MXPA98008132A - Paper product laminated separates - Google Patents

Abstract

A relief paper sheet material having two sheets is provided. The sheets are joined so that there is at least one area of laminate material where the peel strength of the laminate in this area is greater than the peel strength of the laminate material in other areas of the laminate paper product. The laminated material is made by two narrow tolerance pattern rollers juxtaposed to form a contact point. Each pattern roller has radially extending protrusions which contact the periphery of the other intermediate pattern roller to its protuberances. The sheets are fed through the point of contact in face-to-face relationship and are embossed and adhesively attached to the other sheet by the radially extending protuberances. The laminating adhesive is supplied in various areas of the rolled paper product at a level that is appropriate to provide the peel strength preferred for this industry.

Description

SEPARABLE LAMINATED PAPER PRODUCT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention described herein refers to laminated paper products useful as towels, toilet paper, napkins and the like. Specifically, this invention relates to laminated paper products wherein the sheet of the lamination can be separated in a controllable manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Laminated paper products, particularly laminated tissue products, have been available for a long time to meet consumer needs for absorbency (eg, paper towels for cleaning spills), sanitary products (eg, toilet paper), and protection (for example, paper napkins). Over the years, these needs of consumers have directed the technique towards the optimization of specific properties in such products to meet specific needs. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,603,176 issued to Bjorkquist, et al., On July 29, 1986 discloses resins with temporary moisture resistance suitable for use on toilet paper so that the paper remains strong during use, but It easily disintegrates in sewage disposal systems. Similarly, US Patent No. 3,414,459, issued to Wells on December 3, 1968, describes a laminated compression paper structure, which has enjoyed wide commercial acceptance as a paper towel due to its excellent softness and absorbency and U.S. Patent 3,673,060 issued to Murphy, et al., On June 27, 1972 discloses laminated crepe paper products, which have improved softness useful as table napkins. While each of these different types of products can also be used to meet the needs of the consumer, best met by a product optimized for that need, only partially meet those needs to which they are not directed. For example, several paper napkins may require cleaning up a spill that could only be cleaned with a paper towel. Conversely, several sheets of paper towels may be required to provide the coverage area of a paper napkin. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide paper products designed to further meet the consumer's need. It is a further object of this invention to provide paper products that can be used either as a paper towel or as a paper napkin. Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide laminated paper products that have the properties of strength, absorbency and softness of a paper towel, while, at the same time, meet the user's area softness and coverage requirements. Paper napkin more easily than paper towels currently available. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention preferably comprises a laminated paper product having two external faces and comprising first and second sheets. The leaves come together in face-to-face relationship. Each ho a has an internal face oriented towards the other leaf and another external face opposite to it. Each of the two sheets comprises a region without relief and raised sites projecting towards the other sheet. Preferably, a plurality of raised sites of each sheet is adhesively bonded to the non-relief region of the opposite side. Alternatively, at least the portions of the sheets can be joined by interlocking the raised sites. The laminated paper product of the present invention also comprises zones of different release resistance. An integrity maintenance zone, with a peel strength greater than the peel strength in a separation zone, which allows the sheets of the rolled paper product to be partially separated while the rolled paper product remains a unitary article. A departure zone is also provided by allowing a user to initiate separation of the sheets. The invention further comprises an apparatus and method for producing such a rolled paper product. The method comprises the steps of providing two pattern rolls having radially oriented protrusions extending therefrom and juxtaposed in an axially parallel relationship to form a contact tip therebetween. At their distal ends of the protuberances of each roller, they are brought into contact with the periphery of the other roller. Two sheets are provided and advanced through this point of contact in face-to-face relationship whereby discrete relief sites are formed by the protuberances. Adhesive is applied to a plurality of raised sites according to the required peel strength for this area of the rolled paper product. Each sheet is adhesively attached to the other on the relief sites.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes that the claims particularly noted and distinctly claim the present invention, it is thought that it will be better understood by the following specification taken together with the accompanying drawings in which similar components indicate the same reference number, and: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the laminated paper product of the present invention, shown partially separated. Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the rolled paper product of the present invention taken along lines 2-2. Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the laminated paper product of the present invention taken along lines 3-3. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a particularly preferred embodiment of the laminated paper product of the present invention. Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the applicator rollers of the adhesive of the apparatus to form the rolled paper product of the present invention.

