray. In this way, a maximum of a quarter of the length of the adjacent tissue from the dispensing opening is exposed, but such tissue paper products cannot be used for all wetted tissue applications, such as toddler tissues, as the moistened tissue paper is unsatisfactory in terms of softness or strength. In particular, such moistened silk

Papers suffer from the tendency to tear during use and are therefore not suitable for use as wet tissues.

Another key contributing factor to the problem of dispensing a single moistened handkerchief from a stack of moistened handkerchiefs that is not solved by any of the above known solutions is the tendency of the underlying handkerchief material to stick to itself. This is mainly due to the compression of the handkerchief stacks during manufacture and storage, the instantaneous weight of the handkerchief stack itself and the existence of attractive forces between the handkerchief material and the lotion in the handkerchiefs. As a result, when the handkerchiefs are stacked to form a stack, the handkerchief material tends to stick to itself and to the underlying handkerchief material. As a result, once the consumer has picked up a handkerchief from the stack, the handkerchief tends to maintain its folded state. In addition, the tissue generally remains at least partially adhered to the adjacent tissue on which it rested. Thus, in addition to picking up the handkerchief from the stack, the adjacent handkerchief also at least partially detaches from the stack. As a result, it is up to the consumer not only to unfold the handkerchief prior to the desired use of the handkerchief, but also to separate it from the adjacent handkerchief in the stack and return the handkerchief to the stack in the cartridge. This is of course particularly disadvantageous for the consumer who uses handkerchiefs for toddlers during diaper replacement.

The problem of sticking a handkerchief substrate is known from the prior art. Attempts have generally been made to provide interleaved handkerchiefs such as described in JP 08 089 439. The interleaving is also known from the prior art in connection with dry tissue products, as described in U.S. Patent 2,772 021 and US 3 330 553, but it is known that due to the complex interactions that

Exist between the backing material and the lotion in a wet handkerchief, the folding arrangements used for dry products in general are also not applicable to wet handkerchiefs.

Furthermore, many proposed interleaving arrangements are associated with problems. Especially if the interleaving results in a high degree of folding of the underlying handkerchief material, then only the problem of adhesion of the underlying material will be aggravated to such an extent that the handkerchiefs are actually always released in pairs, or even only one handkerchief released. opening a large portion of an adjacent handkerchief so that the handkerchief dries.

On the other hand, if the overlap between neighbors is minimized such that only one handkerchief is guaranteed, there is no significant separation of the adjacent handkerchief from the stack and the problem of finding the front edge again occurs.

On the other handkerchiefs

In addition to the unsatisfactory dispensing of handkerchiefs, there may be other problems relating to the prior art interleaving arrangements. For example, as a result of the interleaving arrangement, the material in the reservoir may be unevenly distributed, resulting in a number of side effects, such as uneven lotion distribution in the stack of handkerchiefs and in individual handkerchiefs, resulting in a lotion concentration in certain areas in the stack the arrangement of the interleaving also leads to the formation of ridges and grooves in the material, both of which tend to reduce the strength and softness of the handkerchief in addition to being not aesthetically desirable.

Therefore, it is desirable to have a wet handkerchief that is suitable for various applications such as toddler handkerchiefs that are solid, soft and absorbent. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide such a wet-wipes configuration

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- 7 into a stack that facilitates easy dispensing of a single handkerchief from the stack of these handkerchiefs.

The present invention solves these problems by providing a stack of wet tissues having an improved folding and interleaving arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore relates to a wet handkerchief for wiping parts of the human body, such as wipes for wiping very young children and wipes for wiping other surfaces. In particular, the present invention relates to arranging wet handkerchiefs into stacks so as to facilitate dispensing and separation of a single handkerchief from a stack of wet handkerchiefs, particularly in applications using a cartridge and a dispensing opening.

Accordingly, the stack of wet handkerchiefs comprises a first set of handkerchiefs and a second set of handkerchiefs, each of the handkerchiefs comprising a substrate and a liquid composition. Each of these handkerchiefs extends longitudinally from the first edge of the front end to the second edge of the rear end and has at least two folds to form a front edge panel, a center panel, and a rear edge panel.

