Papermaking Press Felts Patents (Class 162/900)
  • Patent number: 11529791
    Abstract: A belt includes at least one fabric having a first face and a second face parallel to a longitudinal plane of the belt, wherein the fabric includes: a first weft layer formed by a plurality of multifilament weft yarns essentially parallel to each other; a second weft layer formed by a plurality of monofilament weft yarns essentially parallel to each other, wherein the multifilament weft yarns of the first weft layer are overlapped with respective monofilament weft yarns of the second weft layer; and a plurality of multifilament warp yarns wherein the fabric has a weft dominance satin weave on both sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Chiorino S.p.A.
    Inventor: Marco Zerbola
  • Patent number: 9982388
    Abstract: A fabric for a machine to produce a fiber web, especially a paper-, board-, tissue- or pulp web, is formed of a flat woven base material having a top side and a bottom side, two terminal ends separated in a machine direction, folds formed in the flat woven base material being separated in the machine direction by the folding defining an inside between the two folded layers and an outside. The two terminal ends are located under the bottom side surface, wherein the two terminal ends one of are adjacent to each other or overlap each other, seam loops located at the folds characterized in that the fabric further has one, two or more sheet-like plies. Also a method to produce a fiber web, especially a paper-, board-, tissue- or pulp web is carried out with a machine that is provided with at least one such novel fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Wich
  • Patent number: 9957666
    Abstract: A clothing, in particular for use in a press section of a machine for manufacturing a fibrous web, such as a paper, cardboard, or tissue web, includes a base structure and at least one staple-fiber layer which is disposed on the base structure and is connected thereto. The clothing is assembled from a plurality of strips which are provided in the form of planar formations having a proportion of the base structure and a proportion of the at least one staple-fiber layer. Two mutually opposite edges of the strips have seam loops which are each connected to seam loops of the edges of adjacent strips. The edges having the seam loops are oriented in a cross-machine direction of the clothing. A method for manufacturing a clothing is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Koeckritz, Hubert Walkenhaus, Johan Einarsson, Johan Malmquist
  • Patent number: 9011645
    Abstract: A process for preparing a seam area for a paper machine clothing (PMC) base fabric includes the steps of: forming the PMC base fabric by flat-weaving, the PMC base fabric including warp yarns extending in machine direction and weft yarns extending in cross machine direction and interwoven with the warp yarns, the weft yarns including first weft yarns and a second weft yarn, the second weft yarn being a multifilament yarn, the warp yarns, the first weft yarns, and the multifilament yarn being woven together on a loom in an original weaving process, the multifilament yarn being positioned in an anticipated seam area; and folding over the PMC base fabric, after weaving the multifilament yarn with the warp yarns, to form a seam loop of the PMC base fabric such that the multifilament yarn is a first one of the weft yarns on a sheet side of the seam loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Matthew Ryan, Susanne Klaschka, Barbara Elmer
  • Patent number: 8980062
    Abstract: An industrial fabric, belt or sleeve and a method of making the fabric, belt or sleeve are disclosed. The industrial fabric, belt or sleeve is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, around two rolls in a side-to-side manner in which a gap between adjacent edges is formed. A second material, for example a gap filler material, is placed between the adjacent edges, and the adjoining edges are joined by melting the filler material, strips of polymeric material, or both. The gap filler material can have a specific cross-sectional shape corresponding to the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Jonas Karlsson, Anders Nilsson, Mikael Danielsson, Marcus Backstrom
  • Patent number: 8961742
    Abstract: A multiaxial press felt base fabric construction is provided in which the base fabric is formed from a spirally wound precursor textile strip having a width that is less than an overall width of the assembled papermaking fabric and which is joined together along neighboring adjacent edges to form a fabric tube. At least one of: 100% of the MD yarns located on one surface of the precursor textile strip are comprised of cabled yarns or from 50% to 100% of the CD yarns are a cabled yarn. The MD yarns are arranged as vertically stacked pairs for compression resistance to provide void volume, and the vertically stacked arrangement is maintained by interweaving with one system of CD weft yarns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: AstenJohnson, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Hédou, Robert W. Huck, Mario Lepage, Hanjiang Xu
  • Patent number: 8840683
    Abstract: A method for forming an industrial textile product by spiral winding an array of machine direction (MD) yarns to form a system having a defined width, and then connecting the MD yarns in the cross machine (CD) direction with resin. This method is a replacement for conventional weaving or knitting of substrates which can be used as forming, press or dryer fabrics in papermaking, and other industrial applications. Devices for forming the product are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • Patent number: 8828097
