WO1990000363A1

WO1990000363A1 - Paper towel and a method for making the same

Info

Publication number: WO1990000363A1
Application number: PCT/FI1988/000115
Authority: WO
Inventors: Helena Huotari
Original assignee: Helena Huotari
Priority date: 1987-01-08
Filing date: 1988-07-08
Publication date: 1990-01-25
Also published as: FI870074A0; NO910084D0; NO910084L; FI79020B; FI870074A; DK3091D0; DK3091A; EP0428507A1; FI79020C; RU2023415C1

Abstract

The invention relates to a towel and to a method for making the same. The object of the invention is to accomplish a new-like towel and to decrease problems relating to washing and transporting of towels as well as to decrease healthy risks caused of circulating towels from one hand to another. According to the invention the towel is composed of a multilayer pile of paper elements (1, 2), wherein strip-like parts (10) are separated at least from the inner paper element layers between the outermost paper element layers by means of perforation cutting, and which strip-like parts are turned inside and/or through the pile of the paper elements (1, 2) to extend partially outside the outer surface of at least one of the outermost paper element layers (1) of the pile of the paper elements (1, 2).

Description

PAPER TOWEL AND A METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a towel, especially a paper towel to be disposed after use, and a method for making the same.

Previously there are known paper handkerchiefs both hand and face towels made of paper, disadvantages of which are, that they do not wear without breaking up in use for wiping or drying larger damp areas. So today body towels are made of durable and well water absorping materials, preferably of cotton or linen textiles. So they are ment for long lasting use, whereby they are washed after use and are stored for use afterwards.

The towel washing and storing do not cause in normal households a very great problem for the quite few number of towels. However, in leisure execises the problems of the towels become more remarkable; the dry towel must first carry to the place of the exercise and afterwards bact to home when it is damp, whereby to prevent dampning of other wares is needed a separate covering.

Besides households towels are used remarkably in different kinds of accommmodation and bathing firms, wherein towels are changed and washed atleast once a day. Hereby towel washing, transporting and storing problems both financial expences relating thereto are understandably quite remarkable. To washable and from one user to another circulating towels is related also quite great potential risk of catching and spreading diseases and infections.

As a first object of the present invention is to accomplish a towel of a new kind and a method for making the same, which towel would bu suitable to be used as a full-body towel, and which towel could be disposed after use when desired. As another object of the present invention is to eliminate completely problems relating to gathering, transporting both washing of the used towels. As a third object of the present invention is to avoid healty risks realating to the washable and from one user to another circulating towels. As a fourth object of the present invention is to facilitate accomplishing of a towel surface pattering, so that it would be possible to increase towel's maximal drying capacity, and so that it would be possible to realize each towel user's demands and hopes conserning esthetic appearance of a towel.

These objects can be achieved by the towel and by its manufacturing method according to the invention, characterizing features of which are prented in the accompanying claims.

The invention is based on that genious basic idea, that the towel is composed of a multilayer pile of paper elements, wherein perforations having a shape of an uncontinious periphery are formed into at least each paper element between the most outer paper elements, whereby remnats, having preferably a shape of a strip, separated from the paper elements by said perforations are turned or bent to extend at least partially outside the outer surface of atleast one of the most outer paper element of the paper element pile.

In a towel according to one advantageous embodiment of the invention the strips are turned or bent to extend only to one side of the pile and according to a second advantageous embodiment to both sides of the pile.

As a benefit of the invention can be mentioned, that the towel can be disposed after use, whereby is avoided collecting, transporting and washing problems and also healty risks. Benefits are also, that the effective drying area of the towel can be increased essentially larger than the area of a plane textile or paper towel having respective dimensions, that the towel can be manufactured fast, easily and above all economically, that a relief-like surface pattering can be varied without bounds by amending the shape of the uncontinious perforation made by a through cut, that the paper elements stay well in place, i.e. without moving apart from each other, because the turned or bent strips bind the paper elements together. Furher there is a reason to mention, that the towel according to the invention is very airy being hence extremely suitable also for use as a beach towel. Upon the durability of the towel can be effected by towel material selection, wherebuy it will wear more number of wiping during one use event. To the towel according to the invention is related also the significant benefit, that its marketing is easy, and that its potential export possibilities are nearly without bounds.

Invention is described in the following in an exemplatory way by means of its few advantageous embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein figure 1 presents as a perspective wiev a towel according one advantageous embodiment of the invention, figure 2 is a section of a part of the towel according figure 1, figure 3 presents as a perspective wiev in layers illustrated a part of a towel according to second advantageous embodiment of the invention and figure 4 is a partial section of the towel presented in figure 3.

