Multi-ply tissues having internal indicia

Details Multi-ply tissues having internal indicia Multi-ply tissues having internal indicia

1994-02-04

2001-04-24

Chin, Peter (Department: 1731)

Paper making and fiber liberation

Processes and products

Multi-layer waterlaid webs or sheets

C162S126000, C162S132000, C162S134000, C162S158000, C162S161000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06221211

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A standard tissue is normally white or of a uniform color. In some instances decorative patterns may be printed on the outside of the tissue to enhance its appeal to the consumer. Nevertheless, tissues having additional special ingredients such as lotions, virucides, encapsulated menthol, and the like do not have a visually distinctive appearance relative to standard tissues. Instead, they are white, colored or printed just like other tissues and rely on their packaging to convey to the consumer that they have distinctive properties or characteristics. It would be advantageous if tissues containing special ingredients could be visually distinguished from other tissues.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been discovered that certain tissues, such as those useful as facial or bath tissues, can be provided with a distinctive visual cue or indicator which indicates that such tissues contain unique ingredients or properties relative to conventional or “normal” tissues. This visual indicator is accomplished by printing, dyeing, or otherwise coloring an internal surface of one or more plies of a multi-ply tissue. Because of the relative transparency of the thin tissue sheets used in multi-ply tissue products, the color or pattern imparted to the internal surface is visible through the outer ply, thereby providing an internal indicia that the tissue contains special ingredients. The visibility of the internal indicia can be controlled by the basis weight of the outer plies and the intensity or pattern of the coloration. The appearance of the internal indicia can also be altered by coloration or patterns on one or both outer plies. Regardless of the particular color or pattern chosen for the internal indicia, the presence of the outer ply creates a softened image or coloration which is very distinctive.
Hence in one aspect, the invention resides in a tissue comprising two or more plies and thereby having two or more internal ply surfaces, two of said plies being outer plies, wherein one or more of said internal ply surfaces contains a colored or patterned indicia which is visible through at least one of said outer plies. The plies can be attached to each other by crimping the edges, gluing, or other suitable means. The outer plies may or may not be patterned or colored to further enhance the perception of differences between or among the plies.
In another aspect, the invention resides in a multi-ply tissue comprising two outer plies and one or more center plies, at least one of said center plies containing a colored or patterned indicia which is visible through both outer plies. The number of center plies can be one, two, three or more. Multi-ply tissues having three or four total plies are particularly suitable.
In a further aspect, the invention resides in a two-ply tissue, wherein one of the internal ply surfaces contains a colored or patterned indicia which is visible through both plies.
The tissue products of this invention are especially suitable as facial or bath tissues, but can also be used for paper towels and the like whenever there is a need to provide a distinctive internal indicia. The basis weight of the outer plies must be sufficiently low to enable the internal indicia to be visible. By this is meant that an ordinary user can detect the indicia with the naked eye during normal use. In some instances, lightweight outer plies may also be desireable to allow the special additive or ingredient to pass from the inner plies to the outside surface of the tissue upon receiving light pressure during pressing or rubbing. This can be particularly desireable for lotions or fragrances, for example. The tissue sheets used as the outer plies can have a basis weight of from about 10 to about 60 grams per square meter, more suitably from about 10 to about 45 grams per square meter. If the basis weight is too great, the opacity of the tissue sheet will prevent the indicia from showing through. To this end, regardless of the basis weight and fiber composition of the outer plies, the opacity of the outer plies should be less than about 85 as measured by TAPPI T-425.
The internal indicia can be any pattern or color which shows through the outer plies. Suitable patterns particularly include, without limitation, decorative patterns which represent objects, such as floral patterns, caricatures, and the like. Other suitable patterns include geometric and abstract patterns, such as repeating dots, squares, rhomboids, triangles and the like. Also suitable are solidly colored (or substantially solidly colored) center plies which are different in color than one or both outer plies. For example, a center ply can be dyed blue or green and placed between two white outer plies. This can indicate to the user that the center ply contains a medicant or some ingredient not present on the outer plies. This is particularly advantageous for a three-ply virucidal tissue as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,847 entitled “Multi-ply Virucidal Product” issued Apr. 19, 1988 to Rothe et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference. Such products contain a colorless virucidal composition substantially confined to the center ply, which in fact would not be visually detectable without some kind of indicia. In the case of a two-ply product, the indicia can be suitably applied to the internal ply surface(s) of one or both plies. Alternatively, using a layered headbox, the fibers of an inner layer of a multilayered sheet can be colored differently from the fibers forming the other layers, including dispersing colored fibers among the other fibers of an inner layer.
The internal indicia can be applied to the tissue product by any technique suitable for this purpose. Such techniques include, without limitation, printing, spraying, beater dyeing the fibers, coating, and the like. The indicia can be solid colors or patterns. The indicia can include other ingredients, such as virucides, emollients, encapsulated scents, and the like. Alternatively, these other ingredients can be separately applied, which application can be coextensive with the indicia or not. For example, a virucide can be sprayed or printed over the entire surface of a center ply, while the indicia can be a printed ink or dye pattern. Alternatively, the virucide can be incorporated into the indicia ink so that the indicia marks the portions of the tissue that contain the virucide. Either way, the indicia indicates the presence of the virucide (or other additive) in the tissue.
Suitable ingredients which can be incorporated into the tissue product in conjunction with the internal indicia include, without limitation, virucides, emollients, cleansing agents, moisturizers, softening agents, encapsulated fragrances such as menthol, eucalyptus, bayberry, and potpourri, and the like.
These and other aspects of the invention will be further described in connection with the Drawing and Examples.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2143682 (1939-01-01), Brown
patent: 4504357 (1985-03-01), Holbein et al.
patent: 1268262 (1972-03-01), None
patent: 63-270896 (1988-11-01), None

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