Papermaking belt and method of making the same using a textured casting surface.
Abstract
A backside textured papermaking belt is disclosed which is comprised of a framework and a reinforcing structure. The framework has a first surface which defines the paper-contacting side of the belt, a second surface opposite the first surface, and conduits which extend between first and second surfaces of the belt. The first surface of the framework has a paper side network formed therein which defines the conduits. The second surface of the framework has a backside network with passageways that provide surface texture irregularities in the backside network. The papermaking belt is made by casting a photosensitive resinous material over and through the reinforcing structure while the reinforcing structure travels over a textured surface, and then exposing the photosensitive resinous material to light of an activating wavelength through a mask which has transparent and opaque regions. A process for making paper products is also disclosed which involves applying a fluid pressure differential from a vacuum source through the belt to a partially-formed embryonic web of papermaking fibers. The fibers in the embryonic web are deflected into the conduits of the papermaking belt by the vacuum pressure while the papermaking belt and the embryonic web travel over the vacuum source. Following the deflection, the paper web is impressed with the paper side network of the belt, and dried to form the final product.

Term
Term ended
Expired 28 June 2006, 20.2 years ago.
- Priority
- Filed
- Granted
- Expired
- Today
9 claims: 5 independent, 4 dependent
- 1lã·- Cinta para fabrico de papel tendo um lado de contacto com o papel e uma traseira oposta do dito lado de contacto com o papel, incluindo a cinta para fabrico de papel uma armaçSo tendo uma primeira superfície definindo o dito lado de contacto com o papel da dita cinta; uma segunda superfície oposta à dita primeira superfície, definindo o lado tcaseiro da dita cinta; condutas que se estendem entre a dita primeira superfície e a dita segunda superfície da dita armaçSo, e uma estrutura de reforço situada entre a dita primeira superfície e a dita segunda superfície da dita armaçSo, tendo a dita estrutura de reforço interstícios, caracterizada por:a primeira superfície da dita armaçSo ter uma rede do lado do papel nela formada definindo as ditas condutas e a dita segunda superfície ter uma rede traseira com passagens, distintas das ditas condutas, que facultam irregularidades da textura da superfície na dita rede traseira;e a dita superfície traseira ter uma capacidade de passagem de fluído suficiente para permitir que, pelo menos, cerca de 1800 cm cúbicos padrSo/minuto de ar escapem através da dita superfície traseira.
- 22ã.- Cinta para fabrico de papel de acordo com a reivindicação 1, caracterizada por a dita estrutura de reforço ter um lado de frente para o papel e um lado de frente para a máquina oposto ao dito lado de frente para o papel e todas as ditas passagens na dita rede traseira da dita armação estarem localizadas para o exterior a partir .. k’ ’·.* do plano definido pelo lado de frente para a máquina da estrutura de reforço.
- 33ã.~ Cinta para fabrico de papel de acordo com a reivindicação 1, caracterizada por a dita estrutura de reforço ter um lado de frente para o papel, um lado de frente para a máquina oposto ao dito lado de frente para o papel, -13763585 Case 4194 ίΛΛ Mod. 71 - 20.000 βκ. - 90/08 28. Jtò. iúdJ e uma área aberta projectada definida pela projecção das áreas definidas pelos ditos interstícios, em que é colocada uma multiplicidade das ditas passagens na dita rede traseira para o interior do plano definido pelo lado de frente para a maquina da dita estrutura de reforço nos ditos interstícios, pelo que uma porção da área projectada das passagens corresponde a uma porção da área projectada aberta da dita estrutura de reforço, e uma multiplicidade das ditas passagens é colocada para fora do plano definido pele lado de frente para a máquina da estrutura de reforço·
- 44ã·- Cinta para fabrico de papel de acordo com qualquer das reivindicações anteriores, caracterizada por a dita estrutura de reforço incluir tua elemento entrançado«
- 55ã·- Cinta para fabrico de papel de acordo com qualquer das reivindicações anteriores, caracterizada por a dita armação incluir resina fotossensívfeii*
- 66ã.- Cinta para fabrico de papel de acordo com qualquer das reivindicações anteriores, caracterizada por a dita rede de lado do papel da dita armação ser contínua, modelada e monoplanar macroscopicamente.
- 77ã.- Processo de fabrico de uma cinta para fabrico de papel que inclui uma estrutura de reforço e uma armação resinosa que tem uma primeira superfície, uma segunda superfície oposta à dita primeira superfície, e condi,· tas que se estendem entre a dita primeira superfície e a di ta segunda superfície da dita armação, tendo a dita primeira superfície uma rede do lado do papel nela formada definindo as ditas condutas;em que a dita segunda superfície da dita armação tem uma rede traseira com passagens, distinta das ditas condutas, que facultam irregularidades de textura de superfície na dita rede traseira, caracterizado por compreender as seguintes fases í a) proporcionar uma unidade de coiiformação com uma superfície de trabalho texturada;b) proporcionar uma estrutura de reforço tendo um -138· 63585 Case 4194 d) e) f) g) lado de frente para o papel, um lado de frente pa ra a máquina oposto ao dito lado de frente para o papel, e interstícios} levar pelo 1 menos uma porção do dito lado de frente para a máquina da dita estrutura de reforço a contactar' com a dita superfície de trabalho da di ta unidade de conformação;aplicar um revestimento de resina líquida fotossensível a pelo menos um lado da dita estrutura de reforço, sendo o dito revestimento aplicado por forma a que pelo menos uma porção da dita segunda superfície do dito revestimento seja coloca da junto da dita superfície de trabalho da dita unidade de conformação, o dito lado de frente para o papel da dita estrutura de reforço esteja co locado entre, as ditas primeira e segunda superfícies do dito revestimento e a porção do dito revestimento que é colocada entre a dita primeira superfície do dito revestimento e o dito lado de frente para o papel da dita estrutura de reforço forme tuna sobrecarga resinosa, em que pelo menos uma porção do dito revestimento se infiltra na textura da superfície de trabalho da dita unidade de coiiformação, criando a dita textura áreas na dita segunda superfície do dito revestimento, que são definidas pela dita superfície texturada;controlar a espessura da dita sobrecarga até um valor pré-seleccionado;proporcionar uma protecção tendo regiões opacas, <2 transparentes, definindo as ditas regiões opacas em conjunto com as ditas regiões transparentes ura padrão pré-seleccionado na dita protecção;posicionar a dita protecção entre 0 dito revestimento de resina líquida fotossensível e uma fonte de luz actínica por forma a que a dita protecção 13963585 Case 4194 se encontre em relação de contacto com a dita primeira superfície do dito revestimento, protegendo as ditas regiões opacas da dita protecçâo uma porção do dito revestimento dos raios de luz da dita fonte de luz e deixando as ditas regiões transparentes outras porções do dito revestimento sem protecçâo;h) curar as ditas porções não protegidas do dito re vestimento da resina líquida fotossensível e deixando as ditas porções protegidas não curadas atraves da exposição do dito revestimento de resina líquida fotossensível à dita fonte de luz atrap ves da dita protecçâo para formar uma cinta composta parcialmente formada} e i) remover substancialmente toda a resina líquida fotossensível não curada da dita cinta composta parcialmente formada para deixar uma armação de resina dura ao redor de pelo menos de uma porção da dita estrutura de reforço, cuja armação tem uma pluralidade de condutas nas regiões que foram protegiãàsrdos ditos raios de luz pelas regiões opacas da protecçâo e passagens que facultam irregularidades de textura de superfície na rede traseira da dita armação correspondendo aos locai em que a segunda superfície do revestimento infiltrou □ textura da superfície de trabalho da unida de de conformação.
- 88ã.- Processo de fabrico de uma cinta para fabrico de papel de acordo com a reivindicação 7, que inclui... uma estrutura de reforço e uma armação resinosa que tem uma primeira superfície, uma segunda superfície oposta à dita primeira superfície, e condutas que se estendem entre a dita primeira superfície e a dita segunda superfície da dita armação, tendo a dita primeira superfície uma rede do lado do papel, nela formada, definindo as ditas, tendo a dita -14063585 Case 4194 Mod. 71 - 20.000 «χ. - 90/06 segunda superfície uma rede traseira com passagens, distintas das ditas condutas, que facultam irregularidades de tez· tura de superfície na dita rede traseira, caracterizado poi incluir as fases seguintes:a) proporcionar uma unidade de cofiformação com uma superfície de trabalho texturadaj b) proporcionar uma estrutura de reforço tendo um lado de frente para o papel, um lado de frente para a máquina oposto ao dito lado de frente para o papel, e interstícios;c) aplicar um primeiro revestimento de resina líquida fotossensível pelo menos ao dito lado de fren. te para a máquina da dita estrutura de reforço pe ra pelo menos preencher parcialmente as áreas vazias da dita estrutura de reforço;d) levar pelo menos uma porção do dito lado de frente para a maquina da dita estrutura de reforço a contactar com a dita superfície de trabalho da dita unidade de conformação;e) aplicar um segundo revestimento de resina liquide fotossensível ao dito lado da frente para o papej da dita estrutura de reforço por forma a que o dito primeiro revestimento em conjunto com o segundo dito revestimento forme um único revestimer to que tenha uma primeira superfície e uma segunda superfície e que o dito revestimento preencha substancialmente as áreas vazias da estrutura de reforço, sendo o dito revestimento distribuído por forma a que pelo menos uma porção da dita segunda superfície do dito revestimento seja colocada junto da dita superfície de trabalho da dite unidade de conformação, o dito lado de frente para o papel da dita estrutura de reforço esteja posicionado entre as ditas primeira e segunda superfícies do dito revestimento, e a porção do di35 -14163585 Case 4194 ?8 JWI I 10 ZU/VO íA to revestimento esteja posicionada entre a dita primeira superfície do dito revestimento e 0 ladc da frente para 0 papel da dita estrutura de reforço formando uma sobrecarga resinosa, em que pelo menos uma porção do dito revestimento se infiltra na textura da superfície de trabalho da dita unidade de conformação;sendo as ditas áreas de revestimento de textura na dita segunda superfície do dito revestimento definidas pela dita stperfície de textura;f) controlar a espessura da dita sobrecarga ate um valor pré-seleccionado;g) proporcionar uma máscara tendo regiões opacas e transparentes, definindo as ditas regiões opacas em conjunto com as ditas regiões transparentes un padrão prá-seleccionado na dita máscara;h) posicionar a dita máscara entre o dito revestimerto de resina líquida fotossensível e uma fonte de luz aotínica, por forma a que a dita máscara esteja numa relação de contacto com a dita primeire superfície do dito revestimento, protegendo as díi) tas regiões opacas da dita máscara uma porção do dito revestimento dos raios de luz da dita fonte de luz, deixando as ditas regiões transparentes outras porções do dito revestimento não protegidas;curar as ditas porções da resina líquida fotosser sível nas regiões deixadas sem protecção pelas dd tas regiões transparentes da dita máscara através da exposição do dito revestimento de resina líqud da fotossensível à luz, tendo um comprimento de onda activador através da dita máscara para formar uma cinta composta parcialmente formada;e j) remover substâncialmente toda a resina líquida fc tossensível não curada da dita cinta composta -.1/1963585 Case 4194 ( ?R NJ.WI parcialmente formada para deixar uma armação de resina endurecida em redor de pelo menos uma porção da dita estrutura de reforço, cuja armação tem uma pluralidade de condutas nas regiões que foram protegidas dos ditos raios de luz pelas regiões opacas da mascara e passagens que facultam irregularidades de textura de superfície na rede traseira da dita armação correspondendo aos locais onde a segunda superfície do revestimento se infiltra na textura da superfície de trabalho da unidade de conformação·
- 99ã·- Trama de papel absorvente macia e forte caracterizada por ser obtida pelo processo que compreende as fases de:a) proporcionar uma dispersão de fibras para fabricc de papel;b) formar uma trama embrionária de fibras para fabrico de papel a partir da dita dispersão numa superfície foraminosa;c) contactar a dita trama embrionária com o lado de contacto com o papel de uma cinta para fabrico de papel de acordo com a reivindicação 1;d) fazer a dita cinta para fabrico de papel e a teia embrionária percorrer uma fonte de vácuo e aplicar uma pressão de fluído diferencial à dita trama embrionária com a dita fonte de vácuo, de tal forma que a pressão de fluído diferencial seja aplicada da zona traseira da dita cinta para fabrico de papel através das condutas da dita cinta para fabrico de papel para deflectir pelo menos uma porção das fibras para fabrico de papel na dita trama embrionária para dentro das condutas da dita cinta para fabrico de papel, e remover água da dita trama embrionária através das di tas condutas, e rearranjar as ditas fibras para -143 63585 case 4194 fabrico de papel na dita trama embrionária para formar uma trama intermediária das ditas fibras para fabrico de papel sob condições tais, que a dita deflexão seja iniciada nunca mais tarde que o início da remoção da água da trama embrionária;e) imprimir a dita rede do lado do papel na dita tra ma intermediária por interposição da dita trama intermediária entre a dita cinta para fabrico de papel e uma superfície de impressão para formar uma trama impressa de fibras para fabrico de papel;e f) secar a dita trama impressa.
Independent claims9
1,047 paragraphs in 25 sections, as filed
«BELT FOR PAPER MANUFACTURING AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS THERE USING A TEXTURED PRINTING SURFACE
J
Mod. 71 - 20,000 ex. - 90/08
A back textured papermaking belt including a frame and reinforcing structure is described. The abutment has a first surface defining the paper contacting side of the belt, a second surface opposite the first surface. conduits extending between the first and second belt surfaces ·
The first surface of the frame has a paper-side mesh formed therein which defines the ducts. · The second surface of the frame has a rear mesh with passages that give irregularities to the surface texture in the rear mesh. · The papermaking strap is fabricated by applying a photosensitive resinous material over and through the reinforcement structure, while the reinforcement structure moves over a textured surface and then exposing light-sensitive photosensitive resinous matter of an activating wavelength through a mask with transparent and opaque regions · Paper products obtained by the process involving the application of differential fluid pressure from a vacuum source across the belt for the application Partially formed embryonic web of papermaking fibers. The fibers in the embryonic web are diverted to the duct of the papermaking belt by vacuum pressure while the papermaking belt and the embryonic web travel through the entire vacuum source. After deviation, the paper web is printed with the paper-side web of the belt, and dried to form the final product.
Figure 2
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 m. - 90/08
J
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to belts useful in making paper for papermaking machines to produce strong paper products. Soft and Absorbent · This invention further relates to a method for making such a papermaking belt and papermaking processes using these belts in this manufacture. · This invention is particularly related to papermaking belts. composed of a resinous frame and a reinforcing structure that has a texture on its side of contact with the machine, or side zone · Texture is imparted to the belt by casting the resin material over and through the reinforcement structure as it moves over a textured surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A feature of everyday life in modern industrialized societies is the use of paper products for a variety of purposes. · Paper towels, facial wipes, toilet wipes and similar products are in almost constant use. The high demand for such paper products has created a demand for improved versions of the products and methods for their manufacture. Despite the great progress made in papermaking, demand and efforts continue to improve both the products and their manufacturing processes.
Paper products such as paper towels, facial wipes, toilet wipes and the like are made from one or more wipes of tissue paper. In order to fulfill their objectives and to be widely accepted, products, as well as the paper webs from which they are made, must reveal certain characteristics.
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Physical Characteristics · Among the most important characteristics are strength, smoothness and absorption.
The strength and ability of the paper web to retain its physical integrity during use ·
Softness is the pleasant tactile feel you have when you crumple the paper in your hands and when using the paper for its intended purpose.
Absorption is the characteristic of paper that allows the absorption and retention of fluids, especially water and aqueous solutions to the suspensions. When evaluating the absorption of paper, it is important not only the absolute amount of fluid of a given amount of paper, but also rate at which paper will absorb fluid · In addition, when paper is transformed into a product such as a towel or a towel, the ability of the paper to cause a fluid to be retained, thus leaving a dry surface, it will also
Processes for making paper products for use in handkerchiefs, towels and sanitary products generally involve the preparation of an aqueous pulp of paper fibers and the subsequent removal of water from the pulp while preparing the fibers in a pulp to form a paper web. . Various types of machinery can be used for the drying process.
Currently, most manufacturing processes use either machines known as Pourdrinier wire-making machines or machines known as double-wire (Eourdrinier) machines. In Pourdrinier yarn making machines, the pulp is held on top of the upper surface of a movable end strap, which serves as the starting paper making surface of the machine. In twin-wire machines, the pulp is placed between a pair of converging Eourdrinier yarns in which initial drying and re-preparation of the papermaking process is carried out.
