US 5,269,983 A · Rubber-to-steel mated embossing

Abstract

A mated pair resilient and rigid embossing rolls are disclosed for achieving the advantages of conventional rubber to steel embossing, while avoiding the problems of conventional embossing approaches. In particular, a laser can be utilized to form recesses in a resilient roll such that the resilient roll receives protuberances of a rigid male embossing roll when the rolls are placed in contact. By providing recesses on the resilient roll, the pressure or force required for causing the rubber to flow around the protuberances can be significantly decreased as compared to conventional rubber to steel embossing. As a result, wear on the rolls is reduced, and smaller diameter rolls may be utilized, thereby reducing the cost of the embossing equipment. In addition, since less pressure is required to cause the rubber to flow about the protuberances, roll deflection is not a problem, and an embossed pattern can be imparted having a consistent, high degree of definition across the width of a web.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method for embossing a fibrous web to improve the bulk and softness of the web by passing the web through a nip formed by a pair of rotating rollers, wherein a consistent high degree of definition is provided across the width of the fibrous web and a large amount of force or pressure between the rolls is not required for forming the embossed pattern, the method comprising:

providing a first roll having a substantially rigid outer surface, said outer surface having a plurality of protuberances thereon corresponding to a desired embossed pattern;
and
providing a second roll having an outer surface formed of a resilient material, and removing selected portions of the resilient material from the outer surface of the second roll to form recessed portions for receiving the protuberances of the first roll;
placing the rolls in contact to form a nip between the rolls, with the protuberances of the first roll entering the recesses of the second roll as the rolls rotate together;
and
passing a fibrous web through the nip formed by the rolls to emboss without perforating the fibrous web.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rubber-to-steel mated embossing

Life of this patent

Rubber-to-steel mated embossing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7