Patent ID: 7704341

Claim:
A method of forming a bonded web comprised at least in part of a polyester, said method comprising: arranging a first material web and a second material web in opposed relationship with each other at least along those portions of the first and second material webs to be bonded together, at least one of said first material and said second material being comprised at least in part of the polyester; transporting the opposed first and second material webs in a machine direction at a linear feed rate to the nip of a bonding apparatus comprised of a first bonding member and a second bonding member defining the nip therebetween for passage of the opposed first and second material webs therebetween in said machine direction, the first bonding member moving at a first linear speed and the second bonding member moving at a second linear speed, the linear feed rate of the first and second material webs being substantially equal to one of the first linear speed of the first bonding member and the second linear speed of the second bonding member; applying a shear force to the first and second material webs generally in said machine direction at the nip formed between said first and second bonding members; and mechanically bonding together the first and second material webs at said nip while the shear force is applied to the first and second material webs at the nip.