CA2142385C - A stack of moist wipes and method of producing the same - Google Patents
A stack of moist wipes and method of producing the same Download PDFInfo
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- CA2142385C CA2142385C CA 2142385 CA2142385A CA2142385C CA 2142385 C CA2142385 C CA 2142385C CA 2142385 CA2142385 CA 2142385 CA 2142385 A CA2142385 A CA 2142385A CA 2142385 C CA2142385 C CA 2142385C
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Abstract
A stack of moist wipes having a reduced migration of liquid and a method of producing the same is described. The stack of moist wipes has a top and a bottom and includes a plurality of sheets which contain a liquid. The sheets are arranged in a stacked configuration. At least one moisture barrier is placed in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of the liquid between the top and the bottom of the stack. The moisture barrier may be placed between selected adjacent sheets to substantially eliminate migration of the liquid between the adjacent sheets. The stack of moist wipes may be placed into a container, such as a flexible outer bag which has a resealable closure, to provide a package of moist wipes.
Description
PATENT
A STACK OF MOIST WIPES AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME
Back4round of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to moist wipes and a method of producing the same. The invention particularly concerns a stack of moist wipes which has a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack.
Description of the Related Art Wet wipes are well known commercial consumer products which have been available in many forms. Perhaps the most common form has been a stack of moistened individual folded sheets which have been packaged in a plastic container. In addition, the wet wipes have been in the form of continuous webs of material having perforations to separate individual sheets which are moistened, wound into rolls and packaged in plastic containers. Such wipes have been used for baby wipes, hand wipes, household cleaning wipes, industrial wipes and the like.
The wet wipes have been made from a variety of materials which are saturated with a suitable wiping solution.
The conventional packages and stacks of wet wipes, such as those described above, have not been sufficiently satisfactory. For example, the amount of wiping solution has varied from sheet to sheet in an undesirable manner. The wiping solution in stacks of wipes produced predominantly from airlaid cellulosic fibers has had a tendency to migrate from the top to the bottom of the stack of wipes due to gravity. Frequently, a pool of solution has formed on the bottom of the container. This, of course, is wasted solution. When other materials, such as meltblown polyolefin webs, have been used for wet wipes, the wet wipes have exhibited a tendency to allow the solution to migrate towards the top of the stack of wipes through capillary action. In such stacks of wipes, the wipes on the bottom of the stack may have a much lower amount of solution than the wipes on the top of the stack. The problem of solution migration has been particularly acute as the number of wipes in a stack has increased and when the wipes have been stacked for a period of time. For example, solution migration has been a problem in packages with a large number of wipes which are intended to be used to refill conventional packages more than once. The problem of solution migration is also more acute when the container has been repeatedly opened allowing the wipes on the top of the stack to partially dry.
The problem of solution migration has undesirably varied the amount of solution from wipe to wipe within the stack of wipes. Thus, the wipes at the top of conventionally packaged stacks of wet wipes have had either a very high or a very low amount of solution relative to the wipes at the bottom of the stack.
Summary of the Invention In response to the discussed difficulties and problems encountered in the prior art, a new method for reducing the solution migration in a stack of moist wipes has been discovered.
In one aspect, the present invention can provide a stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom. The stack of moist wipes includes a plurality of sheets which contain a liquid and which~are arranged in a stacked configuration. At least one moisture barrier is placed in the stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of the liquid between the top and the bottom of the stack. In a particular aspect, the stack of moist wipes includes from about 40 to about 320 sheets. The moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of the sheets. In a particular aspect, the moisture barrier is substantially liquid impermeable. The moisture barrier selectively divides the stack of moist wipes forming at least _2_ two substacks of moist wipes. Each of said substacks of moist wipes contains substantially the same amount of liquid for at least 21 days.
In another aspect, the present invention can provide a package of moist wipes. The package includes a container which defines an interior and is capable of being sealingly closed. A plurality of sheets are disposed in the interior of the container. The sheets contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes. The stack of moist wipes has a top and a bottom. At least one moisture barrier is placed in the stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of the liquid between the top and the bottom of the stack. In a particular aspect, the container includes a flexible bag which has a resealable closure along a top of the bag.
In a further aspect, the present invention can provide a method for reducing migration of a liquid within a stack of moist wipes. A
plurality of sheets which contain the liquid are provided in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes. The stack of moist wipes has a top and a bottom. At least one moisture barrier is placed in the stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of the liquid between the top and the bottom of the stack. The moisture barrier may be placed between selected adjacent sheets to substantially eliminate migration of the liquid between the adjacent sheets.
In a further aspect, the stack and/or package of moist wipes has at least one moisture barrier with a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
The present invention, in its various aspects, can advantageously provide a package and stack of moist wipes which, when compared-to conventional packages and stacks of wet wipes, has a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack. Thus, the package of moist wipes, stack of moist wipes and method of the present invention provide wipes which are not oversaturated or dried out even after standing for a long period of time and after repeated exposure to ambient air. Such a package and stack of moist wipes can advantageously be used to refill conventional packages a multiple of times.
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Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be more fully understood and further advantages will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. The drawings are merely representative and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
Fig. 1 representatively shows a perspective view of a stack of moist wipes of the present invention;
Fig. 2 representatively shows a perspective view of a package of the present invention;
Fig. 3 representatively shows a cross-sectional view of the package of Fig. 2 taken along line 3--3;
Fig. 4 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 1 with the data from Comparative Example 1;
Fig. 5 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 2 with the data from Comparative Example 1;
Fig. 6 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 3 with the data from Comparative Example 1;
Fig. 7 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 4 with the data from Comparative Example I; and Fig. 8 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 5 with the data from Comparative Example 1.
Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention provides a stack of moist wipes which has a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack, and a method of producing the same. In addition, the present invention provides a stack of moist wipes contained within a package.
In a specific embodiment, the stack of moist wipes of the present 2142~8~
invention can be contained in a resealable plastic bag and used to refill a conventional plastic container one or more times after the original stack of moist wipes has been used by the consumer. Such package and stack of moist wipes can be used for baby wipes, hand wipes, face wipes, cosmetic wipes, household wipes, industrial wipes and the like.
As used herein, the term "stack" and "stacked configuration" refers to any collection of sheets wherein there is a plurality of surface-to-surface interfaces between the sheets.
As used herein, the term "machine direction" refers to the direction along which the web of material, which is used to provide the stack of moist wipes of the present invention, is intended to move at any particular location.
As used herein, the term "permeability" refers to the permeability of the sample material as determined by using the method taught by Miller, et al. in the Textile Research Journal, Vol. 48 at pages 150-155 (1978), wherein the viscous drag of several different materials is determined. The permeability of the material is determined using the following equation ("Darcy's Law"):
q = k(PB - P~)/yx, wherein q = linear velocity of the piston y = viscosity of the liquid x = thickness of the sample (PB - P~) = viscous drag of the material k = saturated permeability of the material As representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, the present invention provides a stack of moist wipes, as generally indicated at 10. The stack of moist wipes 10 includes a plurality of sheets 12 which are arranged in a stacked configuration 18. The stack of moist wipes 10 has a top 20 and a bottom 22 and can comprise any suitable number of individual sheets 12 with each individual sheet 12 providing a moist wipe. In a particular aspect, the stack of moist wipes 10 includes from about 40 to about 320 sheets, desirably from about 80 to about 240 sheets and more desirably from about 140 to about 180 sheets.
The sheets 12 may or may not be folded as they are arranged in the stacked configuration 18. Such folded configurations are well known to those skilled in the art and include, for example, z-folded and quarter-folded configurations. If the sheets 12 are folded, each sheet 12 may be interfolded with the sheets immediately above and below in the stacked configuration 18. As representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, the sheets 12 have a width 14 and a length 16.