    Abstract: A method for forming an industrial textile product by spiral winding an array of machine direction (MD) yarns to form a system having a defined width, and then connecting the MD yarns in the cross machine (CD) direction with resin. This method is a replacement for conventional weaving or knitting of substrates which can be used as forming, press or dryer fabrics in papermaking, and other industrial applications. Devices for forming the product are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • Patent number: 8764943
    Abstract: An industrial fabric, belt or sleeve and a method of making the fabric, belt or sleeve are disclosed. The industrial fabric, belt or sleeve is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, and joining the adjoining sides of the strips of material using ultrasonic welding or laser welding techniques. The fabric, belt or sleeve may then be perforated using a suitable technique to make it permeable to air and/or water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Dana Eagles, Robert Hansen, Jonas Karlsson
  • Patent number: 8753485
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multilayer multiaxial woven fabric for a papermachine having a reduced interference pattern and accordingly improved dewatering uniformity. The present invention also provides a method of forming such multilayer multiaxial fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Steven Yook, William Maddock, Scott Quigley
  • Patent number: 8647474
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to the use of laser energy to weld or melt selected locations in papermachine clothing (“PMC”) and other industrial and engineered fabrics. The invention also relates to an improved seam for a papermaker or other industrial fabric that has properties such as strength, durability, openness, adequate number of support points, and fiber support index (FSI) essentially the same as the fabric body. The invention also relates to a fabric having a durable seam, wherein the seam width as measured in the MD is a fraction of the width of a normal seam or a seam that is formed using a conventional technique of equal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • Patent number: 8597468
    Abstract: A joining process for an endless or seamed press fabric, the joining process including the step of providing a woven base fabric having a plurality of monofilament yarns including warp yarns extending in a machine direction and weft yarns extending in a cross machine direction, the woven base fabric being cut along one of the weft yarns and having two opposing ends and two side edges. A predetermined number of the weft yarns are removed along each of the two opposing ends to free a plurality of cut ends of the warp yarns, fringing the ends. The plurality of free cut ends of the two opposing ends are interdigitated with each other and the cut ends opposing and adjoining one another are heat bonded to define a joint area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Matthew Ryan, Susanne Klaschka
  • Patent number: 8540849
    Abstract: Press felts for papermaking include a batt fiber layer and a base fabric. The batt fiber layer is integrated into the base fabric. The base fabric includes a ground warp yarn, a ground weft yarn, and an additional warp yarn. The ground warp yarn and the ground weft yarn include monofilament yarns, and the additional warp yarn includes a material different from a material forming the ground warp yarn. The additional warp yarn is arranged so that, when the base fabric is viewed in cross-section in a warp yarn direction, the additional warp yarn ascends toward a wet paper web-side surface of the base fabric and descends toward a roll-side surface of the base fabric, relative to the at least one ground warp yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Ogiwara
  • Patent number: 8535484
    Abstract: A structure for use in industrial fabrics such as paper machine clothing and engineered fabrics is disclosed. The structure includes one or more layers of an elastic nonwoven extruded film or sheet, which is elastic, resilient, and compressible in a thickness direction, and extensible, bendable, and resilient in its length and transverse directions, and one or more layers of a plurality of substantially parallel machine direction (MD) yarns in various patterns. The structure can also include one or more layers of a plurality of substantially parallel cross-machine direction (CD) yarns attached on top of or under the MD yarns. The structure has a high degree of both compressibility under an applied normal load and excellent recovery (resiliency or spring back) upon removal of that load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Robert Hansen, Bjorn Rydin
  • Patent number: 8512524
    Abstract: A patterned framework for a papermaking belt is disclosed. The patterned framework has a continuous network region having a pattern formed comprising a plurality of tessellating unit cells and a plurality of discrete regions isolated from one another by the continuous network region. Each cell has a center and at least two continuous land areas extending in at least two directions from the center. At least one of the continuous land areas at least bifurcates to form a continuous land area portion having a first width before the bifurcation and at least two continuous land area portions having a second width after the bifurcation in continuous communication with the continuous land area portion. Removing and drying the embryonic web of paper fibers disposed upon the patterned framework provides a paper product having a residual water value, RW, of less than 0.12 g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Osman Polat, Jeffrey Glen Sheehan
