Patent ID: 7282108

Claim:
Method for producing a multi-ply web having at least three plies of flexible material, which comprises: bringing a first patterned glue transfer roll, having a three dimensional pattern of protuberances, in contact with a first glue application device; transferring glue to a first web shaped flexible material in a glue pattern of discrete glue sites corresponding to the configuration of the protuberances, the first web shaped flexible material being in contact with an impression roll during the transfer; bringing a second web shaped flexible material in contact with the glue applied side of said first web shaped flexible material; bringing a second patterned glue transfer roll having a three dimensional pattern of protuberances in contact with a second glue application device; transferring glue to one external side of the combined first and second web shaped flexible materials in a second glue pattern of discrete glue sites corresponding to the configuration of the protuberances of said second glue transfer roll; bringing a third web shaped flexible material in contact with the glue applied side of said combined first and second web shaped flexible materials in a press nip between a patterned lamination roll and the impression roll, said lamination roll having a three dimensional pattern of protuberances corresponding to at least one of the first and second glue patterns, wherein the glue pattern of said second glue transfer roll is applied, as seen in the thickness direction of the multi-ply web, substantially aligned with the glue pattern applied by the first glue transfer roll, and the lamination roll and the first and second glue transfer rolls are driven in registry with each other, so that the at least three plies of web shaped flexible material are pressed and glued together in a pattern corresponding to the aligned glue patterns, and wherein the first web shaped flexible material remains in contact with the impression roll when each of the second and third web shaped flexible materials are combined with the first web shaped flexible material.