According to the present invention, said first set of handkerchiefs is interleaved with said second set of handkerchiefs such that at least a portion of said center panel and at least a portion of said end-edge panel of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs are interleaved between at least a portion of said front-edge panel; at least portions of said center panel of one handkerchief from said other set of handkerchiefs. Similarly, at least a portion of said center panel and at least a portion of said rear edge panel of each handkerchief of said second set of handkerchiefs are interposed between at least a portion of said front edge panel and at least a portion of said center panel of one handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs. In addition, the handkerchiefs are interleaved such that the length of said front edge panel or end edge panel of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs is no more than 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel and so that the length of said front edge panel or said end edge panel each handkerchief of said second set of handkerchiefs does not make more than 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel.

Overview of the drawings

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wet handkerchief stacked in Z shape; Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a stack of folded and interleaved wet handkerchiefs in the dispenser; Fig. 3a is a cross section along the xx plane of Fig. 1 showing a handkerchief having a panel with the front edge 2, the center panel 4, and the end edge panel 3 folded into a Z-shape, Fig. 3b is a cross-sectional view of a folded handkerchief having a fold 36 on the front edge panel, Figs. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d are sectional views of four embodiments of folds and interleaves of the wet handkerchiefs of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, the wet handkerchief comprises a substrate that is coated or impregnated with a liquid composition. The substrate may be woven or non-woven, foam, spongy, non-woven,

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Ball, blown or foil, most preferably nonwoven, and may consist of natural or synthetic fibers or a mixture thereof. The fibrous compositions are preferably mixtures of a hydrophilic fibrous material such as viscose, cotton or linen and a hydrophobic fibrous material such as terephthalate (PET) or polypropylene (PP) by weight of hydrophilic and 80% polyethylene in a ratio of 20% to 20% by weight of hydrophobic material. Two particularly preferred mixtures are 50% viscose with 50% PP and 50% viscose with 50% PET. The substrate preferably has a basis weight of at least 20 gm ^-2 and preferably less than 150 gm ^-2, and most preferably the basis weight is in the range of 20 gm ^-2 average

Thickness up to 70 gm ^-2 , more preferably from 50 gm ^-2 to 65 gm ^-2 . The substrate may have any layer thickness. When the substrate is made by a process of interconnecting fibers under water, the average thickness of the substrate is generally less than 0.8 mm. More preferably, the thickness of the substrate layer is from 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm. base layers are measured according to EDANA standardized non-woven industry methodology, Reference Method No. 30.4-89. The bulk density of the substrate is preferably not more than 1.0 g / cm ³ , more preferably not more than 0.9 g / cm ³ , most preferably not more than 0.7 g / cm ³ .

In addition to the fibers used to form the substrates, the substrate may have other components or materials added to it, as is known in the art. The types of additives desired will depend upon the particular end use of the intended substrate. For example, in products such as wet wiping products such as wet toilet paper, paper towels, facial wipes, very young infant handkerchiefs and the like with airborne products, a high wet strength is desirable. Therefore, it is often desirable, especially for cellulose-based substrates, to add chemicals known in the art as wet strength resins. General discussion of the types of wet strength resins that are •

- 10 used in stationery, can be found in monograph No. 29 Wet Paper Strength and Paperboard (New York, 1965) of the Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI). In addition to wet strength additives, it may also be desirable to include certain dry strength additives and dust reducing additives known in the art, such as starch binders. The support may also further include agents improving the optical properties of the support material, such as transparency-reducing agents, for example titanium dioxide.

According to the invention, the substrate can be made by any method known in the art. For example, the nonwoven substrates may be formed by dry forming methods such as air laying or wet laying methods such as in a paper machine. Other production methods can also be used to produce nonwoven materials, such as melt blowing, fiber bonding during spinning, needle punching, and fiber spinning. The preferred method is interweaving the fibers under water.

According to the present invention, a wet handkerchief arrangement is provided in a stack that results in easier dispensing and separation of a single handkerchief from the stack of wet handkerchiefs and an easy recognition of where the front edge of each subsequent handkerchief is.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the figures. Giant. 1 shows a perspective view of a single folded wet handkerchief JL. Giant. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a stack of folded and interleaved wet handkerchiefs 23 of the present invention disposed in a cartridge 20. The cartridge 20 includes a bath forming portion 21 and a lid 22 which is rotatably mounted to the bath forming portion 21 using a hinge mechanism; dispensing opening 24. U • 9 · * k 9 0 '• 9 4

Alternatively, the handkerchiefs may also be stacked and then packaged in a moisture impermeable packaging material, such as a film or laminated polymer film, to obtain a package for refilling such a container.