The paper elements of the towel according to the figure 1 which are referred in figures by reference numerals 1 and 2 are of so called tissue paper belonging to crepe paper group, specific gravity of which is between 5 - 50 g, advantageously 10 - 25 g, and good features of which conserning a towel use are in tests found softness, good water absoption and duration against wear.

The towel illustrated in the figure 1 can be produced in the following way. Onto an advantageosly cell-structured base 2...10, advantageously 5...7, pieces of paper elements 1,2 are piled one on the other depending on paper elements' specific cravity either as cut to dimensions of a final towel or as a form of a band, whereby cutting to dimensions of a final towel is carried out afterwards.

Next perforations 11 having a shape of an uncontinious periphery are made through the paper element pile by perforation cutting- blades (not presented in figures), which are positioned to meet openings of the cell base. In figure 1 the uncontinious periphery is formed semicircle, whereby is achieved the benefit that the areas of the strip-like parts 10 of the paper elements 1,2 positioned to meet eachother inside the perforation are of maximum size. After the perforation cutting of the paper element pile the strips 10 of the same form with each other and sepatated by means of the perforation 11 from the paper elements 1,2 lying one on the other are turned or bent partially through the pile and partially inside the pile, whereby a part of them extends outside the outer surface of the most outer paper element 1. Hence the effectice drying area is of maximum size.

The turning of the strips separated from the paper elements 1,2 by means of the perforation 11 can be carried out in accordance with spirit of the present invention by several different ways: for instance mechanically by means of a pushing body, which can be monted for instance moveably inside a sleeve-like perforation cutting-blade whereby the pushing body when moving pushes a strip

10 first inside and through the pile; or for instance pneumatically, whereby the strips 10 sepatated by the perforation cutting can be turned or bent through and/or inside the pile by an air flow by using a suitable nozzle which causes a blow or a suction.

Further there is reason to mention that the cutting and the turning of the strip can be carried out simultaneously by a cutting-blade, which is closed and formed oblique at its cutting edge. Further can be mentioned, that paper elements 1 and 2 can be placed between two support parts, i.e. a base and a cover, which both are cell-structured and equipped with cutting-blades moving crosswise the paper element pile. Hence onto both sides of the towel can be made the paper element strips 10 which increase the efficient drying area of the towel.

As already mentioned above the towel according to the figures 1 and 2 is composed of paper elements 1,2, lying one on the other, in the towel according to the figure 2 there exist six pieces of these paper elements. Hence there are made several perforations

11 to essentially whole area of the towel and in respect to each other both side by side and one after another, perforations are separated from each other and own a form of an uncontinious periphery, i.e. in this example a form of a semicircle, whereby alike and aligned strip-like parts 10 separated from the paper elements 1,2 by the perforations are turned or bent through the pile composed of paper elements 1,2 onto one side thereof on one hand for binding the pile and on the other hand for increasing the efficient drying area of the towel.

It is a known fact, that the drying event is more comfortable to carry out by means of a dry towel. To achieve this it is advantageous, that the inner paper elements 2 of the towel are of more efficiently water absorping material for example of so called super absorpent and the outer paper elements 1 of material, which is more poorly or not at all water absorping, whereby absorption of dampness into the inner super absorpent layers 2 becomes more efficient.

As illustrated in figure 2 conserning the advantageous embodiment of the inventiononly part of strips 10 separated by the perforation cutting extend in a fan-like manner outside the outermost layer 1 of the pile of the paper elements 1,2.. Hence the towel is whole at the same time as the out turned strips besides make the towel very airy, soft and comfortable to handle also form onto the surface of the towel a relief pattern, wherein spaces between the strips 10 increase absorption of the dampness into the inner paper element layers 2 of the pile. In the second advantageous embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figure 3 the towel is composed of two outer layer 1 made of paper and of an intermediate layer 2 between the outer layers 1. In this embodiment the outer layers are both composed of punched paper elements 1, wherein the holes cover essentially the whole area of the paper element, and the intermediate layer is composed of one, as in the figure, or of several paper elements 2, wherein exist perforations 11 made by a perforation blade having a form of an uncontinious periphery, advantageously a part of a circle, which perforations separate from the intermediate layer 2 strips 10 ment to be turned or bent out, i.e. to extend from the outer surface of the paper element 1, through the holes 12. Each paper element of the towel in the embodiment presented in the figure 3 are made of same material, advantageously of called tissue paper belonging to crepe paper group, specific gravity of which tissue paper is between 5 - 50 g, most advantageously between 10 - 25 g.

