With Stretching, Tensioning, Decurling, Flexing Or Breaking Patents (Class 162/197)
  • Patent number: 11733635
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit to perform a first conveyance process in which a sheet is conveyed in a second direction opposite to a first direction at a first speed by a reverse conveyance roller pair, a second conveyance process in which the sheet is conveyed at a second speed by a decurler, and a third conveyance process in which the sheet is conveyed to an inlet roller pair at a third speed by a conveyance roller pair, with the second speed being slower than the first speed, and the third speed being different from the first and second speeds. An image forming unit conveys the sheet at a fourth speed while transferring the image onto the sheet, the fourth speed being slower than the first speed, the second speed, and the third speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11505421
    Abstract: A deflecting device for deflecting a conveyed sheet includes a guiding assembly having an inlet for receiving a conveyed sheet front an upstream section of a main conveying path, a primary outlet for discharging a conveyed sheet onto a downstream section of a main conveying path, a secondary outlet for discharging a conveyed sheet onto an initial section of a side conveying path, and a passing area for passing a conveyed sheet from the inlet towards the primary outlet; and a deflector for deflecting a conveyed sheet towards the secondary outlet, movable into a receiving position for receiving a leading edge of a conveyed sheet inside the passing area and movable into a discharge position for discharging a leading edge of a conveyed sheet towards the secondary outlet, wherein the deflector defines a curved trajectory for a conveyed sheet deflected towards the secondary outlet in the discharge position, wherein one side of the curved trajectory faces the primary outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Thijs G. M. Vromen, Hermanus M. Kuypers, Rob Hoogendijk, Peter G. La Vos
  • Patent number: 10940700
    Abstract: A decurling device includes a first frame, a second frame, a decurling unit that decurls a sheet, and a level adjustment mechanism that is capable of adjusting an inclination of the decurling unit. The decurling unit includes a housing provided with a first support part and a second support part supported by the first frame and a third support part and a fourth support part supported by the second frame, paired support rollers, an endless belt, and a decurling roller. The level adjustment mechanism adjusts, in the vertical direction, a position of one of the first support part, the second support part, the third support part, and the fourth support part in the housing to adjust the inclination of the decurling unit in the vertical direction such that the paired support rollers extend in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Inventor: Naoto Miyakoshi
  • Patent number: 10350909
    Abstract: A decurling device includes a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path, a first switch, a decurler, and a controller. A sheet is conveyed along the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path. The first switch switches a route of conveyance of the sheet to the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path. The sheet has a first main surface and a second main surface. The decurler is located in the second conveyance path. The decurler corrects curl of the sheet. In a situation in which a weight per unit area of the sheet is smaller than a first threshold value, the controller controls the first switch such that the sheet is conveyed along the second conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroatsu Tamai, Takeshi Watanabe, Hiroyuki Ueda, Noriaki Ozawa, Toyotsune Inoue, Susumu Hiroshima, Takatoshi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9753417
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt; a pressure roller to contact the fixing belt; a nip forming member to press the pressure roller from the fixing belt; a nip portion formed between the fixing belt and the pressure roller; a heater to heat the fixing belt to fuse and fix toner onto a recording sheet in the nip portion; an auxiliary driven roller; an auxiliary drive roller to drive the driven roller; an auxiliary nip portion, formed between an outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary driven roller and an outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary drive roller, to nip the recording sheet after toner fixation conveyed from the nip portion; and an outlet guide member, disposed downstream of the auxiliary nip portion, to guide the recording sheet after toner fixation conveyed from the auxiliary nip portion, with the toner-fixed recording sheet surface bent in a concave shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Yoshio Hattori, Haruyuki Honda, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Yasunori Ishigaya, Kazuya Saito, Keitaro Shoji, Ryohei Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9645539
    Abstract: A decurler includes an endless decurling belt that is disposed so as to face an image surface of a recording medium to which an image has been thermally fixed, a decurling roller that contacts the decurling belt so as to form a decurling region between the decurling roller and the decurling belt, and a support member that is made of a thermally conductive synthetic resin having a thermal conductivity of 1 (W/mK) or higher and that directly or indirectly contacts the decurling belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Kanai, Shinichi Aizawa
  • Patent number: 9604478
