MXPA05013206A - Textured tissue sheets having highlighted design elements - Google Patents

Abstract

Textured non-woven webs, papermaking fabrics and tissue sheets made using the textured papermaking fabrics can contain design elements set in highlight areas which make the design elements more visible.

Description

TEXTURED TISSUE LEAVES THAT HAVE ENHANCED DESIGN ELEMENTS Background of the Invention Continuous drying is a well-known method for drying tissue sheets, such as those useful for facial tissue, bathroom tissue, paper towels and the like. In general, the method involves holding a wet fabric on a continuous drying fabric and passing warm air through the fabric / fabric structure to dry the fabric with minimal compaction. Continually dried fabrics have evolved into more three-dimensional structures in order to provide texture and volume to the tissue sheet, which is often perceived as advantageous by consumers. Examples of such continuously dried or relatively three-dimensional fabrics are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,529,686 issued to Chiu et al., 5,672,248 issued to endt et al. And 6,398,910 Bl issued to Burzin et al. all of which are incorporated here by reference. More recently, fabrics for making paper that can be reformed, including continuous drying fabrics, have been developed in which the surface contour of a fabric can be altered to change its characteristics without changing the fabrics on the paper making machine. . Such fabrics and methods for making them are disclosed in the co-pending United States of America patent application Serial No. 10 / 672,831 entitled "Paper Making Method Using Reformable Fabrics" filed on September 26, 2003 in the name of Burazin et al. , incorporated here by reference.

Although such three-dimensional continuous dried fabrics have many advantages, the texture imparted to the dried tissue sheet can impair the visibility of any decorative elements which can be imparted to the tissue sheet. There is therefore a need for a continuously dried fabric that can impart texture to the tissue sheet while also imparting distinct design elements.

Synthesis of the Invention It has now been discovered that the tissue sheets can be made using a papermaking fabric, such as an air-laid fabric or continuous drying fabric, having a three-dimensional topography with "highlighted areas" that surround or otherwise delineate "design elements" The highlighted areas are imparted to the resulting tissue sheets so that the design elements are more clearly visible. In addition, the presence of the raised areas improves the roll volume for the tissue products sold in roll form and increases the volume of the multi-layer tissue products by reducing the nesting between the adjacent layers.

Therefore, in one aspect, the invention resides in a tissue sheet having a textured bottom surface (hereinafter defined) which contains an enhanced area (hereinafter defined) that surrounds a design element (defined hereinafter).

In another aspect, the invention resides in a papermaking fabric, particularly a continuous drying fabric, having a textured bottom surface contacting the sheet which contains an embossed area surrounding a design element.

In another aspect, the invention resides in a method for modifying the surface of a non-woven fabric, particularly for the purpose of making a non-woven fabric, comprising: (a) providing a patterned roll having a surface of textured background that contains an embossed area that surrounds a design element; (b) contacting the textured surface of the patterned roller with a thermoplastic nonwoven fabric; (c) shaping the non-woven fabric with the textured surface of the patterned roller by pulling and / or blowing hot air through the non-woven fabric; and (d) cooling the resulting textured nonwoven fabric.

In another aspect, the invention resides in a method for making a tissue sheet comprising: (a) depositing an aqueous suspension of fibers to make paper on a forming fabric, thereby forming a wet tissue; (b) transferring the wet tissue fabric to a papermaking fabric having a contact surface with the textured bottom sheet containing an embossed area surrounding a design element; and (c) drying the wet tissue.

In another aspect, the invention resides in a method for forming an air-laid fabric comprising depositing a pneumatic suspension of fibers on a papermaking cloth having a textured bottom surface containing an embossed area surrounding an airfoil element. design.

In another aspect, the invention resides in a vacuum roller covered with a woven metal wire mesh fabric engraved with an embossed area surrounding a design element.

As used herein, the term "tissue sheet" means a sheet of low density paper, such as the sheets used for facial tissue, bath tissue, paper towels, table napkins and the like. Such sheets are characterized by a volume of about 4 cubic centimeters or more per gram as measured under a load of about 90 grams per square inch by conventional methods. - ..

