# US 11,299,305 B2 · Sewn stack of absorbent sheets

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- Number: US 11,299,305 B2
- Document ID: US11299305B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/678,584
- Filed: 2019-11-08
- Published: 2020-03-05
- Granted: 2022-04-12
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-24
- Assignees: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Applicants: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
- Inventors: Julie Ann Paveletzke; Christopher Peter Olson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299305B2

## CPC

- B65B 27/08: Bundling paper sheets, envelopes, bags, newspapers, or other thin flat articles
- A47K 10/20: for piled sheets
- B01J 20/24: Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives
- B01J 20/28035: {with more than one layer, e.g. laminates, separated sheets}
- B42B 2/02: Machines for stitching with thread
- B42D 1/004: {Perforated or punched sheets}
- B42D 5/00: Sheets united without binding to form pads or blocks (processes therefor B42B)
- A47K 10/16: Paper towels; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)
- A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B42B: PERMANENTLY ATTACHING TOGETHER SHEETS, QUIRES OR SIGNATURES OR PERMANENTLY ATTACHING OBJECTS THERETO (nailing or stapling in general B25C, B27F; machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together sheets or signatures B42C1/12; temporarily attaching sheets together B42F)
- B42D: BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS

## Abstract

The invention provides a stack comprising a plurality of absorbent sheets stacked in facing arrangement. The stack is bound along its top edge by at least one line of stitches comprising a plurality of spaced apart stitch holes and a thread disposed therein. Individual sheets further comprise a line of perforations comprising a plurality of spaced apart perforation holes. The line of stitches and the line of perforations are such that there is generally a one-to-one numerical correspondence amongst at least a majority of the plurality of stitch holes and perforation holes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A stack of absorbent sheets comprising:
a. a plurality of absorbent sheets stacked in facing arrangement with one another to form a stack of absorbent sheets, the stack having a top edge and a bottom edge;
b. a binding disposed adjacent to the top edge of the stack, the binding comprising a plurality of spaced apart stitching holes and a thread disposed between each of the plurality of spaced apart stitching holes; and
c. a first line of perforations comprising a plurality of spaced apart perforation holes, wherein the quantity of perforation holes approximately corresponds to the quantity of stitching holes and the stitching holes and the perforation holes are vertically aligned with one another.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 1 wherein absorbent sheets have a basis weight greater than 10 grams per square meter, a geometric mean tensile strength from 500 to 3,500 g/3″ and a vertical absorbent capacity greater than 4.0 g/g.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 1 wherein the plurality of absorbent sheets comprises half-folded or quarter-folded absorbent sheets.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 1 further comprising a second line of perforations comprising a plurality of spaced apart perforation holes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 1 wherein the stitching holes have a first shape and the perforation holes have a second shape, wherein the first and second shapes are different.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 1 wherein the stitching holes have a round, semi-circular or oval shape and the perforation holes have a rectangular, square, diamond, oval, or linear shape.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 1 wherein the plurality of spaced apart stitching holes and the first line of perforations are both substantially linear and arranged parallel to one another.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 1 further comprising a backing sheet or strip, wherein the backing sheet or strip has a stiffness greater than the plurality of absorbent sheets.

### Claim 9

A stack of absorbent sheets comprising:
a. a plurality of absorbent sheets stacked in facing arrangement with one another to form a stack having a top edge and a bottom edge;
b. a single line of stitches extending parallel to the top edge of the stack, the single line of stitches comprising first and second spaced apart stitch holes and at least one thread disposed between the first and the second stitch holes thereby forming a stitch; and
c. a single line of perforations extending parallel to the top edge of the stack and spaced part from the single line of stitches, the single line of perforations comprising a plurality of individual perforation holes, wherein there is a one-to-one numerical correspondence between the stitch holes and the perforation holes, and the stitching holes and the perforation holes are vertically aligned with one another.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 9 wherein absorbent sheets have a basis weight greater than 10 grams per square meter, a geometric mean tensile strength from 500 to 3,500 g/3″ and a vertical absorbent capacity greater than 4.0 g/g.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 9 wherein the plurality of absorbent sheets comprises half-folded or quarter-folded absorbent sheets.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 9 further comprising a second line of perforations comprising a plurality of spaced apart perforation holes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 9 wherein the stitch holes have a first shape selected from the group consisting of round, semi-circular and oval, and the perforation holes have a second shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, square, diamond, oval and linear.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The stack of absorbent sheets of claim 9 further comprising a backing sheet or strip, wherein the backing sheet or strip has a stiffness greater than the plurality of absorbent sheets.

### Claim 15

A method of manufacturing a stack of sewn and perforated absorbent sheets comprising the steps of:
a. providing a plurality of absorbent sheets;
b. stacking the plurality of absorbent sheets in facing arrangement with one another to form a stack having a height, a length and a width;
c. providing a sewing and perforating apparatus comprising a first tine and a second tine; wherein the first tine is adapted to receive a thread and the first and second tines are adapted to be displaced in a vertical direction;
d. threading the first tine with a thread;
e. moving the first and second tines towards and through the stack of sheets, wherein the first tine creates a stitch hole and the thread is threaded through the stitch hole and the second tine creates a perforation hole; and
f. moving the sewing and perforating apparatus or the stack of sheets and repeating step (e).

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of cutting the plurality of sheets prior to step (b).

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of providing a backing sheet or strip and folding the backing sheet or strip over a first end of the stack.