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After the initial formation of the paper web on the Fourdrinier yarn or yarns, Both types of machines generally carry the paper web through a drying process or processes on other machinery in the form of an end belt which is often different from Fourdrinier yarn or threads. This other machinery is often referred to as a drying machine. Several compositions of the Fourdrinier yarn (s) and drying machinery have been used successively, as well as the successful drying process (s) and some less successful · 0 (s) process (s). ) drying it may involve adjusting the paper web, vacuum drying, blow drying of heated air through the paper web, and other types of process.
As has already been seen, papermaking belts or papermaking machines have various names depending on their use. · Fourdrinier yarns, also known as Fourdrinier belts, forming yarns or forming machines are those used in the working area. initial formation of the papermaking machine. As already mentioned, the drying machines are those that carry the paper web through the drying operation of the paper making machine. There are other types of straps or machines that are also possible.
Most past papermaking belts are generally formed from a length of woven material, the ends of which have been joined into a lode to form an end belt. The woven materials generally include a plurality of longitudinally spaced twisted threads and a plurality of transversely spaced twisted threads that have been woven together in a specific weaving pattern. The foregoing belts included Simple (twisted or woven) machinery, machines with multi-ply, and multi-ply machinery including each twisted and woven intertwined threads. Initially, the threads of papermaking machines were made of yarn composed of materials such as
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such as phosphor bronze, bronze, stainless steel, brass or compounds thereof. Often various materials were placed on top and attached to the machines to try to make the drying process more effective. Recently, in the field of papermaking, it has been found that syntactic materials can be used wholly or in part to produce the underlying yarn structures, which are superior in quality to forming threads made of metal threads. Such syntactic materials included nylon, polyesters, acrylic fibers and copolymers. While many different processes, machines and combinations of these machines have been used, only some of these machine processes and combinations of these machines have resulted in successful paper products on the market.
An example of paper webs that have been well accepted by the consumer are those made by the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,746, issued to Sanford and Sisson on January 31, 1967 · Other widely accepted paper products are made by the process described in US Pat. 3,994,771 issued to Morgan and Rich on November 30, 1976. Despite the high quality of the products made by these two processes, however, the demand for even more refined products has, as noted above, continued.
Another commercially significant improvement has been made to the above paper webs by the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,480 issued to Trokhan on July 16, 1985, incorporated herein by reference. The improvement included the use of a papermaking belt (called a "deflection member") composed of a foraminous woven member that was surrounded by a stiffened photosensitive resin frame. The resin frame has been provided with a plurality of discrete and insulated channels called deflection conduits. The process in which this deflection member was used involved, among other things,
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In this case, associating an embryonic fiber web for making paper with the upper surface of the deflection member and applying a vacuum or other differential fluid pressure to the web from the back (machine contact side) of the deflection member. deflection · The papermaking belt used in this process was called the deflection element, since the papermaking fibers would be deflected inwardly and rearranged in the deflection ducts of the stiffened resin frame upon application of differential fluid pressure · By using the aforementioned improved papermaking process as below 'and :; ref.ar ± rá, It was finally possible to create paper having certain desired preselected characteristics. The deflection element described in the previous patent issued to Trokhan was executed by the process described in U.S. Patent No. 4,514,345 to Johnson et al., incorporated herein by reference. described in the patents of Johnson et al · include the following stages:
1) coating the foraminous tissue element with a photosensitive resin; 2) controlling the thickness of the photosensitive resin to a preselected value; 3) exposing the resin to light having an activator wavelength through a shield having opaque and transparent regions; and 4) removal of uncured resin. This process produced a deflection element with a frame that had a paper web contact surface and a machine contact surface, each with a mesh pattern surrounding the ducts, which were essentially single plane planar paper produced with the process described in U.S. Patent 4,529,480 and described in U.S. Patent 4,637,859, in the name of Trokhan, incorporated herein by reference. This paper is characterized by having two distinct parts physically distributed along its surfaces. One and
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of the parts is a continuous lattice system part which has a relatively high density and a high intrinsic force. The other part is composed of a plurality of cupules which are completely surrounded by the domes lattice part in the last part has densities. relatively dense and relatively low intrinsic forces compared to that part of the cross-linked system paper produced by the process described in U.S. Patent 4,529,480 was actually more Stronger, softer and more absorbent than paper produced by the preceding processes as a result of several factors · The strength of the paper produced was increased as a result of the relatively high intrinsic force provided by the mesh part · The smoothness of the paper produced was increased as a result of providing the plurality of low density domes along the paper surface. The absolute amount of fluid the paper would retain (one of the key factors in determining paper absorption) was increased because the overall paper density was reduced.
Although the above-mentioned improved process had good results, it was found that when the deflection element of the process described above passed through the vacuum drying equipment used in the papermaking process, certain undesirable events occurred. Of concern was the fact that a large number of partially dried fibers in the paper web would pass completely through the deflection element. This would lead to the undesirable result of clogging of the vacuum drying machinery with the other movable paper fibers. Another undesirable event was the tendency for these movable paper fibers to accumulate on the drying machinery to produce clumps of fiber on the machinery. This accumulation of fibers would cause earlier papermaking belts that had smooth backs to wrinkle and
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began to have folds, particularly longitudinal folds, after repeated traverses on the drying machinery during the papermaking process, which in turn would result only in serious problems with the moisture profiles and physical property of the paper produced, but also the eventual failure of the papermaking belt · M The significance of the difficulties experienced with these previous belts has been increased with the relatively high cost of the belts. · In most cases, The manufacture of the foraminous woven element incorporated in these belts required (and still requires) costly textile processing operations, including the use of large and expensive looms. strapping is further increased when using high temperature resistant filament properties, What is generally required for belts that go through the drying operation?
In addition to the cost of the strap itself, failure to make a paper will also have serious implications for the effectiveness of the papermaking process. A high frequency of paper machine belt failures can substantially affect the savings of a papermaking business due to the loss of the use of expensive papermaking machinery (i.e. machine downtime) ) for as long as. put a replacement strap on the papermaking machine ·
When the papermaking process described in U.S. Patent 4,529,480 was developed, was it believed? It was found that the mesh formed on the bottom surface of the resinous frame (the machine contact surface) had to be essentially planar in order to obtain the desired suddenness of application of the vacuum pressure required to deflect and rearrange the fibers into the ducts. deflection to form the dome zones on the enhanced paper.
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 90/08)
Not wanting extreme submission to any theory, it is now believed that the problems that arose when using flat back paper belts may have been, at least in part, the result of applying too much vacuum pressure to the web. paper when it was passed over the vacuum drying machinery. It is believed that former flat back papermaking belts could temporarily seal the vacuum source * Thus, when the open channels (deflection ducts) of the previous type papermaking belt are found, the pressure A vacuum would be applied to the highly movable water-loaded fibers on the fibrous web at the top of the resin frame extremely quickly. This rapid application of vacuum pressure is believed to have caused the rapid deflection of the moving fibers sufficient to allow them to pass completely through the papermaking belt. It is further believed that this rapid application of vacuum pressure and fiber migration would be responsible for the pin size holes in the dome regions of the finished paper, which in some but not all cases is undesirable.
Another theory for the excessive accumulation of paper fibers on the surfaces of the vacuum drying equipment is that the front flat back side belts did not have the proper surface texture in their back zones. It is believed that a certain amount of surface texture is required to allow such resin coated belts to remove the paper fibers that accumulate in the vacuum drying equipment by the braking action of such a belt moving over the belt. vacuum drying equipment.
As a result, there is a need for an improved papermaking process that is not disturbed by the undesirable construction of these movable papermaking fibers in the vacuum drying machinery used in the process.
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Mod. 71 - 30,000 «a.
process · There is thus a need for an improved papermaking belt and a method for doing so that eliminates previous problems caused by using a paper belt made by the previous process.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved papermaking process wherein the migration of the aforementioned movable paper fibers is substantially reduced or eliminated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a papermaking belt that substantially reduces the impact. of the accumulation of paper fibers in the vacuum drying machinery that was associated with the above resin coated papermaking belts.
Another object of the present invention is the reduction of folds and subsequent failures of papermaking belts due to the accumulation of paper fibers on the surface of the vacuum drying equipment used in the papermaking process.
It is yet another object of the present invention to develop a papermaking process that results in the elimination of pin-sized holes in the dome regions of the finished paper web (unless such holes also a desirable feature for the particular paper being produced). Also a subject of the present invention is a papermaking belt having passages that provide surface texture irregularities in the back of the belt and a method of making this belt in which these passages can flow without harming the full belt strength for making paper ·
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a papermaking belt which, when used in the papermaking process of the present invention, will have a longer life than previous papermaking belts, and a method of making this papermaking belt. make paper that
-9—
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be effective.
These and other objects of the present invention will become clearer when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The textured paper backing belt of the present invention is generally composed of two main elements: a frame and a reinforcing structure. When the papermaking belt is in its desirable shape, it is an end strap having a paper contacting side and a textured backside, opposite the paper contacting side, which contacts the machinery used in the process for making paper. make paper. The frame shall be a stiffened polymeric photosensitive resin frame having a first surface defining the paper contacting side of the belt, a second surface opposite the first surface, and conduits extending between the first and second surfaces. The first surface of the frame has a paper-side web formed there surrounding and defining the openings of the ducts. The second frame surface defines at least a portion of the textured back zone of the strap. In addition, the second surface of the frame has a mesh in the rear zone with passages beyond which are distinct from the ducts. The passages provide surface texture irregularities in the net of the rear zone of the second surface. The reinforcement structure is placed between the first surface of the frame and at least a portion of the second surface on the frame and serves to strengthen the frame. The reinforcement frame has a paper-facing side and a machine-facing side opposite the paper side. The reinforcement structure also has interstices and a reinforcement component, with a projected open area defined by the projection of the areas defined by the interstices, and a projected reinforcement area35.
-10—
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Case 4194 as defined by the design of the reinforcement member. In one embodiment of the papermaking belt, all passages of the second surface of the frame are positioned outwards from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure. In another embodiment, a plurality of passages are within the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure in the interstices such that a portion of the projected area of the passages corresponds to a portion of the open area of said reinforcement structure and a multiplicity of passages are also placed outwards from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement frame * In both embodiments, the back surface has sufficient fluid flow capacity to allow at least about 1 * 800 standard cubic centimeters / minute of air to escape through the textured surface. papermaking belt construction method of the present invention includes the following phases:
(a) provide a training unit with a textured work surface;
(b) providing a reinforcing structure having a paper-facing side, a machine-facing side opposite the paper-facing side, and interstices;
(c) Maintaining at least a machine-side portion of the reinforcement structure in contact with the work surface of the forming unit;
(d) applying a liquid photosensitive resin coating to at least one side of the reinforcement structure such that the coating forms a first surface and a second surface, the coating being diffused such that at least one portion
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 «* - - 90/08
J of the second liner surface is placed adjacent to the work surface of the forming unit, the paper-facing side of the reinforcement structure disposed between the first and second liner surfaces, and a portion of the liner that is placed between the first surface of the coating and the paper side of the reinforcement structure forms a resinous overload, wherein at least a portion of the coating infiltrates the texture of the forming unit's working surface whereby the areas of the second coating surface are defined by the textured surface;
(e) controlling the thickness of the overload to a preselected value;
(f) providing a mask with opaque and transparent regions, defining opaque regions together with transparent regions a preselected pattern in the mask; (g) placing the mask between the liquid photosensitive resin coating and an actinic light source in such a manner the mask is in contact with the first surface of the coating, protecting the opaque regions of the mask a portion of the light beam coating from the light source and leaving the regions transparent other portions of the unprotected coating} (h) curing the unprotected portions of the liquid photosensitive resin coating and leave the protected portions uncured by exposing the liquid photosensitive resin coating to a light source at 35 ° C.
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 · χ- - SO / Οβ
J through the mask to form a partially formed belt; and (i) substantially removing all uncured liquid photosensitive resin from the partially formed composite belt to leave a stiffened resin frame around at least a portion of the reinforcing structure; said frame has a plurality of conduits in those regions that have been protected from said light rays by opaque regions of the mask and passages providing surface texture irregularities in the lattice system of the rear of said frame corresponding to locations where the second surface of the frame is. Coating infiltrates the texture of the work surface of the forming unit · process to make a strong paper web, The soft, absorbent invention of the present invention includes the following steps:
(a) provide an aqueous dispersion of papermaking fibers;
(b) forming an embryonic web of fibers to make paper from the dispersion on a foraminous surface;
(c) contacting the embryonic web with the paper contacting side of the papermaking belt of the present invention;
(d) moving the papermaking belt and embryonic web over a vacuum source and applying a differential fluid pressure to the embryonic web with the vacuum source so that the differential fluid pressure is applied from the rear of the vacuum. strap to make paper through the ducts
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of the papermaking belt to deflect at least a portion of papermaking fibers into the embryonic web within the papermaking belt ducts, and to remove water from the embryonic web through the ducts, and rearrange the papermaking fibers into the embryonic web to forming an intermediate web from the papermaking fibers under conditions such that deflection is initiated as soon as the removal of mare from the embryonic web begins;
(e) printing the paper side web within the intermediate web of the interposed web between the papermaking belt and a printing surface to form a printed web of papermaking fibers; and (f) drying the printed web.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS
FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of a continuous papermaking machine useful for carrying out the process of this invention.
1A is a simplified cross-sectional schematic representation showing the partially formed embryonic web of papermaking fibers prior to deflection in a papermaking belt conduit of the present invention.
FIGHRA 1B is a simplified cross-sectional representation of the portion of the embryonic web shown in FIGURE 1A after the fibers of the embryonic web have been deflected into one of the papermaking belt ducts,
FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a portion of a preferred embodiment of the improved papermaking belt of the present invention.
FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURE 2 to
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 «- - 50 / Οβ)
along line 3-3.
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURE 2 along line 4-4 *.
FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a portion of an alternative embodiment of a papermaking belt of the present invention having a monolayer reinforcement structure.
FIGURE 5A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURE 5 along line 5A-5A.
FIGURE 5B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURE 5 taken along line 5B-5B ·
FIGURE 6 is an enlarged plan view of a preferred multilayer woven reinforcement structure that can be used in the papermaking belt of the present invention.
FIGURE 7 is an extended sectional view of the reinforcement structure shown in FIGURE 6, taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 ·
FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the reinforcement structure of FIGURE 6 taken along line 8-8 of FI ·
WAR 6.
FIGURE 9 is a sectional view of the reinforcement structure of FIGURE 6 taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of the reinforcement structure of FIGURE 6 taken along line 10-10 of FIG. FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 11 is a sectional view of the reinforcement structure of FIGURE 6 taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 12 is a plan view of a portion of the stiffening structure shown with part of the cir-1563585 enclosure.
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. - ÍO / Οβ)
around the reinforcement structure ·
FIGURE 12A is an end view of the reinforcement frame portion of FIGURE 12 illustrating the position of some surface texture passages and irregularities relative to many of the projected areas of the reinforcement structure.
FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the reinforcement structure, similar to FIGURE 6, illustrating the projected reinforcement area of a portion of the reinforcement structure.
FIGURE 14 is another plan view of the reinforcement structure, similar to FIGURE 13, which illustrates some of the projected twisted areas of the reinforcement structure.
FIGURE 15 is an end view of the reinforcement structure, similar to FIGURE 8, illustrating the projected twisted areas shown in FIGURE 14 below. another angle ·
FIGURE 16 is another plan view of the reinforcement structure, similar to FIGURES 13 and 14 illustrating some of the projected woven areas of the reinforcement structure.
FIGURE 17 is an enlarged sectional view, similar to FIGURE 7, illustrating the projected woven areas depicted in FIGURE 16, at another angle.
FIGURE 18A is a plan view of a reinforcement structure, similar to the plan views preceding it, illustrating some of the projected hinge areas of the reinforcement structure.
FIGURE 18B is a cross-sectional view of the reinforcement structure, similar to FIGURE 7, illustrating some of the projected hinge areas of the reinforcement structure at another angle.
FIGURE 18C is an end view of the reinforcement structure, similar to FIGURE 8, illustrating some of the projected hinge areas of the reinforcement structure at another angle.
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2'è. $$ · '$' /
Mod. 71 -20,000 «re. -90 (08>
FIGURE 19 is an enlarged schematic representation of a preferred conduit opening geometry for the papermaking belt of the present invention.
FIGURES 19A and 19B are plan views showing, respectively, the hinge area of the first projected surface and the hinge area of the second projected surface of the papermaking belt frame shown in FIGURES 2 through 4.