Figure 5A is an enlarged side elevational view of the point of contact between the rollers of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the adhesive applicator rolls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In general, the laminated paper product of the present invention comprises at least two sheets of paper. Preferably, this paper is thin, with a relatively low basis weight, commonly known as tissue paper. These sheets may be detachably joined, as described below, to provide the paper product of the present invention. As used herein, the term "detachably bound" means that the sheets of the present invention are bonded with a peel strength that is sufficiently large for the rolled paper product of the present invention to be used in its non-separate state. without separation of the sheet during use sufficiently that, if a user chooses at least a portion of the sheet can be separated by the user with minimal effort without destroying the sheets. It has been found that separable paper products can meet the needs of both a paper towel user and the needs of a user of paper napkins with an article. Specifically, when the product of the present invention is used in its non-separated state it has the strength, softness and absorbency of a paper towel. In the separate state, the product provides the softness and area coverage required by a paper napkin. Therefore, the laminated paper products of the present invention are able to meet the needs of both towel users and napkin users. Figure 1 shows in plan view a preferred embodiment of the laminated paper product 20 of the present invention. The laminated paper product 20 according to the present invention comprises two sheets 20T and 20B joined in face-to-face relationship. The laminated paper product 20 has three distinct zones, an integrity maintenance zone 50, a separation zone 52 and a starting area 54, and first and second longitudinal edges 51 and 55. As used herein, the term "longitudinal" is intended to describe a direction parallel to the long edge of a mesh of material that may be in the form of a roll as shown in Figure 4, and the terms "lateral" or "transverse" are intended to describe a direction that it is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The sheets 20T and 20B further comprise raised sites 22 projecting generally outwardly therefrom and preferably orthogonal thereto. The laminated paper product 20 is preferably composed of approximate cellulosic fibers by linear elements. The cellulosic fibers that are components of the rolled paper product 20 have a relatively large dimension (along the longitudinal axis of the fiber) compared to the other relatively smaller (mutually perpendicular) dimensions., and being both radial and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fiber) so that they approximate limearity. While the microscopic examination of the fibers can reveal two different dimensions that are small, compared to the main direction of the fibers, so that the other two small dimensions do not need to be substantially equivalent and constant across the axial length of the fiber . It is only important that the fiber be able to bend around its axis, be able to join other fibers and be distributed by a liquid vehicle or by air. The fibers comprising the laminated paper product 20 can be synthetic such as polyolefin or polyester, preferably they are cellulosic, such as cotton, rayon or bagasse linings.; and more preferably they are of wood pulp, such as softwoods (gymnosperms or conifers) or hardwoods (angiosperms or deciduos). As used herein, a laminated paper product 20 is considered "cellulosic" if the laminated paper product 20 comprises at least about 50 weight percent or at least about 50 volume percent cellulosic fibers, including but not limited to those fibers listed above. A cellulosic mixture of wood pulp fibers comprising softwood fibers having a length of about 2.0 to about 4.5 millimeters and a diameter of about 25 to about 50 microns, and hardwood fibers having a length of less than about 1 millimeter and a diameter of about 12 and about 25 microns has been found to work well for the laminated paper products 20 described herein. If wood pulp fibers are selected for the rolled paper product 20, the fibers can be produced by any pulping process including chemical processes, such as sulfite, sulphate and soda processes; and mechanical processes such as stone defibration. Alternatively, the fibers can be produced by combinations of chemical and mechanical processes or can be recycled. The type, combination and processing of the fibers used is not critical to the present invention. The fibers of hardwood and softwood can be layered through the thickness of the rolled paper product 20.