If the sheets 12 are folded prior to being arranged in the stacked configuration 18, the width 14 and length 16 refers to the as-folded width and length of the folded sheet. The sheets 12 may have any suitable width 14 and length 16. For example, the sheets may have a width 14 of from about 2 to about 40 centimeters and desirably from about 7 to about 14 centimeters and a length 16 of from about 2 to about 80 centimeters and desirably from about 10 to about 25 centimeters.
Materials suitable for the plurality of sheets 12 are well known to those skilled in the art. The sheets 12 can be made from any material suitable for use as a moist wipe, including meltblown, coform, air-laid, bonded-carded web materials, and the like and can comprise synthetic or natural fibers or combinations thereof. The sheets 12 may have a basis weight of from about 25 to about 120 and desirably from about 40 to about 90 grams per square meter. In.a particular aspect, the sheets 12 are a coform basesheet of polymeric microfibers and cellulosic fibers having a basis weight of from about 60 to about 80 and desirably about 75 grams per square meter. Such coform basesheets are manufactured generally as described in U.S.
Patent No. 4,100,324 to Anderson et al. dated July 11, 1 J78. Typically, such coform basesheets comprise a gas-formed matrix of thermoplastic polymeric meltblown microfibers, such as, for example. polypropylene microfibers, and cellulosic fibers, such as, for example, wood pulp fibers. The relative percentages of the polymeric microfibers and cellulosic fibers in the coform basesheet can vary over a wide range depending on the desired characteristics of the moist wipes. For example, the coform basesheet may comprise from about 20 to about 100, desirably from about 20 to about 60, and more desirably from about 30 to about 40 weight percent of polymeric microfibers based on the dry weight of the coform basesheet being used to provide the moist wipes.
Alternatively, the sheets 12 can be made from a meltblown sheet of polymeric microfibers having a basis weight of from about 25 to about 120 grams per square meter. Typically, the sheets 12 are liquid permeable. For example, each sheet 12 may have a permeability of about 100 darcies.
The sheets 12 of the stack of moist wipes 10 of the different aspects of the present invention contain a liquid which can be any solution which can be absorbed into the sheets 12. The liquid contained within the stack of moist wipes 10 may include any suitable components which provide the desired wiping properties. For example, the components may include water, emollients, surfactants, preservatives, chelating agents, pH buffers or combinations thereof.
The amount of liquid contained within each individual sheet 12 or wipe may vary depending upon the type of material being used to provide the sheets 12, the type of liquid being used, the type of container being used to store the stack of moist wipes 10, and the desired end use of the moist wipes. Generally, each sheet 12 can contain from about 150 to about 600 and desirably from about 250 to about 450 weight percent liquid based on the dry weight of the sheet or wipe. In a particular aspect wherein the sheets 12 are made. from a coform material comprising from about 30 to about 40 weight percent polymeric microfibers based on the dry weight of the sheet, the amount of liquid contained within each individual sheet 12 or wipe is from about 300 to about 400 and desirably about 340 weight percent based on the dry weight of the sheet or wipe. Accordingly, the stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, may include from about 150 to about 600, desirably from about 250 to about 450, and more desirably from about 300 to about 400 weight percent of the liquid based on the dry weight of the sheets 12. If the amount of liquid is less than the above-identified range, the wipe may be too dry and may not adequately perform. If the amount of liquid is greater than the above-identified range, the wipe may be oversaturated and soggy and the liquid may pool in the bottom of the container.
As representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, at least one moisture barrier 24 is placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 to reduce migration of the liquid between the top 20 and the bottom 22 of the stack 10. In one aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may be placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 between selected adjacent sheets 12. In such a configuration, the moisture barrier 24 may substantially reduce or eliminate the migration of liquid between the adjacent sheets 12. The moisture barrier 24 may also be contained within or surrounded by a single folded sheet 12 within the stack of moist wipes 10.
The moisture barrier 24 can be made from any suitable material which may or may not be liquid impermeable. Suitable materials for the moisture barrier 24 include polymeric materials such as polyolefins which include polypropylene and polyethylene, cellulosic or nonwoven materials which may be at least partially hydrophobic, and the like.
Such materials may also be treated such as, for example, with a surfactant. In one aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may be made from a polymeric material which substantially reduces or eliminates the migration of liquid between the adjacent sheets. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may include a polyethylene film having a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 5 mils and desirably from about 0.25 to about 1.0 mils. Such polyethylene materials are available from Consolidated Thermoplastics Co., a company having offices in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. The materials used to provide the moisture barrier 24 may also be embossed with any suitable pattern.
In another aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may be a multilayer material comprising at least one layer of a nonwoven material, such as the coform material used to provide the sheets 12 and at least one barrier layer, such as a polyethylene film layer. For example, a _g_ polyethylene barrier layer may be disposed between two coform layers.
Thus, such a moisture barrier 24 could function both as a moist wipe and as a means to reduce migration of liquid in the stack.
In a particular aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may substantially reduce migration of liquid in one direction while not substantially inhibiting migration of liquid in the opposite direction. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may be made from a material which, when placed in a certain orientation in the stack of moist wipes 10, reduces or eliminates the migration of liquid from the top 20 to the bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 while not substantially inhibiting the migwation of liquid from the bottom 22 to the top 20 of the stack of moist wipes 10.
The moisture barrier 24 substantially reduces migration of the liquid between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 by inhibiting the flow of the liquid between the sheets 12 directly above and below the moisture barrier 24. The amount of liquid which flows through the moisture barrier 24 should be less than the amount of liquid which flows through the sheets 12 under similar conditions.
Thus, the moisture barrier 24 has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of the sheets 12. In a particular aspect, the moisture barrier 24 is substantially liquid impermeable. However, the moisture barrier 24 may be liquid permeable to a certain degree without adversely affecting the different aspects of the present invention. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may have a permeability which is less than 95 percent, desirably from about 0 to about 75 percent, and more desirably from about 0 to about 25 percent of the permeability of the sheets 12 for improved performance.
Moreover, the moisture barrier 24 may have a permeability of less than 100 darcies, desirably less than 50 darcies, more desirably less than 25 darcies and most desirably less than 10 darcies for improved performance.
Each moisture barrier 24, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, has a barrier width 26 and a barrier length 28. The barrier width 26 and barrier length 28 may be any suitable dimension which provides 214~38~
the desired reduction in migration of liquid. In a particular aspect, the barrier width 26 is greater than the width 14 of the sheets 12 and the barrier length 28 is greater than the length 16 of the sheets 12. For example, the barrier width 26 may be at least about 100 percent and desirably from about 110 to about 150 percent of the width 14 of the sheets 12. In addition, the barrier length 28 may be at least about 100 percent and desirably from about 105 to about 150 percent of the length 16 of the sheets 12. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may have a barrier width 26 of about 12.1 centimeters and a barrier length 28 of about 21.6 centimeters. If more than one stack of moist wipes 10 is to be included in the final package, the barrier width 26 and barrier length 28 of the moisture barrier 24 may be suitably controlled such that the moisture barrier reduces the migration of liquid within each stack of moist wipes 10 in the package.
Each moisture barrier 24 selectively divides the stack of moist wipes 10 forming at least two substacks of moist wipes, 30 and 32. A
suitable number of moisture barriers 24, such as, for example, from 1 to about 8 moisture barriers, may be placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 at selected locations between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack depending on the desired reduction in the migration of the liquid. The moisture barriers 24 may also serve as a counter to indicate the desired number of sheets 12 to withdraw.