  • Patent number: 8496785
    Abstract: A combination of a press felt with a pressure and/or suction roll covering for a papermaking machine, including a porous press felt with a carrier structure. The pressure or suction roll covering having a circumferential groove surface structure having a groove width in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, a distance between grooves in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 mm and a groove depth in the range of 1.5 mm to 4 mm. A percentage of an open surface relative to an overall surface of the pressure roll covering is in a range of 20% to 50%. The suction roll covering additionally having an arrangement of holes with a plurality of suction holes completely penetrating through the suction roll covering, whereby a percentage of an open surface in relation to an overall surface of the suction roll covering is in a range of 30% to 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Wokurek, Johan Einarsson, Gamsjäger Norbert, Antje Berendes, Alexander Etschmaier, Franz Grohmann
  • Patent number: 8460514
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an industrial fabric, in particular press fabric or transfer belt, for use in a papermaking machine. The industrial fabric includes a porous composite structure, having a batt fiber structure and particulate polymeric material. The batt fiber structure has an upper surface and a lower surface extending parallel to the upper surface and spaced from the upper surface along a thickness direction extending perpendicular to the upper and lower surface. The particulate polymeric material is partly fused together and bonded with fibers extending on at least one of the surfaces of the batt fiber structure and with fibers inside the batt fiber structure such that the polymeric material partly impregnates fibers of the batt structure and partly fills interstices between fibers of the batt structure to form the porous composite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Ragvald, Kjell Anders Karlsson, Anders Bertilsson, Pia Dela Nord
  • Patent number: 8414741
    Abstract: A tissue papermaking machine is described, comprising a wet section and a press section comprising a single press with first and second press elements forming a press nip, and with a press felt running through the press nip in contact with the formed fiber web, whereby the second press element is arranged inside the loop of the press and felt, and a smooth belt runs through the press nip in contact with the formed fiber web, whereby the first press element is arranged inside the loop of the belt, and a transfer roll arranged inside the loop of the belt forming a transfer nip with a drying surface, whereby the smooth belt carries the fiber web between the press nip and the transfer nip. A pre-dewatering device is arranged upstream of the press to dewater the fiber web to a dry content of 15-30%. Associated methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Metso Paper Sweden AB
    Inventors: Ingvar Klerelid, Ola Thomasson
  • Patent number: 8414742
    Abstract: The invention relates to a clothing especially a press felt for a paper, cardboard or tissue machine with a nonwoven structure comprising staple fibers and which provides the paper and running side of the clothing and with a base structure which is embedded into the nonwoven structure, whereby the base structure comprises a warp knit structure which has sewing threads and reinforcing threads extending lengthways parallel to each other and which have a greater flexural strength than the sewing threads, whereby the sewing threads form loops into which the reinforcing threads are tied thereby forming the warp knit structure. The invention is characterized in that an intermediate layer is arranged at the warp knit structure which is connected with the reinforcing threads by way of the sewing threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Köckritz, Hubert Walkenhaus
  • Patent number: 8398823
    Abstract: A press felt (1) has a front side (1a), a rear side (1b) and fibers (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g) which, on their fiber surface, have channels (20) which extend between a first end (11) and a second end (12) of the respective fiber (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g), the first end (11) pointing in the direction of the front side (1a) and the second end (12) pointing in the direction of the rear side (1b). Furthermore, the press felt (1) can be used for mechanically dewatering a paper web (100) in a papermaking machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jürgen Mielke
  • Patent number: 8394239
    Abstract: An industrial fabric, belt or sleeve and a method of making the fabric, belt or sleeve are disclosed. The industrial fabric, belt or sleeve is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, and joining the adjoining sides of the strips of material using ultrasonic welding or laser welding techniques. The fabric, belt or sleeve may then be perforated using a suitable technique to make it permeable to air and/or water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Dana Eagles, Jonas Karlsson, Bruce Stowe, Joseph Botelho, Sabri Mourad, Jerry O'Connor, Jon Montcrieff, Robert Hansen
  • Patent number: 8388811
