Tissue Refill for Tissue Recovery

Abstract

A tissue paper refill for a tissue paper dispenser. The refill includes a web of tissue paper having a leading end and a trailing end for engagement with the trailing end and leading end respectively of a previous and subsequent refill. The web is provided with a mechanical connector at one or both of its ends to realize such engagement. The mechanical connector is water soluble for the purpose of tissue recovery. Also, a method of tissue recovery.

Claims

1. A tissue paper refill for a tissue paper dispenser, the refill comprising a web of tissue paper, having a leading end and a trailing end for engagement with the trailing end and leading end respectively of a previous and subsequent refill, the web being provided with a mechanical connector at one or both of its ends to realise such engagement, the mechanical connector being water soluble for the purpose of tissue recovery.

2. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector comprises a hook and/or loop type connection.

3. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector comprises a hook type connector at a trailing end and a loop type connector at a leading end or vice-versa.

4. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector comprises first type connector elements and second type connector elements positioned in a symmetrical pattern at the leading end and/or trailing end such that correct engagement with the trailing end of a previous refill can take place irrespective of the angular orientation of the refill.

5. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector comprises a water soluble polymer.

6. The refill according to claim 5, wherein the connector is configured to be fully dissolved in water after a period of 25 minutes at a temperature of less than 90° C.

7. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the refill is in the form of a stack and the web comprises folded tissues.

8. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector is attached to the web by a water soluble adhesive.

9. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the tissue paper comprises structured tissue, or hybrid tissue or dry crepe tissue.

10. The refill according to claim 1, having a density prior to use of greater than 0.2 g/cm.sup.3.

11. The refill according to claim 1, wherein the refill is wrapped prior to use in a wrapper and removal of the wrapper exposes at least the mechanical connector at the leading end.

12. A method of tissue recovery for used tissues from multi-refill tissue paper dispensers, comprising water soluble mechanical connectors for joining the tissue paper of a first refill with the tissue paper of a second refill, the method comprising: a. collecting the used tissues, including the water soluble mechanical connectors, in a dedicated recipient; b. soaking the tissues in water or an aqueous medium for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to dissolve the mechanical connectors.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the tissues are soaked for less than 60 minutes.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the tissues are soaked at a temperature of less than 100° C.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the tissues are subsequently provided as feedstock for the manufacture of recycled paper.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising, prior to step a: installing a first tissue paper refill in a multi-refill tissue paper dispenser; providing a second tissue paper refill; joining the tissue paper of the first refill with the tissue paper of the second refill by means of a water soluble mechanical connector; and dispensing the tissue.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the refills comprise a web of tissue paper, having a leading end and a trailing end for engagement with the trailing end and leading end respectively of a previous and subsequent refill, the web being provided with a mechanical connector at one or both of its ends to realize such engagement, the mechanical connector being water soluble for the purpose of tissue recovery.

18. A plurality of tissue paper refills, each refill comprising a web of tissue paper, having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein the trailing end of a first refill is connected to the leading end of a second refill by a mechanical connector, the mechanical connector being water soluble for the purpose of tissue recovery.

19. The refill according to claim 2, wherein the refill is in the form of a stack and the web comprises folded tissues, wherein the stack has a leading end mechanical connector on a top side of the stack and has a trailing end mechanical connector on a bottom side, to realize engagement with a previous and subsequent refill, wherein the refill is wrapped prior to use in a wrapper and removal of the wrapper exposes at least the mechanical connector at the leading end, wherein the wrapped refill has a density of greater than 0.2 g/cm.sup.3.

20. The refill according to claim 19, wherein each of the leading end mechanical connector and the trailing end mechanical connector comprise first type connector elements and second type connector elements positioned in a symmetrical pattern, such that correct engagement with the trailing end of a previous refill can take place irrespective of the angular orientation of the refill.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be discussed in more detail below, with reference to the attached drawings of certain exemplary embodiments, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic cross-section through a multi-refill tissue paper dispenser;

[0022] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic view of part of a tissue refill shown in FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 depicts a tissue refill prior to use in wrapped condition;

[0024] FIG. 4 depicts the tissue refill of FIG. 3 unwrapped; and

[0025] FIG. 5 depicts an alternative tissue refill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 shows schematically an example of a multi-refill tissue paper dispenser 7 for storage and dispensing of tissue material. The dispenser 7 has a front panel 8, a body 9 and an interior space 10. The interior space 10 is intended for holding a number of refills 12A, 12B of tissue paper in the form of a tissue paper web 16. An opening 17 is provided in the front panel 8 by which the web 16 can be dispensed to a user. The web 16 is guided from the refill 12A to the opening 17 via a number of guiding rollers 15 as is conventional in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, the web 16 is withdrawn and tissue is dispensed from the top of the refill 12A. It is however understood that the invention is also applicable to other configurations including ones in which the tissue is withdrawn from the bottom of the dispenser.