The moisture barriers 24 may be placed at selected locations between adjacent sheets between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10. For example, a moisture barrier 24 may be selectively disposed between every eighth, sixteenth, fortieth, eightieth, or similar number of sheets 12 thereby dividing the stack of moist wipes 10 into two or more substacks of moist wipes. Each substack may have the same or different numbers of sheets 12. In a particular aspect of the invention as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, one moisture barrier 24 is disposed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheets in the stack of moist wipes 10 which includes 160 sheets thereby selectively dividing the stack of moist wipes 10 into two substacks of moist wipes, 30 and 32, each of which includes eighty sheets 12. In such a configuration, substack 30 includes the top one-half of the stack of moist wipes 10 while substack 32 includes the bottom one-half of the stack of moist wipes 10. Thus, the moisture barrier may indicate two eighty-count substacks of wipes which could be used to refill a conventional 80-count package.
The moisture barrier 24 reduces migration of liquid between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes such that each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as 30 and 32 as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, contain substantially the same amount of liquid after being allowed to stand for a period of time. The amount of the liquid within each of the substacks of moist wipes may depend upon the number of sheets 12 in each substack, the number of moisture barriers 24 being used and the corresponding number of substacks, and the total amount of liquid added to the sheets 12.
In a particular aspect of the invention wherein each of the substacks has the same number of sheets 12, each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 30, may contain at least about 75 percent, desirably from about 80 to about 120 percent and more desirably from about 95 to about 105 percent of the amount of liquid contained in each of the other substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 32, after being allowed to stand for 21 days. Each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as 30 and 32 as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, includes a top sheet 34 and a bottom sheet 36. In a particular aspect wherein each substack has the same number of sheets 12, the moisture barrier 24 reduces migration of liquid between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 such that the top sheets 34 of each of the substacks of moist wipes have the same amount of liquid after being allowed to stand for a period of time. For example, each top sheet 34 of each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 30, may contain at least about 75 percent, desirably from about 80 to about 120 percent and more desirably from about 95 to about 105 percent of the amount of liquid contained in each of the other top sheets 34 after being allowed to stand for a period of 21 days. Moreover, in such a configuration, the moisture barrier 24 reduces migration of liquid between the 2142~8~
top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 such that the bottom sheets 36 of each of the substacks contain substantially the same amount of liquid after being allowed to stand for a period of time. For example, each bottom sheet 36 of each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 30, may contain at least about 75 percent, desirably from about 80 to about 120 percent and more desirably from about 95 to about 105 percent of the amount of liquid contained in each of the other bottom sheets 36 after being allowed to stand for a period of 21 days.
Figs. 4-8 representatively illustrate the effects of adding at least one moisture barrier having a variable size to a 160-count stack of moist wipes as outlined in the Examples. The plots illustrate that the moisture barrier of the different aspects of the present invention effectively reduces the migration of liquid between the top and bottom of a stack of moist wipes when compared to stacks of moist wipes with no moisture barrier. In particular, the plots illustrate that the moisture barrier substantially reduces or eliminates migration of the liquid between the sheets adjacent to and on top of and underneath the moisture barrier. The plots and Examples also illustrate that a moisture barrier which is larger than the individual sheets is more effective at reducing the migration than smaller moisture barriers.
The stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, of the different aspects of the present invention may be manufactured using several different processes well known to those skilled in the art. The particular method and sequence of steps described herein is not a limitation to the present invention, but is disclosed only as one method of producing a stack of moist wipes.
Initially a supply roll of the material being converted into the sheets 12 is unwound. The web of material is saturated or otherwise impregnated with a liquid, such as those described above, by any suitable means such as spraying, dipping, or the like as are well known to those skilled in the art. In a particular aspect, the web of material is passed over several perforated tubes which exude the liquid into the material. The add-on amount of liquid can be any amount which produces the desired stack of moist wipes 10.
The web of material is slit in the machine direction into multiple ribbons, each of which may be folded into the type of fold desired for each individual sheet 12. For example, the web of material can be slit into eight ribbons and folded into a z-folded configuration.
Each z-folded ribbon is then combined, one ribbon on top of the other, with the other seven z-folded ribbons from the same web of material to form a continuous "sausage." The sausage is then cut into "clips" of eight sheets apiece and the clips of sheets are combined in a stacked configuration to form at least one stack of moist wipes 10 as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1. The number of clips in a stack depends on the desired number of stacks and the number of sheets 12 in the final package. For example, for a 160-count package having one stack, twenty clips of eight sheets apiece would be required to form a single stack of 160 moist wipes.
Before arranging the clips of sheets in the stacked configuration 18, from 1 to about 8 moisture barriers 24, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, are placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 at selected locations between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack.
For example, the moisture barriers 24 may be placed between adjacent sheets at each of the selected locations. The moisture barriers 24 substantially eliminate migration of liquid between the adjacent sheets. For example, moisture barriers 24 may be placed between each clip of sheets, between every other clip of sheets, or between any multiple of clips of sheets. Thus, moisture barriers 24 may be placed between every eighth, sixteenth, fortieth or eightieth sheet or between any other adjacent sheets in the stack of moist wipes 10.
In a particular aspect as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, one moisture barrier 24 is placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheet of a 160-count stack of moist wipes to selectively divide the stack of moist wipes 10 into a top one-half and a bottom one-half.
After the stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, is properly configured, at least one stack of moist wipes is placed in the interior of a container, such as a plastic bag, to provide a package of moist wipes. As representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the package of moist wipes, as generally indicated at 50, includes a container 52 which provides a substantially hermetically sealed environment for at least one stack of moist wipes 10 to minimize the escape of any liquid therefrom. For example, the container 52 may include an outer bag 54 having a front panel 56, a back panel 58 and a bottom gusset 60. The front panel 56 and back panel 58 are joined together along their respective side edges using suitable techniques known to those skilled in the art to form side seals 62. The outer bag 54 may be made from a thermoplastic material such as, for example, a thermoplastic film material having a thickness of about 2.7 mils and being available from Curwood, Inc., a company having offices located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
As representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the container 52 may include a resealable closure 64 which extends longitudinally along the top portion of the outer bag 54. The resealable closure 64 can be selectively opened and closed. A tear means 66 for allowing initial access into the outer bag 54, may be located above the resealable closure 64. The tear means 66 allows tearing parallel to the length of the resealable closure 64. The resealable closure 64 may include complimentary, interlocking male and female rib and groove type zipper elements 68 which extend longitudinally along the top portion of the outer bag 54. The zipper elements 68 may be joined to a pair of bases 72 which are joined to and also extend longitudinally across the top portion of the outer bag 54. The zipper elements 68 and bases 72 may be made from any suitable material such as a low density polyethylene material. The zipper elements 68 may be flanked on either side by a pair of ribs 70 which extend along the zipper elements 68 to help the user align and engage the male and female zipper elements 68. The ribs 70 may generally have a triangular cross-section and may also be made from a low density polyethylene material.
The tear means 66 for allowing initial access into the outer bag 54 as representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, is configured such that the top portion of the outer bag 54 extending above the tear means 66 can be torn and removed by the user. The tear means 66 may include two pairs of tear beads 76 which are located on the front panel 56 and back panel 58 of the outer bag 54. The tear beads 76 extend in a generally parallel, spaced relation to the male and female zipper elements 68. The tear beads 76 provide an upper and lower boundary to the region being torn such that the zipper elements 68 are not adversely affected when the top portion of the outer bag 54 is torn and removed. The tear beads 76 may also be made from a low density polyethylene material.