A laminated paper product 20 according to the present invention is macroscopically two-dimensional and planar, although it is not necessarily planar. The rolled paper product 20 has some thickness in the third dimension. However, the third dimension is relatively small compared to the first two actual dimensions or to the manufacturing capacity in rolled paper product 20 having relatively large dimensions in the first two dimensions. The laminated paper product 20 according to the present invention comprises a rolling mill material with two individual sheets 20T and 20B. A "ho a" is extracted from the forming element of a paper making machine as a single sheet having a thickness before drying that does not change unless the fibers are added or removed from the sheet. The basis weight of each sheet 20T and 20B may vary from about 4.05 kg per 27 square meters (6 pounds per 3000 square feet) to about 13.5 kg per 27 square meters (30 pounds per 3000 square feet), preferably about 4.5 kg per 27 square meters (10 pounds per 3000 square feet) to around 9 kg per 27 square meters (20 pounds per 3000 square feet). Each sheet 20T or 20B is joined to the other sheet 20T or 20B. It should be understood that each sheet 20T or 20B can be directly joined to the opposite side 20B or 20T or, it can be connected through an intermediate layer, if desired, interposed between the sheet 20T and 20B. As shown in Figure 1, the sheet 20T and 20B of the preferred embodiment of the rolled paper product 20 are joined in two described zones. The sheet 20T and 20B are securely bonded in the integrity maintenance zone 50. As the name implies, the integrity maintenance zone 50 is intended to maintain the integrity of the laminated paper product 20 when a user manipulates the paper product. laminate from its not separated state to its separate state. That is, the laminated paper product 20 must remain attached in the integrity maintenance zone 50 even after a user has separated the sheets from the separation zone 52. The sheet 20T and 20B are detachably joined in the separation zone. 52. That is, the user can manipulate the laminated absorbent article 20 from its non-separate state to its separate state by interrupting the joining means joining the sheets 20T and 20B in the separation zone 52. In the preferred embodiment of the paper product laminate 20 shown in Figures 1-3, the integrity holding zone 50 is located adjacent the first longitudinal edge 51 of the rolled paper product 20. In the integrity maintenance zone 50 it should only be as large as necessary to ensure that the sheets 20T and 20B remain reliably joined when the rolled paper product 20 is in its separate state. Applicants have found that a lateral width greater than about 0.16 cm (0.0625 inches) will provide reliable bonding. Preferably, the laminar width is greater than about 0.64 cm (0.25 inches). More preferably, the width is approximately 0.95 cm (0.375 inches). If the width of the integral maintenance zone 50 is very wide, the rolled paper product 20 is aesthetically unpleasant and less useful in its separate state. That is, much of the advantage of using the rolled paper product in its separate state can be lost. A width of more than about 1.59 cm (0.625 inches) has been found to be unacceptably wide. As shown in Figure 1, the separation zone 52 is located laterally intermediate to the integrity maintenance zone 50 and the departure zone 54. The width of the separation zone 52 is determined by the desired width of the paper product. laminate 20 since this zone 52 comprises the volume width of the rolled paper product 20. In the preferred embodiment 20 of Figures 1-3 the sheets 20T and 20B are joined at the relief sites 22. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the distal end 23 of an embossed site 22 projects toward, and can be joined to, the non-raised region 25 of the opposite foil 20T or 20B. The distal ends 23 can be joined to the non-relieved region 25 using the joining means 24 or 26. By controlling the relative spacing resistors of the joining means 24 and 26, the separation capability of the lamination can be controlled. As used herein, the term "separation capacity" means the degree of difficulty or strength per unit width needed to divide the laminate into separate sheets 20T, 20B. The raised sites 22 of each sheet 20T or 20B represent discrete regions of relatively high density, due to the compaction of the fibers that occur during the relief formation. As used herein, "embossing" refers to the process for deflecting a relatively small portion of a cellulosic fibrous structure normal to its plane and impacting the projected portion of the cellulosic fibrous structure against a relatively hard surface to permanently interrupt fiber to fiber joints. The formation of the relief results in a localized permanent deformation of the relief site 22 thus deflected. The relief sites 22 project in normal fashion to the plane of the sheet 20T or 20B and to the opposite sheet 20B or 20T. The raised sites 22 of the rolled paper product 20 are arranged in a non-random repeat pattern corresponding to the topography of the apparatus, discussed below, used to manufacture the rolled paper product 20. Preferably, repeat pattern tiles are placed. not random, so that the adjacent relief sites 22 are juxtaposed cooperatively and advantageously. Because they are "non-random", the raised sites 22 are considered to be in a predictable arrangement and can be presented as a result of known and predetermined characteristics of the manufacturing process. As used herein, "repeat" means that the pattern is formed more than once in the rolled paper product 20. For being "discrete" adjacent embossed sites 22 are non-contiguous. As used herein the region without relief 25"essentially continuous" extends substantially through the fibrous structure in one or both of its principal directions. The region that is not essentially continuous relief 25 has a lower density than the relief sites 22, since the region that is not essentially continuous relief is not compacted in the relief formation process. The density of the essentially continuous non-relief region approximates the density of discrete relief sites 22 before being embossed. The above discussion is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention solely to the embodiments in which the raised sites 22 join the non-raised regions 25 to form the laminated paper structure 20 of the present invention. For example, the sheets 20T and 20B could be joined at the matched distal surfaces 23 of the raised sites 22 as taught in US Patent No. 3,414,459 entitled "Compressible Laminated Paper Structure" which was issued to Wells on December 3, 1968 , the description of the patent is incorporated herein for reference. The embodiments in which the sheets 20T and 20B are joined in the separation zone 52 only by mechanical intertracking of the raised sites 22 are also considered part of the scope of the present invention. Other means for joining sheets 20T and 20B that do not require embossed sites, such as by adhesive strips or other means as might be familiar to those skilled in the art, are also provided. The sheets 20T and 20B are joined using bonding means 24 and 26. The integrity bonding means 24 is intended to ensure that the rolled paper product 20 remains a unitary article when the sheets 20T and 20B have to be partially separated. by a user. As used herein, the term "unitary article" means an article that remains a coordinated entity even though the elements comprising the article are manipulated by a user to a different state from the state in which the article was when it was received by the user. That is, the integrity joining means 24 is intended to ensure that a user does not divide the rolled paper product 20 into individual sheets 20T and 20B when handled from its non-separate state to its separate state. The separable attachment means 26 is intended to keep the rolled paper product 20 in its non-separate state until it is intentionally handled by a user in its separate state. As is obvious to one skilled in the rolling art, integrity joining means 24 will necessarily have a greater separation strength than separable joining means 26. As used herein, the term "peel strength" means the force per unit width required to separate sheets 20T and 20B when tested using a standard method number of ASTM D 1876-72- "Standard Test Method for Peel Resistance of Adhesives (T-Peel Test)", the description of the which is incorporated herein by reference. The following establishment conditions should be used with respect to this test: Test specimen: Use a test specimen 7.62 cm (3 inches) wide instead of 2.54 cm (1 inch). Cut the test specimen in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the orientation of the integrity maintenance zone 50.

