Sheet products bearing designs that vary among successive sheets, and apparatus and methods for producing the same

Abstract

A supply of consecutive associated sheets in which at least first and second sheets in immediately preceding and succeeding relationship respective bear first and second arrangements of one or more design features is disclosed. The first and second arrangements differ from one another in one or more respects such that the second arrangement is not a substantial replicate of the first arrangement. The design features form part of a design pattern having a repeat length in the machine direction greater than the average sheet length in the machine direction, and a repeat length in the cross direction greater than the average sheet width in the cross direction.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A supply of sheets comprising a plurality of at least partially separated consecutively presented, associated sheets, having a machine direction and across direction, in which at least first and second sheets in immediately preceding and succeeding relationship respectively bear first and second arrangements of one or more design features, the first and second arrangements differing from one another in one or more respects such that the second arrangement is not a substantial replicate of the first arrangement, wherein the sheets have an average length SL measured along the machine direction, an average width SW measured along the cross direction and an average sheet area SL×SW, and the design features form part of a design pattern having a repeat length RLM measured along the machine direction and a repeat length RLC measured along the cross direction, wherein REM is greater than SL and/or RLC is greater than SW, and the design pattern has one or more of the following attributes:
 the design pattern has no linear, continuous unadorned pathway along the machine direction that has a pathway width greater than 7 percent of SW; 
 the design pattern has no linear, continuous unadorned pathway along the cross direction that has a pathway width greater than 7 percent of SL; 
 the design pattern includes series of similarly-shaped design elements along tines that are neither perpendicular nor parallel with the machine direction; and 
 any image in the design pattern of all or a portion of a person, animal, anthropomorphic character or cartoon character including at least a head and/or face of the same, has an Occupied Rectangular Area of no more than 10 percent of the average sheet area. 
 
     
     
         2 . The supply of sheets of  claim 1 , wherein the design pattern has no linear, continuous unadorned pathway along the machine direction. 
     
     
         3 . The supply of sheets of claim it wherein the design pattern has no linear, continuous unadorned pathway along the cross direction. 
     
     
         4 . The supply of sheets of  claim 1 , wherein the design pattern includes series of substantially identical design elements along lines that are neither perpendicular nor parallel with the machine and cross directions. 
     
     
         5 . The supply of sheets of  claim 1 , wherein the design pattern includes an image of all or a portion of a person, animal, anthropomorphic character or cartoon character including at least a had and/or face of the same, that has an Occupied Rectangular Area of no more than 10 percent of the average sheet area. 
     
     
         6 . The supply of sheets of  claim 1 , wherein the value RLM/SL expressed as a ratio of lowest possible integers has a numerator of 4 or greater. 
     
     
         7 . The supply of sheets of  claim 6 , wherein the value RLM/SL expressed as a ratio of lowest possible integers has a numerator of 5 or greater. 
     
     
         8 . The supply of sheets of  claim 1 , wherein the calculated value of RLM/SL is equal to or greater than 3. 
     
     
         9 . The supply of sheets of  claim 8 , wherein the calculated value of RLM/SL is equal to or greater than 4. 
     
     
         10 . The supply of sheets of  claim 6 , wherein the calculated value of RLM/SL is equal to or greater than 3. 
     
     
         11 . The supply of sheets of  claim 10 , wherein the calculated value of RLM/SL is equal to or greater than 4. 
     
     
         12 . The supply of sheets of claim it wherein the value RLC/SW expressed as a ratio of lowest possible integers has a numerator of 4 or greater. 
     
     
         13 . The supply of sheets of  claim 12 , wherein the value RLC/SW expressed as a ratio of lowest possible integers has a numerator of 5 or greater. 
     
     
         14 . The supply of sheets of  claim 1 , wherein the calculated value of RLC/SW is equal to or greater than 3. 
     
     
         15 . The supply of sheets of  claim 14 , wherein the calculated value of RLC/SW is equal to or greater than 4. 
     
     
         16 . The supply of sheets of  claim 12 , wherein the calculated value of RLC/SW is equal to or greater than 3. 
     
     
         17 . The supply of sheets of  claim 16 , wherein the calculated value of RLC/SW is equal to or greater than 4. 
     
     
         18 . The plurality of associated sheets of  claim 1  in the form of a roll of consecutive sheets having a longitudinal axis, wherein the sheets are partially separated along separation lines parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the average sheet length SL is the average distance between the separation lines, measured along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The plurality of associated sheets of  claim 1  in the form of a stack of accordion-folded consecutive sheets partially separated along separation lines parallel to the accordion folds, wherein the average sheet length SL is the average distance between the separation lines, measured along a direction perpendicular to the accordion folds. 
     
     
         20 . The plurality of associated sheets of  claim 1  in the form of a stack of folded, separately cut consecutive sheets, wherein the average sheet length SL is measured along a direction perpendicular to the folds. 
     
     
         21 . The plurality of associated sheets of  claim 1  in the form of a stack of folded, separately cut consecutive sheets, wherein the average sheet length SW is measured along a direction parallel to the folds.