In the preferred embodiments, a paper cushioning product is provided that includes: a sheet of slit paper having a slit pattern, the slit pattern upon expansion forming cells that include land regions that are inclined with respect to a plane of an unexpanded sheet; the sheet of slit paper being configured such that expanding the sheet of slit paper with said slits produces land regions that have angles of inclination from the plane of the unexpanded sheet, with said land regions alternating on a row by row basis in forward and backward directions such that the slit pattern upon expansion includes an alternating cell opening pattern wherein each row opens in an opposite direction from an adjacent row. In preferred embodiments, the product further includes at least one of a) said sheet of slit paper is extensible paper that is extensible in a machine direction in a range of at least 3% and/or b) said sheet of slit paper includes slits configured such that upon expansion the slit sheet paper expands into an alternating row expansion pattern.

In the preferred embodiments, a paper cushioning product is provided that includes: a sheet of slit paper having a slit pattern, the slit pattern upon expansion forming cells that include land regions that are inclined with respect to a plane of an unexpanded sheet; the sheet of slit paper being configured such that expanding the sheet of slit paper with said slits produces land regions that have angles of inclination from the plane of the unexpanded sheet, with said land regions alternating on a row by row basis in forward and backward directions such that the slit pattern upon expansion includes an alternating cell opening pattern wherein each row opens in an opposite direction from an adjacent row. In preferred embodiments, the product further includes at least one of a) said sheet of slit paper is extensible paper that is extensible in a machine direction in a range of at least 3% and/or b) said sheet of slit paper includes slits configured such that upon expansion the slit sheet paper expands into an alternating row expansion pattern.

A hierarchical sandwich core in the form of a honeycomb, i.e. having repetitive and periodic lattice materials. The sandwich core can be made up of a macroscopic honeycomb structure with sandwich cell walls having a mesoscopic cellular core. The longitudinal axis of cells of the mesoscopic honeycomb cell can be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cells of the macroscopic honeycomb structure. Alternatively, if a foam core is used having mesoscopic cells the shape of the mesoscopic cells can be made during the foaming process so that they are elongate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cells of the macroscopic honeycomb structure.

An article of apparel includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes a four way stretch material. The second layer, coupled to the first layer, includes an auxetic layer.

The present invention discloses a method of producing at least a pair of interlocking adjacent layers of a paper packaging product, the pair of interlocking adjacent layers being formed of a sheet of slit paper having a slit pattern, the slit pattern upon expansion, forming cells that include land regions that are inclined with respect to a plane of an unexpanded sheet. The method comprises slitting the sheet of slit paper with beveled blades that have a first wedge angle on one side of the blades and a second wedge angle on the other side of the blades, wherein the first wedge angle is wider than the second wedge angle to produce slits that upon expansion, produce the lands regions that have angles of inclination in a range for 50 to 85 degrees.

A patterned apertured web is disclosed. The patterned apertured web includes a plurality of land areas in the patterned apertured web and a plurality of apertures defined in the patterned apertured web. At least some land areas of the plurality of land areas surround at least some apertures of the plurality of apertures. The patterned apertured web has an Effective Open Area in the range of about 3% to about 30%, according to the Aperture Test herein. The patterned apertured web has a plurality of Interaperture Distances, according to the Aperture Test herein. The Interaperture Distances have a distribution having a median and a mean, wherein the mean is different than the median. The plurality of apertures include a first set of apertures defining a first shape and a second set of apertures defining a second shape. The first shape is positioned within the second shape.

A tilt steering assembly includes an adjustable steering column and a damper connected to the steering column for maintaining the steering column position relative to an instrument panel. A column cover partially covers the steering column and the damper. The column cover includes a lower skirt, a cover member partially closing an opening defined by the lower skirt and the instrument panel for the steering column and damper, and a seal member provided beneath the cover member. The steering column and damper extend through the cover member. The seal member is fitted over the damper and includes an opening sized to receive the column cover. During adjustment of the steering column, the cover member is configured to flex outwardly creating a gap for movement of the steering column and damper, and the seal member is configured to press against an inner surface of the cover member to close the gap.

A patterned apertured web includes a plurality of land areas in the patterned apertured web and a plurality of apertures defined in the patterned apertured web. At least some of the land areas surround at least some of the apertures. The patterned apertured web has an Effective Open Area in the range of about 5% to about 50%, according to the Aperture Test. The patterned apertured web has a plurality of Interaperture Distances, according to the Aperture Test. The Interaperture Distances have a distribution having a median and a mean. The mean is greater than the median.

In the preferred embodiments, the present invention provides substantially improved slit sheet cushioning products by advantageously combining novel paper properties with novel slit patterns for improved features and characteristics. In some illustrative and non-limiting example embodiments, cushioning products of the present invention can include, e.g., a novel slit sheet material in combination with extensible paper employed as, e.g., a cushioning pad or as cushioning within an envelope product, wherein the cushioning product can be substantially more resilient, but, yet, e.g., thinner for better utilization of space.

A method of producing a veneered element, including providing a substrate, applying a sub-layer on a surface of the substrate, applying a veneer layer on the sub-layer, and applying pressure to the veneer layer and/or the substrate, such that at least a portion of the sub-layer permeates through the veneer layer. Also, such a veneered element.