FIGURE 20 is an enlarged schematic representation of another preferred conduit opening geometry.
FIGURE 21 is a schematic, enlarged and exaggerated cross-sectional view of a portion of the frame and surface structure of a papermaking belt showing the details of the passages and the irregularities of the surface texture at the rear thereof.
FIGURES 22A, B and C are simplified schematic representations of various types of backside surface texture that can be found on a papermaking belt.
FIGURE 22D is a greatly enlarged view of a portion of a reinforcement member, similar to the reinforcement member shown in FIGURES 22A-C, showing elevated portions of the reinforcement member.
FIGURE 23A is an enlarged schematic representation of the problems that occurred when preparing a papermaking belt without the improvements disclosed herein found in vacuum drying equipment during the papermaking process.
FIGURE 23B is an enlarged schematic representation of how the papermaking belt of the present invention alleviates the problems previously encountered.
FIGURE 24 is a graphical representation showing the application of vacuum pressure to a papermaking belt with and without the backside texture disclosed herein.
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Mod. 71 -20,000 χ.-90 / Οβ
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FIGURE 25 is a schematic representation of the basic papermaking belt of the present invention.
FIGURE 26 is an enlarged schematic representation of the post-cure unit of the equipment shown in FIGURE 25.
FIGURE 27 is an enlarged schematic representation of an alternative forming unit used in the papermaking belt of the present invention including a textured casting surface and an obstacle film conforming to FIG.
FIGURE 28 is a schematic representation of the forming unit in FIGURE 27 which has been further enlarged to show in detail how the back zone texture is formed during the casting process.
FIGURE 29 is a schematic front view of two alternative embodiments of the casting coil shown in FIGURE 27, wherein the textured casting surface is alternatively provided either by laying strips of material or a woven material (shown only one portion) on top of the casting coil ·
FIGURE 30 is a schematic representation of another alternative of the belt casting process of the present invention using a smooth casting coil and a barrier film as the casting surface.
FIGURE 31 is a schematic representation of the forming unit of FIGURE 30 has been enlarged in order to show in detail the manner in which the backside texture is formed during the casting process.
FIGURE 32 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the testing equipment that is used to measure air leakage from the back of the papermaking belt of the present invention.
FIGURE 33 is a schematic side view of the testing equipment shown in FIGURE 32.
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J <sup>10</sup>
<img file="PT98151B_D0016.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. 20
J
FIGURE 34 is a graphical representation of the metric flow calibration used on the equipment shown in the previous two figures.
FIGURE 35A is a photograph of the enlarged planar view about 25 times the actual size of the upper side of a papermaking belt that does not contain the enhancements disclosed herein.
FIGURE 35B is a plan view photograph enlarged about 25 times the actual size of the rear side of a papermaking belt that does not contain the enhancements disclosed herein.
FIGURE 36A is a 25-fold enlarged photo photograph of the upper side of a papermaking belt made by an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The photograph was made from one. approximately 35 degrees from an imaginary line normally drawn on the upper surface
FIGURE 36B is a 25-fold enlarged photograph of the rear side of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURE 36a. The photograph was taken from an angle of about 35 degrees to an imaginary line normally drawn on the backside surface.
FIGURE 36C is a 25-fold enlarged view of a section angle of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURES 36A and 36B;
FIGURE 37A is a 25-fold enlarged photograph of the upper side of a papermaking belt made by another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The photograph was taken from an angle of approximately 35 degrees relative to an imaginary line normally drawn on the upper side surface.
FIGURE 37B is a 25-fold enlarged photograph of the rear side of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURE 37A. The photograph was taken from an angle
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I
<img file="PT98151B_D0017.tif" />
approximately 35 degrees from an imaginary line normally drawn on the backside surface.
370 is a photograph of an angle view of the 25-fold enlarged section of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURES 37A and 37B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The description contains, in order, the following: a detailed description of the papermaking belt of the present invention; a basic method for making this paper making belt and various variations thereof; and a detailed description of the papermaking process according to the present invention.
1. The Papermaking Strap
In the representative papermaking machine shown in FIGURE 1, the papermaking belt of the present invention is in the form of an end belt, papermaking belt 10. In FIGURE 1, the papermaking belt 10 has a paper web (or fiber web) at various stages of its formation and moves in the direction indicated by the direction arrow B around the return rollers of the papermaking belt. 19a and 19b, trapped impression roller 20, papermaking belt return cylinders 19c, 19d, 19θ and 19f, and emulsion dispensing roller 21. 0 The circuit in which the papermaking belt 10 moves includes a means for applying a differential pressure fluid to the paper web, such as a vacuum pickup pad 24a and a multi-slot vacuum box 24. In FIGURE '1, the papermaking belt also circulates around a pre-dryer such as an inner blow dryer 26, passing between a groove formed by the imprinted printing cylinder 20 and a Yankee drying coil 28.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is in the form of an end strap, the present invention may be included in numerous other embodiments.
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shapes, including, for example, stationary plates for use in making hand towels or spin coils for use with other types of continuous processes. Regardless of the physical shape of the papermaking belt 10, it generally has to have certain physical characteristics.
The general features of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention are set forth in FIGURES 2-4. The papermaking belt (or simply the belt) of the present invention is usually comprised of two primary elements - a frame 32 (preferably a rigid polymeric photosensitive resin frame) and a reinforcement structure 33. When the papermaking belt 10 is in the form of an end strap, it generally has two opposite surfaces referred to herein as the paper contact side 11 and rear region. textured , or simply rear zone 12. The back zone 12 of the belt 10 is in contact with the machinery used in the papermaking operation, such as the vacuum pickup pad 24a and the multi-slot vacuum box 24. The frame 32 has a first surface 34, a second surface 35 opposite the first surface 34, and conduits 36 extending between the first surface 34 θ and the second surface 35. The first surface 34 of frame 32 is in contact with webs 3 of fiber to be dried, and defines the paper contact side 11 of the belt. Second surface 35 defines at least a portion of textured back zone 12 of strap 10.
The conduits 36 extend between the first surface 34 θ and the second surface 35 in the water channel of the webs.<sub>x</sub>. arms resting on the first surface 34 to the second surface 35 and provide areas in which the fibers of the fiber web can be deflected and rearranged. Figure 2 shows that the net 32a includes a solid portion of the frame 32 surrounding the ducts 36, and defines a net-like pattern. As shown in FIGURE 2, the openings
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 x. - 90/08
The ducts 36 are arranged in a preselected pattern in the network 32a. FIGURE 2 shows that the first surface 34 of frame 32 has a paper side web 34a formed therein, surrounding and defining the openings 42 of conduits 36 on the first surface 34 of frame 32. As will be shown in FIGURE 36B, the second surface 35 of frame 32 has a rear zone network 35a surrounding and defining the openings 43 of conduits 36 on the second surface 35 of frame 32. FIGURES 3 and 4 show that the reinforcing structure 33 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is generally at least partially surrounded and encased (or inlaid or covered) in the frame 32. Specifically, the structure Reinforcement 33 lies between the first surface 34 of the frame 32 and at least a portion of the second surface 35 of the frame 32. FIGURES 3 and 4 also show that the stiffening frame 33 has a paper facing side 51 and a machine facing side 52, opposite the paper facing side 51. As shown in FIGURE 2, the stiffening structure reinforcement 33 has interstices 39 and a reinforcement member 40. 0 reinforcement member 40 includes the reinforcement portions unique to the interstices 39 (i.e., the solid portion of the reinforcement member 33). The reinforcement member 40 is typically composed of a plurality of structural members 40a. has a projected open area defined by the projection of the areas defined by interstices 39, θ a projected reinforcement area defined by the projection of the reinforcement component 40. FIGURES 3 θ 4 show that the second surface 35 of frame 32 has a rear zone net 35a with a plurality of passages 37 which provide surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear zone network 35a of frame 32. Passages 37 are distinct 36 of the ducts 36 between the first surface 34 and the second surface 35 of the frame 32. The passages 37 allow an air inlet between the surface of the
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back 12 of the papermaking belt 10 and the surfaces of the vacuum drying equipment used in the papermaking process (such as the vacuum pickup pad 24a and a vacuum box 24) when a vacuum is applied by the drying equipment to the zone. strand 12 to deflect fibers within the strands 36 of strand 10 · Surface texture irregularities 38 provide an uneven surface for contact with the machinery used in the papermaking operation. contact with the paper 11 of the belt 10 shown in FIGURES 1-4 is the surface of the paper making belt 10 which is in contact with the paper web which is to be dried and rearranged in the final product. As shown in FIGURE 1, the belt side 10 is referred to as the paper contact side 11 as if it still only carries a paper web for a portion of each rotation in the paper making machine. 0 The side of the belt 10 referred to as the paper contact side 11 is also consistently referred to in this way, even though for a certain period of each rotation (such as the belt roll to make adjacent paper 19d), it may sporadically come into contact with the belt. machinery used in the process to make paper. The paper contacting side 11 of the belt 10 may also be referred to as the upper surface or surface of the belt 10 embryonic web. It should be noted that although the contact side where the paper 11 of the strap 10 may be referred to as the upper surface, the orientation of the contact side with the paper 11 may be such that it faces the return surface in front of a machine. for making paper when the strap 10 has the configuration of an end strap. As shown in FIGURES 2-4, the paper contacting side 11 of the strap 10 is generally completely formed by the first surface 34 of the frame 32.
As shown in FIGURE 1, the surface
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opposite belt 10, rear portion 12 is the moving surface generally in contact with the papermaking machinery used in the papermaking process, such as the papermaking belt return rollers 19a-19c and 19e and 19f and vacuum pickup pad 24a and vacuum box 24, as well as other vacuum drying equipment not shown in the drawings. FIGURE 1 shows that the side of the belt 10 designated back zone 12 is referred to in this way, although it may occasionally deviate from the machinery used in the papermaking process (such as the papermaking belt return roller 19d). Rear zone 12, however, can be distinguished from the paper contact side 11 because rear zone 12 never comes into contact with the paper web during the papermaking process. The rear region 12 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention may further be referred to as the lower surface of the belt. It may also be referred to as the belt wear surface because it is the belt surface that is subjected to the abrasive action of being repeatedly moved over the papermaking machinery during the papermaking process. It should be noted that although the rear portion 12 of the belt 10 may be referred to as the bottom surface, the orientation of the rear portion 12 may be such that it faces upwards on the return surface of the papermaking machine when the belt 10 is in the form of an end strap. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the rear region 12 of the strap 10 may be formed completely by the second surface 35 of the frame 32. Alternatively, the rear zone 12 may be formed completely by the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcing structure 33; or it may be formed partly by the second surface 35 of the frame 32 and partly by the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 · It is precisely the bottom surface or rear zone 12 and the methods for creating passages and texture irregularities of
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<img file="PT98151B_D0023.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000. The surface area on the same surface is of primary importance in this invention.
The stiffening frame 33, one of the primary elements of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention, is shown in FIGURES 2-4. The stiffening frame 33 strengthens the resin frame 32 and has a suitable designed open area to allow the the vacuum drying machinery used in the papermaking process performs its function of removing water from partially formed paper webs, and allow water removed from the paper web to pass through the papermaking belt 10 · The stiffening frame 33 can take various forms. Reinforcement structure 33 may include a woven element (also sometimes referred to as woven material), a nonwoven element, a mesh, a mesh (e.g., a thermoplastic mesh), a lightweight fabric or strip or plate (made of metal or plastic or other suitable material) having a plurality of holes punched therein thereby providing reinforcement structure 33 which adequately reinforces frame 32 and has a projected open area sufficient for the objectives specified above. Preferably the reinforcing structure 33 contains a woven member (or more specifically, a foraminous woven member) as shown in FIGURES 2-4.
Typically, as shown in FIGURES 2-4, the stiffening frame 33 includes a stiffening member 40 and a plurality of interstices (or thin foramina; 39. The stiffening member 40 is the portion of the unique stiffening frame 33). In other words, the reinforcement member 40 is the solid portion of the reinforcement structure 33. The reinforcement member 40 is comprised of one or more structural members 40a. As used herein, the term structural components refers to the individual structural elements forming the reinforcement structure 33.
Interstices 39 allow fluids (such as
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 90/08
(As water removed from the paper web) passes through the belt 10. Interstices 39 form one of the groups of openings in the papermaking belt 10. FIGURE 2 shows that the interstices 39 may form a pattern in the reinforcement structure 33 · The pattern formed by the interstices 39, however, and to be contrasted with the preselected pattern formed by the conduit openings, such as the first conduit openings. FIGURE 2 shows that generally each interstice 39 is only a fraction the size of a conduit opening 42, but the alternate relationship is possible.
As shown in FIGURES 3 θ 4, the reinforcement structure 33 has two sides. These are the paper-facing side (or the paper support side), designated 51, which faces the fiber webs. dry, and the machine-side (or roller-contacting) side, generally designated 52, opposite the paper-side, facing the machinery used in the papermaking operation · The sides of the reinforcing frame 33 referred to as the paper facing side 51 and the machine facing side 52 are referred to thus although there may be small portions of each rotation of the papermaking belt 10 when facing in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the respective sides of the reinforcement structure 33 are consistently referred to by these names even before incorporating the reinforcement structure 33 in the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention and installing the belt 10 in a papermaking machine. Thus, the reinforcing frame side 33 referred to as the machine-facing side 52 in the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention will be the side which is generally facing the papermaking machinery when the belt is finished. is installed on a paper machine. The paper-facing side 51 will always be opposite the machine-facing side 52. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the stiffening frame 33 is disposed.
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between the first surface 34 of the frame 32 and at least a portion of the second surface 35 of the frame 32.
FIGURES 2-4 show that when the reinforcement structure 33 includes a woven element, the threads that are woven together to form the woven element include the structural components 40a of the reinforcement structure 33.
If the reinforcing structure 33 includes a nonwoven element, the individual fibers forming the nonwoven element will include the structural elements 40a. In either case, there will be a plurality of structural members such that all these structural members 40a will together constitute the reinforcing member 40. If, on the other hand, the reinforcing structure 33 is a plate with a plurality of holes, there will be only one structural member 40a (the plate), which will include the reinforcing member 40.
Structural components 40a of a woven reinforcement structure include wires, cables, filaments or threads. It is noted that the terms wires, cables, filaments and threads are synonymous when used to describe the structural components 40a of a woven reinforcement structure. It should also be noted that the terms referred to (yarn, yarn, etc.) may include not only monofilament elements, but also multifilament elements.
When the reinforcing structure 33 includes a woven member as shown in FIGURES 2-4, some of the individual structural members 40a include machine direction twisted yarns, generally designated 53, and some include crosswise direction woven yarns. machine, generally referred to as 54 · Here are the expressions twisted towards the machine ”, low load twisted and twisted which are synonymous and refer to yarns that are generally machine-oriented when the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is installed in the papermaking machine. As used herein, the terms tissue in the transverse direction of mal-2763585
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<img file="PT98151B_D0026.tif" />
Machine, fabric, closure, and twisted rocking fabric are synonymous and refer to the threads which are generally oriented transversely to the machine when the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is installed in the papermaking machine.
In papermaking, the term machine direction (MD) refers to that direction that is parallel to the flow of the paper web through the machine. · The machine cross direction (CD) and perpendicular to the machine direction. · These directions are indicated by arrows. in FIGURE 2 and several of the following figures ·
The definitions of twisted yarns and woven yarns used herein may sometimes differ from those of those terms when describing the yarn orientation of a woven material when being woven into a loom. In the art of weaving, a yarn is referred to as a twisted or woven depending partly from the fact that the material is a terminal woven material that does not have to be sewn in a circuit to form a terminal belt, or of being a smooth woven material that has to be sewn in a circuit to form an end strap. For a terminal woven material that does not need to be sewn in a circuit, the threads referred to as twisted on the loom will extend transversely on a papermaking machine. · On the other hand, if a material is woven smooth and then sewn to In one circuit, the threads referred to as twisted threads on the loom will be extended toward the machine in a paper making machine. As used herein, the terms twisted yarns and woven yarns refer to the orientation of the yarns when the material is in position on a paper making machine, not when it is being woven on a loom. Thus, twisted yarns means machine-twisted yarns and woven yarns means machine-woven yarns when the papermaking belt of the present invention is installed in the papermaking machine.
