Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
  • B65H45/00—Folding thin material
  • B65H45/12—Folding articles or webs with application of pressure to define or form crease lines
  • B65H45/24—Interfolding sheets, e.g. cigarette or toilet papers

Definitions

• the present invention refers to a pile of a plurality of panels comprising at least one web of a hygiene- or wiping material such as a paper web, preferably a tissue paper web or a nonwoven web, having a web width and a web length.
• a hygiene- or wiping material such as a paper web, preferably a tissue paper web or a nonwoven web, having a web width and a web length.
• the web is divided in its length direction in closely adjacent or partly overlapping separate or partly interconnected sheets, which in the longitudinal direction of the web extend between transverse separations or perforations.
• the web as well as the sheets are folded in accordion-like manner about transverse folding lines forming panel edges, so that panels are formed and piled on top of each other.
• the staple has a panel width constituting the distance between the folding lines and a panel length, which is the same as the web width.
• Towels, napkins and similar products for personal use and household use are used for many different purposes in industry for cleaning and machine wiping, in washing stations, in toilets in offices and public premises.
• the products are made from a web of a hygiene- or wiping material, said web having a width and a length and the web is in length direction divided into sheets, i. e. separate products.
• Each separate product or sheet has a web length, which is folded in accordion-type style so that panels are formed between adjacent folds. The distance between two adjacent folds in longitudinal direction constitutes the panel width.
• the panel length is the same as the panel width of the product.
• the products that are folded in panels are then often stored as more or less separate products placed as a sheaf and thus form a pile of panels.
• the web length for a single product traditionally corresponds to integer multiples of the web width, usually three or four panel widths.
• Different products can consist of a number of different qualities and constitute different hygiene- or wiping material, such as paper and tissue. Synthetic materials, natural materials and nonwoven and mixtures thereof may of course be used.
• the products may have different uses and can among other things be used for hygiene, wiping, adsorption, absorption, cleaning and polishing. Among some of the products that can be mentioned are paper towels, towels, different types of cloths, facial tissue, cosmetic tissue, napkins, kitchen towels, toilet paper, washing cloths etc.
• Such a pile of paper products is normally stored in a dispenser especially adapted for this purpose, for example a dispenser for consumer use.
• dispensers are often found in toilets, offices, hospitals, restaurants, clinics, public buildings, in shops, workshops, garages, in working places, in public or semipublic premises etc., where the products are available for employees, the public, customers and clients. They may for example be placed on the wall, posts or the like. They are often free of charge for the user of the products and these types of products are often frequently and not especially sparingly used. Studies about how the products may be used more effectively than today in order to reach saving goals that have been set up concerning both environment and economy are therefore interesting, see for WO 98/47419.
• WO 98/47419 discloses different results concerning efficiency at hand wiping especially with respect to total area and basis weight. Further studies of how the products are experienced by the end user together with a plurality of quality demands can also be considered when designing the different products. Thus it is important to be able to optimize the size, shape and basis weight of the products in order to reduce the consumption at every occasion of use both from economical and for environmental reasons. Besides other parameters, size, shape, appearance and bass weight play an important role for offering a good product quality well adapted for the purpose and for making the products to be well experienced by the consumer.
• a dispenser normally seen has a length, a width and a height.
• the length of the dispenser corresponds to the maximum panel length, which is equal to the web width of the product
• the width and height of the dispenser correspond to the possible panel width and possible height of the pile respectively.
• One problem with the conventional dispensers are that they of they are adapted to a special product with a certain design and shape. Every product has a limited number of possible lengths, which in turn are dependant on the panel width.
• the selection of dispensers is often limited and normally seen they are only found in a few fixed sizes, which thus limits the size and design of the products.
• the choice of the products that can be placed in the dispenser is limited. It is difficult to change product assortment and to change the shape and size of the products with today's dispensers and the products belonging thereto and the method used for making these products.
• the object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentioned problems and to provide a method for a more flexible system with increased possibilities to vary the product assortment and at the same time be able to keep the existing dispensers.
• the invention also aims at providing hygiene and wiping products that can be designed in a both economical and environmentally friendly way and so that qualities and appearance of the products can be chosen irrespective of the available dispensers and the panel sizes that are required. The need for new dispensers can thus be reduced when a new product assortment is produced in order to create improvements, optimizations, efficiency, cost savings, higher degree of utilization, better qualities, higher user benefit and satisfaction as well as variety and renewal.
