Stack of interfolded absorbent sheet products

Abstract

A stack of interfolded absorbent sheet products comprises a plurality of absorbent sheets each of which is itself folded at least twice about axes that are perpendicular to one another. The absorbent sheets have an embossed surface relief of a predetermined pattern or design. Each of the absorbent sheets within the stack comprises at least one pair of panels sandwiched between a pair of adjacent panels of another of the absorbent sheets in the stack.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention relates to a stack of interfolded absorbent sheet products, and preferably, but not necessarily, to a stack of interfolded paper napkins bearing a predetermined pattern imparted by embossing or by formation by the Through-Air Drying (“TAD”) technique. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] In commercial food service establishments and public restrooms, folded paper products such as paper napkins are typically provided in dispensers from which the products may be withdrawn by the patrons of those establishments. Whereas the highest quality paper napkins are invariably “server-controlled,” i.e., delivered individually by a waiter or waitress, it is nevertheless desired to provide paper products in the user-dispensed application that are perceived as being of relatively higher quality. [0005] Interfolded paper products, and especially interfolded paper napkins, have the advantage that they can be loa...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The invention also contemplates the use of the novel stack of absorbent sheet products in a variety of dispensers. At present, a dispenser having downwardly-directed opening is preferred, in which the stack of absorbent sheet pro

Problems solved by technology

Paper napkins that are single folded only (sometimes also called “half-folded” when the fold bisects the napkin, or “off-folded” when it does not) have the disadvantage that, in order to achieve a given total absorbency, the basis weight of the unfolded napkin sheet must be relatively high.

The provision of plural parallel folds in a napkin has the obvious limitation that the napkin will have a relatively elongated shape in the direction parallel to the folds, unless the starting blank is cut to a relatively more elongated shape in the direction perpendicular to the folds.

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