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a press felt for a machine for the production and/or processing of a fibrous web including a carrier structure which fundamentally influences the dimensional stability of the felt. The carrier structure includes a flat manufactured textile fabric formed from longitudinal threads, transverse threads crossing the longitudinal threads, and sewing threads which connect the longitudinal and transverse threads with each other at the crossing points. The textile fabric is longer than the carrier structure and is laid onto itself in sections such that the carrier structure is formed by several layers of the textile fabric, extending respectively along the entire length of the carrier structure. The layers are connected with each other, at least in sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Köckritz
  • Patent number: 8372246
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multilayer multiaxial woven fabric for a papermachine having a reduced interference pattern and accordingly improved dewatering uniformity. The present invention also provides a method of forming such multilayer multiaxial fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: John M Hawes, Glenn Kornett, Bjorn Rydin, Scott Quigley, Michael A Royo, James G Donovan, Steven Yook
  • Patent number: 8349137
    Abstract: This invention relates to a dewatering device for dewatering a material web (5), particularly a tissue web, in a paper machine where the dewatering device is placed after a forming unit (16) and before a thermal drying device (11). The dewatering device consists of a press roll (1) with a press belt (3) running round it. Here, the material web (5) is carried into the dewatering device either on a water-absorbing belt (4) or on a wire (10). The water-absorbing belt (4) is placed in the dewatering device between the material web (5) and the press belt (3). This invention also relates to a dewatering process performed with the dewatering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Andritz AG
    Inventors: Andreas Anzel, Mario Wiltsche
  • Patent number: 8337670
    Abstract: A felt (10) for papermaking according to the present invention has a batt fiber layer comprising batt fibers contained in and integrally combined with a high-polymer elastic material (50). The batt fiber layer contained in the high-polymer elastic material (50) includes hydrophilic 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The felt (10) for papermaking exhibits a hydrophilic capability as a felt structure from an initial phase of use. The felt has a sustained ability to be compressed and recovered for a long period of time and maintains water squeezing function, a wet paper web smoothing function, and a wet paper web feeding function until the end of the period in which the felt is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Oouchi
  • Patent number: 8313617
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a papermaking belt having a patterned framework having a continuous network region and a plurality of discrete deflection conduits isolated from one another by the continuous network region. The continuous network region has a pattern formed therein by a plurality of tessellating unit cells. Each cell has a center and at least two continuous land areas extending in at least two directions from the center. At least one of the continuous land areas at least bifurcates to form a continuous land area portion having a first width before bifurcation and at least two continuous land area portions having a second width after bifurcation where the at least two continuous land area portions are disposed at an angle ranging from about 1 degree to about 180 degrees relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Osman Polat, Douglas Jay Barkey
  • Patent number: 8308910
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a press felt with a seam, to a press felt, and a base fabric of a press felt. The base fabric is a one-base structure with machine direction yarns forming seam loops and further machine direction yarns running in the web-side surface layer. The machine direction yarns weave with cross yarns. The yarn ratio of the surface layer machine direction yarns to the intermediate layer and further the bottom layer machine direction yarns is at least 2:1:1. In addition, the surface layer machine direction yarns have a long run and their cross-sectional area is smaller than the yarns forming the seam loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Metso Fabrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kati Mikkonen, Tauno Virtanen
  • Patent number: 8303775
    Abstract: A papermaking felt which can be easily engaged in a papermaking machine, wherein the work time for engaging the felt is short, the initial warming-up period until reaching the highest papermaking speed is short, and the felt life is long, which is achieved by integrating and attaching by dispersion in the batt layer of the felt a polymeric elastomer having high deformability when pressure is applied and good recoverability after pressure is applied, which polymeric elastomer is attached in an amount of 0.5 to 20 wt. % of the felt, and which polymeric elastomer has a property that when in the form of a film and when measured at a room temperature of 20° C. and a relative humidity of 65%, the 100% modulus value of the film is 1 to 100 kg/cm2, the residual strain after 100% elongation is 30% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Yazaki, Takashi Ouchi, Hiroyuki Oda, Hirofumi Murakami, Yuya Takamori
  • Patent number: 8298376
