WO2008092811A1

WO2008092811A1 - A single-use multi-ply tablecloth

Info

Publication number: WO2008092811A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/050896
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrea Bernacchi
Original assignee: Celtex S.P.A.
Priority date: 2007-01-30
Filing date: 2008-01-25
Publication date: 2008-08-07
Also published as: ITBO20070058A1

Abstract

The single-use tablecloth is made of a plurality of layers of different and soft materials superposed on one another and fixed to one another. In particular, the tablecloth (10) comprises: at least a bottom layer (1) of paper material, destined to be located in contact with a rest surface for the tablecloth (10); a waterproofing intermediatelayer (2), made of a material which is impermeable to liquids and fixed to an upper surface (1a) of the bottom layer; at least an upper layer (3, 4) of absorbent paper material, fixed to the upper surface (2a) of the waterproofing layer (2) and receiving and absorbing liquids spilt during use of the tablecloth (10).

Description

A SINGLE-USE MULTI-PLY TABLECLOTH

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the technical sector of production of single-use articles made of paper and similar materials, such as for example tablecloths, napkins, paper tissues, towels.

In particular, the invention relates to a new structure for single-use tablecloths.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known that the above-cited single-use articles are normally realised using two or more layers of paper glued to one another. The paper used for this purpose is usually of a tissue type, subjected to an embossing process.

As is known, embossing consists in a permanent deformation impressed by special embossing rollers on an originally-smooth sheet of paper, to obtain reliefs distributed according to a predetermined pattern or design which renders the surface of the sheet crumpled or corrugated.

Thereafter, points of glue are applied on one of the sheets, the points being located at the crests of the reliefs, using an applicator roller working tangentially to the embossing roller with appropriate adjustment and rotating in a counter-rotating direction to the embossing roller. The two or more sheets which are destined to constitute the corresponding layers of the article are coupled according to a predetermined joining design, according to which the points of glue of the first sheet can be joined, for example, to the tops of the reliefs of the second sheet, or to the valleys thereof.

The adhesive used for this operation is of a rapid-drying water-solution type and can be mixed with colouring substances: in this case, the glue points also constitute colour points which decorate the surface of the article.

Further decorations can be obtained on one or both the sheets of the most external layers by printing processes, generally performed before the embossing and layer-joining operations.

The type of the paper and the number of layers making up the article substantially depend on the use the article is to be put to. For example, for realising single-use tablecloths to be used for canteen tables, or in any case destined to receive food and drink, tissue-type paper is used, being highly absorbent and assembled in several superposed layers. This is to attempt to stem the expansion (even to and beyond the edge of the table) of any spilt liquids. It is preferred to use paper of a type that exhibits a certain resistance to traction, i.e. which before tearing will resist a certain level of traction.

However, even the highest-quality single-use tablecloths at present in production cannot prevent spilt liquids from dirtying the surface of the tables.

Further, when wet even tablecloths made using paper that is especially tear-resistant become very fragile and tend to tear very easily.

Paper having high tear-resistant characteristics is rather expensive; for this reason, retail prices of such articles are also high, which limits their availability on the market.

An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a single-use tablecloth which, apart from offering sufficient liquid absorption and good tear-resistance properties, is completely waterproof.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a single-use tablecloth structure the traction-resistant characteristics of which are substantially unaltered when the tablecloth is wet.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a single-use tablecloth which can achieve the above-described aims while maintaining characteristics of softness and being pleasant to the touch, as well as achieving good friction on the rest surface.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The above-listed aims are attained by a single-use multi-ply tablecloth comprising: at least a bottom layer made of paper material, destined to be placed in contact with a rest surface the tablecloth is to be laid on; a waterproofing intermediate layer, made using a liquid-proof material and fixed to an upper surface of the bottom layer; at least an upper layer of absorbent paper material, fixed to an upper surface of the waterproof layer and able to absorb any liquids spilled during use of the tablecloth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention will be made more evident in the following description of some preferred embodiments, according to what -A-

is reported in the claims and with the help of the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a single-use tablecloth structure in a first embodiment of the present invention;

figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a single-use tablecloth structure in a second embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figure 1 , and to a first embodiment of the invention, 10 denotes a single-use tablecloth realised with a superposed plurality of layers of soft material.

In particular, the structure of the tablecloth 10 comprises a bottom layer

1 , realised using embossed tissue paper. The bottom layer 1 constitutes the lowest layer of the tablecloth 10 and is destined to be placed in contact with a rest surface therefor, for example a table.

