Patent ID: 7300552

Claim:
An apparatus for forming an absorbent paper sheet product comprising: a moving foraminous endless fabric; means for depositing a nascent web for said absorbent paper sheet on said foraminous endless fabric; a moving endless grooved pressing blanket for pressing said absorbent paper sheet on said foraminous endless fabric, said moving endless grooved pressing blanket having a void volume of less than about 1500 cm 3 /m 2 and grooves that circumscribe the blanket; a transfer cylinder, wherein said nascent web is located between said foraminous endless fabric and said transfer cylinder; and a pressing unit engaging said grooved pressing blanket adapted to urge said nascent web for said absorbent paper sheet on said foraminous endless fabric into engagement with said transfer cylinder thereby forming a nip between said foraminous endless fabric and said transfer cylinder, wherein no pervious member is interposed between said transfer cylinder and said foraminous endless fabric, said pressing unit being configured to create a peak engagement pressure of at least about 2000 kN/m 2 at an overall line load of less than about 240 kN/m, and wherein said pressing unit is configured to impose an asymmetrical pressure distribution upon said nascent web.