At least one stack of moist wipes 10 of the different aspects of the present invention, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, is inserted through the bottom of the outer bag 54 and the bottom edge regions of the front panel 56 and back panel 58 are joined together to form the bottom gusset 60. Any suitable number of stacks of moist wipes 10 may be inserted into the outer bag 54 to provide the desired number of moist wipes in the package. After the outer bag 54 is filled and sealed to form the package of moist wipes 50, the top portion of the outer bag 54 may be folded over onto the stack of moist wipes 10. The excess material at the side edge regions of the top portion of the outer bag may then be folded over the top edges of the stack of wipes and sealed to the outer bag 54 along the side seals 62.
In the first use, the user can open the package of moist wipes 50, as representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, by gripping the tear beads 76 along a side edge of the outer bag 54 and proceeding to tear the top portion of the outer bag 54 to allow access to the resealable closure 64. The resealable closure 64 may be selectively opened to expose the stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1. After opening the resealable closure 64 and withdrawing a desired number of sheets 12, the user can close the resealable closure 64 to minimize the escape of any liquid. As long as the user 21~~~~~
maintains the resealable closure 64 in the closed position when not using the sheets 12, the sheets 12 should retain the desired amount of liquid., ,In a particular aspect, the user may open the resealable closure 64 of the outer bag 54 and withdraw enough sheets 12 from the stack of moist wipes 10 to refill a conventional package for moist wipes wherein the original wipes have been used and discarded. For example, the user may use the stack of moist wipes 10 from the package of moist wipes 50 of the present invention to refill a conventional package for moist wipes, such as a plastic container or tub, one or more times. In a particular aspect of the invention, the user may withdraw a stack of 80 moist wipes from a 160-count package of moist wipes 50 to refill a conventional 80-count package of moist wipes. In such a configuration, a moisture barrier 24 may be placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheet to conveniently separate the 160-count stack into two eighty-count stacks. Such placement of the moisture barrier 24 also serves to indicate the appropriate number of wipes needed to refill a conventional package.
The different aspects of the invention can advantageously provide a package and stack of moist wipes which, when compared to conventional packages and stacks of wipes, have a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack. Thus, the package of moist wipes, stack of moist wipes and method of the present invention provide wipes which are not oversaturated or dried out even after standing for a long period of time or being repeatedly exposed to ambient air. In particular, the stack of moist wipes of the present invention can be used to refill a conventional plastic .
container one or more times after the original stack of wipes has been used by the consumer. Such stack and package of moist wipes can be used for baby wipes, hand wipes, face wipes, cosmetic wipes, household wipes, industrial wipes and the like.
Examples The following examples are presented to provide a more detailed understanding of the invention. The particular materials and parameters are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Example 1 A coform basesheet having about 65 weight percent cellulosic fibers and 35 weight percent polypropylene microfibers based on the dry weight of the basesheet is provided. Liquid is added to the coform basesheet such that the basesheet has about 340 weight percent liquid based on the dry weight of the basesheet. The liquid is the same as that used in wet wipes which are commercially available under the trade - marks Kleenex~ Huggies~ Baby Wipes. The liquid includes water, emollients, surfactants, preservatives, pH buffers, chelating agents, or combinations thereof. The basesheet is selectively divided into a plurality of individual sheets. The individual sheets have an unfolded width of 19.1 centimeters and an unfolded length of 19.0 centimeters. The individual sheets are z-folded and arranged in stacks of 160 sheets thereby forming 160-count stacks of moist wipes.
Each z-folded sheet or wipe has a folded width of 9.2 centimeters and a length of 19.0 centimeters.
A moisture barrier having a barrier width of 9.2 centimeters and a barrier length of 20.3 centimeters is placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheets in one of the 160-count stacks of moist wipes. The moisture barrier is made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc., a company having offices located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded.
The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 4.
Example 2 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. A moisture barrier having a barrier width of 11.7 centimeters and a barrier length of 21.6 centimeters is placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheet in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barrier is made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 5.
Example 3 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. Moisture barriers having a barrier width of 9.2 centimeters and a barrier length of 20.3 centimeters are located every 16 sheets in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barriers are made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed.
The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 6.
Exampl a 4 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. Moisture barriers having a barrier width of 9.2 centimeters and a barrier length of 20.3 centimeters are located every 40 sheets in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barriers are made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed.
The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 7.
Example 5 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. A moisture barrier having a barrier width of 6.7 centimeters and a barrier length of 16.5 centimeters is placed 21~23~~
between the eightieth and eighty-first sheets in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barrier is made form a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 8.
Comparative Example 1 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1 with no moisture barrier. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Figs. 4-8 as a control to illustrate the effects of adding at least one moisture barrier to the stack.
While the invention has been described in detail with respect to the specific aspects thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these aspects. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be assessed as that of the appended claims and any equivalents thereto.
A STACK OF MOIST WIPES AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME
Back4round of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to moist wipes and a method of producing the same. The invention particularly concerns a stack of moist wipes which has a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack.
Description of the Related Art Wet wipes are well known commercial consumer products which have been available in many forms. Perhaps the most common form has been a stack of moistened individual folded sheets which have been packaged in a plastic container. In addition, the wet wipes have been in the form of continuous webs of material having perforations to separate individual sheets which are moistened, wound into rolls and packaged in plastic containers. Such wipes have been used for baby wipes, hand wipes, household cleaning wipes, industrial wipes and the like.
The wet wipes have been made from a variety of materials which are saturated with a suitable wiping solution.
The conventional packages and stacks of wet wipes, such as those described above, have not been sufficiently satisfactory. For example, the amount of wiping solution has varied from sheet to sheet in an undesirable manner. The wiping solution in stacks of wipes produced predominantly from airlaid cellulosic fibers has had a tendency to migrate from the top to the bottom of the stack of wipes due to gravity. Frequently, a pool of solution has formed on the bottom of the container. This, of course, is wasted solution. When other materials, such as meltblown polyolefin webs, have been used for wet wipes, the wet wipes have exhibited a tendency to allow the solution to migrate towards the top of the stack of wipes through capillary action. In such stacks of wipes, the wipes on the bottom of the stack may have a much lower amount of solution than the wipes on the top of the stack. The problem of solution migration has been particularly acute as the number of wipes in a stack has increased and when the wipes have been stacked for a period of time. For example, solution migration has been a problem in packages with a large number of wipes which are intended to be used to refill conventional packages more than once. The problem of solution migration is also more acute when the container has been repeatedly opened allowing the wipes on the top of the stack to partially dry.
The problem of solution migration has undesirably varied the amount of solution from wipe to wipe within the stack of wipes. Thus, the wipes at the top of conventionally packaged stacks of wet wipes have had either a very high or a very low amount of solution relative to the wipes at the bottom of the stack.
Summary of the Invention In response to the discussed difficulties and problems encountered in the prior art, a new method for reducing the solution migration in a stack of moist wipes has been discovered.
In one aspect, the present invention can provide a stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom. The stack of moist wipes includes a plurality of sheets which contain a liquid and which~are arranged in a stacked configuration. At least one moisture barrier is placed in the stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of the liquid between the top and the bottom of the stack. In a particular aspect, the stack of moist wipes includes from about 40 to about 320 sheets. The moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of the sheets. In a particular aspect, the moisture barrier is substantially liquid impermeable. The moisture barrier selectively divides the stack of moist wipes forming at least _2_ two substacks of moist wipes. Each of said substacks of moist wipes contains substantially the same amount of liquid for at least 21 days.
In another aspect, the present invention can provide a package of moist wipes. The package includes a container which defines an interior and is capable of being sealingly closed. A plurality of sheets are disposed in the interior of the container. The sheets contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes. The stack of moist wipes has a top and a bottom. At least one moisture barrier is placed in the stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of the liquid between the top and the bottom of the stack. In a particular aspect, the container includes a flexible bag which has a resealable closure along a top of the bag.