For the functions it is to be put to, the bottom layer 1 is preferably made of paper, not necessarily absorbent, but having good characteristics of softness and adherence, such as to offer good friction properties against the rest surface.

The tablecloth 10 further comprises a waterproofing intermediate layer

2, made of a liquid-proof material and fixed to the upper surface 1 a of the bottom layer 1. The two layers are preferably fixed together by gluing, according to known production methods of single-use articles of this type.

The waterproof material used is advantageously constituted by a sheet of plastic material, for example polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, cellophane or other materials having adequate physical and mechanical characteristics.

In the first embodiment, the tablecloth 10 further includes a pair of upper layers 3, 4 made using absorbent paper material and fixed to the upper surface 2a of the waterproofing intermediate layer 2 described above. The upper layers comprise an internal layer 3, located in contact with the above-mentioned intermediate layer 2, and an external layer 4, fixed to the internal layer 3 and destined to constitute the in-view upper surface of the tablecloth 10.

The type of paper used for both the internal 3 and external upper layers 4, in this case too, is an embossed tissue paper, and the two layers are preferably fixed to one another by gluing at the embossed points of one or both layers 3 and 4, according to known methods.

The embossed points can reproduce special repetitive designs or motifs, possibly coloured in known ways with the addition of ink in the fixing glue.

Alternatively, or additionally, the upper surface 4a of the external layer 4 can be print-decorated before its assembly to the above-cited further layers.

A second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in figure 2, includes a single-use tablecloth 20 made with a plurality of layers of sheet material in which a bottom layer 21 is made, as in the preceding embodiment, of tissue paper which is not necessarily absorbent, but which is provided with good characteristics of softness and adherence. A waterproofing intermediate layer 22 is included, made of a plastic material and fixed to the bottom layer 21. The second embodiment differs from the first due to the fact that it comprises a single upper layer 23 made of an absorbent paper material, realised with embossed tissue paper, fixed to the upper surface 22a of the intermediate layer 22 and possibly print-decorated on the upper surface 23a thereof.

In this case the multi-layer tablecloth 20, though exhibiting the peculiar characteristics of the invention, i.e. being waterproof, resistant to tearing even when wet, having good adherence to the rest surface and a pleasant feeling to the touch, is simpler and less expensive than the tablecloth 10 obtained by the first embodiment as described above. Naturally, the second tablecloth 10 exhibits relatively greater liquid- absorption characteristics.

The above is intended as a non-limiting example of the invention, and any modifications in the details brought to the phases of the methods and/or apparatus, are considered to fall within the protective ambit as described in the following claims.

Claims

1 ). A single-use tablecloth, of a type comprising a multi-ply structure of a plurality of sheet-like layers of soft materials superposed on one another and fixed to one another, characterised in that the multi-ply structure comprises: at least a bottom layer (1 , 21 ) of paper material, destined to be located in contact with a rest surface for the tablecloth (10, 20); a waterproofing intermediate layer (2, 22), made of a material which is impermeable to liquids and fixed to an upper surface (1a, 21 a) of the bottom layer (1 , 21 ); at least an upper layer (3, 4, 23) of absorbent paper material, fixed to the upper surface (2a) of the waterproofing layer (2, 22) and able to receive and absorb liquids spilt during use of the tablecloth (10, 20).

2). The tablecloth of claim 1 , characterised in that it comprises a single upper layer (23) of absorbent paper material.

3). The tablecloth of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the upper layer (23) is constituted by embossed tissue-type paper.

4). The tablecloth of claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the upper layer (23) is print-decorated on an upper surface (23a) thereof.

5). The tablecloth of claim 1 , characterised in that it comprises a pair of the upper layers (3, 4) of absorbent paper material, the upper layers (3, 4) comprising an internal upper layer (3), located in contact with the waterproofing layer (2) and an external upper layer (4), fixed to the internal upper layer (3) and constituting an upper surface of the tablecloth (10).

6). The tablecloth of claim 1 or 5, characterised in that the internal upper layer (3) and the external upper layer (4) are constituted by embossed tissue paper. 7). The tablecloth of claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the external upper layer (4) is print-decorated at an upper surface (4a) thereof.

8). The tablecloth of claim 1 , characterised in that the waterproofing intermediate layer (2, 22) is constituted by a sheet of plastic material.

9). The tablecloth of claim 1 or claim 3, characterised in that the internal upper layer (3) and the external upper layer (4) are constituted by embossed tissue paper.

10). The tablecloth of claim 1 , characterised in that the bottom layer (1 , 21 ) is constituted by embossed tissue paper.