According to the present invention, the stacked arrangement comprises first and second sets of handkerchiefs that are interleaved with each other. As seen in Figures 1 to 3, each stacked handkerchief 1 in each set extends longitudinally from the first edge of the front end 2 to the second edge of the rear end 3. The stacked handkerchiefs also have side edges 4 and 5 that extend longitudinally from the first edge of the front Each folded handkerchief 1 has at least two folds to form three panels. As used herein, a panel means a portion of a handkerchief between two folds or between a fold and an edge at its end.

The fold of the first panel 6 is generally parallel to the edge of the front end 2 and is generally perpendicular to the side edges 4, 5.

The fold of the first panel 6 is positioned longitudinally with respect to the edge of the front end 2 so as to form a panel with a leading edge 9 extending between the fold of the first panel 6 and the edge of the front end 2. The fold of the second panel is generally parallel and positioned longitudinally with the fold panel 6, thereby forming a center panel attached to the panel with the leading edge 9 at the fold of the first panel 6 and extending between the fold of the first panel 6 and the fold of the second panel 7. The rear edge panel 10 is attached to the center panel at the fold 7 and extends between the fold of the second panel 7 and the edge of the rear end 3. According to the present invention, the handkerchiefs are folded in the folds of the first and second panels 6 and 7 so as to form a corresponding front edge panel, center panel and end edge panel 9. Thus, prior to interleaving, handkerchiefs may be provided

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- 12 folded into a series of arrangements. This is clearly shown with reference to the respective surfaces of each of the panels as shown in Figure 3.

In Fig. 3, each handkerchief has a first, upper surface 30 of the front edge panel 9, a second, lower surface 31 of the front edge panel 9, a first upper surface 32 of the end edge panel 10, a second lower surface 33 of the end edge panel 10 the first, upper surface 34 of the central panel 8, the second, lower surface 35 of the central panel 8. Thus, the front edge panel 9 and the end edge panel 10 may be provided with a fold of the first panel 6 and a fold of the second panel 7 such that the panel rests on the upper front surface 34 of the central panel 8 or the lower front surface 35 of the central panel 8. 1 and 3a, the front edge panel 9 is adjacent to and partially overlaps a portion of the upper front surface 34 of the center panel 8, and the end edge panel 10 is adjacent to a portion of the lower front surface 35 of the center panel 83 and lies below alternatively, the handkerchiefs may be folded in a Z-shape. In yet another alternative, both the front-edge panel 9 and the end-edge panel 10 of each handkerchief may be folded so that they are folded. both side by side and overlap part of the upper surface 34 of the center panel EL Handkerchief Preferably, the first and second assemblies 40 and 50 are folded to form mirror images of each other, for example, the first handkerchief assembly 40 is Z-shaped and the handkerchiefs of the second assembly 50 are folded in the inverted Z-shape.

Further, each handkerchief may have other panels in addition to the front edge panel 9, the center panel 8, and the end edge panel 10 as described above. In particular, the front edge panel 9 or the end edge panel 10 may also be

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13 are provided with a further fold to form a fold 36 on the front edge panel 9 or a fold on the end edge panel 10 as shown in Fig. 3b. Such a fold 36 is formed by providing the front edge panel 9 or the end edge panel 10 with a fold forming a fold panel 36 which is adjacent to the edge of the front or rear end 2, 3 and extends away therefrom and is folded so that a fold 36 extending between the fold of the fold panel 36 and the edge of the end 2, 3 is formed. The fold of the fold panel 36 may be folded onto the lower surface 31 of the panel with the leading edge 9 so that the leading end 2 is below the leading edge panel 9. the arrangement is particularly advantageous in that it facilitates the grip on the edge. Alternatively, the front edge panel may be folded so that the edge of the front end 2 rests on the top surface 30 of the front end panel 9. The fold 36 may also be located on the top surface 32 or bottom surface 33 of the end edge panel 10. The fold 36 generally extends from the edge of the front or rear end 2, 3 to a length of 4 cm to 0.1 cm, preferably from 2 cm to 0.25 cm, to the fold fold 36 of the front edge panel 9 or fold fold of the rear edge panel 10.