    Abstract: Beam strength and curl characteristics of sheets of print media change based not only on paper weight, but also on environmental conditions, such as humidity. Printers herein include a printing engine positioned to receive sheets of print media from a storage container. Sheet transport elements are positioned to transport the sheets from the storage through the printing engine. A sensor contacts one of the sheets, and the sensor detects a beam strength and curl characteristics signature profile of the sheet tested. Then, a processor (that is electrically connected to the sensor and the sheet transport elements) adjusts how the sheet transport elements contact the sheets (adjusts the angle, speed of, and force applied by, the sheet transport elements) based on the beam strength and curl characteristics signature profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Montfort, Barry K. Ayash, Mark Rule
  • Patent number: 8980052
    Abstract: A method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet. A papermaking furnish is compactively dewatered to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber. The dewatered web is applied to a translating transfer surface that is moving at a transfer surface speed. The web is fabric creped from the transfer surface utilizing a patterned creping fabric. The fabric creping step occurs under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric. The creping fabric travels at a fabric speed that is slower than the transfer surface speed. The creping fabric contacts the transfer surface and applies pressure to the web against the transfer surface such that the fibers of the web are redistributed on the creping fabric to form a web with a drawable reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Guy H. Super, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Frank C. Murray
  • Patent number: 8956503
    Abstract: The present invention provides tissue products having a high degree of stretch and low modulus at relatively high tensile strengths, such as geometric mean tensile strengths greater than about 1500 g/3? and more preferably greater than about 2000 g/3?. The combination of a tough, yet relatively supple sheet is preferably achieved by subjecting the embryonic web to a speed differential as it is passed from one fabric in the papermaking process to another, commonly referred to as rush transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Alan Hermans, Angela Ann Johnston, Gretchen Sarah Koch, Maurizio Tirimacco, Erin Ann McCormick, Mark William Sachs, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Peter John Allen, Kevin Joseph Vogt
  • Publication number: 20140262096
    Abstract: A method for modifying the physical and/or chemical characteristics of a web of paper material includes the steps of causing a web of paper material, having a dry content between 1% and 90%, to adhere to an endless conveyor belt of elastic material, subjecting the conveyor belt and the web to at least one localized dimensional variation, and introducing at least one additive between the fibers of the web while adhering to the belt before or during the localized dimensional variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Giorgio TRANI
  • Patent number: 8778138
    Abstract: An absorbent cellulosic sheet includes a papermaking-fiber reticulum. The papermaking-fiber reticulum includes a plurality of fiber-enriched regions that are oriented in a cross-machine direction (CD) of the sheet. The fiber-enriched regions have (i) a local basis weight and (ii) papermaking fibers that are oriented in the CD of the sheet. The papermaking-fiber reticulum also includes a plurality of linking regions that link corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions together in linking directions, the linking regions having (i) basis weights that are lower than those of the corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions and (ii) papermaking fibers that are oriented in the linking directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Guy H. Super, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Frank C. Murray
  • Patent number: 8702905
    Abstract: The present invention provides tissue products having a high degree of stretch and low modulus at relatively high tensile strengths, such as geometric mean tensile strengths greater than about 1500 g/3? and more preferably greater than about 2000 g/3?. The combination of a tough, yet relatively supple sheet is preferably achieved by subjecting the embryonic web to a speed differential as it is passed from one fabric in the papermaking process to another, commonly referred to as rush transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Alan Hermans, Angela Ann Johnston, Gretchen Sarah Koch, Maurizio Tirimacco, Erin Ann McCormick, Mark William Sachs, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Peter John Allen, Kevin Joseph Vogt
  • Patent number: 8603299
    Abstract: A method for forming a web of transversely extensible fibrous material includes the steps of subjecting a fluid-permeable endless conveyor belt of elastic material, of thickness increasing from its longitudinal axis to its edges, to a localized transverse stretching operation, achieved by temporarily withdrawing a longitudinal band thereof from the surface on which it naturally slides and maintaining it in contact, in this stretched condition, with at least a part of the surface of a support member; depositing a web of pliable fibrous material having a liquid content between 3% and 70% by weight against that portion of the conveyor belt of elastic material which has been transversely stretched; and with vacuum, maintaining the web of pliable fibrous material adhering to the conveyor belt of elastic material during its return to its original configuration, to cause the transverse contraction of the web and the simultaneous partial removal of liquid therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Inventors: Giorgio Trani, Marion Sterner