As used herein, the term "papermaking cloth" means any fabric or band used to make a tissue sheet, either by a wet-laying process or by an air-laying process. The papermaking fabrics of this invention can be woven fabrics or nonwoven webs. Specific paper fabrics within the scope of this invention include wet-laid continuous-drying fabrics and air-laid fabrics.

As used herein, the term "non-woven fabric" is a general term which includes any fabric or fabric comprising a non-woven layer of fibers. The non-woven fabrics may be of a continuous length of a non-woven material, laminated strips of non-woven material or a "non-woven web". For the purposes given herein, a "nonwoven web" refers to a nonwoven material which is in the form of a continuous circuit or can be formed in a continuous circuit, for example by virtue of a seam. Nonwoven webs, such as those comprising spirally laminated nonwoven webs are particularly suitable for use in accordance with this invention.

As used herein, a "patterned roller" is any suitable roller for transferring its surface texture sub-pattern to a non-woven fabric, either by means of heat and / or pressure (molded through air or etched ). Advantageously, the patterned rolls may be air permeable vacuum rolls covered with a woven metal wire mesh fabric having the appropriate texture and pattern. Alternatively, the patterned roller may be a perforated roller which is etched with a suitable surface pattern. Alternatively, the patterned roller may be an engraving roller. If the patterned roller is an engraving roller, it can be heated to soften the fabric or fabric being modified.

As used herein, the term "textured background surface" means a background surface that "has a three-dimensional topography with differences in elevation in the z-direction of about 0.2 millimeters or greater." The topography may be regular or irregular. The bottom surface is the overall predominant surface of the sheet, fabric or other surface, excluding the parts of the surface occupied by the raised areas and the design elements.The suitable textured surface surfaces include surfaces generally having alternating ridges and valleys or protuberances and depressions Since the texture of the bottom surface of a tissue sheet generally corresponds to the negative image of the bottom surface of the dried cloth in a continuous form on which it is dried, or the forming fabric placed by air on which it is formed, the term "textured background surface" applies to a sheet of tissue, to a papermaking cloth or to any forming surface. For woven papermaking fabrics, the textured background surface of the fabric is provided by the general woven pattern. For non-woven papermaking fabrics, the textured background surface is provided by the molding or engraving pattern that is molded or engraved on the non-woven web. For the tissue sheet or the non-woven fabric product, the texturized background surface can also be engraved.

As used herein, the term "surface plane of the textured background surface" means the plane formed by the highest points of the textured background surface.

As used here, the term "design element" means a decorative figure, an icon or form such as a flower, a heart, a puppy, a wolf, a mark, a word or words and the like. The design element can be formed by several raised, depressed areas or a combination of raised and depressed areas within the highlighted area that gives the design element a topography that distinguishes the design element from the surrounding highlighted area. These highlighted and / or depressed areas may suitably be one or more curvilinear segments or other shapes. For the tissue sheet or the nonwoven fabric product, the design element may be the same color or a different color as the highlighted area or the textured background surface.

As used herein, the term "highlighted area" means a surface area that either has substantially less surface texture than the surrounding background surface area, or that has a texture that is essentially different in character from the surface area of the surface. surrounding background, or having no texture, so that the design elements are easily distinguishable by the user of the product or the tissue sheet containing the non-woven fabric. It may be particularly advantageous for the highlighted areas to be "flat", meaning that they essentially do not have different elevational or few elevation differences in order to allow the design elements to be easily seen. Suitably, such flat areas have different elevations in the z-direction of about 0.5 millimeters or less. However, as indicated above, the alternatively highlighted areas may be textured, as long as they have a texture that is different in character from the surrounding textured surface area area. Specific examples include, without limitation, a textured bottom surface area having valleys and ridges essentially in the machine direction, while the highlighted areas comprise relatively flat regions, lines or ridges in the cross machine direction, circles concentric or a series of points. The highlighted area may be raised above the median plane of the textured background surface, or it may be depressed below the median plane of the textured background surface, or it may be at the same level as the median plane of the textured background surface . In each case, the design element may be raised above the surface of the highlighted or depressed area under the surface of the highlighted area. For tissue sheets or non-woven fabrics, the highlighted area may be the same color or a different color from the textured background surface or the design element, if present.

As used herein, the term "surface plane of the highlighted area" means the plane formed by the highest points of the highlighted area.

