INDIVIDUALIZED TRICHOMES AND PRODUCTS
EMPLOYING SAME
CROSS REFENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/693,335 filed on Jun. 23, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to individualized trichomes, methods for individualizing trichomes, trichomecontaining fibrous structures, single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue products comprising such fibrous structures and methods for making such fibrous structures and sanitary tissue products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Formulators of cellulose chemicals and fibrous structures are always looking for additional natural sources (chemicals and/or fibers) in order to improve performance or reduce cost.
[0004] Fibrous structures have conventionally been made with wood pulp cellulosic fibers. More recently, synthetic fibers have been used.
[0005] No prior art reference has disclosed liberating trichomes to obtain individualized trichomes and using trichomes in fibrous structures.
[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for individualized trichomes, methods for individualizing trichomes, trichomecontaining fibrous structures, single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising such fibrous structures and methods for making such fibrous structures and sanitary tissue products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention fulfills the needs described above by providing individualized trichomes, methods for individualizing trichomes, a trichome-containing fibrous structure, single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising such a fibrous structure and methods for making such fibrous structures and sanitary tissue products.
[0008] In one example of the present invention, an individualized trichome is provided.
[0009] In another example of the present invention, a chemical derivative of an individualized trichome is provided.
[0010] In another example of the present invention, a fibrous structure comprising a trichome, especially an individualized trichome, is provided.
[0011] In another example of the present invention, a single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising a fibrous structure according to the present invention is provided.
[0012] In another example of the present invention, a mechanical method for individualizing a trichome is provided.
[0013] In another example of the present invention, a chemical method for individualizing a trichome is provided.
[0014] In yet another example of the present invention, a method for making a fibrous structure according to the present invention is provided.
[0015] In still another example of the present invention, a method for making a single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising a fibrous structure according to the present invention is provided.
[0016] In even yet another example, a method for making a trichome-containing fibrous structure comprising the steps of:
[0017] a) preparing a fiber furnish (slurry) by mixing a trichome with water;
[0018] b) depositing the fiber furnish on a foraminous forming surface to form an embryonic fibrous web; and
[0019] c) drying the embryonic fibrous web, is provided.
[0020] Accordingly, the present invention provides an individualized trichome, a method for individualizing trichomes, a trichome-containing fibrous structure, a single- or multi-ply sanitary tissue product comprising such a fibrous structure and methods for making such fibrous structures and sanitary tissue products.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a light micrograph of a leaf and leaf stem illustrating trichomes present on red clover, Trifolium pratens e L;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a light micrograph of a lower stem illustrating trichomes present on red clover, Trifolium pratens e L.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a light micrograph of a leaf illustrating trichomes present on dusty miller, Centaurea gymnocarpa;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a light micrograph of individualized trichomes individualized from a leaf of dusty miller, Centaurea gymnocarpa;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a light micrograph of a basal leaf illustrating trichomes present on silver sage, Salvia argentiae;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a light micrograph of a bloom-stalk leaf illustrating trichomes present in silver sage, Salvia argentiae;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a light micrograph of a mature leaf illustrating trichomes present on common mullein, Verbascum thapsus;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a light micrograph of a juvenile leaf illustrating trichomes present on common mullein, Verbascum thapsus;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a light micrograph of a perpendicular view of a leaf illustrating trichomes present on wooly betony, Stachys byzantina;
[0030] FIG. 10 is a light micrograph of a cross-sectional view of a leaf illustrating trichomes present on wooly betony, Stachys byzantina; and
[0031] FIG. 11 is a light micrograph of individualized trichomes in the form of a plurality of trichomes bound by their individual attachment to a common remnant of a host plant, wooly betony, Stachys byzantina.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
INVENTION
Definitions
[0032] "Trichome" as used herein means an epidermal attachment of a varying shape, structure and/or function of a non-seed portion of a plant. In one example, a trichome is an outgrowth of the epidermis of a non-seed portion of a plant. The outgrowth may extend from an epidermal cell. In one embodiment, the outgrowth is a trichome fiber. The outgrowth may be a hairlike or bristlelike outgrowth from the epidermis of a plant.
[0033] Trichomes may be glandular or non-glandular. Glandular trichomes have active secretory capability; glandular trichomes may, for example, secrete oil, resin or mucilage. Atypical glandular trichome possesses a stalk and enlarged terminal portion, which may be referred to as gland. Active secretory cells of glandular trichomes have dense protoplasts and elaborate various substances, such as volatile oil, resin and mucilage. Non-glandular trichomes are typically unicellular or multicellular fiber-like in nature and substantially absent any active secretion capability, although they may contain minor amounts of similar substances which are extractable by water or other solvents.
