Spindle and Spindle Attachments for Coreless and Flexible Core Rolled Tissue Products

Abstract

Spindles attachments and replacement spindles for use with a coreless tissue roll or a flexible core rolled tissue product are generally disclosed. In one embodiment, a spindle attachment having an elongated tube is generally disclosed. Each end portion of the spindle attachment is tapered at an angle of less than 45°. The elongated tube defines a circular opening that extends through the center of the elongated tube. In another embodiment, an armed spindle for use in place of a traditional spindle is generally disclosed. The armed spindle includes a pair of opposing pegs connected to at least 4 arms. Each arm has a pair of end portions that extend away from the center axis of the armed spindle to a middle portion. Also, a kit is disclosed that includes both a spindle attachment or an armed spindle and at least one rolled tissue product.

1 . A spindle attachment for use with a traditional spindle, the spindle attachment comprising an elongated tube defining two opposing end portions separated by a middle portion, wherein each end portion is tapered at an angle of less than 55° and the middle portion is substantially cylindrical in shape, and wherein the elongated tube defines a circular opening that extends through the center of the elongated tube from one end portion to the opposition end portion, the opening having an inner diameter of from about 0.75 inches to about 1.25 inches. 
   
   
       2 . A spindle attachment as in  claim 1 , wherein the middle portion defines an outer surface having an outer diameter of about 1.25 inches to about 2 inches. 
   
   
       3 . A spindle attachment as in  claim 2 , wherein the outer surface of the middle portion has an outer diameter of about 1.5 inches to about 1.75 inches. 
   
   
       4 . A spindle attachment as in  claim 2 , wherein the outer surface of the middle portion has an outer diameter of about 1.45 inches to about 1.6 inches. 
   
   
       5 . A spindle attachment as in  claim 1 , wherein each end portion and the middle portion collectively define an outer surface coated with an lubricating coating that lowers the coefficient of friction of the outer surface. 
   
   
       6 . A spindle attachment as in  claim 1 , wherein each end portion and the middle portion collectively define a grooved outer surface. 
   
   
       7 . A spindle attachment as in  claim 1 , wherein each end portion is tapered at an angle of about 20° to about 40°. 
   
   
       8 . A kit comprising
 the spindle attachment as in  claim 1 ; and   at least one rolled tissue product, the rolled tissue product comprising a nonwoven tissue web comprising pulp fibers wound about a flexible core, wherein the flexible core comprises a polymeric sheet of synthetic polymers, wherein the nonwoven tissue web and the flexible core are attached to each other at an inner layer of the nonwoven tissue web by an attachment mechanism, and wherein the tissue sheet defines a machine direction, the tissue sheet having a tensile strength in the machine direction that is weaker than the strength of the flexible core.   
   
   
       9 . A kit as in  claim 8 , wherein the middle portion defines an outer surface having an outer diameter, and wherein the flexible core defines an inner diameter that is from about 0.1% to about 5% greater than the outer diameter of the outer surface of the middle portion. 
   
   
       10 . An armed spindle for use in place of a traditional spindle, the armed spindle comprising
 a pair of opposing pegs that define a center axis of the armed spindle that extends through the center portion of each opposing peg, and   at least 3 arms, each arm being in contact with each opposing peg, wherein each arm has a pair of end portions that extend away from the center axis of the armed spindle to a middle portion; wherein the at least four arms are configured to rotate about the center axis from a substantially flat position to a rotating position where the arms are spaced apart in a substantially equal distance.   
   
   
       11 . An armed spindle as in  claim 10  having 4 arms, wherein the 4 arms are configured to rotate about the center axis from a substantially flat position to a cross-like shape. 
   
   
       12 . An armed spindle as in  claim 10  having 6 arms, wherein the 6 arms are configured to rotate about the center axis from a substantially flat position to a hexagonal-like shape. 
   
   
       13 . An armed spindle as in  claim 10 , wherein each arm defines a surface coated with a lubricating coating that lowers the coefficient of friction of the surface. 
   
   
       14 . An armed spindle as in  claim 10 , wherein oppositely positioned arms move in concert with each other, but independently from adjacently positioned arms. 
   
   
       15 . A kit comprising
 the spindle attachment as in  claim 10 ; and   at least one rolled tissue product, the rolled tissue product comprising a nonwoven tissue web comprising pulp fibers wound about a flexible core, wherein the flexible core comprises a polymeric sheet of synthetic polymers, wherein the nonwoven tissue web and the flexible core are attached to each other at an inner layer of the nonwoven tissue web by an attachment mechanism, and wherein the tissue sheet defines a machine direction, the tissue sheet having a tensile strength in the machine direction that is weaker than the strength of the flexible core.   
   
   
       16 . A kit as in  claim 15 , wherein the middle portion defines an outer diameter when in the rotating position, and wherein the flexible core defines an inner diameter that is from about 0.1% to about 5% greater than the outer diameter defined by the arms in a rotating position. 
   
   
       17 . An expanding spindle comprising a pair of end portions and a middle portion, the middle portion having an extended diameter, wherein the middle portion expands to a compressed diameter from the extended diameter when the end portions are compressed towards each other. 
   
   
       18 . An expanding spindle as in  claim 17 , wherein the middle portion comprises at least two separate pieces, and wherein each end portion is tapered such that the separate middle portion pieces expand when the tapered end portions are compressed toward each other. 
   
   
       19 . An expanding spindle as in  claim 17 , wherein the middle portion expands during compression of the end portions toward each other due to an air bladder positioned within the middle portion and between the end portions.