• the pile comprises a plurality of panels consisting of at least one web of hygiene or wiping material.
• the web has a web width and a web length and is in length direction divided in closely adjacent or partly overlapping separate or partly connected sheets/products which in the length direction of the web extend between transverse separations or perforations.
• the web as well as the sheets are folded in accordion like manner about transverse folding lines forming panel edges, so that panels are formed and piled on top of each other.
• the staple has a panel width constituting the distance between the folding lines and a panel length which is the same as the web width, wherein the plurality of sheets in a pile have a length which is not divisible with the panel width and thus is not an integer of the panel width.
• the term "the plurality of sheets in a pile” refers to at least the half number of the sheets and preferably all sheets possibly except for the first or two first and the last or the two last sheets in a pile, which sometimes may have another length than the rest of the sheets.
• a great advantage is that in this way it is possible to use different folding for the same length of hygiene and wiping products, i. e. the length of the sheets. Besides the same folding may be used for a plurality of different sheet lengths.
• the invention further meets desires concerning either a separate web with separately, closely adjacent located or partly overlapping sheets, or partly interconnected sheets, or the invention refers to at least two interfolded webs, wherein each web is divided in separately, closely adjacent located or partly overlapping sheets, or partly interconnected sheets. In the latter case - at least two interfolded webs - the sheets of the respective web are overlapping each other.
• the separations or perforations between two sheets of one web is by that displaced in relation to the separation or perforation between two sheets of the adjacent web.
• the invention aims at creating flexibility an enabling having hygiene and wiping materials of an optional web length.
• the length of the product/sheet can according to the invention be varied in a stepless manner and is thus independent of the panel width.
• the length of the sheets can also be chosen so that the sheets will have a substantially square shape. This is especially advantageous since it has been established that a substantial square shape is a very effective shape. This shape has previously with existing methods and dispensers with products placed in piles and with respect to other parameters such as for example basis weight, panel width and panel length been a shape that has been difficult to obtain.
• one object of the invention is to make it possible to freely place the position of the sheets over the panel width in the pile.
• at least one perforation or separation between two sheets can be placed at and/or between the edges of the panels.
• the separations or perforations are placed at the edges of the panels.
• the thickness of the products is less at the separations of perforations, which means that the pile will not have the shape of a straight block but is curved downwards at the edges so that an oblique and, as seen from the outside, "egg- shaped" pile is obtained.
• the separations or perforations are arranged so that they will be evenly distributed over the panel width in the pile. Distributing the separations or perforations over the panel width can have several advantages.
• Figure 1 shows in a side view a pile according to the invention of a plurality of panels with two sheet lengths.
• Figure 2 shows another view of the same pile as in figure 1.
• Figure 3 shows the same pile as in figure 1 and 2 in elongated shape.
• Figure 4 shows prior art of a pile of a plurality of panels with two alternating interfolded webs divided into sheets.
• Figure 5 shows a pile of a plurality according to the invention, wherein the lengths of the sheets is not divisible with the width of the panel.
• Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of a pile of a plurality of panels according to the invention, wherein the lengths of the sheets is not divisible with the width of the panel.
• Figure 7 shows further possible embodiments of a pile according to the invention.
• Figures 8-10 show in a view from above a pile of a plurality of perforations or separations that are hidden in the pile, wherein the perforations or separations have different locations over the panel width in the pile
• FIGS 1-3 a pile 1 is shown, said pile being composed of a plurality of sheets 3',
• the web 3 can either be used in simple form, at which the pile consists of one and the same web, or the web can be used in an alternating folded shape with at least one further web, i. e. at least two interfolded webs.
• the web 3 is folded at a number of folding lines 5 substantially perpendicularly to the length extension of the web 3 so that panels 2 are formed.
• the panel 2 is what is created when folding the web between the folding lines 5 and the panel has a panel width 2a extending between adjacent folding lines 5 and a panel length 2b extending along the folding lines 5.
• the web 3 has a web width 3a coinciding with or equal to the panel width 2b, and a web length 3b and the web is divided by transverse separations into closely adjacent or partly overlapping separate sheets 3 ' , 3 ' ' or perforations 4 with partly interconnected sheets 3', 3" with respective lengths 3c, 3d.
• the invention can thus, which is also shown in fig. 1-3, also only consist of a single web wherein each sheet 3', 3" follows upon each other in one and the same web 3, or the web 3 can be alternated in folded shape with at least a further web wherein the webs thus are interfolded.
• the sheets 3', 3" can be separate and thus completely divided from each other in such a way that they are not at all interconnected.
• the separate sheets are located closely together or are partly overlapping each other.