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FIGURES 2-4 also show that in a woven reinforcement structure 33, some of the threads will be crossed to form joints 105 in the material. As used herein, the term "joint" is either a portion of a woven yarn passing over a twisted yarn or a portion of a twisted yarn passing over a woven yarn lying on the plane of one of the surfaces (i.e. or the side facing paper 51, or the machine-facing side 52) of the stiffening frame 33 · Joints on the paper-facing side 51 of the stiffening frame 33 (or the paper side joints) are referred to as · Joints. on the side facing the machine 52 (or back joints) are called 105<sub>2</sub>· These joints 105 may be further classified here and referred to as twisted joints or woven joints.
As used herein, the term twisted joints refers to joints formed by a portion of twisted yarn that passes over a woven yarn. Several joints of the same type are designed by 105a in the alternative embodiment of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention shown in FIGURE 5 (including a monolayer reinforcement structure 33). As shown transversely in FIGURE 5B, the twisted joints 105a may be either on the paper-facing side 51 or the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcing structure 33. The twisted joints that are on the paper-facing side 51 of the reinforcing frame 33 are designated 1058 and the twisted joints that are on the side facing the machine 52 are designated 105a<sub>2</sub>·
Joints formed by a portion of a woven thread passing over a twisted yarn are referred to as woven joints. Several other woven joints are shown as 105b in FIGURES 2 and 3. FIGURE 3 shows woven joints, such as twisted joints, which may also be on the paper facing side 51 of reinforcement structure 33, such as woven joint 105bp or may be on the turned side
<img file="PT98151B_D0027.tif" />
for machine 52 of reinforcing structure 33, such as woven joint 105b<sub>2</sub>·
Many types of woven elements are suitable for use as reinforcing structure 33 in the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention. Suitable woven elements include foraminous monolayer woven elements (having a single set of cables in each direction and a plurality of apertures in the meantime) such as reinforcement structure 33 shown in FIGURES 5, 5A and 5B, multilayer woven elements (woven materials having more than a set of cables passing through a menosa) and multi-layer materials, each including interwoven cables.
Multilayer woven materials are preferred as reinforcing structures because they can extend the life of the belt to make composite paper. As used herein, the term compound paper belt refers to a belt that includes a frame and a reinforcing structure. The papermaking belt 10 is subjected to considerable pressure in the machine direction due to the repeated movement of the belt 10 over the machine-making papermaking machinery and also due to the heat transferred to the belt by the drying mechanisms used in the process for make paper. Such heat and pressure give the papermaking strap a tendency to stretch. If the papermaking belt 10 stretches beyond its shape, its ability to serve its function of carrying a paper web through the papermaking process diminishes to the point of being useless.
In order to be useful as a reinforcement structure in the papermaking belt of the present invention, a multilayer woven member must have some type of structure that provides reinforcement of its yarns in the direction of the machine 53 in order to reduce the aforementioned stretching problem. . In other words, the multilayer matter must have improved material stability in the machine direction. The arrangement of the twisted wires 53 should be such that any re-3063585
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<img file="PT98151B_D0029.tif" />
Mod. 71 * 20,000 χ. - 90/08 additional strength of the twisted strands did not reduce the projected open area of the reinforcement structure 33 ·
As used herein, the term projected area means the area formed by the projection points defining the element in question in a plane. In particular, it should be noted that these points will be projected in a direction which will be referred to as the "z - direction". The projected open area of the reinforcement structure is shown as A<sub>Q</sub> in FIGURE 12 of the accompanying engravings. As used herein, the term projected open area refers to the projected area defined by the projection in the z-direction of all areas defined by the interstices 39 of the reinforcement structure 33 »In other words, the projected open area θ of the reinforcement structure 33 is the area seen when the reinforcement structure 33 is viewed from a direction perpendicular to either side of the reinforcement structure 33 through interstices 39 which provide direct lines of view through matter.
J
Through this description reference will be made to directions x, y and z. As used herein, the x, y, and z directions are paper belt orientations of the present invention (or portions thereof) in a Cartesian coordinate system. In the Cartesian coordinate system described herein, the rear region 12 of the belt is in the plane formed by the x and y axes. 0 The x axis is the transverse machine direction, the y axis is the machine direction and the z axis is perpendicular to the plane defined by the x and y axes. As used herein, the term z-direction refers to those orientations that run parallel to the z-axis. and perpendicular to the x and y axes. These directions are best seen in FIGURES 2-4.
The projected open area of the reinforcement structure 33 should preferably be such that a reinforcement structure 33 is highly permeable (to fluids such as air and mare). By highly permeable is meant that the structure
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X /. Reinforcing JS.iSSi 33 shall have an air permeability in the range of about 800 cubic feet per minute to about 1400 cubic feet per minute per foot.<sup>2</sup> of its surface at a differential pressure of 100 pascals. The air permeability of the reinforcing structure 33 is of prime importance as it contributes to the frame to establish air permeability for the composite belt. The composite belt should have an air permeability between about 300 cubic feet per minute and 600 cubic feet per minute. The recommended air permeability for the composite belt is about 500 cubic feet per minute. In order for both the reinforcing structure 33 and the composite belt to be sufficiently permeable, it is preferable that the projected open area A<sub>Q</sub> of the reinforcing structure 33 is not reduced below about 30% more preferably that the projected open area is not reduced below about 40% to about 50%.
As shown in FIGURES 2-4, a preferred reinforcement structure 33 is a multilayer woven member having a single-layer yarn system with first extension yarns and a multi-layer yarn system extending in one direction. second direction, which is normal to the first direction. In the preferred reinforcing structure 33 shown in FIGURES 2-4, the first direction is the machine transverse direction. The single layer of yarns extending in the first direction includes the woven yarns 54 · In the reinforcement structure 33 shown in FIGURES 2-4, the multi-layer yarn system extends in the machine direction (i.e. the direction in matter moves in a paper machine). The multilayer yarn system includes a first twisted layer C and a second twisted layer D. Each of the twisted layers B and D includes a plurality of twisted yarns 53. Although preferred materials for use as reinforcement structures have machine-twisted multiple strands, the present invention may also be practiced using a material which is
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<img file="PT98151B_D0030.tif" />
have multiple cables transverse to the machine. Machine-twisted multi-yarn materials are advisable, however, because the additional cables run in the direction that is generally subject to the highest pressure.
As shown in FIGURE 3, the preferred multilayer reinforcement structure 33 has twisted strands 53 vertically stretched directly on top of each other. The vertically stretched twisted yarns 53 increase the stability of the composite belt 10 in the machine or process direction. 0 The stretched arrangement of the twisted yarns also provides a suitable projected open area so that the belt 10 can be used in a variety of types of papermaking processes, including blow drying papermaking processes. The woven yarns 54 should preferably be arranged to maintain and stabilize the twisted yarns 53 so that they are vertically taut. The woven yarns 54 may also be vertically stretched or otherwise. Numerous variations of such provisions are possible.
FIGURES 6-11 show the details of the weave pattern of the multilayer reinforcement structure.<sup>ç</sup>Specific specificity 33 shown in FIGURES 2-4. As used herein, the term "weaving pattern" means the technical design of a braid. The multilayer matter is shown in FIGURES 6-11 without the surrounding frame for clarity. While the same material is shown in FIGURES 2-4 as a composite element in a papermaking belt (i.e. as a reinforcing structure for reinforcing the frame 32 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention), the material shown is also suitable to be used as a papermaking belt without such a frame. However, the multilayer material described herein is preferably used in conjunction with a frame of some kind.
As shown in FIGURES 6-11, in general the first twisted layer C of the twisted yarns 53 extends
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<img file="PT98151B_D0031.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 ex. - 90/08
<img file="PT98151B_D0032.tif" />
J toward the machine on the paper side 51 of the material. The individual twisted strands in the first twisted layer C are numbered repeatedly throughout the material as 53a, 53b, 53c and 53d. The second layer D of twisted yarns 53a runs towards the machine on the material facing side 52. The individual twisted yarns in the second twisted layer D are repeatedly numbered throughout the material as 53e, 53f, 53g and 53h . As clearly shown in FIGURES 8-11, the individual strands in the first twisted layer C and the second twisted layer D define stretched twisted wire pairs E, F ^ G and H. The individual strands defining the twisted wire pairs Stretched E, F, G and H are arranged in a vertically overlapped position stretched over each other. These twisted twisted wire pairs E, F, G and H are also repeatedly numbered throughout the material. FIGURES 8-11 show that the individual twisted yarns 53a and 53e define the stretched twisted yarn pair Ej the twisted yarns 53b and 53f define the static twisted yarn pair of Fj the twisted yarns 53c and 53g define the twisted yarn pair of stretched G; and the stretched strands 53d and 53h define the stretched twisted pair H. As shown in FIGURE 6 and FIGURES 8-11, the adjacent stretched twisted wire pairs are spaced in the transverse direction of the machine to provide the desired open area of matter.
As shown in FIGURE 6, since the twisted strands 53 are stretched on top of each other, the effective density of the twisted strands 53 (or twisted strand thread density) is doubled without decreasing the open area of the structure. reinforcement 33. As used herein, the term screw density refers to a measurement that equals the product of the number of threads per unit width of matter (where the width and width generally used is inch) and the thread diameter (which is also typically measured in inches). The term screw density may even more particularly be expressed for
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<img file="PT98151B_D0033.tif" />
<img file="PT98151B_D0034.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 · χ. - 90/06>
the twisted threads of the material (ie the twisted thread density) or the woven threads of a material (ie the woven thread density) ·
A woven yarn, such as woven yarn 54a in FIGURE 8, 54b in FIGURE 9, 54c in FIGURE 10 and 54d in FIGURE 11 is interwoven with twisted yarns 53a-h in the first and second twisted layers. Individual twisted yarns in the first and second layers of stretched-pair twisted yarns prevent the twisted yarns 53a-h from swinging laterally to reduce the open area of matter. These woven yarns 54a, 54b, 54c and 54d are also repeatedly numbered throughout the material. · Woven yarns 54 are woven into a specific weave pattern (or more particularly, a twisted balance weave pattern) with the stretched pairs of twisted yarns. twisted wires stretched over each other and generally aligned vertically.
The particular weaving pattern of the twisted yarns 53 and the woven yarns 54 in the matter shown in FIGURES 6 through 11 is presented as a quadruple repeating pattern. As used herein, the term shield refers to the number of unique configurations of either a twisted yarn or one. woven thread forms with the threads with which it is interlaced before any repetition occurs (that is, a quadruple protection pattern would be a pattern that would repeat after each group of four threads).
The specific weaving pattern of the twisted yarns 53 is clearly shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the first twisted yarns of the first twisted layer G (such as the twisted yarn 53b shown in FIGURE 7) pass repeatedly three and one of the threads woven into the weaving pattern. As used herein, the term yarn refers to the insertion of a woven yarn between divided twisted yarns. The second twisted strands of the second twisted layer D (such as twisted strand 53f shows 35).
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<img file="PT98151B_D0035.tif" />
<img file="PT98151B_D0036.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 ex. - 90 (06
7) repeatedly pass over one and three of the woven yarns in the weaving pattern.
The specific weaving pattern of woven yarns 54 is shown more clearly in FIGURES 6 and 8-11. As shown in FIGURES 8-11, the twisted yarns 53 are held vertically taut by a woven system consisting of a simple cross-linked woven yarn system 54 between the taut twisted yarns. · The woven yarns 54 are woven around the taut twisted yarns. in a repeating pattern in which a woven yarn (such as woven yarn 54a in FIGURE 8) first passes over the first stretched pair of twisted yarns E, between the twisted yarns of the second stretched pair F, under the third strained pair G, and between the twisted strands of the fourth stretched pair H. In other words, each woven strand 54 passes over and under each other stranded stranded pair and between the strands of the intermediate strained pairs disposed between each other. of the other stretched pairs ·
As shown in FIGURES 6 and FIGURES 8-11, neighboring woven yarns are woven around twisted yarns 53 in the same manner. However, as shown in FIGURE 9, adjacent woven yarns, such as woven yarn 54b, are displaced from a twisted pair from the first woven yarn.
Thus, the adjacent yarn or second woven yarn passes between the twisted yarns of the first stretched pair, over the second stretched yarn pair, between the twisted yarns of the third stretched pair, and under the fourth twisted pair. As shown in FIGURES 10 and 11 respectively, the third woven yarn 54c 'is similarly displaced from a pair of twisted yarns of the second and fourth woven yarn 54d, and a pair of twisted yarns from the third is displaced. 54c. This pattern is repeated every four woven yarns. As shown in FIGURE 6, this produces a weaving pattern in which the stitches cross over.
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<img file="PT98151B_D0037.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 x. Salts 55 formed by woven yarns 54 are alternated in the woven direction along the twisted yarns.
A variation of the previous weave pattern can be obtained by interlacing the woven yarn 54c shown in FIGURE 10 with the woven yarn 54d shown in FIGURE 11. This results in a broken and alternating pattern of transverse stitches 55 of the weave in the woven direction. In this rough pattern, the first two transverse points 55 are in a straight diagonal line. 0 The third transverse stitch 55, however, is moved over a third twisted yarn to a fourth twisted yarn, and the fourth transverse stitch 55 is moved over a third twisted yarn, and then the transverse stitch 55 is brought backwards di £. to the third twisted wire. This weaving pattern also keeps the twisted pair yarns taut in a proper configuration. However, in this variation of weaving pattern, the two twisted yarns pass together between the two adjacent yarns. In the first described weaving pattern, there are no two yarns between which the twisted yarns pass simultaneously, which causes a slightly better balance in the weaving pattern.
Various combinations of materials, transverse dimensions and transverse shapes of yarns may be used in this preferred subject. The material of the yarn, the transverse dimensions and the transverse shapes of the yarns will be determined by the specific application to be made of the material.
While the specific construction materials of twisted yarns and woven yarns may vary, they make up the material. The yarns should be such that the yarns are capable of reinforcing the resinous frame and withstanding the pressures as well as repeated heat and cooling without increasing elasticity. Suitable materials from which yarns can be constructed include polyester, polyamide, high heat-resistant materials such as KELVAR or mar marks, and any other similar materials.
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<img file="PT98151B_D0038.tif" />
J <sup>10</sup>
Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. - 90 / Οβ
Because of its use in papermaking. The preferred material for the yarns, however, is polyester. The yarn building material in the different yarn layers and systems may vary with the yarns in one yarn layer or system being constructed of one material and the yarns of other layers or other yarn systems being constructed of a different material. Preferably, however, all yarns in the different layers and yarn systems are constructed of essentially the same material.
Any suitable cross-sectional size (or size) of yarns may be used as long as the air and water flow through the ducts 36 is not significantly embarrassing during paper web processing and provided the integrity of the papermaking belt 10 as a whole be maintained. Yarns of the same transverse dimensions may be used in all yarn layers or systems, or the size of yarns in different yarn layers and systems may vary. For example, if yarns with a round cross-section are used, the yarns of the twisted systems C and D may be of a diameter and the yarns of the woven system may be of a larger or smaller diameter. If larger diameter woven yarns are used, the woven yarns will be stronger and will place more pleats on the twisted yarns. Other variations include those in which the twisted system C yarns and the woven system 54 yarns are identical, and the twisted system Yarns D are different. Similarly, the twisted system yarns D and the woven system yarns may be identical, and the twisted system yarns C different. Alternatively, the yarns in each of the twisted systems C, twisted system D, and the woven system may be different. For yarns with round cross sections, the preferred yarn diameters are between about 0.10 mm and 0.30 mm. The most desirable diameters are between about 0.22 mm for twisted yarns 53 and about 0.28 for woven yarns 54. Depending on application wires may be used with a
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<img file="PT98151B_D0039.tif" />
δ JUNJS9I
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 90/06
J larger diameter.
Yarns of any suitable cross-sectional shape may be used provided that the yarns do not interfere with the flow of fluids through the ducts 36 during the web process and as long as the integrity of the papermaking belt 10 is maintained as a whole. Suitable cross sections include round, oval, square and rectangular shapes. The cross-sectional shapes of the yarns in the different yarn layers and systems may also vary between the yarns and the yarn systems. Preferably, however, both the twisted yarns 53 and the woven yarns 54 have round cross sections.
The reinforcing structure 33 of the present invention defines several projected areas that are useful in describing the location of the passages 37 and surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear zone lattice 35a of the second surface 35 of the frame 32. As shown in FIGURES 12-18, reinforcement structure 33 defines at least the following projected areas: projected interstitial areas- the previously defined projected open area (which is the total of all projected interstitial areas for the reinforcement structure) ); projected component, structural areas; a projected reinforcement area (which is the total of all projected structural component areas for the reinforcement structure); projected twisted areas (and a general projected twisted area); projected woven areas (and a general projected woven area); projected joint areas;<sub>v</sub>and, projected side joint areas of the machine. In addition, when there is more than one layer of twisted or woven or the like, areas may also be projected to the twisted yarns in the first toxic layer and the second twisted layer, and so on.
