BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many different kinds of additives are used in the manufacture of paper products.

For example, in techniques for coating paper, cardboard or the like, coating compositions may be used that contain one or several inorganic fillers, one or several binders and various additives. The goal of coating is to improve certain physical and optical characteristics of paper, such as but not limited to, gloss, brightness, opacity, capability for ink printing, smoothness and other properties of great commercial importance.

A composition for coating paper is generally formed from a filler which may comprise one or several pigments, one or several polymer binders and various additives such as, especially, a lubricant such as calcium stearate, a wax emulsion, or a fatty acid ester, and possibly antifoaming agents, and the like, as is lcnown in the art.

In another example, the paper manufacturing industry generally uses cellulose, mechanical wood pulp, or fillers, such as kaolin or chalk and rosin sizes, as the principal components for paper and carton stock. Papers often need"sizing", i. e. hydrophobing.

This is necessary in order to give writing paper proper ink resistance, to avoid "feathering". Similarly, printing stock should give a clear print with the best possible reproduction of contrast and with the minimum demand for printing ink. Also, for semi- manufactured products, such as base-paper for coating purposes, a limited degree of sizing is required to limit the degree of penetration of size-press preparatory solutions or surface coatings ; full sizing is not desirable in this case because, apart from economic considerations, it would lead to a repulsion or separation of the surface treating material.

There is therefore a distinction between full and partial sizing, e. g. half, quarter or one- eighth sizing.

The strength properties of paper and paper products include, but are not limited to, <BR> <BR> burst, tear, tensile, fiber bonding, crush strength, chemical resistance (e. g. , to water, salt, oil) and the like. For example, in the paper-making process, cellulosic fibers may be softened with water before being processed into paper. Fillers such as clay, titanium dioxide, talc, and calcium carbonate, are added to the papermaking process to improve paper properties such as opacity, brightness, and printability. Each filler is unique due to differences in physical-chemical and morphological properties. One example of a substance which will reduce linting or dusting is clay. Titanium dioxide is an excellent filler for opacity purposes due to is high refractive index and small particle size. Due to its hydrophobicity, talc is an excellent pitch/stickiness control. In addition, talc is an excellent filler for purposes of improving machine drainage, sheet smoothness and printability.

European Patent EP0026091 describes a hydrophobic filler for papermaking, particularly in the production of partly to fully sized paper or carton stock. The hydrophobic filler is used in conjunction with a wax-based emulsion.

US Patent 6,565, 646 to Lasmarias et al. describes a talc additive for use as a filler in making paper products which is useful in preventing dusting or linting of paper. The talc is milled to have a particle size of less than 10 micrometers and a cationic charge to the surface of the talc particles. For example, a cationic charge can be added to the particle by mixing talc particles with water to create a slurry and, adding a cationic compound to the slurry. In preferred embodiments, the cationic compound is selected from cationic wet-end starch, cationic wax-based emulsion, polydadmacs and carboxymethylcellulose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention seeks to provide an improved paper product and process therefor, by adding a suspension, such as but not limited to, a wax suspension, into the paper product at some point of the manufacturing process, wherein the suspension is used instead of an emulsion.

It is important to define clearly the difference between an emulsion and a suspension. An emulsion is defined as a dispersion of one liquid in a second immiscible liquid. One well-known example of an emulsion is milk ; another is certain kinds of paint.

A suspension, on the other hand, is defined as a dispersion of fine solid or liquid particles in a fluid (liquid or gas), the particles being supported by buoyancy.

Adding a suspension instead of an emulsion to the paper product may provide several advantages. Emulsions have to be stored at the site where the paper product is produced, and have a limited shelf life. The manufacture of emulsions uses a lot of energy and is relatively costly. In contrast, the raw materials for making the suspension are much cheaper and are much more stable. Production of certain water repellent suspensions requires heat. The suspension may be manufactured at the site where the paper product is produced. The excess heat of the paper production process may be used as part of the manufacturing process of the suspension. The heat source may be the excess heat of the production line in general, or the excess steam of the drying process in particular. Making the suspension at the site where the paper product is produced, and introducing the suspension on-line to the paper product, may provide significant savings in energy, storage, manpower, etc.

