Web comprising a tuft

Abstract

Webs, such as fibrous structures, having a tuft, sanitary tissue products employing same and methods for making same are provided. More particularly, webs, such as fibrous structures, having a tuft employing a non-extensible material, such as non-extensible fibers, sanitary tissue products employing same and methods for making same are provided.

1 . A web comprising a tuft comprising a non-extensible material. 
     
     
         2 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the web exhibits a stretch of less than 800% as determined by the Short Span Tensile Test Method. 
     
     
         3 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the web further comprises a surface comprising a non-extensible material. 
     
     
         4 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the non-extensible material comprises non-extensible fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the web comprises a surface that comprises undulations. 
     
     
         6 . The web according to  claim 5  wherein the tuft is oriented perpendicular to the undulations. 
     
     
         7 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the web comprises a plurality of tufts. 
     
     
         8 . The web according to  claim 4  wherein one or more of the non-extensible fibers exhibits a length of 7 mm or less. 
     
     
         9 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the non-extensible fibers comprise naturally occurring fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the naturally occurring fibers are selected from the group consisting of: animal fibers, mineral fibers, plant fibers, protein fibers and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The web according to  claim 10  wherein the animal fibers are selected from the group consisting of: wool fibers, silk fibers and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The web according to  claim 10  wherein the plant fibers are derived from a plant selected from the group consisting of: wood, cotton, cotton linters, flax, sisal, abaca, hemp, hesperaloe, jute, bamboo, bagasse, kudzu, corn, sorghum, gourd, agave, loofah and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The web according to  claim 1  wherein the web comprises a surface comprising extensible fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The web according to  claim 13  wherein the extensible fibers comprise thermoplastic polymers. 
     
     
         15 . The web according to  claim 14  wherein the thermoplastic polymers are selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene, copolymers of polypropylene, polyethylene, copolymers of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, copolymers of polyethylene terephthalate and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising a web according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . The multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to  claim 16  wherein the tuft is oriented inwardly in the multi-sanitary tissue product. 
     
     
         18 . The multi-ply sanitary tissue product according to  claim 16  wherein the tuft is oriented outwardly on the multi-ply sanitary tissue product. 
     
     
         19 . A process for making a web, the process comprising the steps of:
 a. forming a web comprising a non-extensible material;   b. imparting extensibility into the web; and   c. subjecting the extensible web to a tuft generating operation such that a web comprising a tuft comprising the non-extensible material is formed.   
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 19  wherein the non-extensible material comprises non-extensible fibers.