Patents Assigned to Albany International Corp.
  • Spiral fabrics
    Patent number: 7691238
    Abstract: A spiral-link fabric for use in a papermaking machine or the like. The spiral-link fabric may include a plurality of spiral coils arranged in a predetermined manner such that adjacent ones of side-by-side spiral coils are interdigitated with each other so as to form a channel and interconnected by a pintle extending through the channel. At least some of the plurality of spiral coils have a coil width of approximately 12 mm or larger, as measured in machine direction of the spiral-link fabric. The ratio of the diameter of the monofilament forming the spiral coils to the coil width may be approximately 0.07 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Alan L. Billings
  • Grooved single facer belt
    Patent number: 7654296
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a single facer corrugator belt having a base structure. The base structure includes an inside and an outside surface and a machine or running direction and a cross machine direction. The base structure is formed by machine direction yarns and cross machine direction yarns and has grooves formed in a surface of the base structure. Alternatively, the corrugator belt may include includes holes formed in a surface of the base structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Alan L. Billings, Gregory Zilker
  • Through air drying fabric
    Patent number: 7644738
    Abstract: A through-air-drying (TAD) fabric for producing tissue paper and related products on a papermaking machine comprising a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with a plurality of weft yarns to produce warp and weft knuckles on a paper-side surface of the fabric, preferably to form an L-shaped knuckle pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Lynn F. Kroll, John J. LaFond
  • Monofilaments to offset curl in warp bound forming fabrics
    Patent number: 7631669
    Abstract: A papermaking fabric having a top layer and a bottom layer of interwoven machine direction (MD) yarns and cross-machine direction (CD) yarns bound together with warp binder yarns. At least some of the CD yarns are made of a material which generates a strong contractive force when returned to room temperature after heat-setting (annealing under MD tension). These CD yarns are positioned such that the strong contractive force offsets tension forces generated when the fabric is placed under load and which typically result in an edge curl. An exemplary material for these CD yarns is polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: David S. Rougvie, Hayward Bradford Arthur, Louis Jay Jandris, Manish Jain
  • Industrial fabric, and method of making thereof
    Patent number: 7617846
    Abstract: A papermakers's fabric which includes a system of CD yarns including a plurality of CD yarns and a system of MD yarns. The system of MD yarns further includes a first subsystem of MD yarns and a second subsystem of MD yarns, which are in a vertically stacked relationship with one another. The first subsystem of MD yarns includes sheds having at least two MD yarns with substantially similar aspect ratios. The aspect ratio of the MD yarns in the second subsystem of MD yarns is greater than that of the MD yarns in the first subsystem of MD yarns. All of the yarns the first and second subsystems of MD yarns are interwoven with the CD yarns of the CD yarn system in a repeat weave pattern. Seaming loops are formed using only MD yarns from the first subsystem of MD yarns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: John Ding
  • Triangular weft for TAD fabrics
    Patent number: 7604026
    Abstract: A through-air-drying (TAD) fabric for producing tissue paper and related products on a papermaking machine comprising a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with a plurality of weft yarns to produce pockets on a paper-side surface of the fabric. The weft yarns have a substantially triangular cross-section and are oriented with their flat surface facing a machine side surface of the fabric. The points interlacing with the warp as they pass over and under the weft yarns produce an increased pocket depth and volume in the TAD fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Herman
  • Spiral link fabric and methods to build the same
    Patent number: 7591928
    Abstract: A spiral-link fabric comprised of connected sets of “chain mail” intertwined spiral coils. Alternating sets of two right-turn spiral coils and two left-turn spiral coils are repeatedly connected to form the body of the fabric. Within each set, the spiral coil loops are intertwined in a pattern which does not require fastening to connect the coils. The alternating sets are connected by interdigitating respective spiral coil loops and inserting a series of parallel pintles extending through the channels formed by the interdigitated loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Alan L. Billings, Curtis L. Gardner
  • Bicomponent monofilament
    Patent number: 7579291
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fabric comprises a plurality of functional monofilaments shaped to provide anchoring of a coating applied to the fabric and exhibits improved resistance to peeling away of the coating from the fabric. The second embodiment is a fabric comprised of a plurality of bicomponent monofilaments having a first component with at least one receptacle containing a second component, and the fabric exhibiting improved gripping compared to fabric constructed of conventional monofilaments. Methods for making the monofilaments and fabrics are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • High-speed spun-bond production of non-woven fabrics
    Patent number: 7578317
    Abstract: In combination with a high-speed spun-bond apparatus, rather than using a circulating sieve belt for collecting the stretched filaments and forming the web, a fabric having a 4-shed double layer with support shute weave design is used. This fabric is commonly referred to as a 4B weave and 4B weave with stuffer in center. In general, the fabric has a permeability ranging from 400 to 800 cfm with a woven or pin seam where the seam permeability and caliper varies only slightly with respect to the rest of the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Mark J. Levine, David Graham, Bill Houfek, Thomas L. Israel
  • Spiral fabrics
    Patent number: 7575659
    Abstract: A spiral-link fabric for use in a papermaking machine or the like. The spiral-link fabric may include a plurality of spiral coils arranged in a predetermined manner such that adjacent ones of side-by-side spiral coils are interdigitated with each other so as to form a channel and interconnected by a pintle extending through the channel. At least some of the plurality of spiral coils have a coil width of approximately 12 mm or larger. The ratio of coil thickness to coil width may be approximately 0.5 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Alan L. Billings