The area of said highlighted area greatly depends on the area of the design element, in general, the area of said highlighted area may be around 3 square centimeters or more, more specifically from about 3 to about 1,200 square centimeters, more specifically from about 3 to about 150 square centimeters, more specifically from about 3 to about 18 square centimeters, and even more specifically from about 5 to about 10 square centimeters. The highlighted area may be essentially in the shape of the periphery of the design element or it may be essentially different in shape from the periphery of the design element. The form can be regular or irregular. Specific regular forms include, without limitation, forms that are essentially circular, square, triangular, rectangular, rhomboid or otherwise polygonal or similar. For most applications, the highlighted areas will be self-contained and will be essentially well-defined, although in cases with multiple highlighted areas such highlighted areas can be interconnected if desired. For most applications, the spacing of the highlighted areas (center-to-center) will be about 24 inches or less, more specifically about 6 inches or less, more specifically from about 1 to about. '6 inches, and even more specifically from about 1 to about 3 inches. For many design elements, the area of the highlighted areas, which includes the area occupied by the design element, will be from about 125 to about 600% percent of the area of the design element, more specifically from around 125 to about 300%, more specifically from about 125 to about 200% per area of the design element. (The area of the design element is the surface area within a continuous line drawn around the periphery of the design element as a whole).

The means to create the highlighted areas and the design elements on the fabric to make paper depend on the nature to make paper. The air permeable highlighted areas and design elements are particularly suitable for continuous drying fabrics. For example, for fabric-woven fabrics, an air permeable texture modification material may be added to the contact surface of the contact sheet with the fabric of the woven fabric where the highlighted areas are desired by filling in areas low the topography of fabric with the air permeable material or even further building the material above the high points of the fabric also, to create a relatively flat highlighted area in the surface level plane of the textured fabric or above it. Suitable air permeable materials include non-woven fibers and open cell foam materials. Then, the design elements can be created by extruding a plastic material on top of the highlighted areas in the shape of the desired design element. Alternatively, the design elements can be woven or embroidered, sewn or engraved. Alternatively, the design elements can be lowered into the highlighted area and be created by selectively removing parts of the highlighted area by cutting; gravure or grinding. In addition, the highlighted areas can be created by sanding, grinding or engraving the selected raised areas of the woven fabric.

On the other hand, non-woven fabrics and woven fabrics having a contact surface layer with the non-woven fabric particularly lend themselves to be thermomechanically modified to provide the desired textured background surface, highlighted areas and the elements of the fabric. design within the highlighted areas all in one step, such as by molding through air by passing warm air through the fabric while the fabric is in contact with a patterned roller or other molding surface. Alternatively, the non-woven fabrics can be passed through a hot etching attachment point to reconfigure the non-woven fibers or the fiber layer. The use of a vacuum roller covered with a woven and engraved metal wire mesh fabric is particularly suitable for molding through air the nonwoven material in the desired surface pattern. These woven and engraved metal wire mesh fabrics are essentially similar to woven and engraved metal wire mesh fabrics used to cover distributor hub rolls, which are well known in the art of making paper to impart watermarks to the sheets of paper. The non-woven fabrics can be molded through air to create the fabrics for making paper with air-permeable bottom surface textures, highlighted areas, and design elements which are particularly suitable for a continuously dried tissue.

In the development of the products and methods of this invention, it has also been determined that tissues, non-woven fabrics or papermaking fabrics can benefit from having highlighted areas, even without design elements. These highlighted areas can serve to build the volume of multi-layer products or roll products and can also provide attractive products by themselves.

Known methods well suited for making the non-woven base fabrics for purposes of this invention include meltblowing or spin bonding. Generally described, the process for making non-woven fabrics joined with spinning involves extruding a thermoplastic material through a spinning organ and pulling the extrudate material into filaments with a high speed air stream to form a random fabric over a collecting surface. Such a method is referred to as melted spinning. On the other hand, meltblown non-woven fabrics are made by extruding a thermoplastic material through one or more dies, blowing a high velocity stream of air past the extrusion dies to generate a curtain of blown fiber with Airborne melting, and depositing the fiber curtain on a collecting surface to form a non-woven fabric at random.

