Apparatus and method for degrading a web in the machine direction while preserving cross-machine direction strength

A method for reducing the tensile ratio of a web by embossing and perforating the web comprising:

• passing a web through an embossing system, wherein the embossing system comprises a first embossing roll having embossing elements and at least a second embossing roll having embossing elements, wherein the first and second embossing rolls define a plurality of perforate nips for embossing and perforating the web;
• and
• wherein at least a predominant number of the perforate nips are substantially oriented in the cross-machine direction.

A method for reducing the tensile ratio of a web by embossing and perforating the web comprising:

• passing a web through an embossing system, wherein the embossing system comprises a first embossing roll having at least one embossing element oriented substantially in the cross-machine direction and at least a second embossing roll having at least one juxtaposable embossing element oriented substantially in the cross-machine direction, thereby defining a cross-machine direction perforate nip between the cross-machine direction elements for embossing and perforating the web;
• and
• wherein at least a substantial portion of the cross-machine direction elements have at least the ends beveled.

A method for reducing the tensile ratio of a web by embossing and perforating the web comprising:

• passing a web through an embossing system, wherein the embossing system comprises a first embossing roll having at least one embossing element oriented substantially in the cross-machine direction and at least a second embossing roll having at least one embossing element oriented substantially in the cross-machine direction, thereby defining a cross-machine direction perforate nip between the cross-machine direction elements for embossing and perforating the web;
• and
• wherein at least a portion of the cross-machine direction elements have cross-machine direction sidewall angles of less than about 20°.

A method for reducing the tensile ratio of a web by embossing and perforating the web comprising:

• passing a web through an embossing system, wherein the embossing system comprises a first embossing roll having embossing elements and at least a second embossing roll having embossing elements, wherein the first and second embossing rolls define a perforate nip extending in the cross machine direction for embossing and perforating the web;
• and
• wherein the first and second embossing rolls are configured to, and the engagement and alignment are controlled to, result in an element clearance that will achieve a non-picking clearance.

A method of embossing and perforating the web comprising:

• passing a web through an embossing system, wherein the embossing system comprises a first embossing roll having embossing elements and at least a second embossing roll having embossing elements, wherein the first and second embossing rolls define a plurality of perforate nips for embossing and perforating the web;
• and
• wherein the tensile ratio of the web is reduced by at least about 5% of the difference between the tensile ratio of the base sheet and 1.0.