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a papermaking belt having an embryonic-web-contacting surface for carrying an embryonic web of paper fibers and a non-embryonic-web-contacting surface opposite the embryonic-web-contacting surface. The papermaking belt has a patterned framework having a continuous network region and a plurality of discrete deflection conduits isolated from one another by the continuous network region. The continuous network region has a pattern formed therein by a plurality of tessellating unit cells. Each cell has a center and at least two continuous land areas extending in at least two directions from the center. At least one of the continuous land areas at least bifurcates to form a continuous land area portion having a first width before the bifurcation and at least two continuous land area portions having a second width after the bifurcation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Osman Polat, Paul Dennis Trokhan
  • Patent number: 8282782
    Abstract: A wet paper web transfer belt (1) has a wet paper web-side layer (31) including a resin and a hydrophilic fibrous body (30) and a machine-side layer (32). A basic fabric (33) disposed in the belt comprises a first woven fabric (34) disposed on a wet paper web (W) side and a second woven fabric (35) disposed on a press roll (10) side. The first woven fabric (34) and the second woven fabric (35) are stacked together. At least a portion of the hydrophilic fibrous body (30) is exposed on a surface (37) of the wet paper web-side layer (31). The basis weight of the first woven fabric (34) is greater than the basis weight of the second woven fabric (35). The structure is effective to improve a first function to cause the wet paper web (W) to stick thereon and to transfer the wet paper web (W), and a second function to allow the wet paper web (W) to be smoothly released from the belt for transferring the wet paper web (W) to a next process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sawada, Kenji Inoue
  • Patent number: 8257556
    Abstract: The present invention provides a papermaking felt which exhibits a good dewatering capability (water permeability) and resistance to flattening in a papermaking machine, and which is capable of improving surface smoothness of a wet paper web and has improved anti-dehairing property. A papermaking felt using a woven fabric in which at least one of an MD yarn and a CMD yarn arranged on a wet paper web side of a base body is a multifilament yarn which is a bundle of a plurality of filaments with fineness of 100 dtex or less and which is substantially without twisting or only loosely twisted and hence almost without twisting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Ogiwara
  • Patent number: 8252147
    Abstract: A press felt 10 comprises a base body 30 and a batt layer having a wet paper side layer 20. The wet paper web side layer 20 has a base body side batt layer 22, upright fiber bundles 50 are formed in the basebody side batt layer 22. After needle punching a core-in-sheath fiber 41, the upright fiber bundles are formed by melting the sheath member of the core-in-sheath fibers 41 into a pillar form melted by heat treatment. As a result, the base body side batt layer 22 is made dense and blocks water within the press side batt layer 23 from moving to the wet paper web side, thereby preventing rewetting; moreover, the invention successfully enhances resistance to abrasion and compression fatigue of the felt 10 by the upright fiber bundles 50 fusion-bonded into a pillar form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Ohuchi
  • Patent number: 8252145
    Abstract: A method of installing an industrial fabric on a machine configured to utilize such a fabric includes as a first step: (a) providing an industrial fabric having: a plurality of machine direction (MD) yarns, the MD yarns forming seam loops at first and second ends of the fabric; a first flap attached adjacent the first end and underlying a first portion of the fabric, the first flap including a first zipper track on an edge portion thereof; and a second flap attached adjacent the second end and underlying a second portion of the fabric, the second flap including a second zipper on an edge portion thereof, the second flap able to stretch elastically such that the distance between its attachment to the second portion of the fabric and the second zipper track can increase when a load is applied to the second zipper track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Huyck Licensco, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans Peter Breuer, Harald Reiterer
  • Patent number: 8241465
    Abstract: A press felt for use in a paper, cardboard or tissue machine, with an open, load-carrying base structure which, viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, includes seam loops on one end, as well as seam loops at the other end, whereby the seam loops on the one end and the ones on the other end can be brought together for the purpose of producing the endless press felt and can be intermeshed with each other, so that a pass through opening is created through which a pintle can be guided, and comprising a machine side fibrous nonwoven structure which is located on the base structure and which provides the machine side of the press felt and which, viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, has one end section and one other end section, whereby when viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, the seam loops respectively extend at least partially over the end sections of the machine side fibrous nonwoven structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Bob Crook, Clifton Wilder
  • Patent number: 8216427