  • Patent number: 8568559
    Abstract: A method of making a cellulosic absorbent sheet. A cellulosic web is prepared from an aqueous papermaking furnish. The web is fabric-creped. The fabric-creping step forms a creped web with a drawable reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights including at least: (i) a plurality of fiber-enriched regions of a relatively high local basis weight, interconnected by way of (ii) a plurality of lower local basis weight linking regions. The drawable reticulum includes a cohesive fiber matrix capable of increasing in void volume upon drawing. The creped web is dried, while substantially preserving the drawable reticulum, to form a dried web, and the dried web is drawn. The drawing step increases the void volume of the dried web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Patent number: 8568560
    Abstract: A method of making a cellulosic absorbent sheet. A cellulosic web is prepared from an aqueous papermaking furnish. The web is fabric-creped. The fabric-creping step forms a creped web with a drawable reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights including at least: (i) a plurality of fiber-enriched regions of a relatively high local basis weight, interconnected by way of (ii) a plurality of lower local basis weight linking regions. The drawable reticulum includes a cohesive fiber matrix capable of increasing in void volume upon drawing. The creped web is dried, while substantially preserving the drawable reticulum, to form a dried web, and the dried web is drawn. The drawing step increases the bulk of the dried web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Patent number: 8562786
    Abstract: A method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet. A papermaking furnish is compactively dewatered to form a nascent web. The nascent web is applied to a translating transfer surface and is fabric-creped from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a creping fabric. The creping fabric travels at a fabric speed that is slower than the speed of the transfer surface. The nascent web is creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping fabric to form a creped web with a drawable reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights. The creped web is dried to form a dried web, and the dried web is drawn. The drawing step includes drawing the dried web between a first draw roll and a second draw roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Patent number: 8545676
    Abstract: An absorbent cellulosic sheet includes a papermaking-fiber reticulum. The paper-making-fiber reticulum includes a plurality of fiber-enriched regions that are oriented in a cross-machine direction (CD) of the sheet, and the fiber-enriched regions have (i) a local basis weight and (ii) papermaking fibers that are oriented in the CD of the sheet. The paper-making-fiber reticulum further includes a plurality of linking regions that link corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions together in linking directions. The linking regions have (i) basis weights that are lower than those of the corresponding ones of the fiber-enriched regions and (ii) papermaking fibers that are oriented in the linking directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Guy H. Super, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Frank C. Murray
  • Patent number: 8524040
    Abstract: A method of making a belt-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet includes compactively dewatering a papermaking furnish to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber orientation, applying the nascent web having the apparently random distribution of fiber orientation to a translating transfer surface that is moving at a transfer surface speed, belt-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30% to about 60% utilizing a patterned creping belt, the belt-creping step occurring under pressure in a belt creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping belt, the web being creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping belt to form a web with a reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Guy H. Super, Stephen J. McCullough, Ronald R. Reeb, Hung Liang Chou, Kang Chang Yeh, John H. Dwiggins, Frank D. Harper
  • Patent number: 8422743
    Abstract: The present invention provides a surface-reading apparatus that includes a subject-flexing mechanism and a surface-reading component. The subject-flexing mechanism causes a subject to flex in one of a convex form and a concave form. The surface-reading component reads a characteristic of a surface condition of the subject that has been flexed by the subject-flexing mechanism. The surface-reading component can includes an optical reading component that optically reads the characteristic of the surface condition of the subject. The optical reading component may be a reflected light-reading component that reads the characteristic of the surface condition of the subject with reflected light or may be a transmitted light-reading component that reads the characteristic of the surface condition of the subject with transmitted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Shimizu, Tetsuya Kimura, Kensuke Ito
  • Patent number: 8328985