The interstitial projected areas are shown in FIGURE 12 as Ap ^. As used herein, the term projected interstitial areas refers to areas pro-3963585
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individual projections defined by projecting the interstices 39 of the reinforcement structure 33. In other words, when the reinforcement structure 33 is viewed from a direction perpendicular to either side of the reinforcement structure 33, each interstice 39 will provide direct lines of sight through of the reinforcement structure constituting the projected interstitial areas Ap ^ ·
The projected structural component area A<sub>sc</sub> As used herein, the term projected structural component area refers to the area defined by the projection of an individual structural component 40a of the reinforcement structure 33 · As used herein, the term projected structural component areas means area defined by the projection of one more, but not all structural members 40a of the reinforcing structure 33.
A portion of the reinforcement area A ^ is shown in FIGURE 13. As used herein, the term projected reinforcement area will mean the area defined by the projection of the reinforcement member 40. As shown in FIGURES 12 and 13, the area of reinforcement projected reinforcement<sub>R</sub> is essentially opposite to the projected open area θ of the reinforcement member 33, the portion of the reinforcement structure 33 which outlines the lines of sight. The projected reinforcement area A ^ is complementary to the projected open area Αθ, in which both comprise the entire projected area of the reinforcement structure 33.
The projected twisted areas Awp are shown in FIGURES 14 θ 15 · As used herein, the term projected twisted area ”Awp refers to the area defined by the projection of the individual twisted wires 53 of the reinforcement structure 33. In FIGURE 15, the twisted areas Awp projections are shown as transversely placed areas that lie between the dotted lines. These dotted lines may also extend above the turned side pa-4063585
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<img file="PT98151B_D0041.tif" />
<img file="PT98151B_D0042.tif" />
-8 <153f
Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. · 70/08
For the role 51 of the reinforcing structure 33. However, the present invention is not particularly concerned with surface texture passages and irregularities above the plane of the paper-facing side 51 of the reinforcing structure 33. Thus, when the position of the passage or surface texture irregularity is described herein. with reference to a projected area, the passage or irregularity will generally be between the paper-facing side 51 of the reinforcing structure 33 and a plane defined by the rear portion 12 of the strap 10. · When a passage or surface texture irregularity is said to be within the areas projected twisted lines shown in FIGURES 14 θ 15, may be anywhere within the areas that are shaded in FIGURE 14 'or transversely shaded in FIGURE 15 · In addition to the projected twisted area defined by any individual twisted, there is a general projected twisted area AwpO that includes all of the entire matter of the areas. individual projected twists.
The projected woven areas<sub>t</sub> These are the roads in FIGURES 16 and 17. As used herein, the term projected woven area A ^ refers to the area defined by the projection of the individual fabrics 54 of the reinforcement structure 33 · In addition to the projected woven area A ^, there is an area AwtO overall projected woven fabric (a portion of which is shown in FIGURES 16 and 17) that includes all of the individual Awt projected woven areas for the entire reinforcement structure.
As used herein, the term projected joint area of the reinforcement structure 33 refers to the area defined by the projection of one of the joints 105 of a woven reinforcement structure. As shown in FIGURES 18A-18C, a projected joint area A ^ and the portion of the stiffening frame 33 wherein a twisted yarn and a woven yarn overlap thus designating lines of sight through the stiffening frame 33. projected joint areas
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<img file="PT98151B_D0043.tif" />
may further be classified as projected twisted joint areas A ^<sub>wp</sub> (passing the projected area formed by a twisted wire over a woven wire) or projected woven joint areas A<sub>Kwt</sub> (the projected area formed by a woven thread passing over a twisted thread). The projected twisted joint areas A<sub>Kw</sub>eg the projected woven joint areas Ag<sub>w</sub>. |. can also be classified as projected side joint areas for 0 paper (or facing 0 paper)<sup>THE</sup>Kwpl <sup>011 areas of</sup> acidic A<sub>Kwtl</sub>, and projecting machine-side (or machine-side) Twisted Joint areas 4 ^ 2 or woven joint areas A<sub>Kwt2</sub> (depending on which side of the matter the joints are formed).
Another primary element of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is the frame 32. The general features of the frame 32 are shown in FIGURES 2-4.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the frame 32 is formed by manipulating a mass of material, which is generally in liquid form, whereby the material, when in solid state, at least partially surrounds the reinforcement structure. 33 such that the reinforcement structure 33 is placed between the top or first surface 34 of the frame 32 and at least a portion of the base or second surface 35 of the frame. In addition, the material must be manipulated such that the frame 32 has a plurality of conduits 36 or channels extending between the first surface 34 and the second surface 35 of the frame 32. The material must also be manipulated that the first surface has a paper side crosslinking system 34a formed therein and which surrounds and defines the openings of the conduits 36 in the first surface 34 of the frame 32. In addition, the material must be manipulated such that the second surface 35 of the frame 32 has a rear zone lattice 35a with separate passages 37 from the ducts 36, which provide surface texture irregularities 38 in the lattice lattice system -4263585
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<img file="PT98151B_D0044.tif" />
<img file="PT98151B_D0045.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 x. - 90/08
Already 35a.
The mass of material that is manipulated to form the frame 32 may be of any suitable material, including thermoplastic resins and photosensitive resins, but the material recommended for use in forming the frame 32 of the present invention is a liquid photosensitive polymeric resin. Likewise, the material chosen can be manipulated in a wide variety of materials. ways to form the desired frame 32, including the works *<sup>1</sup> or mechanical drilling, curing the material by exposing it to various temperatures or sources of energy, or using a laser to cut the ducts in the same manner. The method of manipulating the material that will form the frame 32 will of course depend on the material chosen and the characteristics of the frame 32 to be formed from the material mass. 0 advised method used for manipulating the photosensitive resin and controlling exposure of the liquid photosensitive resin to light of an activator wavelength.
The relationship between the sides of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention (i.e., the paper contacting side 11 and the rear side 12 described above) and the surfaces of the frame 32 are more clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. first surface 34 of frame 32 preferably forms the paper contact side 11 of the papermaking belt 10. This relationship generally exists in most embodiments of the present invention since the reinforcement structure is between the first surface 34 of the frame 32 and at least a portion of the second surface 35 of the frame 32. That is, the first surface 34 of frame 32 typically covers the paper facing side 51 of reinforcement structure 33.
The second surface 35 of the papermaking belt frame 32 of the present invention, however, does not always necessarily form the rear region 12 of the papermaking belt 10. Since the reinforcing structure 33 is provided with
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<img file="PT98151B_D0046.tif" />
between the first surface 34 and at least a portion of the second surface 35 of the frame 32, the second surface 35 of the frame 32 may either completely cover the reinforcement structure 33, or cover only a portion of the reinforcement structure 33 or not cover any portion of the stiffening frame 33 and lie completely within the gaps of the stiffening frame 33 · In the first case, the second surface 35 of the frame 32 and the rear region 12 of the papermaking belt 10 will be the same. In the second case, the rear region 12 of the papermaking belt 10 will partially comprise the second surface 35 of the frame 32 and partially the exposed portion. In the third case, the rear portion 12 of the papermaking belt 10 will also partly comprise the second surface 35 of the frame 32 and partly the reinforcement structure 33, but the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcing frame 33 will be fully exposed on the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10 ·
FIGURE 2 shows that the first surface 34 of frame 32 (and the paper contacting side 11 of the papermaking belt 10) is comprised of a portion of a lattice system which is designated 32a. As used herein, the term cross-linked system refers to the portions of the frame 32 surrounding the ducts 36 and defines a mesh pattern. In other words, the lattice system 32a is a solid portion of the frame 32. As shown in enlarged engravings of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention, FIGURES 36A and 36B, the lattice 32A has two lattice surfaces 34a and 35a. As used herein, the term lattice surface refers to one of the lattice surfaces 32a surrounding conduits 36. These lattice surfaces are also referred to herein as the joints of frame 32. The joints of the frame 32 are, however, to be distinct from the joints described above formed by the wires of the frame.
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<img file="PT98151B_D0047.tif" />
reinforcement 33 The term crosslinked system surface was also used in the TroKhan and Johnson Patents, incorporated herein by reference. However, as used herein, the term crosslinked system surface will be modified since it is necessary to specify whether the said crosslinked system surface is the paper side crosslinked system surface or the rear zone crosslinked system surface.
The term paper-side cross-linked system surface (or, in short, the paper-side cross-linked system) refers to the solid portion of the top frame, or the first surface 34 of the frame 32. Thus, the surface of the frame that is Referred to as the crosslinked system surface in the patents included herein by reference, it generally corresponds to the paper side crosslinked system surface in the present disclosure. The paper side crosslinked system surface is represented by the numerical reference 34a in the engravings.
The term rear zone lattice surface (or, in short, rear zone lattice surface) refers to the solid portion of the frame 32 at the base, or the second surface 35 of the frame 32. The rear zone lattice surface is represented in the engravings by reference numeral 35a.
As shown in FIGURES 2-4, first surface 34 of frame 32 includes both paper side cross-linked system surface 34a and first conduit openings 42. First conduit openings 42 are conduit openings 36 along the first surface 34 of the frame 32. The second surface 35 of the frame comprises both the rear zone lattice surface 35a and the second conduit openings 43. The second conduit openings 43 are the conduit openings 36 along the second surface 35 of the frame 32.
The paper side cross-linked system surface 34a and
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the first conduit openings 42 in the first surface 34 of the frame 32 will often be described herein as complementary since together they respectively comprise an entire surface of the frame 32. For the same reason, the rear zone cross-linked system surface 35a and the second conduit openings 43 will hereinafter also be described as complementary #
As shown in FIGURE 2, the paper side crosslinked system 34a is macroscopically patterned and continuous monoplaning. This allows a uniform pattern to the paper web during the process. By macroscopically monoplanning is meant that when a paper-contacting portion 11 of the papermaking belt 10 is lapped in a planar configuration, the paper-side crosslinking system 34a is essentially in a plane. It is essentially said to be monoplane to recognize the fact that plane deviations are tolerable, but not advisable, provided that the deviations are not sufficient to adversely affect the actuation of the paper belt product 10. It is said that the The paper side cross-linking system 34a is continuous because the lines formed by the cross-linking system on the paper side cross-linking system surface 34a must form at least one essentially unbroken mesh pattern. The pattern is said to be essentially continuous to recognize that interruptions in the pattern are tolerable but not advisable as long as the interruptions are not sufficient to adversely affect the actuation of the paper belt product 10.
The conduits (or deflection conduits) 36 passing from the first surface 34 of the frame 32 to the second surface 35 of the frame 32 are shown in FIGURES 2-4. Each conduit 36 defines certain features, including: a channel portion or an orifice, generally designated 41; a nozzle or conduit opening (also known as gross foramina), such as the first
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conduit opening 42 formed along first surface 34 of frame 32; a conduit nozzle or opening, such as the second conduit opening 43 generally formed along the second surface 35 of the frame 32; and conduit walls, generally designated 44, which define the dimensions of conduits 36 within the frame portion 32 · (Interior frame frame is the frame portion 32 that lies between the first and second surfaces 34 and 35). As shown in FIGURES 2-4, the walls 44 of the conduits 36 form the interior walls 44a of the frame 32. The interior walls 44a of the frame 32 are the surfaces of the frame 32 which are borderline to the walls 44 of the conduits 36. Other In other words, the walls 44 of the conduits 36 have the same or coincident limits as the interior walls 44a of the frame 32. The openings of the second conduit 43 are described as being generally formed along the second surface 35 of the frame 32, since one or more passages 37 intersect with the second conduit opening 43, at least a portion of the second aperture. conduit 43 may be displaced so that it is actually between first surface 34 of frame 32 and neighboring portions of second surface 35 of frame 32. In other words, portions of the openings of the second conduit 43 may be inwardly (toward the center of the belt) from the plane defined by the adjacent portions of the second surface 35 of the frame 32.
FIGURE 2 shows that the openings of the first conduit 42 in the first surface 34 of the frame 32 are uniform and with a specific geometry. The openings of the second conduit 43 in the second surface 35 of the frame 32 are also substantially of the same geometry as the openings of the first conduit 42. However, as shown in FIGURE 37B, the passages and surface texture irregularities present in the rear crosslinked system 35a of the frame 32 may cause distortion in the openings of the frame.
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Jíir
<img file="PT98151B_D0049.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 90/08
J second conduit 43 θ is a very irregular shape. This distortion is not particularly problematic in the present invention, because the rear zone lattice 35a surrounding the openings of the second conduit 43 is not in contact and prints a pattern to the paper web during forming.
While there is an infinite variety of possible geometries for duct openings 42 and 4â, certain guidelines can be referred to for selecting a particular duct opening geometry. These guidelines are set forth in Col · 5, line 34 through Col. 10, line 35 of US Patent 4,528,239, entitled Deflection Member, issued to Paul D. Trokhan on July 9, 1985, included herein. as reference.
The shape and arrangement of the conduits 36 shown in Figure 2 are made in a particularly advisable manner. The shape of the conduit openings 42 and 43 shown in these figures is referred to herein as an Idaho linear pattern. As shown in FIGURE 2, the linear Idaho ducts are approximately in the form of modified parallelograms in cross section. The shape of the conduits 36 is described as resembling modified parallelograms because in this view each conduit 36 has four sides on which each pair of opposite sides is parallel, the angle between adjacent sides is not a right angle, and the corners. formed between adjacent sides are round. Thus, linear Idaho conduit openings may also be described as parallelograms having rounded corners.
Details of the construction of these linear Idaho ducts 36 are shown in FIGURE 19. Only a portion of the papermaking belt frame 32 showing the repeated pattern of ducts 36 is shown in FIGURE 19. In addition, only the lattice system surface of the paper side 34a in all, except for a duct, is shown to clarify the illustration. The particular shape of the conduits 36 is obtained as described below. How
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<img file="PT98151B_D0050.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 β *. - 90/08
It is readily understood, and it is possible to vary the sequence of phases and to achieve the same result. It is also clear that the points, lines and circles used to arrive at the shape of the ducts (except as they form the walls 44 of the ducts 36 ) will not in fact be visible in the ducts 36 constructed by the process described above.
To form a geometric shape in a linear Idaho pattern, two points (PI and P2) that are at a certain distance, dl, from each other are initially selected. The line connecting the two points, PI and P2, will be referred to as machine direction axis or longitudinal axis A<sub>L</sub>, of conduct. The distance, d1, between the two points, P1 and P2, (which is equal to the length of the longitudinal axis A1) is preselected. A circle of a given radius, R1 is drawn at each of these points. Next, a perpendicular line Aq is drawn to the longitudinal axis A ^ of the conduit. This next line A<sub>T</sub> is drawn along the longitudinal axis A ^, so that it cuts the longitudinal axis A ^ · Two points are then placed, P3 θ P4, equidistant from the axis A ^ on the second line Aq, · The distance, d2, between the points P3 θ F4 is also pre-selected. The line connecting points P3 and P4, Aq, will be referred to as the transverse steering axis to the machine or transverse axis of the conduit. At both points, P3 and P4, a circle of a given radius R2 is drawn. Although the last radius R2 does not have to be equal to the radius R1 of the circle drawn earlier, in the preferred embodiment shown in FIGURE 19, R1 is equal to R2. As the final phase, tangent lines L1, L2, L3, and L4 are drawn between portions of the four previously drawn circles. The tangent lines are drawn to be tangent to the portions of the circles that are farthest from the intersection of the longitudinal axis A ^ and the transverse axis Aq. The line passing around the perimeter of the shape thus described were the walls 44 of the linear Idaho conduit 36. As shown in FIGURE 19, the sides of the first conduit openings are designated by
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J<sup>10</sup>
<img file="PT98151B_D0051.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 90/06
45a, 45b, 45c and 45d, and the rounded corners between adjacent sides are designated 46. The corresponding sides of the openings of the second conduit 43 are designated 45e, 45f, 45g and 45h. The corresponding corners of the second conduit openings 43 are designated 46a.
Other suitable forms for ducts 36 in frame 32 of papermaking belt 10 of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the modified hexagon described in the patents granted to Trohkan and Johnson, herein incorporated by reference, and the loop pattern. or sinusoidal curve shown in FIGURE 20.