The presence of multi-component materials, such as bicomponent fibers and filaments in non-woven base fabrics can be useful for molding the surface structure. A bicomponent non-woven fabric can be made of polymeric fibers or filaments including the first and second polymer components which remain distinct. The first and second components may be arranged in essentially different areas through the cross section of the filaments and extend continuously along the length of the filaments. Suitable incorporations include concentric or asymmetric sheath-core structures or side-by-side structures. Typically, one component exhibits different properties to the other so that the filaments exhibit properties of the two components. For example, one component can be polypropylene, which is relatively strong, and the other component can be polyethylene, which is relatively soft. The final result is a strong but soft nonwoven fabric. Therefore, the bicomponent structures can be selected depending on the needs of the nonwoven or layered material, the layers of the nonwoven material of the nonwoven fabric under consideration. The sheath-core filaments with a thermoplastic sheath can be particularly useful because the heating and cooling of the non-woven material melts the thermoplastic material of the sheath from one filament to another in order to better fix the molded structure in place . Similarly, a first part of the fibers of the non-woven material can be thermoplastic with a melting point lower than a second part of fibers in the non-woven material, so that the first part of fibers can be melted more easily, and melting the second part of the fibers together in the molded form. Methods for making bicomponent non-woven fabrics are well known in the art and are described in the United States of America Reissue Patent No. 30,955 of the 4,068,036 Patent issued January 10, 1978 to Stainstreet; Patent No. 3,423,266 issued January 21, 1969 to Davies et al .; and 3,595,731 issued July 27, 1971 to Davies and others, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1, which includes the Figures IA and IB, is a plan view of the drawing of a papermaking fabric according to the invention, illustrating the contact surface with the sheet comprising a textured sinusoidal background surface and areas Circular highlights that surround a puppy design element. Figure 1 and the following figures, unless indicated otherwise, apply equally to sheets of paper as well as papermaking fabrics Figure IA is a cross-section of the fabric to make Figure 1 taken along line 1A-1A, further illustrating the texture of the textured bottom surface of contact with the sheet.

Figure IB is a cross-sectional view of the papermaking fabric of Figure 1, taken along line IB-IB, illustrating the elevational difference between the textured background surface of the fabric and the highlighted areas, as well as the elevation difference between the flat highlight areas and the components of design elements.

Figure 2, which includes Figure 2a is a plan view of an alternate incorporation of a papermaking fabric, similar to that of Figure 1, except that a single highlighted area and a design element are illustrated where the The highlighted area has a shape that is essentially similar to that of the periphery of the design element.

Figure 3 is a drawing of the periphery of the pet design element and the periphery of the highlighted area of Figure 2, more clearly illustrating its relative areas.

Figure 4 is a plan view drawing another papermaking fabric according to this invention, similar to those of Figures 1 and 2, illustrating a different textured background surface, a design element and highlighted area (SCOTT®) .

Figure 5 is a drawing of the periphery of the SCOTT® design element and the periphery of the highlighted area of Figure 4, illustrating its relative areas more clearly.

Figure 6 is a photograph of a woven metal wire mesh fabric in accordance with this invention which has been etched to provide a textured background surface, a highlighted area and a design element (pet) essentially as shown in figure 2. For this photograph and those that follow, the illumination was provided from the side, so that the depressed areas and highlighted areas are clear. The space between each of the vertical lines in the scale of the upper part of the photograph (and in the following photographs) represent u? millimeter. Woven metal wire mesh fabrics of this type are commonly used as components of dandy roller covers.

Figure 7 is a photograph of a non-woven fabric made with spun yarn made using a woven metal wire mesh fabric essentially as shown in Figure 6 according to the method of this invention.

Fig. 8 is a photograph of a tissue sheet according to this invention made using the dried cloth in continuous form of Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a photograph of another woven metal wire mesh fabric in accordance with this invention which has been etched to provide a textured background surface, a highlighted area and a design element (trademark name SCOTT® trademark) ) essentially as shown in figure 4.

Figure 10 is a photograph of a non-woven continuous drying fabric bonded with spinning made using a wire mesh fabric of woven metal essentially as shown in Figure 9 according to this invention.