    Abstract: A structuring layer of a structuring belt for structuring a wet fibrous web in a press section of a tissue papermaking machine for manufacturing high bulk tissue paper, the structuring layer having a web-carrying side with a surface for cooperating with the fibrous web, the surface having depressions distributed over the web-carrying side and forming a three-dimensional structure of the surface. The depressions altogether constitute 20-80% of the surface. Each depression has a dimension l of 0.25-2.5 mm in a first direction in the plane of the top surface area, a dimension b of 0.25-2.0 mm in a second direction in the plane of the top surface area, such directions being at right angles to each other, a mean depth d of 0.05-0.6 mm, and an area a as measured in the plane of the top surface area of 0.063-5.0 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Ingvar Berndt Erik Klerelid, Ola Thomasson, Bo-Christer Aberg, Cary P. Johnson, John J. LaFond
  • Patent number: 8192583
    Abstract: A process belt for papermaking with a long operational life including an integrated structure of a reinforcing fibrous base material and a polyurethane layer is disclosed. The reinforcing fibrous base material is embedded in the polyurethane and the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface are made of the polyurethane. Nanoparticles including, as a main component, a silicon oxide component, the surface of which is treated with an organic silane coupling agent, are homogeneously dispersed in one part or all of the polyurethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Yazaki, Atsushi Ishino, Kenji Inoue, Ai Tamura
  • Patent number: 8147654
    Abstract: A wet paper web transfer belt (1) has a wet paper web-side layer (31), including a hydrophilic fibrous body (30), and a machine-side layer (32). A base fabric (33) disposed in the belt comprises a first woven fabric (34), disposed on a wet paper web (W) side, and a second woven fabric (35) disposed on a press roll (10) side, and the first woven fabric (34) and the second woven fabric (35) are stacked together. A portion of the hydrophilic fibrous body (30) is exposed on a surface (37) of the wet paper web-side layer (31). The first woven fabric (34) and the second woven fabric (35) include weft yarns (36) made of a material of low water absorptivity. When the hydrophilic fibrous body (30) is formed in the wet paper web-side layer (31) of the belt (1) by needle punching, an increase in the widthwise dimension of the belt due to the absorption of water by the hydrophilic fibrous body (30) is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sawada, Kenji Inoue
  • Patent number: 8137507
    Abstract: A shoe press belt for paper-making machine that reduces belt damages attributed to the friction between belt and shoe. The shoe press belt for paper-making machine having a wet paper contact surface and a shoe contact surface, is characterized in that the shoe press belt for paper-making machine has a base member and at least a polymer elastic part constituting the shoe contact surface and that the shoe contact surface of the polymer elastic part has a surface roughness (Ra) of 1.0 to 3.5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ishino, Nobuharu Suzuki, Shintaro Yamazaki, Takeshi Sawada, Tomoyuki Kawamata
  • Patent number: 8123911
    Abstract: The invention relates to a felt belt, especially a press felt for a paper—, cardboard or tissue machine, with a basic structure that is formed by (a) a longitudinal reinforcement module extending on the width and length of the felt belt, including (1) a laid longitudinal thread structure on the width and the length of the felt belt which is formed by at least one longitudinal thread extending essentially in longitudinal direction of the belt, and (2) one carrying layer which is bonded with the laid longitudinal thread structure and extends on the width and the length of the felt belt, as well as (b) one cross reinforcement module which has the same length and width as the felt belt which is located on and bonded with the longitudinal reinforcement module which is formed by a plurality of cross reinforcement module segments, each of which extend on the width of the felt belt, and only on part of the length of the felt belt and which are arranged in tandem in longitudinal direction of the felt belt and which to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Köckritz, Matthias Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8083898
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a machine felt. Firstly a tube having a longitudinal yarn layer is manufactured with a peripheral length double the length of the machine felt, and a width that corresponds to the width of the machine felt. The tube is compressed into a flattened tube with the formation of longitudinal yarn loops which are exposed by the removal of fibers of a fiber batt layer. An auxiliary substrate web is manufactured with a width that is less than that of the machine felt; for the longitudinal yarns and/or for the auxiliary substrate web, a material is used that absorbs laser energy; the longitudinal yarns are brought together with the auxiliary substrate web and connected by a laser beam; the auxiliary substrate web is helically wound until the tube is formed; and upon exposure of the longitudinal yarn loops, the auxiliary substrate web(s) are also removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Heimbach GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Walter Best, Axel Burmeister, Christian Molls
  • Patent number: 8043477
    Abstract: Belt and method of making a belt for a paper making machine. The belt includes a flat woven material having a top side surface and a bottom side surface and two terminal ends separated in a machine direction. Folds formed in the flat woven material are separated in the machine direction, so that the two terminal ends are located under the bottom side surface. Seam loops are located at the folds, and the two terminal ends one of are arranged adjacent each other and overlap each other in a region offset from a center between the folds. 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: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Crook, Clifton Wilder
