Interfolded dispenser napkins

Details Interfolded dispenser napkins Interfolded dispenser napkins

1998-06-29

2001-04-10

Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3615)

Article dispensing

Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article

With presentation of non-coextensive or distorted fold

C428S126000, C428S130000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213346

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the field of paper products, and more specifically, to dispenser napkins.
BACKGROUND
Dispensers may be used to provide napkins in settings such as restaurants and stadiums. Typically, the napkins are folded and stacked together, and then loaded into a dispenser. The user grasps the edge of the leading napkin in the dispenser opening for obtaining a napkin.
However, these stacked arrangements of napkins suffer several disadvantages. Often, the user cannot find an edge or flap of the leading napkin. As a result, the user pinches several napkins and removes them from the dispenser instead of dispensing the napkins one-at-a-time. Often, this is more napkins than the user needs. Consequently, napkins are wasted, which in turn, increases costs to the establishment owner. Furthermore, some napkins if improperly loaded may not properly dispense. As an example, loading a stack of napkins backward may not present an edge or a flap for a user to grasp. Consequently, the napkins must be removed from the dispenser and reloaded.
Accordingly, a stacked napkin arrangement that provides consistent one-at-a-time napkin dispensing to reduce waste and costs and variable loading arrangements will improve over conventional stacked napkins.
Definitions
As used herein, the term “cellulosic material” refers to material that may be prepared from cellulose fibers from synthetic source or natural sources, such as woody and non-woody plants. Woody plants include, for example, deciduous and coniferous trees. Non-woody plants include, for example, cotton, flax, esparto grass, milkweed, straw, jute, hemp, and bagasse. The cellulose fibers may be modified by various treatments such as, for example, thermal, chemical and/or mechanical treatments. It is contemplated that reconstituted and/or synthetic cellulose fibers may be used and/or blended with other cellulose fibers of the fibrous cellulosic material. Desirably, no synthetic fibers are woven into the cellulosic material fibers.
As used herein, the term “pulp” refers to cellulosic fibrous material from sources such as woody and non-woody plants. Woody plants include, for example, deciduous and coniferous trees. Non-woody plants include, for example, cotton, flax, esparto grass, milkweed, straw, jute, hemp, and bagasse. Pulp may be modified by various treatments such as, for example, thermal, chemical and/or mechanical treatments. Desirably, no synthetic fibers are woven into the pulp fibers.
As used herein, the term “nonwoven web” refers to a web that has a structure of individual fibers or filaments which are interlaid forming a matrix, but not in an identifiable repeating manner. Nonwoven webs have been, in the past, formed by a variety of processes known to those skilled in the art such as, for example, meltblowing, spunbonding, wet-forming and various bonded carded web processes.
As used herein, the term “spunbonded web” refers to a web of small diameter fibers and/or filaments which are formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine, usually circular, capillaries in a spinneret with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced, for example, by non-eductive or eductive fluid-drawing or other well known spunbonding mechanisms. The production of spunbonded nonwoven webs is illustrated in patents such as Appel, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563.
As used herein, the term “meltblown fibers” means fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into a high-velocity gas (e.g. air) stream which attenuates the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameters, which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high-velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly disbursed meltblown fibers. The meltblown process is well-known and is described in various patents and publications, including NRL Report 4364, “Manufacture of Super-Fine Organic Fibers” by V. A. Wendt, E. L. Boone, and C. D. Fluharty; NRL Report 5265, “An Improved Device for the Formation of Super-Fine Thermoplastic Fibers” by K. D. Lawrence, R. T. Lukas, and J. A. Young; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241, issued Nov. 19, 1974, to Buntin, et al.
As used herein, the term “basis weight” (hereinafter may be referred to as “BW”) is the weight per unit area of a sample and may be reported as gram-force per meter squared and may be hereinafter abbreviated as “g
f
ms”. The basis weight may be calculated using test procedure ASTM D 3776-96.
As used herein, the term “napkin assembly” refers to a stacked, interfolded arrangement of napkins, which may be in the form of napkin sheets.
As used herein, the term “napkin sheet” refers to a plurality of napkins connected together in series by a plurality of tabs separated by slits perforating the sheet. Individual napkins may be separated at the perforations during dispensing. The napkin sheet may include one or more plies.
As used herein, the term “machine direction” (hereinafter may be referred to as “MD”) is the direction of a material parallel to its forward direction during processing.
As used herein, the term “machine direction tensile” (hereinafter may be referred to as “MDT”) is the breaking force in the machine direction required to rupture a three inch width specimen. The results may be reported as gram-force and abbreviated as “gf”. The MDT may be determined using test method number ASTM D5035-95.
As used herein, the term “tab strength” is the breaking force in the machine direction required to rupture a sheet product along its perforations. The results may be reported as gram-force and abbreviated as “gf”. The MDT may be determined using test method number ASTM D5035-95.
As used herein, the term “tab width to slit width ratio” (hereinafter may be referred to as “T/S”) refers to the ratio of the average width of a tab divided by the average width of a slit for a paper product.
As used herein, the term “caliper” refers to the thickness measurement of a sheet taken under constant force. The caliper may be determined using test method number TAPPI 411-OM-89.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems and needs described above are addressed by the present invention, which provides a napkin assembly for a dispenser. The napkin assembly may include a first napkin sheet further including a plurality of napkins and a second napkin sheet further including a plurality of napkins. Each napkin of both sheets has a basis weight from about 20 gsm to about 40 gsm and may be connected to an adjacent napkin in series by a plurality of tabs. The second napkin sheet may be positioned proximate to the first napkin sheet in an offset relation and the first and second napkin sheets may be formed into a nested configuration for dispensing.
Furthermore, each napkin of the first and second napkin sheets may include a first member integrally formed with a second member. These members may form a fold therebetween. At least one napkin from the first napkin sheet may terminate at about the fold of a respective napkin from the second napkin sheet.
Moreover, at least 500 napkins from the first napkin sheet may terminate at about the fold of a respective napkin from the second napkin sheet.
In addition, the napkin basis weight may be about 30 gsm, the machine direction tensile may be greater than about 2000 g
f
, the T/S ratio may be greater than about 0.03, and the tab strength may be greater than about 30 g
f
. What is more, the napkins may include pulp fibers.
Another embodiment of a napkin assembly for a dispenser may include a first napkin sheet further including a plurality of napkins and a second napkin sheet further including a plurality of napkins. Each napkin of both sheets may be connected to an adjacent napkin in series by a plurality of tabs. What is more, each napkin of the first and second napkin sheets may include a first member, a second member, and a third member

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