    Abstract: A method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet includes compactively dewatering a papermaking furnish to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber, applying the nascent web having the apparently random fiber distribution to a translating transfer surface that is moving at a transfer surface speed, and fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a patterned creping fabric, the fabric-creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric, the web being creped from the transfer surface and wherein the creping fabric is adapted to contact the transfer surface and applies pressure to the web against the transfer surface such that the fibers of the web are redistributed on the creping fabric to form a web with a drawable reticulum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Guy H. Super, Stephen J. McCullough, Ronald R. Reeb, Hung Liang Chou, Kang Chang Yeh, John H. Dwiggins, Frank D. Harper
  • Patent number: 8241460
    Abstract: Web to be formed into wrapping paper is applied with combustion inhibitor and then dried. Water is applied onto the entire surface of the opposite side to the combustion-inhibitor applied side of the web. The web applied with water is dried while pinched between drying and pressing rollers and stretched in a width direction. In this way, unwrinkled high-quality cigarette wrapping paper having a low ignition propensity can be stably and inexpensively manufactured. As the pressing roller, a heat-resistant rubber roller provided in its surface with a soft portion in a helical way is utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Shinzo Kida, Takafumi Izumiya, Yuzuru Sakuma
  • Patent number: 8226797
    Abstract: A method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet. A papermaking furnish is compactively dewatered to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber. The dewatered web is applied to a translating transfer surface. The web is fabric-creped from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a creping fabric, under pressure, in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric. The fabric is traveling a fabric speed that is slower than the speed of the transfer surface. The web is creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping fabric to form a web with a drawable reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights. The web is dried and the web is drawn. The step of drawing the web preferentially attenuates the fiber-enriched regions of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Patent number: 7943010
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making surface-sized paper/board. The web to be treated in the method is after surface sizing passed to a treatment process for providing a desired drying shrinkage and/or increase of drying stresses to create thereby a desired effect on the flexural strength and/or bulk of paper/board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Reijo Pietikäinen, Mika Viljanmaa, Juha Lipponen, Juha Pakarinen, Jussi Jääskeläinen, Maria Lepola
  • Patent number: 7927456
    Abstract: A method of making a cellulosic web includes: forming a nascent web from a papermaking furnish, the nascent web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber; b) transferring the web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed; drying the web to a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent including compactively dewatering the web prior to or concurrently with transfer to the transfer surface; fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a creping fabric with a patterned creping surface, the fabric creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surfac
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Publication number: 20100319867
    Abstract: This invention relates to biomimetic electro-active paper actuators which are ultra lightweight, have a large deformation feature, are operated with low power consumption, are remotely driven by microwaves, and have suitable response speed, which are comprised of paper wherein micro fibrils of cellulose are arranged in a predetermined direction, electrodes which are deposited on both sides of the paper, a film rectenna which receives an electric field from outside and converts it into direct power, and a PAD logic circuit (power allocation & distribution) which receives a signal of direct power and converts/controls it into power force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: INHA-INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Jae-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 7820008
    Abstract: An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight includes a papermaking-fiber reticulum provided with (i) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending, fiber-enriched pileated regions of relatively high local basis weight interconnected by (ii) a plurality of elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers. The elongated densified regions have relatively low local basis weight and are generally oriented along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet and have an MD/CD aspect ratio of at least 1.5. The products are most preferably prepared by way of a compactive dewatering/wet crepe process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Guy H. Super, Stephen J. McCullough, Ronald R. Reeb, Hung Liang Chou, Kang Chang Yeh, John H. Dwiggins, Frank D. Harper
  • Patent number: 7799170
    Abstract: In a paper or board machine drying line after the wire section, during dewatering a web's (W) width is affected in a direction crosswise to the web's traveling direction. Starting from an edge, at least one device (20A, 20B) brings about a force effect of a desired magnitude which is directed all the way to a desired arbitrary crosswise web position in order to modify web characteristics. A device in a paper or board machine line after the wire section has means for processing the web and for dewatering. The paper or board machine line after the wire section further has at least one device (20A; 20B) for directing a force effect at a desired partial area (WS) of the web (W) in the cross machine direction in order to modify the web's characteristics profile in the cross machine direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: John Shakespeare, Taisto Huhtelin, Pasi Kekko, Markku Lummila, Pekka Pakarinen, Vesa Vuorinen, Matti Kurki, Jaana Pienmäki, Asko Majori, Kari Holopainen