Regardless of the shape of the conduit openings having the shape of the preferred linear Idaho pattern or otherwise, the number of conduits 36 per given area of the belt and the proportional amount of space occupied by the conduit openings in the frame 32 of the belt. Paper 10 of the present invention must be within a certain limit.
number of ducts 36 present in frame 32 is generally expressed in terms of the number of ducts per square inch of the total surface area of frame 32. As used herein, the term total surface area of the frame refers to the sum of the surface area of the paper side cross-linked system surface 34a θ the complementary surface area occupied by the first conduit openings 42 and the sum of the area surface area of the rear zone cross-linked system 35a and the complementary surface area occupied by the second openings 43. The number of conduits 36 present in the ... frame 32 should be between about 10 and about 1,000 per square inch.
The proportional amount of space occupied by the conduit openings is generally expressed here as a percentage of the total surface area of the frame 32. It is also common in this description to express the amount of the surface of the conduit openings.
Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0052.tif" />
portion of the space occupied by the complementary frame lattice surfaces 34a and 35a as percentages of the total surface area of the frame 32. The space occupied by the paper side lattice surface 34a and the rear zone lattice surface 35a are generally referred to herein as joint areas ”of the respective surfaces of frame 32. These joint areas are shown as A ^ <sup>and</sup> A ^ respectively in FIGURES 19A and 19B. The paper side joint area (or first surface joint area) A 1 (shaded in FIGURE 19A) is the projection of the paper side crosslinked system surface 34a in the z-direction in a plane. The rear zone joint area (or second surface joint area) Ajj2 C<sup>9</sup> shaded in FIGURE 19B) is the projection of the rear zone cross-linked system surface 35a in the z-direction in a plane. The proportional amount of space occupied by the conduit openings may be derived from the amount of space occupied by the joint areas of the frame 32. Since the area occupied by the conduit openings and the area occupied by the respective lattice system surfaces are complementary, the total of the two percentages and 100%. If either the joint areas are known or if the proportional amount of space occupied by the conduit openings is known, the complementary area may be calculated by the known percent substrate of 100%.
The proportional amount of space occupied by the first duct openings 42 in the first surface 34 of the frame 32 should be between about 30% and about 80% of the total surface area of the frame 32. In other words, the first surface 34 of the frame 32 has about 20% - 70% joint area. The proportional amount of space occupied by the second conduit openings 43 in the second surface 35 of the frame 32 is preferably between about 30% and about 80% of the total surface area of the frame 32. In other words, the second surface -5163585
Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0053.tif" />
<img file="PT98151B_D0054.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 · *. - 90 (08 cie 35 of frame 32 is about 20% - about 70% joint area.
particular arrangement of the individual conduits 36 and the spaces between the conduits 36 shown in FIGURE 2 is one of the possible arrangements of the conduits 36. and a number of preferred arrangements of the individual conduits 36. and a number of preferred arrangements of individual conduits 36 and spaces between 36. Several of these preferred arrangements and spaces are set forth in the discussion in Col. 8, lines 35 - 58 of US Patent 4,528,239 with the title Deflection Member, which was granted to Paul D. Trokhan on July 9, 1985, the discussion of which is incorporated herein by reference. A particularly preferred arrangement of the ducts 36 and the spaces between the ducts 36, however, is the bilaterally stretched harness of the openings shown in FIGURE 2. And FIG. 2 is shown that in this particularly preferred arrangement and spacing the openings 42 of the conduits 36, such as the first openings of the conduit 42, are of sufficient size and spaced such that in any direction the edges of the conduits 36 extend. one after the other,
In an especially preferred embodiment of the paper making belt 10 of the present invention with linear Idaho shaped ducts, the parameters of ducts 36 (i.e. the number, size and arrangement of duct openings) are referred to herein as the linear Idaho pattern 300. with 35% joint area. The first number of the above designation represents the number of conduits 36 present in the frame 32 per square foot. Thus, frame 32 has 300 ducts per square inch. 0 The second number (ie 35% of the joint area) refers to the approximate surface area or the joint area of the paper side cross-linked system surface 34a. In this preferred embodiment, the papermaking belt is constructed such that the surface area or joint area of the rear zone crosslinked system surface
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Case 4194
ΛΥ / '
<img file="PT98151B_D0055.tif" />
δ 3b.
<img file="PT98151B_D0056.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βκ. - 90) 08>
35a is approximately 65%.
The dimensions used in the construction of the ducts 36, as well as the overall dimensions of the ducts, and the space between the ducts 36 in the 35% Idaho linear joining area pattern 300 are shown in FIGURE 19 · To construct ducts in the standard duct area 35% Idaho linear joint 300, the following lengths and radii were used; dl to .0425 inches (1.0795 mm), d2 is .024712 inches (.62785 mm) and R1 and R2 are both .012008 inches (.3050 mm). The overall dimensions of the conduit openings and the conduit spaces on the first surface 34 of the frame 32 are represented by a series of reference letters in FIGURE 19, FIGURE 19, the reference letter a represents the length of the machine direction (or MD ), or simply the length ”of an aperture as illustrated, b the length of the aperture as measured in the transverse machine direction (or CD), or the width of the aperture, is the space between two adjacent openings in an intermediate direction MD and CD of the space CD between adjacent openings, and the space MD between adjacent openings. In this preferred embodiment a is 1,692 mm (.066506 inch), b 1,2379 mm (0.48737 inch), c 0.28153 mm (.011084 inch), d 0.92055 mm (.036242 inch) and 0.30500 mm (.012003 inch) ·
The conduits 36 have a channel portion 41 which lies between the conduit openings 42 and 43. These channel portions 41 are defined by the walls 44 of the conduits 36. The general characteristics of these channel portions 41 and the walls 44 are shown in FIGURES 2-4. FIGURES 2-4 show that the holes or channels 41 formed by the conduits 36 extend through the entire thickness of the papermaking belt 10. In addition, as shown in FIGURE 2, the conduits 36 are generally discrete. For discrete it is understood that the conduits 36 form separate channels which are separated from each other by the frame 32. The separator35
-53“*
63585
Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0057.tif" />
The arrangement of the ducts 36 is particularly evident in the plan view of Figure 2. The ducts 36 are described as generally "discrete, however" because, as shown in FIGURE 37B, for example, the ducts 36 cannot be completely separated from each other. of the others along the second surface 35 of the frame when the passages 37 are present in the rear zone lattice 35a. The ducts 36 are also shown to be insulated since there is no connection within the papermaking belt body 10 between one duct 36 and another. This isolation of one conduit 36 from another is particularly evident in the cross-sectional views of FIGURES 3 θ 4. Thus, transfer of material (for example, fluids such as water removed from a paper web) from one duct 36 to another is generally impossible unless it is effected outside the belt body to make<sup>:</sup>10, or unless it is in the belt shown in FIGURE 37B, for example, the transfer made in the passages 37 along certain portions of the backside region 12 of the papermaking belt 10.
FIGURES 3 θ 4 show the orientation of the conduits 36 in the frame 32. As shown in FIGURES 3-4, the conduits 36 have a vertical axis designated as Ay 0 vertical axis Ay is an imaginary line passing through the center of each one of the conduits 36 between the first conduit openings 42 and the second conduit openings 43.
The orientation of the vertical axis A y determines the orientation of the ducts 36 in the frame 32 relative to the surfaces 34 θ 35 of the frame 32. Thus, it should be noted that in the present invention, the vertical axis A y does not always have a truly vertical orientation; is merely relatively relative to the longitudinal axes; and transverse ·<sup>-</sup> A ^ and A ^ of the ducts 36, The vertical axis orientation A ^ of the ducts 36 may vary considerably from an orientation wherein the vertical axis A<sub>y</sub> is normally oriented perpendicular to the first and second surfaces 34 and 35 of frame 32 to
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<img file="PT98151B_D0058.tif" />
an orientation in which the vertical axis A y is oriented such that the ducts 36 are formed at an angle on the frame 32. Preferably, however, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the vertical axis A<sub>y</sub> of the ducts 36 is generally approximately perpendicular to the first and second surfaces 34 and 35 of the frame 32.
cross-sectional profile of the walls 44 of the conduits 36 is shown at a larger scale in FIGURE 21. The profile of the walls 44 of the conduits 36 may be relatively curved, partially curved and partially straight or irregular when viewed in cross section. Note that in the engravings beyond FIGURE 2 showing the walls 44 of the ducts 36, the walls 44 of the ducts 36 are shown schematically as straight lines for ease of illustration. However, as shown in FIGURE 21, it is believed that the profile of the walls 44 of the conduits 36 may be nonlinear from the upper surface 34 of the frame 32 to the base 35 of the frame 32.
As shown in FIGURE 21, the profile of the walls 44 of the conduits 36 is essentially a straight line (in the region represented by numerical reference 47) from the first surface 34 of the frame 32 to a region along the walls 44, which begins approximately at the points that have been marked with the numeric reference 48. The points marked with the numerical reference 48 are at approximate locations where the paper-facing side 51 of the reinforcement frame 33 is located. At points 48 where the paper facing side 51 of the reinforcing structure 33 is located, the profile of the walls 44 of the ducts 36 is less well defined. At this point, the profile of the walls 44 of the ducts 36 generally becomes somewhat uneven. The irregularly profiled portion of the walls 44 of the ducts 36 is designated by the numerical reference 49 of FIGURE 21. The irregular portion 49 of the duct walls 44 of the profile 36 of the ducts 36 is formed during curing of the liquid photosensitive resin.
Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0059.tif" />
The ultraviolet lus used for curing the resin is provided by lusite sources which are placed above the paper facing side 51 of the reinforcement structure and the liquid photosensitive resin coating at the top of the paper facing side. 51. The light rays propagate or diffuse to a certain extent when they meet the cables of the reinforcement structure 33 causing the photosensitive resin to cure unevenly. Thus, the exact location of the beginning of the irregular portion of the walls 44 will vary depending on where the reinforcement structure is found.
The relationship of the walls 44 of the ducts 36 to each other (i.e. the tapering of the walls) may vary from cases where the walls 44 are parallel to each other to cases where the walls 44 are tapered either outwards or inwards from the top surface 34 of the frame 32 to the base surface 35 of the frame) 32. In addition, since the walls 44 of the conduits 36 form the interior walls 44a of the frame 32, as shown in FIGURES 2-4, the interior walls 44a of the frame 32 may also be tapered. Used in reference to tapering the walls 44 of the ducts 36 or the inner walls 44a of the frame 32, the term outward refers to the relationship in which the distance between the opposite walls 44, or inner walls 44a, changes from a smaller value to one. higher value. 0 Inward term refers to the opposite relationship (that is, a relationship in which the distance between walls 44 or interior walls 44a changes from a larger value to a smaller value).
FIGURES 1A and B show an embodiment of conduits 36 in which the walls 44 of conduits 36 are parallel to each other. FIGURES 2-4 show a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the walls 44 forming the interior of the conduits 36 are tapered inwardly from the top surface 34 of the frame 32.
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Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0060.tif" />
<img file="PT98151B_D0061.tif" />
Mod. 71 20,000 x- - 90/08 for the base surface of the frame 32. When the walls 44 of the ducts 36 are tapered both inwards and outwards, the interior walls 44a of the frame 32 will have an opposite relationship to each other. with the others. Thus, as shown in FIGURES 2-4, when the walls 44 of the ducts 36 are tapered inwardly from the top surface 34 of the frame 32 to the base surface, the inner walls 44a will be tapered outwardly to from the top surface 34 of the frame 32 to the base surfaces 35 · the tapering of the walls 44 and the interior walls 44a θ is controlled by the alignment of the light used to cure the photosensitive resin.
Preferably, the interior walls 44a of the frame 32 should be tapered outwardly from the top surface 34 of the frame 32 to the base surface 35 of the frame 32 in an amount such that the surface area of the side paper lattice 34a be less than 70 ° crown & total frame 32 surface area, and the surface area of the rear zone lattice 35a on the second surface 35 of the frame 32 is at least about 455% of the total surface area of the frame 32. In an especially preferred embodiment, the inner walls 44a are tapered such that the surface area of the paper side cross-linking system 34a (first surface joint area A ^) is approximately 35 S S of the total surface area of the frame and the surface area of the rear zone cross-linking system 35a (second surface joint area A,) is approximately 65% of the total surface area of rear zone 12 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention prior to formation of passages 37 in the rear zone crosslinked system 35a. In this particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tapering angle Î ± shown in FIGURE 21 of the walls 44 of the ducts 36 is approximately 15 degrees from the vertical.
63585
Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0062.tif" />
The relationship between the frame 32 and the stiffening frame 33 is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. · As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the stiffening frame 33 is usually placed closer to the backside region 12 of the papermaking belt 10. than the paper contact side 11 of the belt. Although possible, it is not advisable to create a strap in which the reinforcing frame 33 is placed closer to the paper side 11.
There are three main reasons for the reinforcement structure 33 being placed closer to the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10. One reason is that the reinforcement structure 33 is generally placed adjacent a casting surface during forming and, As a result, only a limited amount of resin is normally present between the reinforcing structure 33 and the casting surface. However, this may be altered without departing from the scope of this invention. Another reason is that it is generally preferable that the reinforcing frame 33 serves as a wear surface or a machine contact surface when the portions of the resin frame 32 with the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10 wear slightly once whereas the reinforcing structure 33 provides a more durable surface for contacting the papermaking equipment on which the papermaking belt 10 passes, than the hardened polymeric resin comprising the frame 32. The final reason is that a portion of the resin frame 32 must cover the reinforcement structure 33 to form ducts 36 of the desired pattern and depth at the top of the paper-facing loop. The portion of the resin frame 32 that covers the reinforcement frame 33 is referred to as the "overload" and is designated as t in FIGURE 21. Overloading allows the ducts 36 to serve their purpose properly when providing an area in which the fibers of the paper web can be deflected so that these fibers can be rearranged.
Case 4194 reinforcement frame cables
<img file="PT98151B_D0063.tif" />
without interference from the 33.
<img file="PT98151B_D0064.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 x. ·
J
When it is said that the reinforcing structure 33 is located closer to the rear region 12 of the papermaking belt 10, the specific dimensions involved may vary. In the preferred embodiment of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention, the typical preferred stretched woven twisted element has a thickness between about 10 mils and about 37 mils (.254 mm and .94 mm). The resin overload thickness t is between about 4 mils and about 30 mils (.102 mm and .762 mm). When the overload t is between these two limits, the composite paper belt 10 is usually between about 14 and 67 mils thick (.356 mm and 1.70 mm). Other applications may require the overload to be between 2 mils and about 250 mils (.051 mm and 6.35 mm) thick. This would, of course, change the. overall thickness of the belt to make composite paper 10 in proportion.
FIGURES 3 θ 4 show the characteristics of the rear zone 12 of the papermaking belt 10 and the second surface 35 of the frame. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the papermaking belt 10 has a textured back zone 12. And this back textured zone 12 which is also referred to herein as "back zone texturing" or "back zone texture, which is of primary importance in the present invention. As used herein with respect to the back zone 12 of the papermaking belt 10, the term "texture" refers to the feature of the back zone 12 created by non-flat discontinuities or interruptions on what could normally be a smooth or flat surface. Such unplanned discontinuities or interruptions may comprise projections from the plane of such a surface or depressions on such a flat surface.
FIGURES 22A, through 22C, show that the backside texture may be provided by differences.
Case 4194
J '°!
Mod. 71 - 20,000 ««. 20>
cb
<img file="PT98151B_D0065.tif" />
portions of the papermaking belt when the belt includes a frame and reinforcing structure. It should be noted, however, that the specific types of backside texture shown in FIGURES 22A through 22C will not necessarily be found in the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention. It is possible that a texture similar to that shown in FIGURE 28B may be created on the papermaking belt of the present invention, but it is more likely that the texture will be similar to that shown in FIGURES 22A and 22C. FIGURES 22A through 22C show that the texture of the rear zone in general may be provided by: the passages 37 which provide surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear zone lattice 35a of the second surface 35 of the frame 32; by the machine-side characteristics 52 of the reinforcing structure 33; or by both passages 37 which provide surface texture irregularities 38 and reinforcement frame 52 machine-side features 33 · Definitions of these terms and a description of the reinforcement frame machine-side 52 characteristics 33 appear below. Each of the alternative shapes that the backside texture can obtain is then examined with reference to FIGURES 22A-22C.
As used herein, the term "passages" means spaces through which air may pass. The term passages should not be construed to include spaces that are of specific shape and size. Thus, the passages 37 described herein are not limited to spaces resembling tunnels and similar shapes.
