Method of making a wiper/towel product with cellulosic microfibers

摘要

A method of making a wiper/towel product includes compactively dewatering a nascent web having cellulosic microfibers and an apparently random distribution of fibers. The dewatered web is applied to a transfer surface. The web is belt-creped from the transfer surface utilizing a creping belt. The belt-creping step occurs under pressure in a belt creping nip. The web is dried to form a dried web having a plurality of fiber-enriched hollow domed regions protruding from an upper side of the web. The hollow domed regions have a sidewall of a relatively high local basis weight formed along at least a leading edge thereof. The web also has connecting regions of a relatively lower local basis weight forming a network interconnecting the hollow domed regions, and transition areas provided with upwardly and inwardly inflected consolidated fibrous regions that transition from the connecting regions into the sidewalls of the hollow domed regions.

主权项

1. A method of making a wiper/towel product, the method comprising:
(a) compactively dewatering a nascent web comprising at most about 60% cellulosic microfibers and having an apparently random distribution of fibers; (b) applying the dewatered web having the apparently random distribution of fibers to a transfer surface; (c) belt-creping the web from the transfer surface utilizing a creping belt, the belt-creping step occurring under pressure in a belt creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping belt; and (d) drying the web to form a dried web having:
(i) a plurality of fiber-enriched hollow domed regions protruding from an upper side of the dried web, the hollow domed regions having sidewalls of a relatively high local basis weight formed along at least a leading edge thereof;(ii) connecting regions of a relatively lower local basis weight forming a network interconnecting the hollow domed regions of the dried web; and(iii) transition areas provided with consolidated fibrous regions that transition from the connecting regions into the hollow domed regions, by extending upwardly and inwardly from the connecting regions into the sidewalls of the hollow domed regions.