In a further aspect, the present invention can provide a method for reducing migration of a liquid within a stack of moist wipes. A
plurality of sheets which contain the liquid are provided in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes. The stack of moist wipes has a top and a bottom. At least one moisture barrier is placed in the stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of the liquid between the top and the bottom of the stack. The moisture barrier may be placed between selected adjacent sheets to substantially eliminate migration of the liquid between the adjacent sheets.
In a further aspect, the stack and/or package of moist wipes has at least one moisture barrier with a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
The present invention, in its various aspects, can advantageously provide a package and stack of moist wipes which, when compared-to conventional packages and stacks of wet wipes, has a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack. Thus, the package of moist wipes, stack of moist wipes and method of the present invention provide wipes which are not oversaturated or dried out even after standing for a long period of time and after repeated exposure to ambient air. Such a package and stack of moist wipes can advantageously be used to refill conventional packages a multiple of times.
-3a-21~~38~
Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be more fully understood and further advantages will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. The drawings are merely representative and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
Fig. 1 representatively shows a perspective view of a stack of moist wipes of the present invention;
Fig. 2 representatively shows a perspective view of a package of the present invention;
Fig. 3 representatively shows a cross-sectional view of the package of Fig. 2 taken along line 3--3;
Fig. 4 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 1 with the data from Comparative Example 1;
Fig. 5 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 2 with the data from Comparative Example 1;
Fig. 6 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 3 with the data from Comparative Example 1;
Fig. 7 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 4 with the data from Comparative Example I; and Fig. 8 representatively shows a comparison of the data obtained in Example 5 with the data from Comparative Example 1.
Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention provides a stack of moist wipes which has a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack, and a method of producing the same. In addition, the present invention provides a stack of moist wipes contained within a package.
In a specific embodiment, the stack of moist wipes of the present 2142~8~
invention can be contained in a resealable plastic bag and used to refill a conventional plastic container one or more times after the original stack of moist wipes has been used by the consumer. Such package and stack of moist wipes can be used for baby wipes, hand wipes, face wipes, cosmetic wipes, household wipes, industrial wipes and the like.
As used herein, the term "stack" and "stacked configuration" refers to any collection of sheets wherein there is a plurality of surface-to-surface interfaces between the sheets.
As used herein, the term "machine direction" refers to the direction along which the web of material, which is used to provide the stack of moist wipes of the present invention, is intended to move at any particular location.
As used herein, the term "permeability" refers to the permeability of the sample material as determined by using the method taught by Miller, et al. in the Textile Research Journal, Vol. 48 at pages 150-155 (1978), wherein the viscous drag of several different materials is determined. The permeability of the material is determined using the following equation ("Darcy's Law"):
q = k(PB - P~)/yx, wherein q = linear velocity of the piston y = viscosity of the liquid x = thickness of the sample (PB - P~) = viscous drag of the material k = saturated permeability of the material As representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, the present invention provides a stack of moist wipes, as generally indicated at 10. The stack of moist wipes 10 includes a plurality of sheets 12 which are arranged in a stacked configuration 18. The stack of moist wipes 10 has a top 20 and a bottom 22 and can comprise any suitable number of individual sheets 12 with each individual sheet 12 providing a moist wipe. In a particular aspect, the stack of moist wipes 10 includes from about 40 to about 320 sheets, desirably from about 80 to about 240 sheets and more desirably from about 140 to about 180 sheets.
The sheets 12 may or may not be folded as they are arranged in the stacked configuration 18. Such folded configurations are well known to those skilled in the art and include, for example, z-folded and quarter-folded configurations. If the sheets 12 are folded, each sheet 12 may be interfolded with the sheets immediately above and below in the stacked configuration 18. As representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, the sheets 12 have a width 14 and a length 16.
If the sheets 12 are folded prior to being arranged in the stacked configuration 18, the width 14 and length 16 refers to the as-folded width and length of the folded sheet. The sheets 12 may have any suitable width 14 and length 16. For example, the sheets may have a width 14 of from about 2 to about 40 centimeters and desirably from about 7 to about 14 centimeters and a length 16 of from about 2 to about 80 centimeters and desirably from about 10 to about 25 centimeters.
Materials suitable for the plurality of sheets 12 are well known to those skilled in the art. The sheets 12 can be made from any material suitable for use as a moist wipe, including meltblown, coform, air-laid, bonded-carded web materials, and the like and can comprise synthetic or natural fibers or combinations thereof. The sheets 12 may have a basis weight of from about 25 to about 120 and desirably from about 40 to about 90 grams per square meter. In.a particular aspect, the sheets 12 are a coform basesheet of polymeric microfibers and cellulosic fibers having a basis weight of from about 60 to about 80 and desirably about 75 grams per square meter. Such coform basesheets are manufactured generally as described in U.S.
Patent No. 4,100,324 to Anderson et al. dated July 11, 1 J78. Typically, such coform basesheets comprise a gas-formed matrix of thermoplastic polymeric meltblown microfibers, such as, for example. polypropylene microfibers, and cellulosic fibers, such as, for example, wood pulp fibers. The relative percentages of the polymeric microfibers and cellulosic fibers in the coform basesheet can vary over a wide range depending on the desired characteristics of the moist wipes. For example, the coform basesheet may comprise from about 20 to about 100, desirably from about 20 to about 60, and more desirably from about 30 to about 40 weight percent of polymeric microfibers based on the dry weight of the coform basesheet being used to provide the moist wipes.
Alternatively, the sheets 12 can be made from a meltblown sheet of polymeric microfibers having a basis weight of from about 25 to about 120 grams per square meter. Typically, the sheets 12 are liquid permeable. For example, each sheet 12 may have a permeability of about 100 darcies.
The sheets 12 of the stack of moist wipes 10 of the different aspects of the present invention contain a liquid which can be any solution which can be absorbed into the sheets 12. The liquid contained within the stack of moist wipes 10 may include any suitable components which provide the desired wiping properties. For example, the components may include water, emollients, surfactants, preservatives, chelating agents, pH buffers or combinations thereof.
The amount of liquid contained within each individual sheet 12 or wipe may vary depending upon the type of material being used to provide the sheets 12, the type of liquid being used, the type of container being used to store the stack of moist wipes 10, and the desired end use of the moist wipes. Generally, each sheet 12 can contain from about 150 to about 600 and desirably from about 250 to about 450 weight percent liquid based on the dry weight of the sheet or wipe. In a particular aspect wherein the sheets 12 are made. from a coform material comprising from about 30 to about 40 weight percent polymeric microfibers based on the dry weight of the sheet, the amount of liquid contained within each individual sheet 12 or wipe is from about 300 to about 400 and desirably about 340 weight percent based on the dry weight of the sheet or wipe. Accordingly, the stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, may include from about 150 to about 600, desirably from about 250 to about 450, and more desirably from about 300 to about 400 weight percent of the liquid based on the dry weight of the sheets 12. If the amount of liquid is less than the above-identified range, the wipe may be too dry and may not adequately perform. If the amount of liquid is greater than the above-identified range, the wipe may be oversaturated and soggy and the liquid may pool in the bottom of the container.
As representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, at least one moisture barrier 24 is placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 to reduce migration of the liquid between the top 20 and the bottom 22 of the stack 10. In one aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may be placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 between selected adjacent sheets 12. In such a configuration, the moisture barrier 24 may substantially reduce or eliminate the migration of liquid between the adjacent sheets 12. The moisture barrier 24 may also be contained within or surrounded by a single folded sheet 12 within the stack of moist wipes 10.