  • Patent number: 7789995
    Abstract: A method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising: a) compactively dewatering a papermaking furnish to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber; b) applying the dewatered web having the apparently random fiber distribution to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed; c) fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a patterned creping fabric, the creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping fabric to form a web with a drawable reticulum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, LP
    Inventors: Guy H. Super, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Frank C. Murray
  • Patent number: 7670457
    Abstract: A method of making a cellulosic web includes: forming a nascent web from a papermaking furnish, the nascent web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber; b) transferring the web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed; drying the web to a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent including compactively dewatering the web prior to or concurrently with transfer to the transfer surface; fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a creping fabric with a patterned creping surface, the fabric creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surfac
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LLC
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Patent number: 7662255
    Abstract: A method of making a cellulosic web includes: forming a nascent web from a papermaking furnish, the nascent web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber; b) transferring the web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed; drying the web to a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent including compactively dewatering the web prior to or concurrently with transfer to the transfer surface; fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a creping fabric with a patterned creping surface, the fabric creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surfac
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LLC
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Patent number: 7654519
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming section which forms an image on a sheet material; a curl correcting mechanism which interposes and conveys the sheet material on which the image has been formed by the image forming section. Pressure applied to one surface of the sheet material during an interposing operation and a conveying speed of the sheet material can be changed, the curl correcting mechanism changes the conveying speed from an initial speed vs to a target speed vo higher than the initial speed (vo>vs) while the sheet material is pressed, and the curl correcting mechanism changes the pressure to a high pressure in response to a change of the conveying speed, whereby a curl of the sheet material is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideo Yamane, Kazuo Sato, Eiji Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 7651589
    Abstract: A method of making a cellulosic web includes: forming a nascent web from a papermaking furnish, the nascent web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber; b) transferring the web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed; drying the web to a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent including compactively dewatering the web prior to or concurrently with transfer to the transfer surface; fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a creping fabric with a patterned creping surface, the fabric creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surfac
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LLC
    Inventors: Frank C. Murray, Greg A. Wendt, Steven L. Edwards, Stephen J. McCullough, Guy H. Super
  • Patent number: 7588661
    Abstract: A process for making absorbent cellulosic paper products such as sheet for towel, tissue and the like, includes compactively dewatering a nascent web followed by wet belt creping the web at an intermediate consistency of anywhere from about 30 to about 60 percent under conditions operative to redistribute the fiber on the belt, which is preferably a fabric. In preferred embodiments, the web is thereafter adhesively applied to a Yankee dryer using a creping adhesive operative to enable high speed transfer of the web of intermediate consistency such as a poly(vinyl alcohol)/polyamide adhesive. An absorbent sheet so prepared from a papermaking furnish exhibits an absorbency of at least about 5 g/g, a CD stretch of at least about 4 percent, and an MD/CD tensile ratio of less than about 1.1, and also exhibits a maximum CD modulus at a CD strain of less than 1 percent and sustains a CD modulus of at least 50 percent of its maximum CD modulus to a CD strain of at least about 4 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Guy H. Super, Stephen J. McCullough, Dean J. Baumgartner, Richard W. Eggen, David P. Duggan, Jeffrey E. Krueger, David W. Lomax, Colin A. Jones
  • Patent number: 7494568