Figure 11 is a photograph of the tissue sheet according to the invention made using the continuous drying fabric of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a method for making a nonwoven paper web in accordance with this invention.

Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of an alternate method for making a nonwoven paper web in accordance with this invention.

Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a method for making a non-woven fabric having a surface texture and / or design elements.

Detailed description of the Drawings; Unless indicated otherwise, the same reference numbers in the various figures represent the same characteristics.

. Referring to Figure 1, the invention will be further described in greater detail. Shown in a schematic plan view of the sheet contacting surface of a non-woven paper web according to this invention having a textured bottom surface 2 consisting of alternating sinusoidal peaks (solid lines) and valleys (dotted lines) ). Intermixed with the bottom surface are 6 circular highlighted areas 3, each containing a pet design element 5 defined by curvilinear lines for the contour of the body and tail, and a point for an eye. In this embodiment, the curvilinear lines of the design element are highlighted areas.

Figure 1A is a schematic cross section taken along line A-A of Figure 1, further illustrating the sinusoidal ripples of the textured background surface of the papermaking fabric of Figure 1.

Figure IB is a schematic cross-section taken along line B-B of figure 1, illustrating differences in elevation and texture between the textured background surface, the highlighted area and the components of the design element. In this case, the surface plane of the flat highlighted area is below the middle plane of the textured background surface and the design element is highlighted above the surface plane of the highlighted area.

Figure 2, which includes Figure 2A, is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of a papermaking fabric similar to that of Figure 1, except that a unique pet design element 5 and a highlighted area are illustrated. flat 3 where the highlighted area has a shape that is essentially similar to that of the periphery of the design element. The textured background surface has a sinusoidal pattern of alternating (clear) highlighted lines and depressed (dark) lines. In this embodiment, the highlighted area is above the median plane of the textured background surface and still with the surface plane of the textured background surface. The design element is below the surface plane of the highlighted area and below the middle plane of the textured background surface.

Figure 3 contains three drawings showing the periphery 7 of the highlighted area and the periphery 8 of the pet design element of Figure 2, more clearly illustrating their relative areas. The two peripheries are superimposed on the remaining figure. In this embodiment, the area of said highlighted area is around 144% of the area of the design element.

Figure 4 is a plan view of another papermaking fabric according to this invention, similar to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating a different textured background surface, a highlighted area and a design element (SCOTT®). Specifically, the textured background surface comprises an array of square depressions generally 11 (dark) with a highlighted square 12 (light) in the middle. The continuous area 13 between the squares 11 is at the same level as the highlighted area 3.

Figure 5 contains three drawings showing the periphery 7 of the highlighted area and the periphery 8 of the SCOTT® design element of Figure 4. The two peripheries are overlapped in the remaining figure. In this embodiment, the area of the highlighted area is around 190% of the area of the design element.

Figure 6 is a photograph view of a woven metal wire mesh fabric according to this invention which has been etched to provide a textured background surface, a highlighted area, and a (pet) design element essentially as it was shown in figure 2. For this photograph and those that follow, the illumination was provided from the side, so that the depressed areas are dark and the highlighted areas are clear. The space between each of the vertical lines in the scale of the upper part of the photograph (in the phytography) represent one millimeter. Woven metal wire mesh fabrics of this type are commonly used as components of dandy roll covers.

Figure 7 is a photograph of a non-woven fabric made with yarn made using a woven metal wire mesh fabric essentially as shown in Figure 6 according to the method of this invention.

Figure 8 is a photograph of a tissue sheet according to the invention that was made using the papermaking fabric of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a photograph of another woven metal wire mesh fabric in accordance with this invention which has been etched to provide a textured background surface, a highlighted area, a design element (the brand name SCOTT® brand registered) essentially as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a photograph of a non-woven fabric made with a yarn made using a woven metal wire mesh fabric essentially as shown in Figure 9 according to this invention.

Fig. 11 is a photograph of a tissue sheet according to this invention made using the papermaking fabric of Fig. 10.