• One disadvantage with completely disconnected, separate sheets when a single web is used and when the sheets are not partly overlapping each other can be that the next sheet will not automatically follow a certain distance out of the dispenser when the previous sheet/products is withdrawn or fed out there from. If the separate sheets instead of being close together are overlapping each other normally the next sheet/product will follow the previous products out to a certain degree as the previous sheet is withdrawn from the dispenser. The reason why the next sheet/product automatically follows the previous can be several such as for example friction or different types of adhesion.
• the sheets 3', 3" can also be separated from each other through a perforation4 or the like, at which the perforation 4 terminates one web portion 3 ' at the same time as it starts a further sheet 3 ' ' , also in this case the next sheet will automatically follow.
• the term web of a hygiene or wiping material as used herein includes according to the invention several different materials and products. It may be hygiene- or wiping materials intended for many different purposes in industry for cleaning and machine wiping, in washing stations, in toilets in offices and in public premises. It can be intended for personal use and household use, such as paper towels, cloths, wipes, handkerchiefs, napkins, wet napkins, toilet paper, kitchen paper, facial tissue, cosmetic tissue, baby wipes, washing cloths, bathing cloths, kitchen towels, kitchen wipes and cleaning wipes. Further different types of products, especially adapted for commercial and industrial use such as for example cloths, wipes and tissue for polishing, oil wiping, spillage wipes and other wipes for industrial cleaning and the like, for example for use in workshops or printing offices.
• the hygiene-, cleaning and wiping material can be treated at the production or after treated with for example liquids, suspensions, lotions, different chemicals, agents therapeutic agents or the like. Further paper, reinforced tissue, nonwoven material and synthetic material and mixtures thereof.
• Other hygiene- or wiping products that may be included, be close to or closely related to said products or filed of use are of course also intended to be included in the definition of a web of hygiene- or wiping material according to the invention.
• pulp fibers When pulp fibers are used it is assumed that pulp fibers of all different types normally included in soft paper manufacturing can be used in this invention. Also other pulp of cellulose fibers can be used. Some examples are the fibre hairs from cotton linters, bast cells such as ramie, linen and jute, straw pulp, bamboo pulp, bagasse, hamp or nylon. Chemical wood pulp, which can be used, is for example sulphite, sulphate or organosolve pulp.
• Mechanical wood pulp which can be used, can be ground pulp, thermo mechanical pulp, refiner pulp and also chemi mechanical pulp. The pulp may be made of fibres from softwood as well s from hardwood. Another important raw material is waste pulp from reject and waste paper. Moreover synthetic and semi synthetic fibres and mixtures thereof can be used. Nonwoven materials are according to the invention one of several preferred choices of materials.
• Dispensers may look and be used in different ways. Dispensers may consist of a number of different boxes, containers, spaces etc.
• the dispenser can also be the same as the cardboard box or plastic package in which the products are delivered or placed in, or it may consist of different containers and supports.
• the dispenser can also be provided with suspension means so that it may be hung up on a wall, post or the like. Alternatively it can be intended to be placed on a horizontal surface, such as a bench, a table, a roof or a floor.
• the dispenser may also be intended to be carried along.
• the wipes can, one after the other be withdrawn from the dispenser through an outlet opening.
• the products are adapted to existing dispensers and dispenser sizes. New panel sizes traditionally means that existing dispensers have to be replaced.
• Fig. 4 shows prior art with two interfolded webs 3, 13 where the sheets 3 ' , 3 ' ' etc. of one web 3 are alternated with the sheets 13 ' , 13 ' ' etc. of the other web 13. The sheets are folded in a traditional manner in panels that are piled on top of each other.
• Every sheet consists of panels of whole panel lengths, which is the manner used today and the panels may have different sizes depending on which dispenser the product is intended for.
• These panel widths are dependant on the available dispensers and the panel width thus fits these dispensers.
• the length of the product or the sheet is thus traditionally locked to be dependant on an integer multiple of the panel width.
• the product with the panel width 85 mm this results in the sheet/product lengths 170, 255, 340 for 2, 3, 4 panels respectively.
• For the product with a panel width of 107 mm one gets 2-4 panels and the product lengths 214, 321 and 428 mm.
• the corresponding values for the product length are 230, 345 and 460 mm.
• the basis weight may vary from 15 g/m 2 per ply, which for a two-ply product gives a total basis weight of 30 g/m 2 . It is also very interesting to use 20g/m 2 in two plies, which gives 40 g/m 2 in total weight. The basis weight 35g/m 2 is also interesting, but of course all basis weights used or would be possible to use are also most interesting.
• the number of panels determines the length of the product but the number of panels, and by this indirectly the product length, controls and determines which basis weights that are reasonable to use. This depends on different factors, some of which can be mentioned be cost goals, consumer experience, product quality, production etc. It has for example been discovered that when comparing two different products of having the same amount of fibres the product having 3 panels and a basis weight of 28 g/m 2 per ply, i. e. a product basis weight of 56 g/m 2 , was experienced clearly better than a product having 4 panels and a basis weight of 21 g/m 2 per ply, i. e. a product basis weight of 42 g/m 2 .