Due to its online production, the suspension is not sensitive to storage and/or storage conditions, such as but not limited to, excessive mechanical shear, pumping, excessively low or high ambient temperature, storage agitation, crust formation, particles agglomeration, and the like.

The suspension may be used to impart a wide variety of characteristics to the paper product, such as but not limited to, sizing, hydrophobicity, water repellency, water absorption control, scuff resistance, lubricity, anti-blocking capability, release capability, friction control, shear stability, softening, rub resistance, preventing dusting or linting, glossiness, brightness, opacity, capability for ink printing, smoothness, dimensional stability, thickness control, density control, mechanical strength control, and paper preservation."Preservation"encompasses any treatment with a preservative which reduces the rate of deterioration of the paper, compared to the rate of deterioration of an analogous paper lacking the preservative.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the paper product is made by adding a suspension of a hydrophobic (that is, water repelling or resisting, the terms being used interchangeably) substance to the paper product, such as but not limited to, paraffin, wax and the like. The term"adding"encompasses mixing, coating, dissolving, pouring, or any other action to make the suspension part of the finished paper product.

The suspension may be added to any paper or engineered paper product. The term "paper"encompasses, but is not limited to, paper, virgin pulp paper, recycled paper, recycled facing paper, paperboard, cardboard, corrugated sheet, carton, tissue paper, tracing paper and the like.

The suspension may be added to the paper in a variety of manners. For example, the suspension may be added to a slurry comprising the paper product, or may be added to a liquid feed stream that is fed to the paper product slurry. The suspension may be added as a wetting agent during or after production of the paper product. As another example, the suspension may be added as a surface treatment to make the finished paper product.

The suspension may be applied as a single additive, in combination with other additives, or as a carrier for other additives.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a method comprising adding a suspension of a paper-property-enhancing substance, such as but not limited to, a wax suspension, to a paper product precursor. The suspension may be added to the paper product precursor in a production line prior to making a finished paper product. The suspension may be manufactured at a site where the paper product precursor is produced. A finished paper product may be made from the paper product precursor.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention excess heat of producing the paper product precursor is used as part of manufacturing the suspension.

Further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the method comprises storing the paper-property-enhancing substance in a first storage container, storing a liquid in a second storage container, and forming the suspension by dispersing the paper-property-enhancing substance in the liquid in a mixing device. The suspension may be added directly from the mixing device to the paper product precursor.

Alternatively, the suspension may be fed from the mixing device to an auxiliary mixing device, and the suspension is added from the auxiliary mixing device to the paper product precursor.

Still further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the method comprises controlling flow of the suspension to the paper product precursor with a control feeder valve.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the method comprises producing and adding the suspension to the paper product precursor in a production line, wherein the production line and the control feeder valve operate in a closed control loop.

Further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the suspension of the paper-property-enhancing substance enhances at least one of the following properties: sizing, hydrophobicity, water repellency, water absorption control, scuff resistance, lubricity, anti-blocking capability, release capability, friction control, shear stability, softening, rub resistance, preventing dusting or linting, glossiness, brightness, opacity, capability for inlc printing, smoothness, dimensional stability, thickness control, density control, mechanical strength control, and paper preservation.

There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention an article comprising a finished paper product made by adding a suspension of a paper- property-enhancing substance to a paper product precursor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a method and system for making a paper product, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to Fig. 1, which illustrates a method and system for making a paper product, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

A paper-property-enhancing substance 10, such as but not limited to, a binder, a preservative, a hydrophobic substance, and the like or any combination thereof, may be stored in a storage container 12. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the paper-property-enhancing substance 10 may comprise a wax, such as but not limited to, paraffin, paraffin wax, montan wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, beeswax, polyethylene wax, maleated hydrocarbons and others."Paper-property- enhancing substance"encompasses any substance that enhances a mechanical, biological, physical, chemical, electrical or other property of paper, compared to the property of an analogous paper lacking the paper-property-enhancing substance. The term"enhance"is used to mean obtaining a desired modification in the property of the paper, encompassing both increasing and decreasing the magnitude of the property, depending on the application and desired end result.

Paper-property-enhancing substance 10 may be in the form of liquid, particles, flakes, pellets and other shapes, of any size. Storage container 12 may comprise a mixer 14. Dispersing aids (not shown) may be added to paper-property-enhancing substance 10 in storage container 12. Mixer 14 may be used to reduce paper-property-enhancing substance 10 to particles of any desired size. Provision may be made for controlling the temperature of the contents of storage container 12, such as, but not limited to, to a temperature range of 60-98°C.