Ensure that the test specimen is free of any creases, perforations and the like that may lead to resistance to misfiring. Use a previously separated part of 3.81 cm (1.5 inches) instead of the unbonded end of 7.62 cm (3 inches) described in the ASTM method. Separation length test: 15.24 cm (6 inches) instead of 12.7 cm (5 inches). Head speed: 50.8 cm per minute (20 inches) instead of 25.4 cm per minute (10 inches). Number of test specimens per sample: 4 instead of 10. Report the separation resistance in grams per centimeter (per inch). Applicants have found that the peel strength for the integrity bonding means 24 should be at least 4 grams per centimeter (10 grams per inch). Preferably, the separation resistance is at least about 12 grams per centimeter (30 grams per inch) and more preferably the separation resistance is greater than the tensile strength of a single 20T or 20B sheet so that one sheet fails as soon as at tension instead of failure of the joining means 24. Similarly, the peel strength in the separation zone 52 must have a minimum value. If not, the rolled paper product 20 will be of sufficient integrity for good performance when used in a non-separate state. On the other hand, the peel strength in the separation zone 52 should not be too close to the peel strength in the integrity holding zone 50. If the peel strength in the separation zone 52 and the peel strength in the integral maintenance zone 50 is very close, users may have difficulty in reliably handling the laminated paper product 20 from its non-separate state or its separate state. It has been found that the peel strength in the separation zone 52 should be at least about 0.6 grams / cm (1.5 grams / inch) for integrity maintenance but not more than about 1.4 grams / cm (3.5 grams / inch) ) because the peel strengths greater than about 1.4 grams / cm (3.5 grams / inch) in the separation zone 52 makes separation 20T-20B unacceptably difficult. Preferably, the peel strength in the separation zone 52 is between about 0.8 grams / cm (2.0 grams / inch) and about 1.2 grams / cm (3.0 grams / inch). More preferably, the peel strength in the separation zone 52 is about 1.0 grams / cm (2.5 grams / inch).