As used herein, the term surface texture irregularities (or simply irregularities) refers to any discontinuities or non-planar interruptions on a normally smooth or flat surface, such as flat surface projections of the surface and / or flat depressions. such a surface. Irregularities 38 in35
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Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0066.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 'e. 90/08 include those portions which constitute non-regular or non-smooth portions in the lattice system 35a of the second surface 35 of frame 32. Surface texture irregularities 38 may be any discontinuities or breaks in the resinous material forming the back zone cross-sectional surface 35a, or any portions of the back zone cross-sectional surface 35a where the resin has been removed or added to the surface. 35a crosslinked system surface
Features of the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcing structure 33 that can form or contribute to forming the back zone texture are shown in FIGURES 22A through 22C. As shown in FIGURES 22A through 22C, structural members 40a such as joints and threads of the woven reinforcement structure define various planes which are references for describing the texture of the rear region of the strap 10. The rear region 12 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention defines a plane which is designated P1. The plane defined by the rear portion of the belt is a plane which, if the rear portion 12 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention were placed on a flat surface, would lie in the same plane as the flat surface. The paper-facing joints 51 of the reinforcing structure 33 (such as the paper-side joints such as 105 ·) define a plane which is called<sup>?</sup>kl ' <sup>0</sup> P<sup>la110 and a <</sup>X<sup>u;</sup>· referred to as “the plane defined by the paper-facing side of the reinforcement structure”. Joints on the machine-facing side 52 of reinforcement frame 33 (such as rear zone joints 105 · ^) define a plane which is called P ^ g ·<sup>0</sup> Pl<sup>Q</sup>ho Ρ ^ 2 θ <sup>re</sup> wound as the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure ”.
As shown in FIGURES 22A, B and C, the machine-facing side profile 52 of the cross-frame 33 of the reinforcement structure 33 has a contour or shape es-6163585
Case 4194
J <sup>10</sup>
<img file="PT98151B_D0067.tif" />
2 &> KJÉ9I
Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. - 90/08>
z / specifics. As shown in these Figures, the contour of the machine-facing side 52 of a woven reinforcing structure 33 is defined by some of the twisted yarns 53 and some of the woven yarns 54 (comprising the structural members 40a of the reinforcing structure 33). . Furthermore, FIGURES 22A, B and C show that the portions of some twisted yarns 53 and some of the woven yarns 54 on the machine side 52 of the reinforcing structure 33 form protruding portions 120. As used herein, the term projecting portions refers to those portions of twisted yarns or woven yarns, or other structural members 40a which are on the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 and are disposed within the plane defined by the side. facing reinforcement structure machine <sup>P</sup>k2 '
As used with respect to the projecting planes and portions 120 described above, the expression inward means from either the paper side 11 of the papermaking belt 10 or the rear zone 12 of the papermaking belt 10 towards the paper. center of the papermaking belt 10 (i.e. toward an imaginary line midway between the paper side 11 and the backside 12), with respect to the planes described above, "outwardly" means from the center of the papermaking belt towards either the paper side 11 of the papermaking belt 10 or the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10. The projecting portions 120 of FIGURES 22A-220 are shown more specifically to be formed by those portions of the twisted yarns 53 and the warm yarns 54 which lie on the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 between the side joints. machine, such as joints 105 ^ 2 *
In the preferred multi-layer woven reinforcement structure 33 shown in FIGURES 22A, 3 and C, the protruding portions 120 are generally formed of twisted yarn portions 53 to the second twisted layer D, together with pores-6263585
Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0068.tif" />
tions of interwoven woven yarn 54. Specifically, in the preferred reinforcement structure 33, the projecting portions 120 will be formed by those portions of the twisted yarns 53 in the second twisted layer D and by those portions of woven yarns 54 which are simultaneously on the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcing structure. 33 θ between those portions of the same wires that form the machine side joints 1052 »In addition, as shown in FIGURE 22D, when the reinforcement structure 33 is composed of wires with round cross sections and the bases of the wires lie flat. <sup>al</sup>Sums of the protruding portions 120 will be formed by portions on the sides of the wires which due to the curvature of the cross-section of the wires are spaced from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcing structure 3 '.<sub>k2 </sub>are referred to as protruding perimeter portions
What if
tf are designated by the numerical reference 120a in FIGURE 22D. FIGURE 22D shows that in the specific cross section shown, these protruding perimeter portions 120a are positioned within the projected twisted areas A of the twisted yarns 53 in the second twisted layer D.
FIGURES 22A-22C also show that some of the protruding portions, the internally spaced protruding portions numbered 120 ', are spaced inwards at a greater distance from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the 3 ° reinforcement structure. what<sup>huh</sup> any other protruding portions 120. FIGURES 22A-G show that in a preferred multilayer reinforcing structure 33 along the cross-section shown, it is believed that some of the inwardly spaced protruding portions 120 * are formed by the twisted strands 53 in the second twisted layer D. FIGURES 22A-C show that the points forming the base 53 'of these twisted yarns 53 form a surface, the protruding surface, which defines a plane P.
plan ? may also be referred to as the plane defined by the projecting portions forming the projecting surface.
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Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0069.tif" />
Mod. 71 * 20,000 ex. In relation to the angles, it should be noted that the distance at which the twisted strands 53 in the second twisted layer D are spaced inwardly from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement frame 3e somewhat exaggerated in FIGURES 22A-C and some other figures for illustration purposes.
It is to be noted that in some variations the reinforcing structure 33, these twisted strands 53 may be spaced inwards in different amounts. As shown in the variation of reinforcement structure 33 in FIGURE 22D, the twisted yarns 53 in the second twisted layer D may even be in the same plane as the plane defined by the side facing the reinforcement structure machine P<sub>fc2</sub>· In this case, it will not be spaced inland at all.
Alternative forms, in which the passages 37, surface texture irregularities 38 and machine-side characteristics 52 of the reinforcement structure contribute to forming the back zone texture are shown in FIGURES 22A-22C. One of the ways to obtain the texture in the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 22A. In FIGURE 22A, the texture is obtained entirely by the passages 37 which provide surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear zone lattice 35a of the frame 32. As shown in FIGURE 22A, the second surface 35 of the frame 32 completely covers the reinforcing structure 33 when the back zone texture 12 is provided entirely by the passages 37 and the irregularities 38.
As used herein, in reference to the surfaces of the frame 32, the term copper means that the side of the reinforcing frame 33 emitting is positioned completely between the first and second surfaces 34 θ 35 of frame 32. The surfaces of frame 32 are considered here to cover the side of the reinforcement structure 33 in
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<img file="PT98151B_D0070.tif" />
they are when they are so positioned, even when there are portions of the reinforcing structure 33 that lie within the ducts 36, and as a result there will be no resinous material on either side.
As shown in FIGURES 223 and 22C, the backside texture may be provided partly by the passages 37 and irregularities 38 and partly by the machine-side contour 52 of the reinforcing structure 33. FIGURE 223 shows an alternative situation in wherein the second surface 35 of the frame 32 does not normally cover any portion of the reinforcement structure 33 whereby the machine-facing side 52 of the surface structure is exposed. FIGURE 22C shows another alternative situation in which the second surface 35 of the frame 32 covers machine-facing portions 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 θ leave other portions of the reinforcement structure 33 exposed.
The back zone texture types shown in FIGURES 22A through 22C are the three basic back zone texture types. These types of back zone texturing are referred to for convenience as positive back zone texture ”; negative back zone texture and a combination of both positive and negative rear zo texture.
By positive zone texture, as shown in FIGURE 22A, is meant that the passages 37 extend from the plane P P defined by the rear zone 12 of the strap 10 toward the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the frame. reinforcement P ^<sub>2</sub>. As shown in FIGURE 22A, in the case of positive texturing, the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcing structure Ρ ^ 2 lies within the plane defined by the rear region of the papermaking belt P ^. Thus, the reinforcement structure 33 θ is placed completely between the first surface 34 of the frame 32 and the second surface 35 of the frame.
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Case 4194
U
<img file="PT98151B_D0071.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 08/20
3lirt £ 9i
32.
Another, and perhaps easier, way to look at the positive backside texture is to look at the relationship between the passages 37 and irregularities 38 and the machine-defined plane of the reinforcing frame of the reinforcement structure 2 ^ 2> and not the relationship that the passages 37 and the surface texture irregularities 38 form with the plane defined by the back zone of the papermaking belt. In the case of the positive backside texture as shown in FIGURE 22A, the passages 37 are located outside the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure <sup>P</sup>· Surface texture irregularities 38 extend outwardly from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure Ρ ^ 2 »
By negative backside texture as shown in FIGURE 22B, it is understood that the passages 37 extend inwardly from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure P<sub>k2 </sub>direction to the plane defined by the side facing the role of the reinforcement structure P<sub>kl</sub>· In papermaking belts that are exclusively negatively textured, the plane defined by the rear of the papermaking belt P1 and the machine-defined plane facing the reinforcing structure P1.<sub>fc2</sub> will be the same.
By positive and negative backside texture as shown in FIGURE 22C, it is meant that both types of passages described above are present. Thus, some of the passages 37 are disposed within the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure P<sub>k2</sub>, and some of the passages 37 are positioned outwardly from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure. In the case of the positive and negative backside texture, the plane defined by the machine side facing the
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Case 4154
<img file="PT98151B_D0072.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 ex. - 90/08 reinforcement structure P,<sub>2</sub> lies within the plane defined by the back of the papermaking belt P ^.
It is clear from the observation of the three figures discussed above that the wear surface of a papermaking belt with the different types of back zone will be different.
As shown in FIGURE 22A, the wear surface of straps having a positive back zone texture will be (at least in the beginning) completely composed of a resinous material. When the jagged projections that make up the irregularities of the surface texture 38 move over the machinery used in the papermaking operation after several rotations of the belt 10, these projections will tend to wear out so that at some point the surface will become virtually the same as the machine-defined plane of the reinforcement frame Ρ ^<sub>2</sub>· The new wear surface will include a machine-side combination 52 of the reinforcement frame 33 and the resin from the frame 32 that has been worn at a level with the plane Ρ ^<sub>2</sub>. At this point, there will be a very limited number of passages 37 for air to pass along the second surface 35 of the frame 32.
As shown in FIGURE 22B, the initial wear surface of the belts having a negative backside texture will generally be solely comprised of machine-side portions 52 of the reinforcement structure 33. In the case of negative texturing, The initial wear surface will thus be composed of polyester (or one of the other materials specified above) which is normally more durable than the resinous material that makes up the frame 32. In addition, as shown in FIGURE 223, negatively textured straps may have passages such as 37 ', which extend inwardly from the machine-facing loop 52 of reinforcement structure 33. strap is worn so that the surface of
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Case 4194
<img file="PT98151B_D0073.tif" />
I
Mod. 71 - 20,000 x. 20
J
<img file="PT98151B_D0074.tif" />
wear coinciding with the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33, these passages 37 'continue to provide openings along the rear zone 12 of the strap. Thus, belts with a negative back sound texture will generally continue to allow air to pass through the back zone 12 to a certain extent after being worn.
As shown in FIGURE 22C, the wear surface of the straps which has a negative and positive texture combination will at least initially consist entirely of resinous material including the frame 32. When the notched projections comprising this resinous material are worn , the wear surface, as in the case of the strap shown in FIGURE 22A, will become virtually the same as the machine-defined plane of the reinforcement structure P ^ ·. <sup>An</sup> difference between the belts shown in FIGURES 22A and 22C, however, and that because of negative texturing there will continue to be passages 37 in the last belt after the positive texture is worn. For this reason, it is believed that it is preferable to have at least some negative texturing in the preferred embodiment of the present invention to maintain a textured wear surface at the rear after the Initial texture has been worn.
In the present invention, the texture is formed on the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10 by manipulating the liquid photosensitive resin which when cured comprises the frame 32. The liquid photosensitive resin is manipulated around the reinforcement structure 33 to form passages. 37 and surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear zone lattice 35a of the second surface 35 of the frame 32. The location, characteristics and distribution of the passages 37 θ and irregularities 38 in the papermaking belt are therefore generally described with respect to the reinforcement structure 33 »Definitions of various terms will be provided, which will serve as reference.
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. - 90/08
When describing the location, characteristics and distribution of the passages 37 and surface texture irregularities 38 with respect to the reinforcement structure 33.
As shown in FIGURES 12 and 12A, passages 37 and surface texture irregularities 38 each define the projected areas. It should be noted that the passages 37 θ the irregularities are shown to some extent in FIGURES 12 and 12A for the following discussion and that the types of passages 37 and irregularities 38 shown will not necessarily be found in all embodiments of the strap. paper of the present invention. The projected area of the passages 37 shown in FIGURES 12 and 12A is represented by the reference letter A. As used herein, the projected area of a passage 37 refers to the area defined by projecting passage 37 in the z-direction. The projected area of the irregularity 38 shown in FIGURES 12 and 12A and represented by the reference letter A. · As used herein, the projected area of the surface texture irregularity 38 refers to the area defined by the projection of the irregularity 38 in the direction. -z.
As used in this disclosure, when a passage 37 or a surface texture irregularity 38 (or the projected area of a passage 37 or a surface texture irregularity 38) is described as being aligned with, "being inside, or within or other similar expressions with respect to one of the projected areas of the reinforcement frame members 33 (or frame 32), It is understood that the passage or irregularity is within the limits of the projected area at all. planes to which the emitting element could be projected in the z-direction. In other words, a passage or an irregularity within a projected area could be positioned above the projected area defining element, or below the projected area defining element, or even partially above and partially below.
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<img file="PT98151B_D0077.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000. - 90/08
From the element. In addition, portions of the passageway or irregularity could be within one or more planes in which the element has been projected in the z-direction,
FIGURES 12 and 12A show several of the possible locations for the passageways 37 and the surface texture irregularities 38 described above. By examining PIGURES 12 and 12A from left to right, the first passage 37 shown is partially within a projected twisted area. Part of this passage 37 is also outside the projected twisted area A · To the right of the first passage 37 is a irregularity 38. The irregularity 38 shown in PIGURES 12 and 12A is within a projected twisted area A. To the right of irregularity 38 is a third passage 37. The third passage is completely within a projected interstitial area. A fourth passage 37 is shown to the right of third passage 37. The fourth passage 37 is completely within an area. projected twisting.
It should be noted that when a passage 37 or a surface texture irregularity 38 is described with reference to a projected area, this means that the position of the emitting element is usually as specified with respect to the projected area. However, there may be small portions of passage 37 or irregularity 38 that do not respond exactly to the emission area. These slight variations in the actual position of the element from the projected areas can be attributed to at least two factors.
One factor is that the elements involved (such as the passages and irregularities) are extremely small and minor variations in the position of an element will be exaggerated relative to the projected areas. This may cause the element to be slightly out of bounds of the projected area. The second factor results from the fact that the position of the passages 37 and the surface texture irregularities 38 are sometimes established by the shape in the
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 βκ- - 90/08
J which rays of light cure □ liquid photosensitive resin including frame 32 pass through reinforcement structure 33 * The direction these light rays travel is not always always in the z-direction, and as a result, the projection of the areas above from the light source direction may differ slightly from the projection of the same areas in the z - direction.
The characteristics of the passages 37 and the surface texture irregularities 38 are better discussed with respect to FIGURE 21. As shown in FIGURE 21, there is a relationship between the passages 37 and the surface texture irregularities 38. The passages 37 are openings for fluid, or more specifically air, or air and water, may pass along the second surface 35 of the frame 32. When the passages 37 are formed in the rear zone crosslinked system 35a, they provide the surface texture irregularities 38. The irregularities 38 are therefore the portions of the rear zone crosslinked system 35a of the frame 32 surrounding the edges. passages 37 · Generally, however, the passages 37 themselves include surface texture irregularities since they are also discontinuities or irregularities in the rear zone lattice 35a of the frame 32.
As shown in FIGURE 21, both passages 37 and irregularities 38 are distinct from ducts 36 passing through the frame 32. It is distinct from the ducts, it is understood that the passages 37 and irregularities 38, comprising outlets to from the otherwise smooth and continuous cross-linked rear zone system 35a of the frame 32, shall be distinguished from the holes 41 formed by the ducts 36. In other words, the holes 41 formed by the ducts 36 should not be classified as passages or surface texture irregularities.
The physical characteristics of the individual passages 37 are shown in FIGURE 21. It is noted that FI-7163585 '
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GURA 21 is an exaggerated schematic view of a portion of a papermaking belt showing passages 37 θ surface texture irregularities 38 of a variety of different shapes. Thus, while the rear zone texturing variety shown in FIGURE 21 is useful in describing the general characteristics of passages 37 and irregularities 38, the back zone texture shown in FIGURE 21 may not be of a phoenix found on the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention. The specific back zone texture of a given papermaking belt depends on the method used to make the belt. These specific textures will be discussed in conjunction with enlarged photographs of the belts constructed according to the papermaking belt method of the present invention described herein,
As shown in FIGURE 21, the passages 37 may have sides, which are generally designated by the numerical reference 66. These sides may have an infinite number of different shapes. They may be curved or relatively straight, when viewed from a cross section, or partially curved and partially straight. Often, however, the sides 66 of the passages 37 will be so irregular that they cannot be precisely defined.