    Abstract: A leader cloth for pulling and installing a belt body onto rolls in a paper machine able to pass between rolls with a small clearance and capable of preventing sag or deflection. At a position near the base portion and a position closer to the apex portion of the leader cloth, stabilizers of a rope or belt-like shape are attached in the width direction to opposite surfaces. Preferably, a sticking fastener is used for the stabilizers The rear face of one piece of the sticking fastener is attached on the surface of the leader cloth by means of stitching to expose sticking face (L-like shaped hooks or loops). The sticking face of the other piece of the sticking fastener is forcefully pressed against the first while applying a tensile force in the width direction to stick the two pieces to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Ogiwara
  • Publication number: 20080295987
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making surface-sized paper/board. The web to be treated in the method is after surface sizing passed to a treatment process for providing a desired drying shrinkage and/or increase of drying stresses to create thereby a desired effect on the flexural strength and/or bulk of paper/board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Reijo Pietikainen, Mika Viljanmaa, Juha Lipponen, Juha Pakarinen, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Maria Lepola
  • Patent number: 7459062
    Abstract: Dryer section for drying a fibrous web supported by at least one drying fabric. The dryer section includes a plurality of heated drying cylinders, a plurality of guide rolls, and a plurality of dampening devices arranged at different locations relative to the fibrous web. Each dampening device applies a quantity of liquid to the fibrous web. In at least in one of the plurality of dampening devices, the quantity of the liquid is adjustable separately in zones transversely with respect to a web running direction. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Mayer, Markus Oechsle, Antje Stein, Frank Wegehaupt
  • Publication number: 20080251226
    Abstract: A xerographic paper and method of forming includes mechanical fiber and a predetermined curl control defined by a split sheet contraction measurement. The split sheet contraction can be between about 0.8 and about 1.2 and between about 0.9 and about 1.1. Split sheet contraction is defined by a relationship of paper shrinkage in a cross-direction to paper shrinkage in a machine-direction and between the two sides of the sheet when split in the Z-direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventor: Bruce Irwin Katz
  • Patent number: 7429310
    Abstract: A paper or board machine has a fabric (10) that is adapted mobile as well as rolls (11, 11?) arranged to support the fabric (10). The fabric (10) is tensioned by changing the position of one roll (11?) of the rolls (11, 11?). Correspondingly, the fabric (10) is guided by changing the alignment of one roll (11?) of the said rolls (11, 11?). Surprisingly the fabric (10) is both tensioned and guided by changing the alignment and position of only one and the same roll (11?). In addition, the wrap angle of the fabric (10) at this roll (11?) is set higher than 30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Pertti K. Heikkilä, Erkki Kärkkäinen, Erkka Nieminen, Samppa J. Salminen, Veli-Matti Vainio
  • Patent number: 7419569
    Abstract: A method of making soft, strong, high bulk tissue is disclosed. The method includes pre-conditioning a wet web by straining the wet web in the cross-machine direction prior to transferring the wet web to a throughdrying fabric. The pre-conditioned web provides improved sheet softness and conforms more readily to the surface contour of the throughdrying fabric, thereby creating greater caliper (bulk) in the resulting dried sheet. The bulk is maintained during a subsequent creping step by maintaining the dried sheet in registration with the throughdrying fabric when the dried sheet is applied to the surface of the creping cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Alan Hermans, Cristina Asensio Mullally, Stephanie Lee Berube, Frank Stephen Hada, Lacey Leigh Hansen, Jeffrey David Mathews
  • Patent number: 7229528
    Abstract: Papermaking processes and more particularly to papermaking processes for foreshortening fibrous structures are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Douglas Vinson, John Allen Manifold, Michael Scott Prodoehl, Jonathan Andrew Ficke, James Edwin Cartledge, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7166191
    Abstract: To provide a curl straightening method for image receiving paper for sublimation dye transfer, which is capable of realizing a smaller roll core diameter of the roll paper. The curl of an image receiving paper 100 for sublimation dye transfer having stiffness from 500 to 2,500 mg in a direction parallel to the printing direction, which is measured according to JIS L1085, JIS L1096, is straightened by allowing the image receiving paper 100 to pass through gaps 4a, 5a of a guide 3 that bends the image receiving paper 100 in a reverse curling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Suzuki, Masamitsu Suzuki, Tatsuya Kita, Katsuyuki Oshima
  • Patent number: 7144476
    Abstract: This invention relates to electrode substrates for electrochemical cells, particularly low-temperature fuel cells, and processes for their production. Low-cost carbon fiber paper structures are used as precursor for preparation of an all-carbon product that has a high electric conductivity and porosity and can be processed in a continuous reel-to-reel mode. These paper materials are further impregnated and processed to adjust the final product properties. This all-carbon electrode substrate is not brittle thereby avoiding the main disadvantage of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: SGL Carbon AG
    Inventors: Peter Wilde, Michael Maendle, Heiko Leinfelder, Josef Steinhart
  • Patent number: 7067039