The relationship of the peel strength in the integrity maintenance zone 52 to the peel strength in the separation zone is also important. If the ratio is very low, a user who handles the rolled paper product 20 in its non-separate state to its separate state, will not receive a tactile signal when the separation line passes from the separation zone 52 in the maintenance zone. integrity 50. If the signal is insufficient, a user could completely close the laminated paper product and keep the two sheets 20T and 20B, which while having some utility, could be less useful than the rolled paper product 20 in its been separate. It has been found that the ratio of the peel strength in the integrity maintenance zone 50 to the peel strength in the separation zone 52 could be at least about 3: 1. Preferably, the ratio should be at least about 10: 1, and more preferably the ratio should be at least 100: 1. The integrity joining means 24 and the joining means for separating 26 may comprise any means for joining two sheets of paper that are known in the art. For example, the integrity joining means 24 and the joining means 26 may comprise one adhesive or two different adhesives. Alternatively, the integrity joining means 24 may comprise an adhesive and joining means for separating 26 which may comprise a mechanical molding of the sheet, for example, striated or intermeshing of the embossed formations. In the preferred embodiment of the laminated absorbent article 20 shown in Figures 1-3, the integrity bonding means 24 and the joining means for separating 26 use the same adhesive material. A suitable adhesive can be used in the preferred embodiment of the rolled paper product 20, is polyvinyl alcohol Elvanol 71-30G, available from E. I. DuPont DeNemours & Co. , Wilton, DE. One skilled in the art, using the desired peel strength and tensile strength properties of the 20T and 20B can determine the levels of suitable adhesive solids to provide the desired peel strength to each of the integral holding zones. and the separation zone 52. Alternatively, an adhesive formulation having a single level of solids could be used and different amounts may be applied to the integrity maintenance zone 50 and to the separation zone 52. For example, an engraved roller that has cell patterns (i.e., cell density or cell volume) suitable for supplying an appropriate volume of adhesive solution to each of the integrity maintenance zones 50 and the separation zone 52 could be used for this purpose. Other adhesive means such as hot melt adhesives which can be applied by spraying or printing are also suitable. The laminated paper product 20 of the present invention further comprises a starting area 54. A user can initiate the separation of the sheets 20T and 20B by holding one of the individual sheets 20T and 20B in the starting area 54 between the inch finger and the front finger of your right hand and the other blade 20B or 20T in the starting area 54 between the thumb and fore finger of your left hand and pull it gently when you push it away. In other words, the starting zone 54 allows a user to handle rolled paper products from their non-separate state to their separate state. The structure of the starting area 54 is shown more clearly in Figure 3. As can be seen in Figure 3, the sheet 20T and 20B are not joined in the starting area 54, at least in the row of the sites in relief that is adjacent to the second longitudinal edge 55. The number of rows at the relief sites 22 where the sheets are not joined will depend on the pattern chosen for the relief sites 22 and the desired width of the starting area 54. Starting area 54 only needs to be inserted as wide as necessary for a user to reliably hold each individual sheet 20T and 20B to separate the sheet. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the starting zone 54 is less than about 1.91 cm (0.75 inches) and greater than about 0.64 cm (0.25 inches) wide. Preferably, the starting area 54 is approximately 1.27 cm wide (0.5 inches). In a particularly preferred embodiment, the laminated paper product 20 further comprises a laminated mesh 30 which is supplied to a user wound on a roller. The mesh 30 is further divided into individual sheets 35 by lines of weakness 37. This particularly preferred embodiment is shown in Figure 4. To use the particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 4 a user can hold the mesh in each side of that line of weakness 37 that determines a number of sheets 35 that the user wishes to dispense from the mesh. The sheets 35 