Process for Making an Article of Manufacture

Abstract

A process, for example a continuous process, for making an article of manufacture containing a fibrous structure and more particularly a process for making an article of manufacture containing a fibrous structure, such as a soluble fibrous structure, containing soluble filaments is provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for making a fibrous structure, the process comprising the steps of:
 a. providing one or more soluble filament-forming materials;   b. forming an aqueous composition comprising the one or more soluble filament-forming materials;   c. processing the aqueous composition to produce a filament-forming composition;   d. delivering the filament-forming composition to one or more dies;   e. spinning the filament-forming composition to form a plurality of soluble filaments; and   f. collecting the soluble filaments on a collection device to form a fibrous structure.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the one or more soluble filament-forming materials comprises a hydroxyl polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 2  wherein the hydroxyl polymer comprises polyvinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the one or more filament-forming materials is in the form of pellets. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein at least about 30% by weight of water is added to the one or more filament-forming materials in step b. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the step of processing the aqueous composition occurs within an extruder. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein the aqueous composition present in the extruder exhibits a % solids of from about 20% to about 95%. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein the filament-forming composition exits the extruder at an exit pressure of from about 10 to about 80 bar. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein the extruder subjects the filament-forming composition to a temperature of at least 49° C. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein the filament-forming composition exits the extruder on a solids throughput basis of from about 0.10 to about 0.50 kW-h/kg. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the process further comprises the step of commingling a plurality of solid additives with the soluble filaments to form a composite structure. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11  wherein the solid additives comprise particles. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein at least one of the particles is an agglomerate. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the particles comprise active agent-containing particles. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the soluble filaments comprises one or more active agents present within the filament. 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 15  wherein at least one of the one or more active agents is added in the process in at least one of steps b, c, and d. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the process further comprises the step of converting the fibrous structure into an article of manufacture. 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the process further comprises one or more converting operations selected from the group consisting of: slitting, stacking, calendering, treating with optional ingredients, die cutting, printing, packaging, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 18  wherein the one or more converting operations are performed on a single converting line. 
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 18  wherein the one or more converting operations yields a consumer useable saleable unit.