Another storage container 16 may be provided for storing therein a liquid 18, such as but not limited to, water, which will be used to disperse therein paper-property- enhancing substance 10 to form a suspension. Storage container 16 may also comprise a mixer 20. Dispersing aids (not shown) may be added to liquid 18 in container 16.

Provision may be made for controlling the temperature of the contents of storage container 16, such as, but not limited to, to a temperature range of 60-98°C.

The contents, or any portion thereof, of storage containers 12 and 16 may be fed via tubing 22 and 24, respectively, to a batch mixing device 26, where paper-property- enhancing substance 10 is dispersed in liquid 18 to form a suspension 27. Control valves 28 and 30, respectively, may control the flow of material from storage containers 12 and 16 to batch mixing device 26. Batch mixing device 26 may comprise a mixer 32, which may be any suitable dispersing mixer, such as but not limited to, a propeller, a stirrer, or dissolver moving at any suitable rate to form or maintain suspension 27. A control unit 34 may be provided that controls operation of batch mixing device 26, such as but not limited to, the weight or volume of the substances being mixed, particle size, the pressure or temperature of batch mixing device 26, and the time duration of mixing. Dispersing aids (not shown) may be added to the suspension in storage container 26.

Suspension 27 may be added directly, if desired, from batch mixing device 26 to a paper product precursor 42 on a production line for making a final paper product 44. The paper product precursor 42 may comprise, without limitation, a slurry, cellulose fiber mass, pulp mass, and the like. The term"paper product precursor"encompasses any form of the paper product ready for adding thereto the paper-property-enhancing substance 10 prior to the final manufactured form of the paper product 44. The final paper product 44 may include, without limitation, smooth sheets, cardboard, corrugated sheets, or other any other product form.

Suspension 27 may alternatively flow from batch mixing device 26 to a mixer 41, where suspension 27 is further mixed with other additives to make a suspension 40. Mixer 41 may comprise any suitable dispersing mixer, such as but not limited to, a propeller, stirrer, or dissolver moving at any suitable rate to form or maintain suspension 40. A control process feeder valve 50 may control the flow of suspension 27 to mixer 41.

As another alternative, suspension 27 may first flow from batch mixing device 26 to an auxiliary mixing device 46 via tubing 48. A control batch feeder valve 50 may control the flow of material from batch mixing device 26 to auxiliary mixing device 46.

Auxiliary mixing device 46 may also comprise a mixer 52, which may be any suitable dispersing mixer, such as but not limited to, a propeller, stirrer, or dissolver moving at any suitable rate to form or maintain suspension 27. A control unit 54 may be provided that controls operation of auxiliary mixing device 46, such as but not limited to, the weight or volume of the substances being mixed, the pressure or temperature of auxiliary mixing device 46, and the time duration of mixing. A control process feeder valve 56 may control the flow of suspension 27, via tubing 58, to mixer 41. The production line and control process feeder valves 50 and 56 may operate in a closed control loop, wherein the rate of the production line automatically controls the production and feeding of suspension 27 to mixer 41.

In general, the suspension comprising paper-property-enhancing substance 10 may be added by itself to the paper product precursor 42, or other substances may be added to the suspension before its addition into the paper product precursor 42, or suspension 27 may be added to other components before adding to the paper product precursor 42.

It is noted that any of the mixing devices (e. g.,"batch"or"auxiliary") may comprise provision for mixing discrete batches or continuous mixing of substances. It is further noted that the devices and equipment used in the above-described process are exemplary only, and the present invention is not limited to these devices or equipment.

The addition of suspension 27 or 40 may enhance properties of the final paper product 44. Examples of properties that may be enhanced by the paper-property- enhancing substance 10 in suspension 27 or 40 include, but are not limited to, sizing, hydrophobicity, water repellency, water absorption control, scuff resistance, lubricity, anti-blocking capability, release capability, friction control, shear stability, softening, rub resistance, preventing dusting or linting, glossiness, brightness, opacity, capability for ink printing, smoothness, dimensional stability, thickness control, density control, mechanical strength control, and paper preservation and any combination thereof.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.