Figure 12 is a schematic illustration of a method for making a papermaking fabric according to this invention. The papermaking fabric, the drive roller 16 are shown, the guide rollers 17, the tension roller 18, the pattern roller 19, the hot air knife or the air plenum 20 and the vacuum shield 21. The pattern roller is a vacuum roller covered with a cloth of woven metal wire mesh, which has been modified with a selected design. Particularly suitable means for providing the desired design are to etch the woven metal wire mesh fabric prior to fastening to the roller surface. In operation, the papermaking fabric 15 begins as a simple nonwoven fabric, a nonwoven laminated web, or a nonwoven web laminated to a woven web backing. The non-woven fabric, the non-woven web, or the nonwoven fabric backed by a fabric is passed over the patterned roller 19 and conforms to the patterned roller surface using hot air and vacuum. The temperature of the hot air is such that it is sufficient to soften the non-woven fibers sufficiently to conform to the surface of the patterned roller with the aid of vacuum. As shown, the fabric is a continuous circuit (web) so that any given part of the web traverses the patterned roller only once to complete the transformation. Then, the resulting paper fabric is removed from the rolls.

Figure 13 is a schematic illustration of a method for making a papermaking fabric as shown and described with respect to Figure 12, but with a further component comprising a press fabric 23 wrapped around the rollers 18, 24 and 25. The press fabric serves to provide additional force for shaping the non-woven web to the surface contour of the patterned roll. "A reduction in fabric tension 15 is also allowed.

Figure 14 illustrates an alternate method for making a modified nonwoven fabric. A roll 30 of a nonwoven material being unwound is shown. The non-woven fabric 31 is passed around the guide rollers 32 and the pattern roller 1. The hot air is applied as described above to form the non-woven fabric to the desired design on the patterned roller. The fabric tension can be controlled by a difference speed between the roller 30 and the roller 36 and / or by using the tension roller 33. The resulting modified fabric 35 is wound on a roll 36. To make the papermaking fabrics as described here, the modified paper cloth material is then unwound and cut to the desired fabric circuit size. However, this method can also be used to make nonwoven fabric components for use in personal care products such as diapers, for which the design imparted to the fabric by the patterned roller can be any design or texture and is not limited to design elements surrounded by highlighted areas.

Examples Example 1 In order to further illustrate the method of this invention, a rolled, spiral wound and flat nonwoven web was molded through air into a three-dimensional continuous drying fabric according to this invention as described in relation to Figure 12. The patterned roller had a textured bottom surface, a highlighted area and a pet design element essentially as shown in Figure 6. The three-dimensional sheet contact surface of the resulting continuous drying fabric is shown in Figure 7 The continuous drying fabric was then used to produce a continuous drying tissue base sheet according to this invention as shown in Figure 8.

More specifically, the nonwoven web comprised of a spunbonded web was made of bicomponent polymer fibers with a concentric sheath / core structure. The sheath material composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin Crystar® 5149 (from DuPont Company of Old Hickory, TN). The core material comprised HyperTUF® 90000 polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) polyester resin (M &G Polymers USA LLC, Houston, Texas). The ratio by weight of pod to core was around 1: 1. A non-woven fabric bonded with bicomponent yarn was made in a conventional manner using a forming head having 22 holes per 25.4 millimeters (mm) of face width, the holes having a diameter of 1.35 millimeters. The polymer was previously dried overnight in polymer dryers at a temperature of about 160 ° C. The polymer was then extruded at a package temperature of about 316 ° C with a package pressure of about 6.9 MPa for the core and around 4.1 MPa for the shell. The yarn line length was around 17 centimeters (cm). Cooling air was provided at around 1.2 kilopascals (kPa) and a temperature of around 68 ° C. The fiber pull unit operated at a temperature of about 175 ° C and at a pressure of about 09 kPa. The forming height (height above the forming wire) was around 32 centimeters (cm). The speed of the forming wire was. about 30 centimeters per second (cm / s). Bonding was achieved by using a hot air blade operating at a pressure of about 1.1 kPa and at a temperature of about 177 ° C by about 25 mm above the forming wire. The resulting spunbonded fabric had an average fiber diameter of about 35 microns and a basis weight of about 94 grams per square meter (gsm).