can be easily dissociated from the mesh 30 by pulling along the line of weakness 37. Once the sheets 35 have dissociated from the mesh they can be used as desired. For example, dissociated sheets 35 may be used in their attached state for tasks such as spillage, usually performed using paper towels. Alternatively, the dissociated sheets 35 may be used in their separate state for area coverage tasks such as lap protection for which a paper napkin is normally used. The line of weakness 37 can be provided by means readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the mesh 30 may be provided with a perforation pattern wherein the surface areas of the perforation pattern join individual sheets 35 into the mesh 30. It is well known in the art that, when the 30 mesh is held and pulled as As described herein, the mesh will preferably tear along the perforation pattern surface areas. Other means for providing a line of weakness 37, such as dial lines or laser cut lines are also contemplated. While in the preferred embodiment of the present invention discussed above, there is a substantial change in the peel strength in the separation zone 52 and the integrity maintenance zone 50, other embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated. For example, the peel strength of the joining means joining the sheets 20T and 20B could be increased laterally through the rolled paper product 20 starting without peel strength at a location adjacent the second longitudinal edge 55 (equivalent to the area of item 54) at a maximum adjacent the first longitudinal edge 51. Such an increase could be described by a linear function of the lateral position, an exponential function of the lateral position or any function as desired. Figures 5 and 5a show an embossing / forming apparatus 100 which can be used to produce the rolled paper product 20 of the present invention. Referring to Figures 5 and 5a, in the embossing / laminating apparatus 100 according to the present invention, two pressure rollers 115T and 115B and two pattern rollers 110T and 110B are juxtaposed with the parallel shafts to form three contact points. The protrusions 130 of each pattern roller 110T and 110B are not recorded at the point of contact with the protrusions of the opposite pattern roller 110B or 110T, since it is presented in the relief forming apparatus from prominence to prominence (see for example , U.S. Patent 3,414,459 to which reference is made above). Instead, the protuberances 130 of each pattern roller 110B or 110T at the contact point are intermediate to the protuberances 130 of the other pattern roller 110T or 110B. However, significantly the distal end 131 of each protrusion 130, as illustrated in Figure 5a is contacted with the periphery 135 of the other pattern roller 110T or 110B intermediate the proximal ends of the protuberances 130 of the other pattern roller 110B or 110T. This arrangement not only requires that each protrusion 130 extends radially at the same distance from the periphery of its respective pattern roller 110T or 110B but also that the periphery 135 of the pattern rollers 110T or 110B at the proximal ends of the protrusions 130 They will be straight and of constant diameter. One method ensures the constant radial extensions and radial diameter mentioned above are further described in US Pat. No. 5, 294,475 entitled "Dual Ply Cellular Fiber Structure Laminate" issued to McNeil on March 15, 1994, the description of which is incorporated herein for reference. In this arrangement, an embossed site 22 is formed between the upper pattern roller 110T and the upper pressure roller 115T in each protrusion 130 on the upper pattern roller 110T. Likewise, a relief site 22 is formed between the lower pattern roller 110B and the upper pressure roller 115B in each protuberance 130 on the lower pattern roller 110B. In this arrangement, each sheet 20T or 20B may be joined to the other sheet 20B or 20B at the point of contact between the two pattern rolls 110T and 110B. The protuberances 130 of each pattern roller 110B or 110T deflect the distal ends 23 of the respective relief sites 22 to the midpoint of the extension of the non-relief region 25 of the other sheet 20T or 20B. In the finished product, each raised site 22 is adhesively joined to the other sheet 20T or 20B at its mid-point, by interposition of the sheets 20T and 20B between the protuberances 130 of the pattern rolls 110T and 110B and the periphery 135 of the proximal ends of the protuberances of the other pattern roller 110T or 110B.