According to the present invention, the overall dimensions of the substrate material and the panels thereof depend on the intended use of the tissue 1 and can be selected accordingly. The length of the front edge panel 9 to the length of the center panel 8 and the length of the rear edge panel 10 is in the ratio of 1: 2: 1 to 1: 5: 1, and most preferably 1: 3: 1. The length ratios of the handkerchief panels of the first and second set of handkerchiefs 40, 50 are preferably the same and most preferably both the front edge panel 9 and the rear edge panel 10 are both about one quarter of the total length of the handkerchiefs 1. In one non-limiting illustrative example, the handkerchief 1 can be used as a handkerchief for treating very young children, each having a folded handkerchief

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0 0 0 0 0 0 · ♦ 0000 ·· pocket 1 in the unfolded state length from 10 cm to 30 cm, measured lengthwise, from the edge of the front end 2 to the edge of the rear end 3. For each folded handkerchief, the distance between the fold the panel 6 and the fold of the second panel 7 from 2 to 7 cm, while the lengths of the front edge panel and the rear edge panel 10 may be from 2 cm to 7 cm. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the distance between the fold of the first panel 6 and the edge of the front end 2 is more preferably in the range of 3 cm to 6 cm and even more preferably in the range of about 3 cm to 5 cm. The distance between the fold of the first panel 6 and the fold of the second panel 7 is more preferably in the range of 3 cm to 12 cm and even more preferably in the range of about 10 cm to 12 cm. The distance between the fold of the second panel 7 and the edge of the rear end is more preferably in the range from 3 cm to 6 cm and even more preferably in the range from about 3 cm to 5 cm.

According to the present invention and with reference to the embodiments shown in Figs. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d, the basic feature of the stacking arrangement is that each of the folded tissues of the first assembly 40 is interleaved with each of the folded tissues of the second assembly 50.

For example, a handkerchief x from a first set of handkerchiefs is folded in the shape of an inverted Z and interposed between a handkerchief x folded in a Z shape from the second set of handkerchiefs. Similarly, a handkerchief x from a second set of handkerchiefs is interleaved between a handkerchief y from a first set of handkerchiefs and a handkerchief y from a first set of handkerchiefs interspersed with a handkerchief y from a second set of handkerchiefs. a portion of said panel with a rear edge 43x of each of the handkerchiefs of said first set 40 interspersed with the handkerchief x of the second set of handkerchiefs between at least and

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- 15 portions of said front edge panel 51x and at least portions of said center panel 52x of each handkerchief of said second set of 50 handkerchiefs. Similarly, at least a portion of said center panel 52x and at least a portion of said rear edge panel 53x of each handkerchief from said second set 50 are interposed between at least a portion of said front edge panel 41y and at least a portion of said middle panel 42y of each handkerchief from the first set of 40 handkerchiefs .

According to the present invention, another essential feature of the stacking arrangement relates to the relative panel lengths of each of the handkerchiefs of the first and second assemblies 40, 50. In this sense, it has been found that the length of the front edge panel 41 or rear edge panel 43 of each handkerchief, e.g. said first handkerchief 40 does not exceed 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel 42. Similarly, the length of the front edge panel 51 or said rear edge panel 53 of each handkerchief of said second handkerchief 50 does not exceed 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel 52. Thus, the panels with the front edges 41, 51 and the rear edges 43, 53 of each handkerchief from the first and second handkerchiefs 40, 50 may be of any length provided that the sum of the length of the front end panel and the length of the rear end panel isis the length of the corresponding center panel of the tissue. Preferably, however, the panel lengths of all handkerchiefs in each assembly 40, 50, and more preferably the corresponding panels in both the first and second assemblies 40, 50 are of substantially the same dimensions.

The wet pocket stacked as described above is easier to dispense than the prior art stacked pocket. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it has been found that improved expenditure is related to the combination • 0 ► 0 0

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16 a specific folding and interleaving arrangement between the first and second handkerchiefs and a specific overlap region between the handkerchief panels.