The moisture barrier 24 can be made from any suitable material which may or may not be liquid impermeable. Suitable materials for the moisture barrier 24 include polymeric materials such as polyolefins which include polypropylene and polyethylene, cellulosic or nonwoven materials which may be at least partially hydrophobic, and the like.
Such materials may also be treated such as, for example, with a surfactant. In one aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may be made from a polymeric material which substantially reduces or eliminates the migration of liquid between the adjacent sheets. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may include a polyethylene film having a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 5 mils and desirably from about 0.25 to about 1.0 mils. Such polyethylene materials are available from Consolidated Thermoplastics Co., a company having offices in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. The materials used to provide the moisture barrier 24 may also be embossed with any suitable pattern.
In another aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may be a multilayer material comprising at least one layer of a nonwoven material, such as the coform material used to provide the sheets 12 and at least one barrier layer, such as a polyethylene film layer. For example, a _g_ polyethylene barrier layer may be disposed between two coform layers.
Thus, such a moisture barrier 24 could function both as a moist wipe and as a means to reduce migration of liquid in the stack.
In a particular aspect, the moisture barrier 24 may substantially reduce migration of liquid in one direction while not substantially inhibiting migration of liquid in the opposite direction. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may be made from a material which, when placed in a certain orientation in the stack of moist wipes 10, reduces or eliminates the migration of liquid from the top 20 to the bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 while not substantially inhibiting the migwation of liquid from the bottom 22 to the top 20 of the stack of moist wipes 10.
The moisture barrier 24 substantially reduces migration of the liquid between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 by inhibiting the flow of the liquid between the sheets 12 directly above and below the moisture barrier 24. The amount of liquid which flows through the moisture barrier 24 should be less than the amount of liquid which flows through the sheets 12 under similar conditions.
Thus, the moisture barrier 24 has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of the sheets 12. In a particular aspect, the moisture barrier 24 is substantially liquid impermeable. However, the moisture barrier 24 may be liquid permeable to a certain degree without adversely affecting the different aspects of the present invention. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may have a permeability which is less than 95 percent, desirably from about 0 to about 75 percent, and more desirably from about 0 to about 25 percent of the permeability of the sheets 12 for improved performance.
Moreover, the moisture barrier 24 may have a permeability of less than 100 darcies, desirably less than 50 darcies, more desirably less than 25 darcies and most desirably less than 10 darcies for improved performance.
Each moisture barrier 24, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, has a barrier width 26 and a barrier length 28. The barrier width 26 and barrier length 28 may be any suitable dimension which provides 214~38~
the desired reduction in migration of liquid. In a particular aspect, the barrier width 26 is greater than the width 14 of the sheets 12 and the barrier length 28 is greater than the length 16 of the sheets 12. For example, the barrier width 26 may be at least about 100 percent and desirably from about 110 to about 150 percent of the width 14 of the sheets 12. In addition, the barrier length 28 may be at least about 100 percent and desirably from about 105 to about 150 percent of the length 16 of the sheets 12. For example, the moisture barrier 24 may have a barrier width 26 of about 12.1 centimeters and a barrier length 28 of about 21.6 centimeters. If more than one stack of moist wipes 10 is to be included in the final package, the barrier width 26 and barrier length 28 of the moisture barrier 24 may be suitably controlled such that the moisture barrier reduces the migration of liquid within each stack of moist wipes 10 in the package.
Each moisture barrier 24 selectively divides the stack of moist wipes 10 forming at least two substacks of moist wipes, 30 and 32. A
suitable number of moisture barriers 24, such as, for example, from 1 to about 8 moisture barriers, may be placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 at selected locations between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack depending on the desired reduction in the migration of the liquid. The moisture barriers 24 may also serve as a counter to indicate the desired number of sheets 12 to withdraw.
The moisture barriers 24 may be placed at selected locations between adjacent sheets between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10. For example, a moisture barrier 24 may be selectively disposed between every eighth, sixteenth, fortieth, eightieth, or similar number of sheets 12 thereby dividing the stack of moist wipes 10 into two or more substacks of moist wipes. Each substack may have the same or different numbers of sheets 12. In a particular aspect of the invention as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, one moisture barrier 24 is disposed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheets in the stack of moist wipes 10 which includes 160 sheets thereby selectively dividing the stack of moist wipes 10 into two substacks of moist wipes, 30 and 32, each of which includes eighty sheets 12. In such a configuration, substack 30 includes the top one-half of the stack of moist wipes 10 while substack 32 includes the bottom one-half of the stack of moist wipes 10. Thus, the moisture barrier may indicate two eighty-count substacks of wipes which could be used to refill a conventional 80-count package.
The moisture barrier 24 reduces migration of liquid between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes such that each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as 30 and 32 as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, contain substantially the same amount of liquid after being allowed to stand for a period of time. The amount of the liquid within each of the substacks of moist wipes may depend upon the number of sheets 12 in each substack, the number of moisture barriers 24 being used and the corresponding number of substacks, and the total amount of liquid added to the sheets 12.
In a particular aspect of the invention wherein each of the substacks has the same number of sheets 12, each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 30, may contain at least about 75 percent, desirably from about 80 to about 120 percent and more desirably from about 95 to about 105 percent of the amount of liquid contained in each of the other substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 32, after being allowed to stand for 21 days. Each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as 30 and 32 as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, includes a top sheet 34 and a bottom sheet 36. In a particular aspect wherein each substack has the same number of sheets 12, the moisture barrier 24 reduces migration of liquid between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 such that the top sheets 34 of each of the substacks of moist wipes have the same amount of liquid after being allowed to stand for a period of time. For example, each top sheet 34 of each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 30, may contain at least about 75 percent, desirably from about 80 to about 120 percent and more desirably from about 95 to about 105 percent of the amount of liquid contained in each of the other top sheets 34 after being allowed to stand for a period of 21 days. Moreover, in such a configuration, the moisture barrier 24 reduces migration of liquid between the 2142~8~
top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack of moist wipes 10 such that the bottom sheets 36 of each of the substacks contain substantially the same amount of liquid after being allowed to stand for a period of time. For example, each bottom sheet 36 of each of the substacks of moist wipes, such as substack 30, may contain at least about 75 percent, desirably from about 80 to about 120 percent and more desirably from about 95 to about 105 percent of the amount of liquid contained in each of the other bottom sheets 36 after being allowed to stand for a period of 21 days.
Figs. 4-8 representatively illustrate the effects of adding at least one moisture barrier having a variable size to a 160-count stack of moist wipes as outlined in the Examples. The plots illustrate that the moisture barrier of the different aspects of the present invention effectively reduces the migration of liquid between the top and bottom of a stack of moist wipes when compared to stacks of moist wipes with no moisture barrier. In particular, the plots illustrate that the moisture barrier substantially reduces or eliminates migration of the liquid between the sheets adjacent to and on top of and underneath the moisture barrier. The plots and Examples also illustrate that a moisture barrier which is larger than the individual sheets is more effective at reducing the migration than smaller moisture barriers.
The stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, of the different aspects of the present invention may be manufactured using several different processes well known to those skilled in the art. The particular method and sequence of steps described herein is not a limitation to the present invention, but is disclosed only as one method of producing a stack of moist wipes.
Initially a supply roll of the material being converted into the sheets 12 is unwound. The web of material is saturated or otherwise impregnated with a liquid, such as those described above, by any suitable means such as spraying, dipping, or the like as are well known to those skilled in the art. In a particular aspect, the web of material is passed over several perforated tubes which exude the liquid into the material. The add-on amount of liquid can be any amount which produces the desired stack of moist wipes 10.