  • Methods for bonding structural elements of paper machine and industrial fabrics to one another and fabrics produced thereby
    Patent number: 7527707
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing and a papermaker's or industrial fabric, which includes the application of a polymeric resin material onto preselected discrete locations on a base substrate in a controlled manner in droplets having an average diameter of 10? (10 microns) to point bond yarns, bond spiral wound strips together or to bond layers of a fabric together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Francis L. Davenport, Charles E. Kramer, Joseph G. O'Connor, Maurice Paquin
  • Wireless communication system for a roll-up door
    Patent number: 7518326
    Abstract: A door system includes a support connected to a structure, and a door mounted on the support and movable relative to the support between an opened position and a closed position. The door includes a detection device and a remote module coupled to the detection device. The remote module includes a battery and an RF module for supporting two-way communication and sending signals indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The door system also includes a motor to drive the door, and a controller to control the motor. The controller includes a user interface and a memory. The door system also includes a base module coupled to the controller for receiving signals from the remote module. The received signals are indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The base module also sends signals related to successful transmission acknowledgements to the remote module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: William W. Shier, Lee H. Theusch, Allan B. Czubin, Robert J. Miller
  • Fabric characteristics by flat calendering
    Patent number: 7514030
    Abstract: A smoothed and durable industrial process fabric and method for producing such a fabric. The fabric may be used as a papermaker's fabric, other industrial process fabric and/or engineered fabric. In any case, the fabric is processed using a device comprising at least two smooth rolls which form a pressure nip, such as a calender, such that at least some of the fabric components are permanently deformed. Preferably, at least one of the rolls is heated to a pre-selected temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Anders Nilsson, Goran Nilsson, Ademar Lippi Fernande, David Rougvie, Lynn Kroll, Jeffrey Scott Denton
  • Extended couch nip on cylinder former
    Patent number: 7510630
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in a cylinder machine having a shoe with a concavely-shaped pressure surface that forms a substantially mating relationship with a cylinder mould or sieve. The concavely-shaped pressure surface of the shoe increases the amount of wrap that a making fabric has on a cylinder mould or sieve thereby increasing the amount of friction generated between the making fabric and the cylinder mould or sieve. The increased friction results in an improved torque transfer between the making fabric and the cylinder mould or sieve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Gregory D. Zilker
  • Multiaxial fabrics
    Patent number: 7473336
    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: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: John M. Hawes, Glenn Kornett
  • Semi-permeable fabrics for transfer belt and press fabric applications
    Patent number: 7455752
    Abstract: A papermaker's fabric formed by arranging a number of layers in a predetermined manner, wherein at least one layer comprises a material which is woven, knitted or braided and has a first melting point temperature and wherein each of the remaining layers has a melting point temperature which is higher than said first melting point temperature; and heating said number of layers to a temperature at least equal to said first melting point temperature and less than said melting point temperature of each of the remaining layers such that said at least one layer melts without melting the remaining layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Robert A. Hansen
  • Staggered, discontinuous wear protection for seams
    Patent number: 7452581
    Abstract: The invention relates to an industrial fabric having means for seaming a fabric to form an endless loop and a plurality of non-continuous wear beads formed on the fabric proximally to a seam formed in the fabric which prevent wear to the components of the seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Mark J. Levine, John VanHandel
  • Belts and roll coverings having a nanocomposite coating
    Patent number: 7413633
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a urethane-based coating having nanoparticles for improving the characteristics of a papermaking process belt, roll cover and belts used in textile applications. For example, the present invention improves resistance to flex fatigue, crack propagation, groove closure and wear characteristics of urethane coatings on such belts and roll coverings. The present invention also improves the resistance to water and oil permeation characteristics of urethane coated belts and roll coverings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Cheng-Kuang Li, Crayton Gregory Toney
  • Unique modular construction for use as a forming fabric in papermaking or tissue or nonwovens
    Patent number: 7410554
    Abstract: A forming fabric including a sheet contact layer of woven material and a base layer formed of a layer of spiral turns formed by a spirally-wound material strip, the material strip having a width which is smaller in width than the forming fabric, the longitudinal axis of the spiral turns making an angle with said machine direction of the fabric. The sheet contact layer and the base layer are laminated to one another to form a single fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Francis L. Davenport
  • Stratified press fabric
    Patent number: 7407564
    Abstract: A stratified press fabric for the press section of a paper machine includes a base fabric in the form of an endless loop. A first staple fiber batt material is attached to the outer side of the base fabric by needling. A fine fabric covers the first staple fiber batt material, and a second staple fiber batt material is attached to the fine fabric by needling. The fibers making up the second staple fiber material are finer, that is, of smaller diameter or denier, than the fibers making up the first staple fiber material. The fine fabric prevents the coarser fibers of the first staple fiber batt material from being needled therethrough to mix with the finer fibers of the second fiber batt material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Robert A. Hansen