[0034] Trichomes may protect the plant tissues present on a plant. Trichomes may for example protect leaves and stems from attack by other organisms, particularly insects or other foraging animals and/or they may regulate light and/or temperature and/or moisture. They may also produce glands in the forms of scales, different papills and, in roots, often they may function to absorb water and/or moisture.
[0035] A trichome may be formed by one cell or many cells.
[0036] The term "individualized trichome" as used herein means trichomes which have been artificially separated by a suitable method for individualizing trichomes from their host plant. In other words, individualized trichomes as used herein means that the trichomes become separated from a non-seed portion of a host plant by some non-naturally occurring action. In one example, individualized trichomes are artificially separated in a location that is sheltered from nature. Primarily, individualized trichomes will be fragments or entire trichomes with essentially no remnant of the host plant attached. However, individualized trichomes can also comprise a minor fraction of trichomes retaining a portion of the host plant still attached, as well as a minor fraction of trichomes in the form of a plurality of trichomes bound by their individual attachment to a common remnant of the host plant. Individualized trichomes may comprise a portion of a pulp or mass further comprising other materials. Other materials includes non-trichome-bearing fragments of the host plant.
[0037] In one example of the present invention, the individualized trichomes may be classified to enrich the individualized trichomal content at the expense of mass not constituting individualized trichomes.
[0038] Individualized trichomes may be converted into chemical derivatives including but not limited to cellulose derivatives, for example, regenerated cellulose such as rayon; cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and hydroxyethyl cellulose; cellulose esters
such as cellulose acetate and cellulose butyrate; and nitrocellulose. Individualized trichomes may also be used in their physical form, usually fibrous, and herein referred to "trichome fibers", as a component of fibrous structures.
[0039] Trichome fibers are different from seed hair fibers in that they are not attached to seed portions of a plant. For example, trichome fibers, unlike seed hair fibers, are not attached to a seed or a seed pod epidermis. Cotton, kapok, milkweed, and coconut coir are nonlimiting examples of seed hair fibers.
[0040] Further, trichome fibers are different from nonwood bast and/or core fibers in that they are not attached to the bast, also known as phloem, or the core, also known as xylem portions of a nonwood dicotyledonous plant stem. Nonlimiting examples of plants which have been used to yield nonwood bast fibers and/or nonwood core fibers include kenaf, jute, flax, ramie and hemp.
[0041] Further trichome fibers are different from monocotyledonous plant derived fibers such as those derived from cereal straws (wheat, rye, barley, oat, etc), stalks (corn, cotton, sorghum, Hesperaloe funifera, etc.), canes (bamboo, bagasse, etc.), grasses (esparto, lemon, sabai, switchgrass, etc), since such monocotyledonous plant derived fibers are not attached to an epidermis of a plant.
[0042] Further, trichome fibers are different from leaf fibers in that they do not originate from within the leaf structure. Sisal and abaca are sometimes liberated as leaf fibers.
[0043] Finally, trichome fibers are different from wood pulp fibers since wood pulp fibers are not outgrowths from the epidermis of a plant; namely, a tree. Wood pulp fibers rather originate from the secondary xylem portion of the tree stem.
[0044] "Fiber" as used herein means an elongate physical structure having an apparent length greatly exceeding its apparent diameter, i.e. a length to diameter ratio of at least about 10. Fibers having a non-circular cross-section and/or tubular shape are common; the "diameter" in this case may be considered to be the diameter of a circle having crosssectional area equal to the cross-sectional area of the fiber. More specifically, as used herein, "fiber" refers to fibrous structure-making fibers. The present invention contemplates the use of a variety of fibrous structure-making fibers, such as, for example, natural fibers or synthetic fibers, or any other suitable fibers, and any combination thereof.
[0045] Natural fibrous structure-making fibers useful in the present invention include animal fibers, mineral fibers, other plant fibers (in addition to the trichomes of the present invention) and mixtures thereof. Animal fibers may, for example, be selected from the group consisting of: wool, silk and mixtures thereof. The other plant fibers may, for example, be 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.
[0046] Wood fibers; often referred to as wood pulps include chemical pulps, such as kraft (sulfate) and sulfite pulps, as well as mechanical and semi-chemical pulps including, for example, groundwood, thermomechanical pulp, chemi-mechanical pulp (CMP), chemi-thermome
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