The web of material is slit in the machine direction into multiple ribbons, each of which may be folded into the type of fold desired for each individual sheet 12. For example, the web of material can be slit into eight ribbons and folded into a z-folded configuration.
Each z-folded ribbon is then combined, one ribbon on top of the other, with the other seven z-folded ribbons from the same web of material to form a continuous "sausage." The sausage is then cut into "clips" of eight sheets apiece and the clips of sheets are combined in a stacked configuration to form at least one stack of moist wipes 10 as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1. The number of clips in a stack depends on the desired number of stacks and the number of sheets 12 in the final package. For example, for a 160-count package having one stack, twenty clips of eight sheets apiece would be required to form a single stack of 160 moist wipes.
Before arranging the clips of sheets in the stacked configuration 18, from 1 to about 8 moisture barriers 24, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, are placed in the stack of moist wipes 10 at selected locations between the top 20 and bottom 22 of the stack.
For example, the moisture barriers 24 may be placed between adjacent sheets at each of the selected locations. The moisture barriers 24 substantially eliminate migration of liquid between the adjacent sheets. For example, moisture barriers 24 may be placed between each clip of sheets, between every other clip of sheets, or between any multiple of clips of sheets. Thus, moisture barriers 24 may be placed between every eighth, sixteenth, fortieth or eightieth sheet or between any other adjacent sheets in the stack of moist wipes 10.
In a particular aspect as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, one moisture barrier 24 is placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheet of a 160-count stack of moist wipes to selectively divide the stack of moist wipes 10 into a top one-half and a bottom one-half.
After the stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, is properly configured, at least one stack of moist wipes is placed in the interior of a container, such as a plastic bag, to provide a package of moist wipes. As representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the package of moist wipes, as generally indicated at 50, includes a container 52 which provides a substantially hermetically sealed environment for at least one stack of moist wipes 10 to minimize the escape of any liquid therefrom. For example, the container 52 may include an outer bag 54 having a front panel 56, a back panel 58 and a bottom gusset 60. The front panel 56 and back panel 58 are joined together along their respective side edges using suitable techniques known to those skilled in the art to form side seals 62. The outer bag 54 may be made from a thermoplastic material such as, for example, a thermoplastic film material having a thickness of about 2.7 mils and being available from Curwood, Inc., a company having offices located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
As representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the container 52 may include a resealable closure 64 which extends longitudinally along the top portion of the outer bag 54. The resealable closure 64 can be selectively opened and closed. A tear means 66 for allowing initial access into the outer bag 54, may be located above the resealable closure 64. The tear means 66 allows tearing parallel to the length of the resealable closure 64. The resealable closure 64 may include complimentary, interlocking male and female rib and groove type zipper elements 68 which extend longitudinally along the top portion of the outer bag 54. The zipper elements 68 may be joined to a pair of bases 72 which are joined to and also extend longitudinally across the top portion of the outer bag 54. The zipper elements 68 and bases 72 may be made from any suitable material such as a low density polyethylene material. The zipper elements 68 may be flanked on either side by a pair of ribs 70 which extend along the zipper elements 68 to help the user align and engage the male and female zipper elements 68. The ribs 70 may generally have a triangular cross-section and may also be made from a low density polyethylene material.
The tear means 66 for allowing initial access into the outer bag 54 as representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, is configured such that the top portion of the outer bag 54 extending above the tear means 66 can be torn and removed by the user. The tear means 66 may include two pairs of tear beads 76 which are located on the front panel 56 and back panel 58 of the outer bag 54. The tear beads 76 extend in a generally parallel, spaced relation to the male and female zipper elements 68. The tear beads 76 provide an upper and lower boundary to the region being torn such that the zipper elements 68 are not adversely affected when the top portion of the outer bag 54 is torn and removed. The tear beads 76 may also be made from a low density polyethylene material.
At least one stack of moist wipes 10 of the different aspects of the present invention, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1, is inserted through the bottom of the outer bag 54 and the bottom edge regions of the front panel 56 and back panel 58 are joined together to form the bottom gusset 60. Any suitable number of stacks of moist wipes 10 may be inserted into the outer bag 54 to provide the desired number of moist wipes in the package. After the outer bag 54 is filled and sealed to form the package of moist wipes 50, the top portion of the outer bag 54 may be folded over onto the stack of moist wipes 10. The excess material at the side edge regions of the top portion of the outer bag may then be folded over the top edges of the stack of wipes and sealed to the outer bag 54 along the side seals 62.
In the first use, the user can open the package of moist wipes 50, as representatively illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, by gripping the tear beads 76 along a side edge of the outer bag 54 and proceeding to tear the top portion of the outer bag 54 to allow access to the resealable closure 64. The resealable closure 64 may be selectively opened to expose the stack of moist wipes 10, as representatively illustrated in Fig. 1. After opening the resealable closure 64 and withdrawing a desired number of sheets 12, the user can close the resealable closure 64 to minimize the escape of any liquid. As long as the user 21~~~~~
maintains the resealable closure 64 in the closed position when not using the sheets 12, the sheets 12 should retain the desired amount of liquid., ,In a particular aspect, the user may open the resealable closure 64 of the outer bag 54 and withdraw enough sheets 12 from the stack of moist wipes 10 to refill a conventional package for moist wipes wherein the original wipes have been used and discarded. For example, the user may use the stack of moist wipes 10 from the package of moist wipes 50 of the present invention to refill a conventional package for moist wipes, such as a plastic container or tub, one or more times. In a particular aspect of the invention, the user may withdraw a stack of 80 moist wipes from a 160-count package of moist wipes 50 to refill a conventional 80-count package of moist wipes. In such a configuration, a moisture barrier 24 may be placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheet to conveniently separate the 160-count stack into two eighty-count stacks. Such placement of the moisture barrier 24 also serves to indicate the appropriate number of wipes needed to refill a conventional package.
The different aspects of the invention can advantageously provide a package and stack of moist wipes which, when compared to conventional packages and stacks of wipes, have a reduced migration of liquid between the top and bottom of the stack. Thus, the package of moist wipes, stack of moist wipes and method of the present invention provide wipes which are not oversaturated or dried out even after standing for a long period of time or being repeatedly exposed to ambient air. In particular, the stack of moist wipes of the present invention can be used to refill a conventional plastic .
container one or more times after the original stack of wipes has been used by the consumer. Such stack and package of moist wipes can be used for baby wipes, hand wipes, face wipes, cosmetic wipes, household wipes, industrial wipes and the like.
Examples The following examples are presented to provide a more detailed understanding of the invention. The particular materials and parameters are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Example 1 A coform basesheet having about 65 weight percent cellulosic fibers and 35 weight percent polypropylene microfibers based on the dry weight of the basesheet is provided. Liquid is added to the coform basesheet such that the basesheet has about 340 weight percent liquid based on the dry weight of the basesheet. The liquid is the same as that used in wet wipes which are commercially available under the trade - marks Kleenex~ Huggies~ Baby Wipes. The liquid includes water, emollients, surfactants, preservatives, pH buffers, chelating agents, or combinations thereof. The basesheet is selectively divided into a plurality of individual sheets. The individual sheets have an unfolded width of 19.1 centimeters and an unfolded length of 19.0 centimeters. The individual sheets are z-folded and arranged in stacks of 160 sheets thereby forming 160-count stacks of moist wipes.
Each z-folded sheet or wipe has a folded width of 9.2 centimeters and a length of 19.0 centimeters.
A moisture barrier having a barrier width of 9.2 centimeters and a barrier length of 20.3 centimeters is placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheets in one of the 160-count stacks of moist wipes. The moisture barrier is made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc., a company having offices located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded.
The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 4.
