Abstract: A method of making an embossed air-laid absorbent sheet product includes depositing a dry web of fibers on a foraminous support; compacting the fiber web; embossing the compacted web with a laser-engraved roll with a hard rubber embossing surface, the hard rubber embossing surface having a plurality of sinuate bosses radially projecting circumferentially around the laser-engraved roll to provide the fiber web with a functional emboss pattern including a plurality of continuous sinuate compressed regions extending in a machine direction of the fiber web, the laser-engraved roll being heated to or maintained at a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 300° F.; and bonding the fiber web.

Abstract: A moist wipe having a web of fibers stabilized as with a suitable binder, and the stabilized, dry web having an anionic surface charge not greater than about 1.2 meq/Kg. A cationic functional agent in an aqueous imbuement is added to the web which is partially adsorbed by the web and a portion of the agent remaining free. Because the anionic surface charge on the substrate is relatively low, there remains in the free aqueous medium a sufficient quantity of the functional agent deliverable to the surface to achieve the desired efficacy. The resulting web will adsorb a limited amount of the cationic functional agent in the aqueous imbuement, and thereby an adequate amount of the agent remains in the solution free of the web for deliverance to the surface, thereby obviating high loadings of the imbuement and the active functional agent.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing a multi-layer web product. A long fiber stream is directed around a rotating carding cylinder. Two combing cylinders are disposed adjacent the carding cylinder to comb a first web of long fiber and a second web of long fiber, respectively, from the carding cylinder. A first conveyor receives the first web from the first combing cylinder and transports the first web toward a layering point. Similarly, a second conveyor receives the second web from the second combing cylinder and transports the second web toward the layering point. A short fiber deposition unit is disposed adjacent the second conveyor and deposits short fibers onto the second web. At the layering point, the first conveyor deposits the first web onto the second web, with the short fibers sandwiched therebetween, to form a layered web product.

Abstract: A method of making an embossed air-laid absorbent sheet includes: depositing a dry web of fibers on a foraminous support; embossing the compacted web with a laser engraved roll provided with a hard rubber embossing surface having an embossing pattern with a depth of from about 5 mils to about 100 mils. The hard rubber embossing surface is biased toward a second embossing surface selected from the group consisting of the surface of a nip roll and a foraminous web support engaging a support embossing roll. The process further includes bonding the web.