• Fig. 5 shows a preferred embodiment according to the invention, in which a system has been created which is not based on integer multiples of the panel width, in order to provide the desired result. Folded products of an optional length are then possible to make.
• half panels are used in the pile.
• the sheets 3 ' , 3 ' ' , 3 ' ' ' are interfolded with the sheets 13 ' , 13 ' ' , 13 ' ' ' .
• the number of panels in fig. 5 is 3.5 but it would of course be possible to be any integer and a half panel, such as for example 1.5, 2.5 or 4.5 panels.
• Figure 6 shows one of several preferred embodiments with 3 1/3 panels and two webs 3, 13 which are interfolded with their sheets 3 ' , 3 ' ' , 3 ' ' ' etc. and 13 ' , 13 ' ' , 13 ' ' etc. respectively with separations or perforations between each sheet.
• a view from above of a pile according to figure 6 where the separations or perforations are shown as hidden lines in the pile are shown in figure 10.
• Figure 7 shows the sheets 3 ' , 3 ' ' , 3 ' ' ' and 13 ' . 13 ' ' , 13 ' ' ' which consist of 3.2 panels.
• the invention involves that the product length can be varied in a stepless manner and by that all imaginable variants of non-integer multiples of the panel width can be used, i.e. not only integers but all real numbers, especially lengths that are not divisible with the panel width.
• the relationship between size and basis weight can be varied in a manner which is not possible with previous technique without changing the panel size.
• the invention will mainly be of an advantage for sheets being longer than especially two panel widths.
• the manufacturing of sheets from a web of material according to the invention can be made with different techniques, wherein no known technique is excluded to be used in this invention.
• Water jets, air jets, mechanical or thermal means can be used for providing the desired perforations or separation.
• Knives, needles, sharp objects or the like as well as other methods may be used for perforation or creating separations between the sheets.
• One way of creating perforations is shown in EP 0 287 766 where a rotating cutter has knives which provide perforations.
• the same publication also gives an example of a manufacturing method for piles of folded webs without loosely hanging ends, at which one web gets en additional perforation placed near the ordinary perforation in the other web when a pile is to be separated from another pile.
• Fig. 8-10 show a pile seen from above where separations or perforations 4 shown are hidden in the pile. The separations or perforations make the material of the web displaced somewhat aside or compressed besides that the web material is partly or completely missing at the separation or perforation.
• the invention is in no way limited to only comprise these numbers but also comprise all possible variants of non-integer multiples or non-integer numbers of the panel width 2a, i e all numbers that are not divisible with the panel width. Any practical and suitable number can be used. Also integers may be used when the position in the pile of the perforations or separations are displaced from the normal position at the panel edge 14 or alternatively are displaced from another normal position, such as in the middle of the panel width. When non-integer multiples of the panel width are suitably chosen the perforations or separations will gradually be evenly distributed over the panel width 2a.
• a preferred embodiment according to the invention for choosing the where in the pile the separations or perforations are to be placed is to organize the overlap between two webs so that the separations or perforations for a first web is placed halfway between the separations or perforations of a second web, etc.
• One way is to avoid placing the next separation or perforation in a web 1 immediately above the previous separation or perforation in web 1. This means that two consecutive separations or perforations 4 are placed so that the placing in the pile of a separation or perforation of web is not immediately above and not vertically aligned with the previous or next separation or perforation in the same web.
• non-integer multiples or numbers can be chosen so that every separation or perforation will be located in a unique position in the transverse direction, i e across the panel width. Then a separation or perforation will not be located vertically straight above another separation or perforation in the pile. The placing of e separation or perforation of a web in the pile is thus not straight above and not vertically aligned with any other separation or perforation in the pile. This can apply irrespective of whether they are separations or perforations in one web, two webs or further webs which are not substantially vertically aligned with any other separation or perforation. This is a method, which gives optimal bundles at least concerning the shape of the pile.
• the same product length and sheet length can thus have different folding as well as that the same folding can be used for different sheet lengths. This makes the manufacture, optimization, consumer need, production efficiency, economy, environmental concern as well as usefulness are improved and that a replacement of existing dispensers is avoided.

Landscapes

• Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)
• Buffer Packaging (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Sanitary Thin Papers (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (3)

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Citations (6)

• 2001
  • 2001-10-23 SE SE0103547A patent/SE522727E/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2002
  • 2002-10-22 WO PCT/SE2002/001917 patent/WO2003034885A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2002-10-22 ES ES02786297.8T patent/ES2527690T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-10-22 PL PL368546A patent/PL204446B1/pl unknown
  • 2002-10-22 EP EP02786297.8A patent/EP1443839B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2004
  • 2004-05-20 CO CO04047001A patent/CO5580731A2/es active IP Right Grant

Patent Citations (6)

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