The towel of this kind presented in figure 3 can me made for example so, that in one stage is punced paper band, which is ment for towel's outer layer, and in a second parallel stage to a second paper band, which is ment for towel's intermediate layer, is made perforations by a perforation blade having a form of an uncontinious periphery. Whereafter pieces, which are cut according to the dimensions of a final towel from the paper bands, are piled as can be seen from the figure 4 one on the other so that holes and perforations will essentially align with each other, whereby the punched paper bands are placed lowest both uppermost layers and the paper band with the perforations is placed between the punched bands. Then the strips 10 of the intermediate layer sepatated by the perforations 11 are turned or bent through the holes 12 in the outer layer outside the outer layers, whereby the strips bind the paper element pile. In the example presented in the figure 3 both holes and perforations are arranged with equal distances therebetween to the whole area of the paper element pile 1,2 and the strips are turned alternatively to the opposite sides of the paper element pile, whereby both sides of the towel owns strips 10 increasing both drying efficiency and efficient drying area.

The turning of the strips through the holes 12 existing in the outer layers can be carried out in accordance with spirit of the present invention by several different ways, for instance mechanically, whereby through the paper element pile is moved a pushing body, which pushes a strip first through the paper element pile, or pneumatically, whereby the strips 10 are forced to turn through the holes in the outer layer by an air flow caused by blow or suction.

The invention is described in the following only by means of its few advantageous embodiments, naturally this is not to limit the invention and as it is evident to a man skilled in the art the invention can be applied and varied very videly within the inventive idea and spirit defined by the accompanying claims. Hence the formes of the punching anf perforation cutting can also be others than the round opening 12, thev semicircle or any part of a circle which are descriped above. Advantageous forms are for example different kinds of polygons, lines of form both parts thereof. Further can be stated that a mutual orientating and placing of the strips on the surface of the towel made by the perforation cutting can be selected quite freely. Further there is a reason to mention, that the number of the intermeediate layers can vary within very wide limits, whereby the number of the intermediate layers is at its minimum only one and in its maximum even 10 pieces. As one significant feature relating to the invention can further be mentioned, that the outermost layers 1 and/or the intermediate layers 2 can be composed of paper bands bent to suitable dimensions, whereby for example the outermost layers 2 are composed of one single paper element band bent to surround the intermediate elements.

Claims

1. Towel, especially a paper towel disposal after use, which is composed of a pile of paper elements !,2) placede on on the other, and wherein at least from each inner paper element layer (2) between the outermost paper element layers (1) of the pile is seprated several, advantageously strip-like, parts (10) by means of a perforation cutting having a form of an uncontinious periphery, which parts are turned or bent in relation to the paper element layers (1,2), characterzied in that for increasing efficient drying area of the towel said, advantageously strip¬ like parts (10) extend at least partially outside the outer surface of at least one of the outermost paper element layers (1) of the paper element pile.

2. Towel according to the claim 1, characterized in that each perforation cutting separates a strip-like part (10) of same form from at least the inner overlapping paper element layers (2) of the paper element pile, and that said strip-like parts are turned or bent is relation to the paper element layers (1,2) so, that they extend alternatively to the opposite sides of the paper element pile.

3. Towel according to the claim 1 or 2, characterized in that paper element pile's each paper element layer (1,2) is made of tissue paper, specific cravity of which is between 5...50 g, advantageously 10...25 g.

4. Towel according to the claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner paper element layers (2) absorb water better than the outermost paper element layers (1), advantageously made of so called super absorpent.

5. Towel according to any one of the preceeding claims 1...4, characterized in that the outermost paper element layers (1) are punched, whereby the strip-like parts (10) separated by the perforation cutting fron the inner paper element layers (2) extend through the openings (12) of the outermost paper element layers (1) outside the outer surface of the outermost paper element layers (1) of the paper element pile.

6. Towel according to any one of the preceeding claims 1...5, characterized in that the shape of each perforation cutting (11) having a form of an uncontinious periphery is a part of a circle, a part of the periphery of a polygon, combination thereof or a line of a form.

7. Method for making a paper, multilayer towel, wherein atleast to each inner paper element layer lying between the outermost paper element layers is made perforation cuttings having a form of an uncontinious periphery, which separate at least from the inner paper element layers several, advantageously strip-like parts, which are bent in relation to the paper element layers, characterized in that for increasing efficient drying area of the towel each, advantageously strip-like, part of each paper element separated by said perforation cut is turned or bent in relation the paper element layers to extend at least partially outside the outer surface of at least one of the outermost paper element layers of the paper element pile.

8. Method according to the claim 7, characterized in that the paper element strips separated by the perforation cutting are turned or bent to extend from both outer surfaces of the paper element pile.

9. Method according to the claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the outermost paper element layers of the paper element pile are punced, and that the strip-like parts of the inner paper element layers separated by tha perforation cutting are turned or bent to extend through the openings in the outermost paper element layers outside the outer surface of the outermost paper element layers.