Nonwoven products having a patterned indicia

Abstract

A sheet-like product is disclosed having a patterned indicia for signifying the existence of an additive or ingredient that is contained within the product. The present inventors have discovered that a particular burst-like pattern provides various advantages and benefits in comparison to other patterns. In order to differentiate patterns of the present invention from other patterns, patterns made according to present invention were image analyzed during a dilation process.

1 . A nonwoven product comprising: 
 a base sheet comprising a nonwoven web; and    a patterned indicia indicating the presence of an additive that has been applied to the base sheet, the patterned indicia being visible from at least one side of the base sheet, the patterned indicia having a burst-like design that, when comparing percent area coverage of the indicia versus dilation, the patterned indicia is defined by the following mathematical expression:        f ( x ) =Ax   2   +Bx+Y      wherein A is from about −0.6 to about 1; B is from about 1 to about 14; and Y is from about −10 to about −2.    
     
     
         2 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein A is from about −0.5 to 0.5; B is from about 3 to about 13; and Y is from about −8 to about −3.  
     
     
         3 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein A is from about −0.4 to −0.2; B is from about 10 to about 12, and Y is from about −7.5 to about −6.  
     
     
         4 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the product comprises a tissue product.  
     
     
         5 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises polymeric fibers.  
     
     
         6 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises a spunbond web or a meltblown web.  
     
     
         7 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises pulp fibers.  
     
     
         8 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base sheet contains multiple plies.  
     
     
         9 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the base sheet includes internal ply surfaces, the patterned indicia being applied to at least one of the internal ply surfaces.  
     
     
         10 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the patterned indicia comprises a printed pattern.  
     
     
         11 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base sheet is white and the patterned indicia is blue.  
     
     
         12 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base sheet is white and the patterned indicia is green.  
     
     
         13 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises a virucide.  
     
     
         14 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises a softener.  
     
     
         15 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the softener comprises a polysiloxane.  
     
     
         16 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises an emollient, an encapsulated scent, a cleansing agent, a moisturizer, an antimicrobial agent, or an antiseptic.  
     
     
         17 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base sheet has a basis weight of from about 10 gsm to about 100 gsm.  
     
     
         18 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the burst-like design repeats within the pattern.  
     
     
         19 . A nonwoven product as defined in  claim 18 , wherein each burst-like design is comprised of discrete shapes, the burst-like design having a center area having a relatively high density of the discrete shapes, the density of the discrete shapes gradually reducing in an outward direction from the center area.  
     
     
         20 . A tissue product comprising two or more plies and thereby having two or more internal ply surfaces, two of the plies being outer plies, wherein one or more of the internal surfaces contains a patterned indicia which is visible through at least one of the outer plies, the patterned indicia having a burst-like design that, when comparing percent area coverage of the indicia versus dilation, the patterned indicia is defined by the following mathematical expression:  
           f ( x ) =Ax   2   +Bx+Y    
       wherein A is from about −0.6 to about 1; B is from about 1 to about 14; and Y is from about −10 to about −2.  
     
     
         21 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein A is from about −0.5 to 0.5; B is from about 3 to about 13, and Y is from about −8 to about −3.  
     
     
         22 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein A is from about −0.4 to −0.2; B is from about 10 to about 12, and Y is from about −7.5 to about −6.  
     
     
         23 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the tissue product is a two-ply product.  
     
     
         24 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the patterned indicia comprises a printed pattern.  
     
     
         25 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the tissue product comprises two outer plies and a center ply, the patterned indicia being applied to the center ply.  
     
     
         26 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the tissue product contains a virucide.  
     
     
         27 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the tissue product contains a softener, an emollient, an encapsulated scent, a cleansing agent, a moisturizer, an antimicrobial agent, or an antiseptic.  
     
     
         28 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the patterned indicia is blue in color.  
     
     
         29 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the plies have a white color.  
     
     
         30 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the burst-like design repeats within the pattern.  
     
     
         31 . A tissue product as defined in  claim 30 , wherein each burst-like design is comprised of discrete shapes, the burst-like design having a center area having a relatively high density of the discrete shapes, the density of the discrete shapes gradually reducing in an outward direction from the center area.