After the raised sites 22 are formed between the pattern roller 110T and 110B and the pressure roller 115T or 115B, the relief sites 22 of each sheet 20T or 20B are coated with adhesive from the respective adhesive applicator rolls. 120T and 120B. Only raised sites 22 extending radially outward beyond the non-raised region 25 of sheets 20T and 20B are coated with adhesive, since these are the only areas of sheets 20T and 20B that are laid in contact with adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B. The adhesion bond between the sheets 20T and 20B is presented at each relief site 22, since the application of the adhesive and the sheet compression 20T or 20B against the other sheet 20B or 20T is coincident with the application of the site adhesive in relief 22. As shown in Figure 6, the adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B are provided with discrete areas 150, 152, and 154 where the level of adhesive applied differs according to the requirements for peel strength. corresponding areas 50, 52 and 54 of the rolled paper product 20. That is, the adhesive is applied to the integrity zone 50 of laminated paper product 20 by the adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B in the integrity zone of the applicator 150 at the level that ensures that the peel strength requirements for the integrity maintenance zone 50 of the rolled paper product 20 discussed above are met. Similarly, the adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B in the separation zone of the applicator 152 apply the appropriate amount of adhesive to the separation zone 52 of the rolled paper product 20. Obviously from the description of the starting area 54 above, the adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B do not apply adhesive to the sheets 20T and 20B in the starting area of the applicator 154. Appropriate levels of adhesive can be supplied to several different areas of the adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B in many ways. The applicator rollers 120T and 120B may be transfer rollers which provide adhesives to the relief sites 22 from the individual anilox or gravure rolls (not shown) for each zone 150 and 152 where the individual or anilox engraving has cells of So that the appropriate amount of the adhesive is applied to the applicator rolls so that the peel strength requirements for the corresponding area of the rolled paper product are met. Preferably, the adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B are gravel or anilox rolls. More preferably the adhesive applicator rolls 120T and 120B have separate adhesive supply sources so that the adhesive is applied in the integrity zone of the applicator 150 and the adhesive is applied in the separation zone of the applicator 152. Alternatively, each applicator roll 120T and 120B has a single source of adhesive supply and the rollers are taxed so that the integrity zone of the applicator 150 distributes more adhesive to the taxed sites and the embossed sites 22 in the integrity maintenance zone 50 of the product of laminated paper 20 in the area of separation of the applicator 152 supplies the relief sites 22 in the separation zone 52 of the rolled paper product 20. If desired one of the adhesive applicator rolls 120T or 120B can be omitted, as long as the adhesive is present on the relief sites 22 originating from only one of the sheets 22T or 22B. The resulting cellulosic fibrous structure 20 has both raised sites 22 which adhesively bond both sheets 20T and 20B and embossed sites 22 that do not bond adhesively to the other sheet 20T or 20B. When using the apparatus of the present invention, it is desired that the adhesive bonding the sheets 20T and 20B be present while each raised site 22 is the maximum formation through the protuberances 130. By adhesively enclosing the sheets 20T and 20B in a place coinciding with the maximum deformation of the embossed sites 22, a more padded feeling appearance is created in the region not in relief 25 intermediate to the relief sites 22. As noted above, the alternative means to apply adhesive to join the sheets 20T and 20B are also contemplated. For example, a strip of hot melt adhesive may be used, as described in US Patent 5,143,776 entitled "Tissue Laminates Having Adhesively Joined Tissue Laminae" issued to Givens on September 1, 1992 (the description of this patent shall be incorporated. here for reference) to join the sheets 20T and 20B in the integrity maintenance zone 50 of the rolled paper product 20. It is further contemplated that a plurality of nozzles such as those described in the Givens patent referred to above , they are laterally dispersed across the transverse width of one of the sheets 20T or 20B, varying the amount of adhesive supplied to the sheets depending on the lateral location of the nozzle, could provide the appropriate amount of adhesive both to the maintenance area of integrity 50 the separation zone 52 of the rolled paper product 20. The descriptions of all the patent applications patent (and any patents issued thereon, as well as corresponding published foreign patent application) and publications mentioned through this description are incorporated herein by reference. However, it is not expressly admitted that none of the documents incorporated herein for reference teach or describe the present invention. While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it may be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended to cover in the appended claims all changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims (12)