[0027] The first refill 12A and the second refill 12B are joined together by a mechanical connection 13 whereby the web 16 is continuous between the first refill 12A and the second refill 12B. In the illustrated embodiment, the refills 12A, 12B are in the form of stacks of folded tissue paper and the web 16 actually comprises two interfolded sub-webs, each of 2-ply dry-crepe tissue according to the Essity article number 140299, each of the plies being 18 gsm. The skilled person will nevertheless understand that any other suitable tissue may be used. In the illustrated example, the webs are interfolded together in a Z-fold configuration as further discussed below. The mechanical connector 13 comprises a hook and loop fastener of PVA material.

[0028] FIG. 2 schematically shows part of the first refill 12A of FIG. 1 in greater detail, illustrating the interfolding of the sub-webs 16A, 16B. Each of the sub-webs 16A, 16B is divided into individual tissues 20 at perforations 22, whereby each tissue 20 is twice folded to have a Z-fold configuration. The perforations 22 in the sub-webs 16A, 16B are offset from each other by at least one fold such that the web 16 can be drawn continuously through the opening 17 without risk of breakage. A mechanical connection 13 is provided at a trailing end 6 of the refill 12A.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a refill 12 in perspective view prior to use, wrapped in a wrapper 24 of high-tensile bander paper. In this context, high-tensile is intended to denote that the bander paper is of sufficient strength to maintain the refill in a compressed condition for ease of storage and transport. When it is desired to use the refill 12, the wrapper 24 may be removed by opening at the tab 15.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a refill 12 in perspective view with the wrapper 24 removed, showing the mechanical connection 13A at a leading end 5 of the refill 12. A complimentary mechanical connection 13B is provided at the trailing end 6 of the refill 12. The mechanical connection 13A comprises hook type connection elements 51 and the complimentary mechanical connection 13B comprises loop type connection elements 52.

[0031] Operation of the multi-refill tissue paper dispenser 7 for dispensing of tissues 20 will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. In use, users withdraw tissues 20 through the opening 17. Used tissues 20 will be deposited in an appropriate collection container (not shown). As the first refill 12A is depleted, a mechanical connection 13 will eventually be withdrawn around the guiding rollers 15 and through the opening 17. This will also be discarded in the collection container and users will withdraw subsequent tissues from the second refill 12B. Periodically service personnel will open the front panel to determine the degree of filling of the interior space 10. If there is adequate space for introduction of an additional refill 12, then the service personnel will remove the wrapper 24 from the additional refill 12, lift the second or lowermost refill 12B and insert the additional refill 12 into the interior space 10 below the second refill 12B. The hook type connection elements 51 at the leading end 5 of the additional refill 12 and the loop type connection elements 52 at the trailing end 6 of the second refill 12B will engage together such that the web 16 is continuous between these refills. Dispensing of tissues 20 may then continue.

[0032] The service personnel will also collect the container of used and discarded tissues, which will be transported to a tissue recovery facility. In a prophetic example, the collected tissues 20, including mechanical connections 13 are soaked in water for a period of 25 minutes and at a temperature of 65 C with gentle agitation. After the soaking period the pulp is examined for remnants of the mechanical connections 13 and it is observed that no discernible traces can be found. The pulp is deemed suitable for further recycling.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows an alternative refill 112 in perspective view, showing a different form of mechanical connection 113 at a leading end 105 of the refill 112. An otherwise identical mechanical connection 113 is provided at the trailing end 106 of the refill 112. In this embodiment, the mechanical connection 113 comprises both hook type connection elements 151 and loop type connection elements 152 arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner on the leading end 105 of the refill 112. Because of the symmetrical configuration of the mechanical connections 113, when service personnel wish to install an additional refill, there is no need for it to be oriented in any particular direction. The hook type connection elements 151 on the leading end 105 of the additional refill 112 will always align with the loop type connection elements 152 at the trailing end 106 of the second refill 112B and vice-versa.

[0034] The invention has been described by reference to certain embodiments discussed above. It will be recognized that these embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms well known to those of skill in the art. In particular, although a dispenser for stacked folded tissues has been shown, it will be understood that other forms of dispenser for tissues may also benefit from the use of water soluble mechanical connections. Furthermore, although a symmetrical arrangement of hook and loop fastening elements has been described, other alternative mechanical connections may be used in different configurations.

[0035] Many modifications in addition to those described above may be made to the structures and techniques described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, although specific embodiments have been described, these are examples only and are not limiting upon the scope of the invention.