Abstract: A forming fabric for a papermaking machine woven according to a repeating pattern. The fabric includes a PS layer having a PS surface, with the PS layer including PS warps and first PS wefts, second PS wefts, and binder PS weft pairs interwoven in a first repeating pattern, and a MS layer having a MS surface, with the MS layer including interwoven MS warps and MS wefts. The binder PS weft pairs are interwoven with the PS warps and the MS warps to bind the PS and MS layers together. The first PS wefts have a larger diameter than the second PS wefts, the second PS wefts have a larger diameter than the binder PS weft pair, and in each repeat, the first PS wefts, the second PS wefts, and the binder PS wefts are inserted sequentially, preferably from large to small, forming a stair step topography.

Abstract: An endless fabric belt having a seam region, the seam region comprising: a) machine direction (MD) threads; b) cross-direction (CD) threads interwoven with the MD threads; and c) termination zones distributed throughout the entire seam region, with each termination zone comprising two ends of an MD thread; wherein: a plurality of the CD threads are fusible, with the fusible (F) and non-fusible (N) CD threads distributed in a pattern throughout the seam region such that in a repeating unit of the pattern, the ratio of F threads to CD threads is at most 0.75; and a plurality of the termination zones further comprise at least one fusible CD thread attached to the MD thread in the termination zone.

Abstract: A papermaker's through-air dryer (TAD) fabric for use in the production of tissue and towel products. The fabric is woven according to a 10-shed, semi-duplex weave design in which the warp and weft yarns are arranged so as to form pockets of at least two differing sizes in a first planar fabric surface. The pockets are designed and arranged to impart a measure of bulk and absorbency to the paper products conveyed thereon by providing MD oriented recesses in the PS fabric surface into which a portion of the component fibers of the paper products formed on the fabric are deflected during manufacture.

Abstract: A papermaker's through-air dryer (TAD) fabric for use in the production of tissue and towel products. The fabric is woven according to a 10-shed, semi-duplex weave design in which the warp and weft yarns are arranged so as to form pockets of at least two differing sizes in a first planar fabric surface. The pockets are designed and arranged to impart a measure of bulk and absorbency to the paper products conveyed thereon by providing MD oriented recesses in the PS fabric surface into which a portion of the component fibers of the paper products formed on the fabric are deflected during manufacture.

Abstract: A double layer papermakers' fabric that is particularly suitable for forming or through-air drying (TAD) of high bulk tissue and towel product is provided. The fabric includes a single warp yarn system interwoven with three weft yarn systems such that: a first of the weft yarn systems is located on the paper side (PS) surface of the fabric; a second of the weft yarn systems is located on the machine side (MS) surface of the fabric; and the third weft yarn system is located intermediate between the first and second weft yarn systems. The yarns of the first and second weft yarn systems are interwoven with the warp yarn system such that they are vertically stacked with respect to one another in the fabric.

Abstract: A multilayered papermakers' forming fabric comprises at least one set of machine direction (MD) warp yarns, at least a first set of cross-machine direction (CD) machine side layer weft yarns; and paper side layer weft yarns woven in a repeating pattern with at least some of the MD warp yarns. At least some of the paper side layer weft yarns comprise an array of bulk enhancing weft yarns each having a vertical dimension which exceeds a corresponding vertical dimension of each of the remaining paper side layer weft yarns in a ratio of at least 1.25:1. Selected weft yarns can have different float lengths in the paper side surface. The fabrics of the invention impart increased bulk for products such as towel or tissue without loss of other required characteristics.

Abstract: A single layer papermakers fabric comprises machine direction (MD) warp yarns interwoven with cross-machine direction (CD) weft yarns to a repeating weave pattern requiring N sheds in the loom, N being an integer and at least 4. Each warp yarn follows a path in the paper side surface comprising four segments in each pattern repeat. In each of the first and third segments, the warp yarn interweaves with three consecutive weft yarns to form a double warp knuckle, and in the second and fourth segments, the warp yarn forms respectively a first and second MD float having unequal float lengths, at least one of the MD floats being over at least N consecutive weft yarns. The fabrics provide high air permeability, and increased surface contact area, stability and seam strength, and are particularly suitable for use as forming fabrics and through air dryer fabrics for tissue and towel products.

Abstract: A double layer papermakers' fabric that is particularly suitable for forming or through-air drying (TAD) of high bulk tissue and towel product is provided. The fabric includes a single warp yarn system interwoven with three weft yarn systems such that: a first of the weft yarn systems is located on the paper side (PS) surface of the fabric; a second of the weft yarn systems is located on the machine side (MS) surface of the fabric; and the third weft yarn system is located intermediate between the first and second weft yarn systems. The yarns of the first and second weft yarn systems are interwoven with the warp yarn system such that they are vertically stacked with respect to one another in the fabric.

Abstract: A single layer papermakers fabric comprises machine direction (MD) warp yarns interwoven with cross-machine direction (CD) weft yarns to a repeating weave pattern requiring N sheds in the loom, N being an integer and at least 4. Each warp yarn follows a path in the paper side surface comprising four segments in each pattern repeat. In each of the first and third segments, the warp yarn interweaves with three consecutive weft yarns to form a double warp knuckle, and in the second and fourth segments, the warp yarn forms respectively a first and second MD float having unequal float lengths, at least one of the MD floats being over at least N consecutive weft yarns. The fabrics provide high air permeability, and increased surface contact area, stability and seam strength, and are particularly suitable for use as forming fabrics and through air dryer fabrics for tissue and towel products.

Abstract: A multilayered papermakers' forming fabric comprises at least one set of machine direction (MD) warp yarns, at least a first set of cross-machine direction (CD) machine side layer weft yarns; and paper side layer weft yarns woven in a repeating pattern with at least some of the MD warp yarns. At least some of the paper side layer weft yarns comprise an array of bulk enhancing weft yarns each having a vertical dimension which exceeds a corresponding vertical dimension of each of the remaining paper side layer weft yarns in a ratio of at least 1.25:1. Selected weft yarns can have different float lengths in the paper side surface. The fabrics of the invention impart increased bulk for products such as towel or tissue without loss of other required characteristics.