1. A laminated paper product useful as towels, toilet paper, napkins and the like, the paper product is characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of sheets of paper, for one such sheet having at least one surface opposite to a surface of another sheet; each of the opposed surfaces is divided into at least two portions, portions of the opposite surfaces are joined to form a sheet material of such a sheet, wherein each of the joined portions are joined using a lamination adhesive; each of the joined portions also has a peel strength, wherein one of the peel strengths is greater than the rest of the peel strengths.

2. The laminated paper product according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of the peel strength of the bonded portion to the peel strength greater than the peel strength of the remaining bonded portions is at least about 3. :1.

3. The laminated paper product according to claim 2, characterized in that the portion joined with the higher peel strength is bonded using a lamination adhesive on a first level and the remaining joined portions are bonded using a different lamination adhesive. levels; where the first level is greater than the different levels.

4. The laminated paper product according to claim 2, characterized in that the portion bonded with the peel strength is bonded using a first lamination adhesive and the remaining bonded portions are bonded using a second lamination adhesive; wherein the first laminating adhesive has a higher peel strength than the second laminating adhesive.

5. The laminated paper product according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion joined with the higher peel strength is bonded using a lamination adhesive and the remaining bonded portions are joined using intertwined relieves.

6. The laminated paper product according to claim 5, characterized in that the ratio of the peel strength of the bonded portion to the peel strength greater than the peel strength of the remaining bonded portions is at least about 3: 1. .

7. A laminated paper product useful as a towel, toilet paper, napkins and the like, the paper product is characterized in that it comprises: two sheets of tissue paper; each of the sheets has a surface opposite one surface of the other sheet; the opposing surfaces are joined to form a laminated material wherein: each of the opposing surfaces is divided into first and second portions, the first portion of the opposing surfaces is joined in the first portion of the other of the opposite surfaces using an adhesive of lamination to form an integrity maintenance zone, and the second portion of each opposite surface is joined using a lamination adhesive to form a separation zone, wherein each of the zones has a different peel strength and resistance to separation. detachment in the integrity maintenance zone is greater than the detachment resistance in the separation zone; the laminated material is also a mesh that is wound on a roll to be dispensed by a user, where the mesh can be separated into individual sheets along the lines of weakness of the mesh.

8. The laminated paper product according to claim 7 characterized in that the ratio of the peel strength of the integrity maintenance zone to the peel strength of the separation zone is at least about 3: 1.

9. The laminated paper product according to claim 7, characterized in that the integrity maintenance zone is formed using a first lamination adhesive and the separation zone is formed using a second lamination adhesive.

10. The laminated paper product according to claim 7, characterized in that the laminated paper product has first and second opposite longitudinal edges, the integrity maintenance zone lies adjacent to the first longitudinal edge and the laminated paper product is further provided with a starting area lying adjacent to the second longitudinal edge, where the sheets do not join in the starting area and the separation zone lies between the integrity maintenance zone and the departure zone.

11. A laminated paper product useful as a towel, toilet paper, napkins and the like, the paper product is characterized in that it comprises: two sheets of tissue paper; each sheet has first and second opposite longitudinal edges and one surface opposite a surface of the other sheet; the opposing surfaces are joined to form a laminate where the laminate has a peel strength and such peel strength increases with the lateral position between the first and second longitudinal edges.

12. A method for producing a laminated paper product having areas of different peel strengths, the method characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing two pattern rolls having radially oriented protuberances having distal ends extending therebetween and juxtaposed in an axial relationship parallel to form a point of contact between them, wherein the distal ends of the protuberances of each of the rollers come into contact with the periphery of the other roll forming the contact point; provide two sheets of paper; advancing the sheets through the point of contact in a face-to-face relationship where the discrete relief sites are formed by the protuberances; applying adhesive to each of the raised sites in a predetermined pattern to define such zones, wherein the type or amount of the adhesive applied to the raised sites in each of the zones defines the peel strength in this area; and adhesively attaching one of the sheets to the other of the sheets at the raised sites to form the laminated paper product having areas of different peel strength.