Bulky flexible paper and process for producing the same

Abstract

Produce a printing paper that offers sufficient bulk and flexibility by using a bulk-increasing/softening agent with a HLB of 6 or below, which is either a liquid or a solid with a melting point of 40° C. or below, wherein the agent may be an ester compound of polyhydric alcohol and higher fatty acid or a long-chain alkyl ammonium salt, and by adjusting the surface temperature of the paper during a preheating drying period (a period during a drying process before the temperature of a wet paper becomes constant) to at least 10° C. higher than the melting point of the bulk-increasing/softening agent.

What is claimed is  
     
         1 . A method for producing bulky flexible paper using a bulk-increasing /softening agent, wherein the surface temperature of said paper during a preheating drying period (a period during a drying process before the temperature of a wet paper becomes constant) is adjusted to or above the melting point of said bulk-increasing softening agent.  
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bulk-increasing/softening agent is an ester compound of polyhydric alcohol and higher fatty acid and/or a long-chain alkyl ammonium salt.  
     
     
         3 . (Amended) The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bulk-increasing/softening agent has a HLB of 6 or below and is either a liquid or a solid with a melting point of 40° C. or below.  
     
     
         4 . (Amended) The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the surface temperature of said paper is adjusted to at least 10° C. higher than the melting point of said bulk-increasing/softening agent.  
     
     
         5 . (Amended) A bulky flexible paper comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of an ester compound of polyhydric alcohol and higher fatty acid, and a long-chain alkyl ammonium salt as a bulk-increasing/softening agent.  
     
     
         7 . (Amended) The bulky flexible paper as recited in  claim 5 , wherein a surfactant is added to 10.0 weight-% of said bulk-increasing/softening agent or less.  
     
     
         8 . (New) The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said bulk-increasing/softening agent has a HLB of 6 or below and is either a liquid or a solid with a melting point of 40° C. or below.  
     
     
         9 . (New) The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the surface temperature of said paper is adjusted to at least 10° C. higher than the melting point of said bulk-increasing/softening agent.  
     
     
         10 . (New) The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the surface temperature of said paper is adjusted to at least 10° C. higher than the melting point of said bulk-increasing/softening agent.  
     
     
         11 . (New) The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the surface temperature of said paper is adjusted to at least 10° C. higher than the melting point of said bulk-increasing/softening agent.  
     
     
         12 . (New) The bulky flexible paper as recited in claim  6 , wherein a surfactant is added to 10.0 weight-% of said bulk-increasing/softening agent or less.