Using the interleaving arrangement described hereinabove, removal of the highest handkerchief, for example, a handkerchief x from the first stack from the interleaved stack, causes the front edge panel of the adjacent handkerchief x from the second stack to be stacked. This makes it easier for the consumer to identify the location of the edge of the front end of the adjacent handkerchief. Furthermore, it has been found that the overlap region between the panel with the front edge of an adjacent handkerchief (i.e., handkerchief x from the second handkerchief file) and the center panel or panel with the rear end of the highest handkerchief (i.e. handkerchief x from the first handkerchief file) ensures that the desired length of the second hand file x and separated from the stack. The overlap region between the center panel of the adjacent handkerchief (x of the second set) and the rear edge panel or the center panel of the highest laid handkerchief (x of the first set) appears to be of minor importance. Thus, the location of the folds of the first and second panels and the relative length of the panels with the front edge and the rear edge relative to the center panel is of critical importance, but the improved expenditure provided by the present invention may also include other effects and interactions in addition to or instead of the hypothesis. rely.

Furthermore, in addition to improving dispensing of the interleaving arrangement of the present invention, in particular the embodiment shown in Fig. 4a, it also ensures that most of the substrate material of each handkerchief in the stack is located in a horizontal plane. This reduces the tendency of the stack to form bumps or depressions in the substrate material. In addition, the stacking arrangement also reduces the tendency of the liquid mixture to be unevenly distributed in the stack.

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Further details of the invention will now be the individual embodiments 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d.

described with reference to

Giant. 4a shows the most preferred stacking arrangement of the present invention. The arrangement includes a first set of 40 Z-folded handkerchiefs that are interleaved with a second set of 50 handkerchiefs that are folded in an inverted Z-shape. Thus, the central panel portion 42x (42y) of each handkerchief of the first file 40 contacts the panel portion. with a front edge 51x (51y) of each handkerchief of the second assembly 50 such that substantially all of one of the surfaces of the front panel. the edge 51x (51y) of each of the tissues of the second assembly 50 is in contact with a portion of the center panel 42x (42y) of each of the tissues of the first assembly 40. In this embodiment, the front edge panel is 41x (41y) and the rear edge panel 43x (43y). of each handkerchief of said first set of 40 handkerchiefs no more than 50% of the length of said corresponding center panel 42x (42y) and are substantially equal in length. Similarly, the front edge panel 51x (51y) and the rear end panel 53x (53y) of each handkerchief of said second set of 50 handkerchiefs together constitute no more than 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel 52x (52y) and are substantially the same in length. Further, the lengths of the front edge panel 41x (41y) of the rear edge panel 43x (43y) and the center panel 42x (42y) of each of the handkerchiefs of the first file 40 are substantially equal in length to the lengths of the corresponding front edge panel 51x (51y). with a rear edge 53x (53y) and a center panel 52x (52y) of the second set of 50 handkerchiefs. In particular, in the embodiment shown in Figure 4a, the leading end edge of each handkerchief of said first handkerchief 40 and each of said second handkerchief 50 is approximately a quarter of the total length of each of said handkerchiefs.

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The embodiment shown in Figure 4b is identical to the embodiment of Figure 4a with respect to the length of the respective panels, but in this embodiment, the handkerchiefs of both the first and second assemblies 40, 50 are folded so that the front edge panel and panel with the rear edge of the handkerchiefs being adjacent to the top surface of the center panel corresponding to the handkerchief before interlacing. Thus, after interleaving according to the present invention, a portion of the center panel 42x (42y) of each handkerchief from the first assembly 40 is in contact with a portion of the center panel 52x (52y) of each handkerchief of the second assembly 50 and a portion of the panel with the rear edge 53x (53y) Similarly, the rear edge panel 53x of each of the handkerchiefs of the second assembly 50 is in contact with the front edge panel 41y of each of the first handkerchiefs 40 and the center portion of the panel 50x. The panel 52x of each of the handkerchiefs of the second set 50 is in contact with a portion of the center panel 42y of each of the handkerchiefs of the first set of 40 handkerchiefs.

