Multi-ply products comprising a consumer accessible tab

Abstract

Multi-ply products, especially rolled multi-ply product, more particularly rolled multi-ply sanitary tissue products, comprising a consumer accessible tab and methods for making same are provide.

1 . A multi-ply product comprising a multi-ply fibrous structure having a core end and a tail comprising a tail end, wherein the tail of the multi-ply fibrous structure comprises a consumer accessible tab.  
     
     
         2 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 1  wherein the multi-ply fibrous structure is freely, convolutely wound from the core end out to the tail end to form a rolled multi-ply product.  
     
     
         3 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 2  wherein the tail of the multi-ply fibrous structure is tail sealed to the multi-ply fibrous structure by a tail seal glue.  
     
     
         4 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 3  wherein at least a portion of the consumer accessible tab is more proximal to the tail end of the multi-ply fibrous structure than is the tail seal glue.  
     
     
         5 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 1  wherein the consumer accessible tab comprises at least two plies of the multi-ply fibrous structure bonded together.  
     
     
         6 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 5  wherein the at least two plies are bonded together in the cross machine direction.  
     
     
         7 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 5  wherein the at least two plies of multi-ply fibrous structure are bonded together by mechanical and/or chemical and/or electrostatic forces.  
     
     
         8 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 7  wherein the at least two plies of multi-ply fibrous structure are bonded together by chemical forces via an adhesive.  
     
     
         9 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 8  wherein the adhesive comprises a water soluble polymer adhesive.  
     
     
         10 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 1  wherein the consumer accessible tab extends from the tail end of the multi-ply fibrous structure along the multi-ply fibrous structure towards the core end of the multi-ply fibrous structure.  
     
     
         11 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 1  wherein the consumer accessible tab extends from about the tail end of the multi-ply fibrous structure along the multi-ply fibrous structure towards the core end of the multi-ply fibrous structure.  
     
     
         12 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 1  wherein at least two plies of the multi-ply fibrous structure are bonded together by mechanical and/or chemical and/or electrostatic forces.  
     
     
         13 . The multi product according to  claim 12  wherein the at least two plies of the multi-ply fibrous structure are ply bonded together in the machine direction.  
     
     
         14 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 1  wherein the multi-ply fibrous structure consists of two plies of a fibrous structure.  
     
     
         15 . The multi-ply product according to  claim 1  wherein the multi-ply product comprises a sanitary tissue product.  
     
     
         16 . A method for making a consumer accessible tab for use in a multi-ply product comprising a multi-ply fibrous structure, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing two or more plies of a fibrous structure, wherein each of the two or more plies of fibrous structure comprises a tail end and a core end;    b. binding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together at and/or proximal to their respective tail ends in a face-to-face relationship, such that a consumer accessible tab is formed.    
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein at least one of the two or more plies comprises a cellulosic fiber, a synthetic fiber and/or a starch fiber.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the binding step comprises adhesively binding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the method further comprises the step of ply bonding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together from about their tail end to about their core end.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the consumer accessible tab exhibits a greater bond strength than the ply bonded portions of the multi-ply fibrous structure.  
     
     
         21 . A method for making a multi-ply product comprising a multi-ply fibrous structure, wherein the multi-ply product comprises a consumer accessible tab, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing two or more plies of a fibrous structure, wherein each of the two or more plies of fibrous structure comprises a tail end and a core end;    b. binding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together at and/or proximal to their respective tail ends in a face-to-face relationship, such that a consumer accessible tab precursor is formed;    c. ply bonding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together from about their tail end to about their core end to form a multi-ply fibrous structure; and    d. severing the multi-ply fibrous structure in the cross machine direction such that a portion of the consumer accessible tab precursor is on one or both sides of the severing line.    
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the two or more plies of fibrous structure are in roll form.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein at least one of the two or more plies comprises a cellulosic fiber, a synthetic fiber and/or a starch fiber.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the binding step comprises adhesively binding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the method further comprises the step of ply bonding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together from about their tail end to about their core end.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the consumer accessible tab exhibits a greater bond strength than the ply bonded portions of the multi-ply fibrous structure.  
     
     
         27 . A method for making a rolled multi-ply product comprising a multi-ply fibrous structure, wherein the rolled multi-ply product comprises a consumer accessible tab, the method comprises the steps of: 
 a. providing two or more plies of a fibrous structure, wherein each of the two or more plies of fibrous structure comprises a tail end and a core end;    b. binding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together at and/or proximal to their respective tail ends in a face-to-face relationship, such that a consumer accessible tab precursor is formed;    c. ply bonding the two or more plies of fibrous structure together from about their tail end to about their core end to form a multi-ply fibrous structure; and    d. severing the multi-ply fibrous structure in the cross machine direction such that a portion of the consumer accessible tab precursor is on one or both sides of the severing line;    e. convolutely winding the severed multi-ply fibrous structure to form the rolled product wherein the consumer accessible tab is accessible to a user upon use.