  • Patent number: 8025771
    Abstract: Papermaking felts include a base material and a batt layer provided on one or both sides of the base material. The batt layer includes a water-absorbing resin, and the water-absorbing resin has a coefficient of water absorption of from 1.05 and 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ouchi, Hiroyuki Oda, Hirofumi Murakami, Takao Yazaki, Yoshiaki Ito, Yuya Takamori
  • Patent number: 7981252
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multilayer multiaxial fabric for a paper machine having a reduced interference pattern and accordingly improved dewatering uniformity. The present invention also provides a method of forming such a multilayer multiaxial fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: John M. Hawes, Glenn Kornett, Bjorn Rydin, Scott Quiqley, Michael A. Royo, James G. Donovan, Steven Yook
  • Patent number: 7976683
    Abstract: A machine for producing a fibrous web, in particular a paper web, paperboard web or tissue web, includes a former on which the fibrous web is formed on a structured belt and is dewatered between said structured belt and a forming belt, and a drying apparatus for the further dewatering of the fibrous web, through which the fibrous web is guided together with the structured belt and in which hot air flows through the permeable structured belt and the fibrous web. The forming fabric is formed by a printed forming fabric or a DSP fabric with zonally different permeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Scherb
  • Patent number: 7918970
    Abstract: A band for a machine for producing web material, in particular paper, board or tissue, includes at least one fabric layer having longitudinal filaments running substantially in a band longitudinal direction and transverse filaments running substantially in a band transverse direction, end regions of the longitudinal filaments being woven with transverse connecting filaments in order to provide an endless configuration of the band, cross-sectional widenings being provided at the filament ends of at least some of the longitudinal filaments woven with transverse connecting filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Bez
  • Patent number: 7905989
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a fibrous web includes: a circulating permeable structured belt defining a sheet forming zone in which the fibrous web is formed; a circulating unstructured permeable supporting belt; a pressing section through which the fibrous web is led lying between the circulating permeable structured belt and the circulating unstructured permeable supporting belt; a Yankee cylinder having a surface and defining a press nip and a press nip region, wherein the fibrous web is led together with the structured belt through said press nip, the fibrous web in the region of the press nip being transferred from the structured belt to the surface of the Yankee cylinder; at least one doctor which doctors off the surface of the Yankee cylinder continuously; and a coating device which recoats the surface of the Yankee cylinder so that a renewed coating material is always present in the press nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Scherb, Luiz Carlos Silva, Danilo Oyakawa, Rogerio Berardi
  • Patent number: 7897018
    Abstract: The invention discloses herein the use of short wavelength infrared energy to selectively control the locations where thermal fusing or bonding takes place or does not take place in an industrial fabric. Also, the method involves forming a mushroom cap on the tail of a fiber/yarn or monofilament and also creating a surface pattern formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph G. O'Connor, Maurice R. Paquin, Maryann Kenney, Dana Eagles, Jeffrey Scott Denton, Lynn F. Kroll, Jennifer L. Bowden, Amit Ganatra, John Michael Dempsey
  • Patent number: 7897017
    Abstract: An apparatus for the production of a fibrous web, in particular a paper web or paperboard web, having a belt formed from individual threads which are connected together, in particular woven together, whereby the surface of the threads is constructed to be structured in order to improve the paper quality and the production flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Matthias Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7892401
    Abstract: A fabric for use in a papermaking machine, the fabric including a first end portion of the fabric having a first flexibility, and a second end portion of the fabric having a second flexibility. At least one of the first end portion and the second end portion is treated with an agent to reduce the flexibility associated therewith. The first end portion and the second end portion are coupled together. The agent is substantially removed from the first end portion and the second end portion. The reduced flexibility of the first end portion and/or the said second end portion define a stiffness that is substantially unaffected by a humid environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Crook
  • Patent number: 7892402
    Abstract: A laminated on-machine-seamable industrial fabric made from a flat woven full width base fabric layer wherein the base fabric layer is folded inwardly and flattened to produce a fabric with seaming loops disposed at the two widthwise edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: John M. Hawes, David S. Rougvie