The embodiments of FIGS. 4c and 4d illustrate a stacking arrangement where the handkerchiefs of the first assembly 40 are folded in a Z-shape and interleaved with the second set of 50 handkerchiefs folded in an inverted Z-shape. and a panel with the rear edge of the handkerchiefs straight for each of the respective sets. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4c, the length of the rear edge panel of both the first and second handkerchiefs 40, 50 is greater than 50% of the center panel length and is in fact about 60% of the center panel length of each of the first and second handkerchiefs. The length of the panel with the leading edge of each of the handkerchiefs in both the first and second assemblies 40, 50 is less than 50% of the length of the center panel and is about 30%. For the version shown on • c ·· • 9 9 9

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Thus, Fig. 4d, the length of the panel with the leading edge of each of the handkerchiefs of both the first and second sets 60, 50 is more than 50% and is about 60% of the length of the center panel of each of the handkerchiefs for both the first and second sets 40, 50.

Thus, the length of the panel with the rear edge of each of the handkerchiefs is less than 50% and is about 30% of the length of the center panel.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown, for example, in Figure 4a, the fold of the second panel 45x of each of the handkerchiefs of the first set should not be in direct contact with the fold of the first panel 54x of each of the adjacent handkerchiefs of the second set of 50 handkerchiefs. Similarly, the fold of the second panel 55x of each of the tissues of the second assembly 50 should not contact the fold of the first panel 44y of the adjacent tissues of the first assembly 40. Preferably, there should be at least 1 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 5 mm. more preferably from 1 mm to 3 mm. In fact, it is believed that contact between two adjacent folds of its adjacent handkerchiefs (x of the first and second sets 40, 50) prevents the ability of the uppermost handkerchiefs to separate from the adjacent handkerchiefs and cause too much substrate material of the adjacent handkerchiefs to separate.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is also advantageous to provide the front end edge or panel with a visible or tactile indicator. Such indicators further assist the consumer in positioning the actual edge of the front end. The visible indicators may be provided, for example, in the form of a thin colored band or ribbon that is printed on the surface of the panel with a leading edge near the edge itself.

A particularly preferred means for forming the edge indicator is to provide a non-linear edge, such as a repeating sine wave or a repeating zigzag pattern. Such

non-linear patterns may extend partially along the edge length continuously or intermittently or more preferably extend substantially along the entire length of the edge of the tissue. Providing such an edge provides both a visible and a tactile indicator of the location of the edge. These mechanisms further help to facilitate dispensing of handkerchiefs.

According to the invention, the substrate material is generally impregnated or coated with a liquid mixture. An advantage of the present invention is that the stacking arrangement makes it possible to apply different blends to the substrate material without substantially affecting the dispensing mechanism. This is not only useful in allowing it to change the nature of the composition, but also to alter the filling of the compositions in the stack so as to combat the deposition of the composition at the bottom of the stack. As used herein, the term liquid composition refers to any composition that is in liquid form when the tissue is in contact with the surface. As a rule, the composition may be based on water, alcohol or emulsion, either water in oil and / or oil in water, or a multiple emulsion, an oil in water emulsion being particularly preferred. The emulsion may also include a lipid phase which may be disrupted by the application of minimal pressure, for example by wiping the skin. The composition will generally comprise from 2% to 50% by weight. and from 50% to 98% water, preferably demineralized or distilled. Of the active ingredient, preferably 2% to 20% is present in the oil phase and the remainder is present in the aqueous phase.

According to the present invention, the wet handkerchiefs are provided with an emulsion composition comprising an oil phase ranging from 1% to 20%, preferably 2% to 10% by weight. mixtures. The oil-based phase is preferably derived from natural sources such as vegetable or animal oils or, optionally, synthetic or mixtures thereof. Suitable vegetable and animal oils for use in the present invention include waxes such as &quot; waxes &quot;.

