Flushable Fibrous Structures

Abstract

Flushable fibrous structure products, including sanitary tissue products, are described. As discussed in the background section, there is a relatively narrow desirable range of floatation/sink time that can be predicative of flushability success. Fibrous structures that float can have difficulty exiting a toilet bowl. And fibrous structures that sink too fast can cause a plug at the exit point of a toilet bowl. Thus, fibrous structures and sanitary tissue products comprising the same that do not float but sink sufficiently slow when placed into a toilet so as not to cause a plug are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A single or multi ply sanitary tissue for disposal in a toilet, the sanitary tissue comprising a fibrous structure comprising a contact angle value of greater than or equal to 75 degrees. 
     
     
         2 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous structure comprises hydrophobic fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic fibers comprise fibers harvested from a plant. 
     
     
         4 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 4 , wherein the plant is in the  Stachys  genus. 
     
     
         5 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous structure comprises trichome fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous structure comprises a fiber blend that comprises softwood fibers, hardwood fibers, and hydrophobic fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein sheets of the sanitary tissue do not float when placed into a toilet bowl. 
     
     
         8 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein a sheet of the sanitary tissue sinks in a time no faster than 2.5 seconds. 
     
     
         9 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous structure comprises both hydrophobic fibers and a hydrophobic additive. 
     
     
         10 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobic fibers comprises trichome fibers and the hydrophobic additive comprises a silicone. 
     
     
         11 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous structure further comprises a softener additive. 
     
     
         12 . The sanitary tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous structure further comprises a temporary wet strength additive. 
     
     
         13 . A single or multi ply sanitary tissue for disposal in a toilet, the sanitary tissue comprising a fibrous structure comprising a fiber blend of wood fibers and hydrophobic fibers, and a contact angle value of greater than or equal to about 85, wherein at least some of the hydrophobic fibers have a length of less than 100 microns. 
     
     
         14 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 13 , wherein the hydrophobic fibers comprise fibers harvested from a plant. 
     
     
         15 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 14 , wherein the plant is in the  Stachys  genus. 
     
     
         16 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 14 , wherein the fibrous structure further comprises a softener additive. 
     
     
         17 . The sanitary tissue product of  claim 14 , wherein the fibrous structure further comprises a temporary wet strength additive. 
     
     
         18 . A single of multi ply sanitary tissue for disposal in a toilet, the sanitary tissue comprising a fibrous structure that comprises a fiber blend, the fiber blend comprises softwood fibers and hardwood fibers,
 wherein at least one of the following is included: i) hydrophobic fibers in the fibrous structure and ii) hydrophobic additive disposed on an outer surface of the fibrous structure,   wherein 30 sheets of the sanitary tissue product does not float when placed into a toilet bowl, and   wherein the 30 sheets of the sanitary tissue product clears a toilet bowl at a level of greater than 30% of the time according to the Flushability Test described herein .   
     
     
         19 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 18 , wherein the fibrous structure comprises hydrophobic fibers comprising trichome fibers. 
     
     
         20 . The sanitary tissue of  claim 18 , wherein at least some of the trichome fibers have a fiber length of less than 100 microns.