The fabric joined with yarn was cut from a width of about 43 cm to about 30 cm. The trimmed fabric was unwound, tensioned, spiral wound and laminated into a strip for making rolled paper in a flat spiral. Specifically, the yarn-bonded fabric was laminated between a hot air knife and a vacuum transfer roll operating at a temperature of about 216 ° C. The fabric was unwound to around 2.0 cm / s, while the construction band was unwound to around 2.5 cm / s. (pulled about 25 percent). The finished flat strip was around 9.3 meters in length and was cut to a width of about 56 cm. Due to the degree of overlap which occurred during spiral winding, the finished flat band varied between 3 and 4 layers in thickness.

The strip for making non-woven paper joined with flat yarn was converted to a non-woven continuous drying cloth with pattern by air molding the flat strip on a patterned roll which was covered with a wire mesh fabric of woven metal and was recorded with a pattern essentially as shown in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 6. More specifically, the flat strip was molded through air using a velocity of about 1.0 cm / s, .. { . a temperature of about 254 ° C and a differential pressure of about 10 kPa. A photograph of the continuous drying fabric does not. The resulting knitting is shown in Figure 7.

The non-woven continuous drying fabric was then used to produce a continuous drying tissue sheet according to the invention using a non-creped continuous drying tissue manufacturing process. In particular, a fiber supply comprising bleached northern softwood kraft fiber was supplied to a Fourdrinier former using a Voith Fabrics forming fabric 2164-B33 (commercially available from Voith Fabrics in Raleigh, North Carolina). The Kymene® 557 LX was added to the machine chests at a concentration of around 8 kilograms per metric ton of fiber. The speed of the forming fabric was around 0.32 meters per second (m / s). The freshly formed wet tissue was then dewatered to a consistency of about 30% using vacuum suction from under the forming fabric before being transferred to a transfer fabric which was traveling at about 0.25 m / s. (fast transfer of around 28%). The transfer fabric was a fabric from Voith Fabrics tl207. A vacuum shoe pulling around 54 kPa vacuum was used to transfer the wet tissue to the transfer fabric.

The wet tissue was then transferred to the non-woven continuous drying fabric described above, which was moving at a speed of about 0.25 m / s. A vacuum shoe pulling around 54 kPa vacuum was used to transfer the wet tissue to the non-woven continuous drying fabric. The wet tissue was carried on a dryer operating at an air supply temperature of about 166 ° C and drying to a final dryness of at least 99% consistency. The resulting non-creped continuous dried tissue base sheet had an unconditioned basis weight of about 36 grams per square meter. A photograph of the resulting non-creped continuous dried tissue base sheet is shown in Figure 8.

Example 2 In order to further illustrate the method of this invention, a tissue sheet was made as described in Example 1, except that a different three-dimensional pattern was molded through air in another web to make non-woven, laminated, rolled paper. spiral and flat according to this invention as described in relation to figure 12. The three-dimensional pattern is essentially as shown in figure 4 and in figure 9. The three-dimensional sheet contact surface resulting from the dried cloth in the form molded non-woven web is shown in Figure 10. The web was used to produce a non-creped and molded continuous dried base sheet of tissue as shown in Figure 11.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing description and examples, given for purposes of illustration, should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims and all equivalents thereof.

Claims (47)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A tissue sheet that has a textured background surface that contains a highlighted area that surrounds a design element.

2. A tissue sheet that has a textured background surface that contains a highlighted area.

3. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that the highlighted area is textured.

4. The sheet of tissue as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that the highlighted area is flat.

5. The sheet of tissue as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that the shape of the highlighted area is essentially the same as the periphery of the design element.

6. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that the shape of the highlighted area is essentially different from the shape of the periphery of the design element.

7. The sheet of tissue as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that the shape of the highlighted area is essentially circular.

8. The sheet of tissue as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that the shape of the highlighted area is essentially rhomboid.

9. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a plurality of highlighted areas wherein the center-to-center spacing of the highlighted areas is from about 1 to about 6 inches .

"10. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1 or 2, characterized in that the area of the highlighted area is around 3 cm2 or greater.

11. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1, characterized in that the area of said highlighted area is from about 125 to about 600 percent of the area of the design element.

12. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1, characterized in that the design element is engraved.

13. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1, characterized in that the textured background and the design element are engraved.

14. The tissue sheet as claimed in clauses 1, characterized in that the design element is a different color from the highlighted area.