* Beeswax, lanolin, candelilla and oils such as fatty acid esters and fatty acid ethers such as caprylic and capric triglycerides and octyl palmitate. Suitable mineral oils include petroleum based oils such as paraffin and yellow petrolatum. Synthetic oils for use in the present invention include ethylenic polymers such as polyethylene wax or silicone oils. Suitable silicone oils include polydimethylsiloxanes, volatile cyclomethicones, dimethiconols, siloxysilicates, and amine and phenyl derivatives of siloxanes and mixtures thereof. Examples include dimethicone, (Dow Corning 200 Fluids), cyclomethicone and dimethiconol (Dow Corning 1401 Fluid), cetyldimethicone (Dow Corning 2502 Fluid), dimethicone and trimethylsiloxysilicate (Dow Corning 593 Fluid), cyclomethicone (Dow Corning 244, 245, 344 or 345) Fluoride), phenyltrimethicone (Dow Corning 556 Fluid), or combinations thereof.

Oil-in-water emulsions generally require emulsifiers. The emulsifiers that can be used in the present invention are preferably capable of primarily emulsifying oil in water. The emulsifier is present in a range of from 0.02% to 5.0%, preferably from 0.02% to 3.0% by weight, based on the weight of the composition.

In a preferred embodiment, the emulsifier is a polymer type emulsifier such as a C10 to C30 alkyl acrylate copolymer and one or more monomers including acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or one of their single esters cross-linked with sucrose allyl ether or pentaerythritol allyl ether. Emulsifiers which are useful in the present invention include Ceteareth-12, Ceteareth-20 or Pemulen TR1 and TR2, which are available from B.F. Goodrich company from the USA. Other known emulsifiers such as ethoxylated fatty alcohols, glycerin fatty acid esters, soaps and sugar-derived agents can also be used herein. Other useful emulsifiers include the emulsifiers detailed in EP-A-328 355.

According to the invention, the composition may comprise a stabilizer or a preservative. Stabilizers suitable for use in the present invention include phenoxyethanol, preferably present in the range of 0.1 to 1.0%, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, sodium benzoate, benzalkonium chloride and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium ( hereinafter referred to as EDTA) or EDTA salts (sequestrenes). Sequestrenes are a number of complexing agents and generally metal complexes of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and salts. The total amount of stabilizers should be in the range of 0.1% to 4.0% by weight based on the weight of the composition.

The composition of the invention may further comprise from 0.02% to 5.0% by weight. said plasticizer or humectant mixture. The plasticizer is preferably water-soluble and includes polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, glycerin as well as water-soluble lanolin derivatives.

Other optional ingredients that may be used in the present invention include antifungal agents, antibactericidal agents, skin protection agents, oil-soluble cleaners, water-soluble surfactants or detergents, especially non-ionic or amphoteric, pH adjusters, perfumes, aromatics and the like.

In order to provide wet wipes with good cleaning performance, the viscosity should be less than 500 mPas, preferably in the range of 300 to more than 100 mPas, most preferably in the range of 180 to 120 mPas.

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In preparing the wet handkerchiefs of the present invention, the composition is applied to at least one surface of the substrate material. The composition can be applied at any time during the manufacture of wet handkerchiefs. Preferably, the composition can be applied to the substrate after the substrate has been dried. A variety of deposition methods can be used that evenly distribute sticky materials having a melt or liquid consistency. Suitable methods include spraying, printing (e.g., flexographic printing), coating (e.g., engraving or flooding), extrusion wherein the mixture is extruded through tubes that are in contact with the substrate while the substrate passes through the tube or a combination of these application methods, e.g. spraying the mixture onto a rotating surface, such as a calender roll, which then transfers the mixture to the surface of the substrate. The composition may be applied to either one surface of the substrate or to both surfaces, preferably to both surfaces. The preferred coating method is extrusion coating.

The composition can also be applied unevenly to the substrate surfaces. The term non-uniformly means that, for example, the amount, pattern of distribution of the mixture may vary along the surface of the substrate. For example, a portion of the surface of the substrate may have a greater or lesser amount of the composition, including portions of the surface having no composition thereon. The composition is generally used in an amount of from 0.5 to 10 g / g of substrate, preferably 1.0 to 5 g / g of substrate, most preferably from 2 to 4 g / g of dry substrate.

Advantageously, the composition may be applied to the substrate at any point after it has been dried. For example, the mixture may be applied to the substrate before or after calendering and before being wound on a reel. As a rule, the deposition is carried out on a substrate unwound from a roll having a width equal to a substantial number of handkerchiefs to be produced. The substrate with the mixture applied thereto is then used as a raw material for the manufacture of individual tissues.