    Abstract: A variable representing runnability of a paper web to be manufactured with a paper machine or processed with a finishing apparatus is measured and the speed difference between operational groups of the paper machine and/or the finishing apparatus is adjusted on the basis of the measurement of said variable such that the moisture profile of the paper web is measured substantially along the entire width of the paper web, the minimum and maximum values for moisture are defined on the basis of the moisture profile, a drawing window describing the allowable tension to be directed to the paper web is defined, the lower and upper limits of the drawing window being defined on the basis of the minimum and maximum values for moisture, and the speed difference between the operational groups is adjusted so that the paper web tension is within the range defined by the drawing window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Metso Automation OY
    Inventors: Jari Almi, Pekka Höyssä
  • Patent number: 7045037
    Abstract: Process for cleaning at least one roll of a calender. The process includes guiding a web over a surface of the at least one roll of the calender to be cleaned, and producing a relative speed difference between the surface of the least one roll and a section of the web lying against the surface of the a least one roll. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Rolf Conrad
  • Patent number: 6994898
    Abstract: A packaging container for a pressurized, liquid food, the packaging container being formed from a packaging laminate which includes at least one core layer of paper or paperboard displaying one major fibre orientation in a first direction thereof. According to the invention, said core layer is pre-strained in a second direction which is substantially at right angles to said first direction, with a view to reducing or eliminating expansion in the finished, filled packaging container during storage thereof. The present invention also encompasses a packaging laminate for the packaging container, as well as a method of producing the packaging container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Håkan Olsson, Jonny Olander
  • Patent number: 6973797
    Abstract: An economizer-equipped refrigeration system and method is provided for simultaneous operation of at least one capacity control valve controlling an independent bypass circuit with operation and variable control of the economizer circuit to permit efficient, flexible, and reliable variable system capacity control, without leakage that sacrifices system peak capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: York International Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Nemit, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6767431
    Abstract: In the manufacture of a paper or board web (W), the web is slit or cut, the rising/lowering (H) of the edges of a slit/cut gap (C) formed at the slitting/cutting point or the width (L) of the gap is measured by means of a measurement device (21A; 21B; 21C), and the curl of the paper or board web (W) is regulated based on the result of measurement. A paper or board machine line has means for regulating curl in the web (W); means for slitting or cutting the paper or board web and for measuring the rising/lowering (H) of the edges of a slit/cut gap (C) formed at the slitting/cutting point or the width (L) of the slit/cut gap (C) in connection with the manufacture of the web (W) in order to regulate the curl of the web (W) based on the result of measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Antti Komulainen, Kari Juppi
  • Patent number: 6740200
    Abstract: A method for directly forming and finishing a web product is provided. The method includes forming a web on a forming apparatus, continuously transferring the formed web to a conveyor, performing a converting step on the web as the web is continuously supported and advanced on the conveyor, and finishing the web into a product substantially ready for packaging. A system for performing the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Seymour, John R. Hanson, E. Kent Isom, James L. Baggot, Steven J. Wojcik, Kenneth A. Pigsley, Robert L. Clarke, Randall J. LeValley, Charles H. Goerg
  • Patent number: 6716317
    Abstract: A running web is decurled by controlling web tension as well as the angle of wrap on a decurler roll and a cooperating pivot roll, all without affecting web tension in the downstream web converting process. An upstream brake roll and a downstream pull roll control web tension within the decurler apparatus and independent decurler rolls are provided for removing up-curl and down-curl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Marquip, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey U. Gafner, Robert L. Turnquist
  • Publication number: 20040026056
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for the merging and finishing of at least two paper webs (1, 2, 3, 4), controlled in the longitudinal register, which are distinctly different in quality and in finishing steps to be undertaken. The device comprises at least two web-specific processing regions (13A, 13B, 13C), a merging unit (21), a common processing region (22), controlled in the longitudinal register and means for the control of the longitudinal register (14), essentially comprising one longitudinal register sensor per paper web. Markings are placed on the paper web with periodic separations. Longitudinal register sensors (14) recognise said markings and transmit signals to the control unit, which determines possible variations and controls the means for regulation of the longitudinal register in such a way that variations in the longitudinal register are compensated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Joseph Schweiger