Fibrous Structures and Methods for Making Same

Abstract

Fibrous structures and more particularly fibrous structures containing a plurality of hydroxyl polymer fibrous elements, for example hydroxyl polymer filaments, such that the fibrous structures exhibit improved surface properties compared to known fibrous structures and methods for making such fibrous structures are provided.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to fibrous structures and more particularly to fibrous structures that exhibit improved surface properties, such as softness, compared to known fibrous structures and methods for making such novel fibrous structures.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Surface properties, especially softness, of fibrous structures, for example sanitary tissue products, such as toilet tissue, are important to consumers.[0003]Formulators in the past have imparted crepe to a surface of the fibrous structure, such as by creping the fibrous structure off a dryer or Yankee and / or by other means of foreshortening the fibrous structure, such as rush transfer steps in making the fibrous structure, to improve softness of fibrous structure the exterior surfaces of a sanitary tissue product comprising the creped fibrous structure. Formulators have tried to utilize the EMTEC Tissue Softness Analyzer from Emtec Electronic GmbH of Leipzig, Germany to measure th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides fibrous structures and sanitary tissue products that have improved surface properties, such as softness, compared to existing fibrous structures. This is achieved by using a fibrous structure that includes at least one uncreped exterior surface and / or a plurality of hydroxyl polymer fibrous elements, such as hydroxyl polymer filaments, present in an exterior layer of the fibrous structure. The fibrous structure also exhibits lower average TS7 and / or TS750 values as measured according to the Emtec Test Method described herein. The invention also provides methods for making these fibrous structures.

Problems solved by technology

Another problem with the past formulators' measurements using the EMTEC Tissue Softness Analyzer is that the measurements are very dependent upon which of two calibration methods is used in calibrating the EMTEC Tissue Softness Analyzer.

Apparently, the past formulators failed to appreciate this fact and didn't indicate which of the two calibration methods were used or even if the EMTEC Tissue Softness Analyzer was calibrated at all.

In addition to the problems discussed above with the past formulators' measurements of creped surface, wood pulp fiber-containing fibrous structures, the EMTEC Tissue Softness Analyzer had apparently been considered not suitable to measure wood pulp fiber-containing fibrous structures that comprise uncreped exterior surfaces, especially for the TS7 measurement.

In addition to the dry feel shortcomings of known fibrous structures, the known fibrous structures may exhibit wet feel deficiencies.

One problem with known fibrous structures, for example fibrous structures comprising a plurality of hydroxyl polymer fibrous elements such as hydroxyl polymer filaments and / or hydroxyl polymer fibers, is that such fibrous structures exhibit average TS7 and / or TS750 values as measured according to the Emtec Test Method described herein that are higher than desired by consumers of such fibrous structures.

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