Claims (13)

PATENT CLAIMS A wet handkerchief arrangement comprising a first set of handkerchiefs (40) and a second set of handkerchiefs (50), each handkerchief (1) comprising a substrate and a liquid mixture, each of the handkerchiefs (1) extending longitudinally from a first edge of the front end (2) to a second edge of the rear end (3), and each of these handkerchiefs (1) has two folds to form a front edge panel (9), a center panel (8), and a rear edge panel (10) and wherein said first set of handkerchiefs (40) is interleaved with said second set of handkerchiefs (50) such that at least a portion of said center panel (42) and at least a portion of said panel with a rear edge (43) of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) is interposed between at least a portion of said front edge panel (51) and at least a portion of said center panel (52) of one handkerchief at a guided second set of handkerchiefs (50) and at least a portion of said center panel (52) and at least a portion of said rear edge panel (53) of each handkerchief of said second set of handkerchiefs (50) interleaved between at least a portion of said front edge panel (41) and at least a portion of said center panel (42) of one handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs (40), wherein the length of said front edge panel (41) or said rear edge panel (43) of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) is not greater greater than 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel (42) and the length of said front edge panel (51) or said rear edge panel (53) of each handkerchief of said handkerchief (51); · The second set of tissues (50) is not more than 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel (52). The wet handkerchief arrangement of claim 1, wherein the length of said front edge panel (41) and the length of said rear edge panel (43) of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) are both no more than 50% of the length. and that the length of said front edge panel (51) and the length of said rear edge panel (53) of each handkerchief of said second set of handkerchiefs (50) are both no more than 50% of the length of the corresponding center panel (52). ).) 3. The wet handkerchief arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of said front edge panel (41) and the length of said rear edge panel (43) of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) are substantially the same in terms of length and that the length of said front edge panel (51) and the length of said rear edge panel (53) of each handkerchief of said second set of handkerchiefs (50) are substantially the same in length. The wet handkerchief arrangement of claim 3, wherein the length of said front edge panel (41) of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) is substantially equal in length to the length of said front edge panel (51) of each handkerchief (51). handkerchiefs from said second set of handkerchiefs (50). The wet handkerchief arrangement of claim 4, wherein the ratio of the lengths of said front edge panel (41, 51) of each of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) and said second set of handkerchiefs (50) to the length of said center panel (42.52) each handkerchief from said first set of handkerchiefs (40) and said second set of handkerchiefs (50) and the length of said rear edge panel (43.53) of each handkerchief from said first set of handkerchiefs (40) and said second set of handkerchiefs (50) is in a ratio of 1: 2: 1 to 1: 5: 1. The wet handkerchief arrangement of claim 4, wherein the length of said front edge panel (41, 51) of each handkerchief of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) and said second set of handkerchiefs (50) is approximately one quarter of the total length of each of the handkerchiefs. of said tissues. The wet handkerchief arrangement of claim 6, wherein each of the handkerchiefs of said first set of handkerchiefs (40) is folded in an inverted Z-shape and each handkerchief of said second set of handkerchiefs (50) is folded in a Z-shape. A wet handkerchief arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each handkerchief from said first set of handkerchiefs (40) and each handkerchief from said second set of handkerchiefs (50) has a first panel fold (44, 54) and a second panel fold ( 45, 55) and wherein the distance between the fold of the first panel (44) of each handkerchief of the first set (40) and the fold of the second panel (55) of one handkerchief of the second set of handkerchiefs is in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm; 99 9 99 99 99 wherein the distance between the fold of the second panel (45) of each handkerchief of the first handkerchief (40) and the fold of the first panel (54) of one handkerchief of the second handkerchief (50) is in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm. A wet handkerchief arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said handkerchiefs are disposed in a cartridge (20), the cartridge (20) having a dispensing opening (24). Wet wipes according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said substrate is non-woven. Wet wipes according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support comprises hydrophobic fibers selected from polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene or mixtures thereof. Wet wipes according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said substrate comprises hydrophilic fibers selected from cotton, viscose, flax or mixtures thereof. Wet wipes according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid mixture is an oil-in-water emulsion and said wet wipes (1) comprise from 0.5 g to 10 g of said emulsion per gram dry weight of said substrate.