15. A fabric for making paper having a textured bottom sheet contact surface containing a raised area surrounding a design element. -

16. A papermaking cloth having a textured bottom sheet contact surface containing a highlighted area.

17. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15 or 16, characterized in that it comprises a composite of a non-woven fabric and a non-woven fabric, wherein the sheet contacting surface is the non-woven fabric.

18. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15 or 16, characterized in that it consists essentially of a non-woven fabric.

19. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15 or 16, characterized in that the fabric is a nonwoven web.

20. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15 or 16, characterized in that the fabric is a continuous drying fabric.

21. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15 or 16, characterized in that the fabric is a forming fabric placed by air.

22. The fabric to make paper as such. it is claimed in clauses 15 or 16, characterized in that the highlighted area is permeable to air.

23. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15 or 16, characterized in that the surface plane of the highlighted area is greater than the surface plane of the textured background surface.

24. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15, characterized in that the design element is highlighted above the surface plane of the highlighted area.

25. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15, characterized in that the design element is depressed below the surface plane of the highlighted area.

26. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15, characterized in that the design element is permeable to air.

27. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15, characterized in that the design element is superior to the surface plane of the textured background surface.

28. The papermaking fabric as claimed in clauses 15, characterized in that the design element comprises an extruded material on top of the highlighted area.

29. A non-woven fabric having a textured bottom surface containing a highlighted area.

30. The fabric for making paper as claimed in clauses 29, characterized in that the highlighted area contains a design element.

31. A method for modifying the surface of a non-woven fabric comprising: (a) providing a patterned roller having a textured bottom surface containing a highlighted area; (b) contacting the textured surface of the pattern roll with a thermoplastic nonwoven fabric; (c) shaping the non-woven fabric to the textured surface of the patterned roller by pulling and / or blowing hot air through the non-woven fabric; Y (d) cooling the resulting textured nonwoven fabric.

32. The method as claimed in clause 31, characterized in that the highlighted area of the pattern roller contains a design element.

33. The method as claimed in clause 31, characterized in that the non-woven fabric is a continuous circuit.

34. The method as claimed in clause 31, characterized in that the non-woven fabric is in the form of a sandwich between the patterned roller and a press fabric.

35. The method as claimed in clause 31, characterized in that hot air is provided by a hot air blade or a hot air plenum.

36. The method as claimed in clause 31, characterized in that the patterned roller is a vacuum roller covered with a wire mesh fabric of woven and engraved metal.

37. The method as claimed in clause 31, characterized in that the patterned roller is an engraving roller.

38. A method for making a tissue sheet comprising: (a) depositing an aqueous suspension of fibers for making paper on a forming fabric, thereby forming a wet tissue; (b) transferring the wet tissue to a papermaking fabric having a textured backsheet contact surface containing a highlighted area; and (c) drying the wet tissue.

39. The method as claimed in clause 38, characterized in that the highlighted area of the papermaking fabric contains a design element.

40. The method as claimed in clause 38, characterized in that the papermaking fabric comprises a non-woven fabric.

41. The method as claimed in clause 38, characterized in that the papermaking fabric is a non-woven band id.

42. A method for forming an air-laid fabric comprising depositing a pneumatic suspension of fibers on a papermaking cloth having a textured bottom surface containing a raised area.

43. The method as claimed in clause 42, characterized in that the highlighted area contains a design element.

44. A method for modifying the surface of a non-woven fabric comprising: (a) providing a papermaking fabric having a textured background surface containing a highlighted area; (b) contacting the textured surface of the fabric to make paper with a non-woven thermoplastic fabric; (c) shaping the non-woven fabric to the textured surface of the fabric to make paper by pulling and / or blowing hot air through the non-woven fabric; Y (d) cooling the resulting textured nonwoven fabric.

45. The method as claimed in clause 44, characterized in that the highlighted area contains a design element.

46. A vacuum roller covered with a woven metal wire mesh fabric engraved with a textured background surface containing a highlighted area.

47. The vacuum roller as claimed in clause 46, characterized in that the highlighted area contains a design element. SUMMARY Textured non-woven fabrics, papermaking fabrics and tissue sheets made using textured papermaking fabrics may contain design elements placed in the highlighted areas which make the design elements more visible.