Example 2 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. A moisture barrier having a barrier width of 11.7 centimeters and a barrier length of 21.6 centimeters is placed between the eightieth and eighty-first sheet in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barrier is made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 5.
Example 3 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. Moisture barriers having a barrier width of 9.2 centimeters and a barrier length of 20.3 centimeters are located every 16 sheets in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barriers are made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed.
The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 6.
Exampl a 4 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. Moisture barriers having a barrier width of 9.2 centimeters and a barrier length of 20.3 centimeters are located every 40 sheets in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barriers are made from a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed.
The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 7.
Example 5 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1. A moisture barrier having a barrier width of 6.7 centimeters and a barrier length of 16.5 centimeters is placed 21~23~~
between the eightieth and eighty-first sheets in the 160-count stack of moist wipes. The moisture barrier is made form a thermoplastic film material designated #9184 and available from Curwood, Inc. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Fig. 8.
Comparative Example 1 A 160-count stack of moist wipes is prepared as outlined in Example 1 with no moisture barrier. The 160-count stack of moist wipes is placed inside a plastic bag which is then hermetically sealed. The package of moist wipes is allowed to stand for 21 days at ambient temperature. After 21 days the amount of liquid in every third sheet in the stack of moist wipes is measured and recorded. The data is representatively illustrated in Figs. 4-8 as a control to illustrate the effects of adding at least one moisture barrier to the stack.
While the invention has been described in detail with respect to the specific aspects thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these aspects. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be assessed as that of the appended claims and any equivalents thereto.
Claims (24)
1. A stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom, said stack of moist wipes comprising:
a) a plurality of sheets which contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration; and b) at least one moisture barrier which is selectively placed in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of said sheets, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
a) a plurality of sheets which contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration; and b) at least one moisture barrier which is selectively placed in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of said sheets, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
2. The stack of moist wipes of claim 1, wherein said stack includes from about 40 to about 320 sheets.
3. The stack of moist wipes of claim 1 or 2, wherein said plurality of sheets includes a plurality of coform sheets comprising a gas-formed matrix of thermoplastic polymeric meltblown microfibers and wood pulp fibers having a basis weight of from about 25 to about 120 grams per square meter.
4. The stack of moist wipes of claim 1 or 2, wherein said plurality of sheets includes a plurality of meltblown sheets which have a basis weight of from about 25 to about 120 grams per square meter.
5. The stack of moist wipes of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said stack contains from about 150 to about 600 weight percent of said liquid based on a dry weight of said stack.
6. The stack of moist wipes of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of said sheets contains from about 150 to about 600 weight percent of said liquid based on a dry weight of said sheet.
7. The stack of moist wipes of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said at least one moisture barrier is substantially liquid impermeable.
8. The stack of moist wipes of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said permeability of said at least one moisture barrier is less than about 100 darcies.
9. The stack of moist wipes of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said at least one moisture barrier comprises a layer of polyethylene material.
10. The stack of moist wipes of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said at least one moisture barrier selectively divides said stack of moist wipes thereby forming at least two substacks of moist wipes.
11. The stack of moist wipes of claim 10, wherein each of said substacks has a top sheet and a bottom sheet and each of said top sheets has substantially the same amount of said liquid and each of said bottom sheets has substantially the same amount of said liquid for at least 21 days.
12. The stack of moist wipes of claim 10, wherein each of said substacks contains substantially the same amount of liquid for at least 21 days.
13. The stack of moist wipes of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said stack includes from 1 to 8 moisture barriers which are placed at selected locations between said top and said bottom of said stack.
14. A stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom, said stack of moist wipes comprising:
a) a plurality of sheets which contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration; and b) at least one moisture barrier which is selectively placed in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier is liquid impermeable, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
a) a plurality of sheets which contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration; and b) at least one moisture barrier which is selectively placed in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier is liquid impermeable, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
15. A package of moist wipes, comprising:
a) a container which defines an interior and is capable of being sealingly closed;
b) a plurality of sheets which are disposed in said interior of said container wherein said sheets contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom; and c) at least one moisture barrier which is placed in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of said sheets, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150%
of the length of said sheets.
a) a container which defines an interior and is capable of being sealingly closed;
b) a plurality of sheets which are disposed in said interior of said container wherein said sheets contain a liquid and are arranged in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom; and c) at least one moisture barrier which is placed in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of said sheets, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150%
of the length of said sheets.
16. The package of moist wipes of claim 15, wherein said container comprises a flexible bag which has a resealable closure along a top of said bag.
17. The package of moist wipes of claim 15 or 16, wherein said package includes from about 40 to about 320 sheets which are arranged in said stacked configuration.
18. The package of moist wipes of any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein said package includes from 1 to 8 moisture barriers which are placed at selected locations between said top and said bottom of said stack of moist wipes.
19. The package of moist wipes of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein said at least one moisture barrier is substantially liquid impermeable.
20. A method for reducing migration of a liquid within a stack of moist wipes, said method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a plurality of sheets which contain said liquid and which are arranged in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom; and b) placing at least one moisture barrier in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of said sheets, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
a) providing a plurality of sheets which contain said liquid and which are arranged in a stacked configuration to form a stack of moist wipes which has a top and a bottom; and b) placing at least one moisture barrier in said stack of moist wipes to reduce migration of said liquid between said top and said bottom of said stack wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a permeability which is less than a permeability of each of said sheets, wherein said at least one moisture barrier has a barrier width which is greater than a width of said sheets and a barrier length which is greater than a length of said sheets and wherein the barrier width is in the range of about 110% to about 150% of the width of said sheets and the barrier length is in the range of about 105% to about 150% of the length of said sheets.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of adding said liquid to each of said sheets before said sheets are arranged in said stacked configuration.
22. The method of claim 20 or 21, wherein said step of placing said at least one moisture barrier includes the step of placing said at least one moisture barrier between selected adjacent sheets to substantially eliminate migration of said liquid between said adjacent sheets.
23. The method of any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein said step of placing said at least one moisture barrier includes the step of placing from 1 to 8 moisture barriers at selected locations between said top and said bottom of said stack of moist wipes.
24. The method of any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein said step of placing said at least one moisture barrier includes the step of placing at least one moisture barrier which is substantially liquid impermeable.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US28312194A | 1994-07-29 | 1994-07-29 | |
| US283,121 | 1994-07-29 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2142385A1 CA2142385A1 (en) | 1996-01-30 |
| CA2142385C true CA2142385C (en) | 2005-02-08 |
Family
ID=23084618
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2142385 Expired - Fee Related CA2142385C (en) | 1994-07-29 | 1995-02-13 | A stack of moist wipes and method of producing the same |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2142385C (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2010008767A1 (en) * | 2008-07-14 | 2010-01-21 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Improved lotion gradient ratio in stack of wet substrates |
| USD892614S1 (en) | 2018-06-11 | 2020-08-11 | Ecolab Usa Inc. | Cap for container |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0978247A1 (en) | 1998-08-03 | 2000-02-09 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Stacked wet wipes having anti evaporation layers |
| DE102020108639B3 (en) * | 2020-03-27 | 2021-08-12 | Dr. Schumacher Gmbh | Pack of cloth products |
-
1995
- 1995-02-13 CA CA 2142385 patent/CA2142385C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2010008767A1 (en) * | 2008-07-14 | 2010-01-21 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Improved lotion gradient ratio in stack of wet substrates |
| USD892614S1 (en) | 2018-06-11 | 2020-08-11 | Ecolab Usa Inc. | Cap for container |
| USD903504S1 (en) | 2018-06-11 | 2020-12-01 | Ecolab Usa Inc. | Pouch container |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2142385A1 (en) | 1996-01-30 |
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