As shown in FIGURE 21, the sides 66 of the passages 37 may range from relatively vertical (i.e., z-direction orientation) to relatively horizontal (x- and y-direction orientation). The angle that one side 66 forms with the z-direction has been designated as the<sub>g </sub>It should be noted, however, that in the case of a passageway 37 having curved or irregular sides, the size of the angle α varies depending on the reference points used to measure the angle α formed by side 66.
z ° Z.
In addition, each passage 37 may have several different side numbers 66, the number of sides 66 may range from an essentially curved continuous wall to an infinite number of sides of virtually several sections.
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cross sections. In the simplified cross section in FIGURE 21, some of the passages 37 appear to have sides 66 similar to interior walls or walls 66a. In addition, some of the passageways 37 having relatively vertical walls 66a will have a roof-like side 66b. One side of the passages 37, however, will always be open. The open sides are designated 66c in FIGURE 21.
Moreover, although passages 37 are generally extremely small, they have a finite height h ^, width w<sub>P</sub>, spacing <sub>Sp</sub> and cross-sectional area Α<sub>χρ</sub>.
As shown in FIGURE 21, the height h / p of a passage 37 is the distance, measured in the z-direction, from the plane defined by the rear of the belt to a point, such as 66d, within passage 37. As shown in FIGURE 21, the height h of different portions of an individual passageway 37 may vary along the width of the passageway 37. In addition, the height h of the various passages 37 in the rear zone lattice 35a of the second surface 35 may vary from pass to pass.
The width w of a passage 37 θ is the distance measured in. some direction in the plane dependendo-Υ, depending on the cross section taken, between two points on the opposite side walls 66a of the passage 37 · If the side walls are formed by a simple curved surface, the width w of the passage is the XY plane distance between two points on opposite sides of the curved surface. As shown in FIGURE 21, the width of different portions of an individual passageway 37 may vary depending on the portion of passageway 37 where the width is measured. In addition, the width of the various passages 37 in the rear surface lattice system 35a of the second surface 35 may vary from pass to pass.
The cross-sectional area of a passage
A is represented by a transverse shaded area in FI xp ff
GURA 21, The cross-sectional area of a passage A ^ e
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area measured at a given cross section of the inner portion of the passage 37 which is connected by an imaginary line running along the plane defined by the rear zone of the belt P1. The combined cross-sectional areas A of the individual passages 37 is important because it is through these areas that air escapes when the paper belt of the present invention moves over a vacuum box during the papermaking process.
Spacing between adjacent passages 37 is represented by the reference letter s ^ in FIGURE 21. Spacing s ^ between adjacent passages 37 is defined herein with respect to the two reference points on the sides of the irregularities 38 that limit passage 37 in issuance. These two points, shown as 109 in FIGURE 21, are on the sides of the irregularities 38 which are referred to herein as the neighboring sides of the irregularities 38. The neighboring sides of the irregularities 38, designated 67a, are thus referred to because they also form the sides 66 of neighboring passages 37. The two reference points 109 chosen are those points on neighboring sides 67a which are the shortest distance in the direction. —Za from the plane defined by the rear of the belt
P ^. In FIGURE 21, the two reference points 109 are actually in the plane P1, but this will not always be so. The spacing between adjacent passages 37, shown by the arrow in FIGURE 21, is the distance measured in the plane Υ-Υ between the reference point 109 on the neighboring side 67a of the irregularity 38 that lies between the emitting passages to the point of adjacent adjacent reference 109 which lies on the opposite neighboring side 67a of the same irregularity 38.
The general pattern of spacing between the passages 37 determines the distribution of the passages 37. The passages 37 may be distributed in an unlimited number of ways through the rear zone lattice 35a of the frame 32. passages 37 may for example 7463585
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 90/08
First, be random, uniform, regular or in accordance with any specific pattern.
An example of the randomly spaced passages 37 are the strap 37 passages 37 with a combination of positive and negative texturing shown in FIGURE 220. As used herein, the term uniform means that the density (or number) of passages 37 is approximately the same over the entire surface, although passages 37 do not form any specific pattern. · As used herein, the term regular means that the spacing between adjacent passages Sp is approximately the same across the entire rear zone crosslinked system 35a. An example of regularly spaced passageways 37 are the positive rear zone texturing belt 10 passages 37 shown in FIGURE 22A . The strap 10 shown in FIGURE 22A also serves as an example of uniformly spaced passages since the density of the passages is approximately the same across the entire surface of the rear zone crosslinking system 35a. The spacing between adjacent passages 37 in the strap 10 shown in FIGURE 22A is sufficiently similar since the spacing of the passages 37 shown therein could also be considered as a pattern. Another example of the passages that are distributed in a pattern are the negative back zone textured belt passages 37 shown in FIGURE 223. The passages distributed in a pattern in FIGURE 223 do not, however, include the passages 37 '. A virtually unlimited number of combinations of the basic back zone texture types shown in FIGURES 22A-C and the spacing between the passages described herein are possible. As shown in FIGURE 31, for example, the partially composite belt 10 was formed by the process of the present invention while providing an example of regularly spaced passages 37 θ passages 37 distributed in a pattern on a belt having a combination of positive and negative zone texture
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rear.
The passages 37 may also be distributed through generally all portions of the second surface 35 of the frame 32. By this it is understood that the passages 37 may be found on any portion of the rear zone cross-linked system surface 35aj and which is not present. any particular area or areas of the surface of the rear zone lattice 35a from which the passages 37 are excluded. Thus, where the reinforcement structure includes a woven element, the passages 37 may be situated in the projected reinforcement area A<sub>R</sub> or in the projected open area A<sub>Q</sub> of the reinforcement structure. By specifying that the distribution occurs through generally the entire rear zone cross-linked system 35a, and not throughout the rear zone cross-linked system 35a, it is understood that while passages 37 can be found virtually anywhere in the cross-linked system 35a, passages 37 do not necessarily cover the total rear crosslinked system 35a.
The physical characteristics of individual surface texture irregularities 38 are shown in FIGURE 21. In addition, there is a general description of surface texture irregularities in Broadston, Mark / s Standari Handbock for Mechanical Engineers, Surface Texture Designation, Production, and Control, ”(KcGraw - Hill 1967), pp. 13-106 to 13-112, incorporated herein by reference. As shown in FIGURE 21, the sides of the surface texture irregularities 33 are generally designated 67. The surface texture irregularities 38 of the present invention (such as the passages) may have sides 67 of an infinite number of different shapes. As with the passages, the sides 67 of the irregularities 38 may be curved or relatively straight when viewed from a cross section, or partially curved and partially straight. Many times, however, the 67 sides of the irregularities —76—
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are so irregular that they are not definable)<sup>,0</sup>
Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. 20 needs accurate.
As shown in FIGURE 21, the sides 67 of the irregularities 38 may range from relatively vertical (i.e., inclined in z-direction) to relatively horizontal (inclined in x and y directions). The angle on one side 67 of an irregularity 38 shaped with the z-direction was designated as α in FIGURE 21. It should be noted, however, that in the case of an irregularity 38 having curved or irregular sides, the angle α depends on the reference points used to measure the angle α formed by the side 67 of the irregularity 38.
In addition, each irregularity 38 may have several different side numbers 67. The number of sides 67 may vary depending on the shape of the irregularity 38. For domed or doorknob irregularities, the side (s) 67 of the irregularity 38 will appear as a curved line when viewed in cross section. In cases where the irregularity 38 has a more complex geometry, there may be virtually an infinite number of sides 67 of various cross sections.
FIGURE 21 shows the previously described neighboring sides 67a of the irregularities 38 which are formed by the inner walls 66a of the passages 37. As shown in FIGURE 21, these neighboring sides 67a will often be unequal in length because neighboring sides 67a of a given irregularity. 38 may be formed by sidewalls 66a of two or more radically shaped passages 37 ·
FIGURE 21 also shows that one or more sides 67 of the irregularities 38 may not be formed by the same structure that forms the walls of neighboring passages 37 · These sides will be referred to as sides formed independently of the irregularities 38 and are designated by 67b in the drawings. Unlimited times, these sides formed independently35
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Mod. 71 · 20,000 «c. 90b 67b of the irregularities 38 will comprise a portion of the wear surface in the rear region 12 of the strap 10.
In addition, as with passages 37, although irregularities 38 are extremely minor, they can also have a finite height h ^, width w ^, spacing s ^ and cross-sectional area Α<sub>χ</sub>^. As shown in FIGURE 21, the connections of the irregularities 38 are often established by the neighboring sides 67 of the irregularities 38. Since the neighboring sides 67a of an irregularity 38 can be quite unequal, the precise height as well as the width, and the cross - sectional area. of an irregularity 38 can be difficult to express.
Due to the definition of these characteristics of irregularities 38, an arbitrary but uniform reference point will be chosen to take these measurements. This reference point was designated 110 in FIGURE 21. The reference point 110 is a point on the shortest neighbor side 67a of irregularity 38. Specifically, it is the point on the shortest neighbor side 67a which is the longest distance to. the interior from the plane defined by the rear zone of the belt F ^. FIGURE 21 shows that point 110 may be in two different locations for neighboring irregularities 38.
As shown in FIGURE 21, the height h.
Ponto Λ from any point in an irregularity 38 and the distance, measured in the z-direction, from a plane passing through reference point 110 to irregularity 38 to the particular point of interest in irregularity 38. Such as shown in FIGURE 21, height h. different portions of an individual irregularity 38.can vary across the width of the irregularity 38. In addition, the height h of the various irregularities 38 in the rear zone lattice 35a may vary from irregularity to irregularity,
The width of an irregularity 38 is dis-7363585
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. - 90/06
It is measured either in the x-direction or in the y-direction or in any intermediate direction in the plane Σ-Υ, depending on the cross-section taken between two points on opposite sides 67 of the irregularity 38 · If the sides 67 formed by a simple curved surface, the width of the irregularity is the distance measured in the Σ-Υ plane between two points on opposite sides of the curved surface. * As shown in FIGURE 21, the width of different portions of an individual irregularity 38 may vary depending on the portion of the irregularity 38 in which the width is measured · In addition, the width of the various irregularities 38 in the rear zone lattice 35a may vary from irregularity to irregularity ·
The cross-sectional area of an irregularity A_<sub>s</sub> It is also represented by a transMM shaded area shown in FIGURE 21. The cross-sectional area of an irregularity A é is the area measured at a given cross-section of the portion of an irregularity 38 that lies between an imaginary line passing through the point. 110 and the plane defined by the rear of the belt P<sub>B</sub>·
The irregularities 38 also have a spacing s<sub>i</sub> between adjacent irregularities 38 · As shown in FIGURE 21, the spacing between the irregularities 38 in a given direction s<sub>i</sub> is the distance measured in the plane Σ-Υ between the reference point 109 on the neighboring side 67 of an irregularity 38 and the reference point 109 on the nearest neighboring side 67a of the following irregularity 3θ · general pattern of the spacing between irregularities 38 determines the distribution of irregularities 38 · Like passages, the irregularities 38 may be distributed in an unlimited number of ways through the rear zone lattice 35a of the frame 32 · A distributes ·? The irregularities 38 may be random, uniform, regular or according to some specific pattern. As and
-791 ) <sup>10</sup>
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As used herein, the term uniform means that the density (or number) of irregularities 38 is approximately the same on an entire surface, even when irregularities 38 do not form any specific pattern. As used herein, the term regular means that the The spacing between adjacent irregularities s aproximadamente is approximately the same across the total rear crosslinked system 35a · In addition, as with the passages 37, irregularities 38 may be distributed across generally all portions of the rear zone crosslinked system 35a · When irregularities 38 are distributed across generally all rear zone crosslinked system 35a, it is understood that while irregularities 38 may be encountered virtually at any specific location on the 35a rear zone lattice system, irregularities 38 do not necessarily cover the entire rear zone lattice 35<sup>The</sup>Examples of the various different distributions of the irregularities 38 are shown in the same figures as the accompanying drawings showing the corresponding types of distributions of the passages 37.
In addition to the features described above, the irregularities 38 may also be described either as projections or as depressions in the rear zone lattice 35a of frame 32. As used herein if an irregularity 38 is referred to either as projection or depression, the frame used to describe the irregularity 38 is the machine-defined plane of the reinforcing frame P<sub>k2</sub>· Any irregularity 38 projecting outwards from this plane in the direction -z is a projection. Any irregularity 38 that faces inwards towards plane P<sub>fc2</sub> It is a depression.
The particular features of the textured back zone 12 of the preferred embodiment of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention depends on the method used for
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Making the Strap 10 · These specific features are generally shown in the enlarged photographs of FIGURES 36A-C and FIGURES 37A-C, and will be discussed in conjunction with the description of the various alternate versions of the method used to make the braces shown in the photographs. general features, however, that are common to straps that are made by the various alternatives of the basic method. · These features are best described with reference to schematic figures 22A-C.
Mod. 71 - 20,000 x. -90 (08
FIGURE 22A shows schematically an alternative embodiment of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention. In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGURE 22A, all passages 37 are positioned outwardly from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the frame. reinforcement?<sub>k2</sub>Fig. 220 shows or another embodiment of the papermaking belt 10 in which a plurality of passages 37 are disposed within the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure.<sub>2</sub> and a plurality of outwardly positioned passages 37 from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcing structure. In the latter alternative embodiment at least a portion of the passages 37 are disposed inwardly of the plane defined by side facing to the reinforcement frame machine P<sub>k2</sub>, are arranged in the interstices 39 of the reinforcement structure 33 such that a portion of the projected area of the passages 37 corresponds to the portion of the projected open area of the reinforcement structure 33. paper making 10 has a sufficient fluid flow capacity to allow about 1,800 standard cubic centimeters / minute of air to escape through the textured surface.
It is believed that the problems that arose when using the previous straps to make paper in back zones
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Flat strands were at least partially the result of an extremely sudden application of vacuum pressure that was imparted to the paper web when the paper web was conveyed to the old web over the vacuum drying machinery used in the papermaking process. It is believed that plain back papermaking belts would in fact temporarily create a seal over these vacuum sources. So when the deflection ducts of the previous type papermaking belt were found, the pressure
<img file="PT98151B_D0090.tif" />
How it would be applied in an extremely fast manner to the fibrous web at the top of the resin frame. This sudden application of vacuum pressure must have been the cause of a sudden deflection of the moving fibers in the supple fibrous belt.
Mod. 71 - 20,000 x. - 90 (08
/.
<img file="PT98151B_D0091.tif" />
sufficient to allow these movable fibers to pass completely through the papermaking belt. The difference between fiber deflection in the fibrous web when carried by the old belt 10a and the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is illustrated schematically in FIGURES 23A and 23B and graphically in FIGURE 24.
FIGURE 23A is a representation of what is created when the previous papermaking belts 10a found the vacuum drying equipment used in the papermaking process, such as vacuum box 24. FIGURE 23B is a representation of what It is believed to occur when the improved papermaking belt 10 of the present invention encounters such a vacuum box 24. FIGURE 24 is a graphical representation of a vacuum pressure (differential pressure) that is applied to the fibers in the embryonic web 18 as the papermaking belts shown in FIGURES 23A and 23B move through the vacuum slot of the vacuum box.
While each papermaking belt 10a and 10 respectively shown in FIGURES 23A and 23B include a frame 32 having a first 'surface 34' and a second surface 35 and a reinforcing structure 33 'the ribs differ since the system transfer zone lattice
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35a on the second surface 35 of the strap 10 frame 32 is textured, while the rear crosslinked system 35a of the strap 10a frame 32 is smooth · Note, however, that there are numerous other differences between the strap to make paper 10 of the present invention and the foregoing straps (including but not limited to the duct furnace and particular type of reinforcement structure used) which are not shown in FIGURES 23A and 23B. 0 The aim of FIGURES 23A and 23B is to show the differences in belt operation that result from differences in the rear sides. To simplify and clarify the other differences, then FIGS. 23A and 23B have been omitted.
As shown in FIGURES 23A and 23B, both straps 10a and 10 carry an embryonic web 18 (having individual fibers designated 18a) on the first surface 34 of respective frames 32. In the Figures shown, there is a portion of each strap 10a and 10 passing over a single slot 24d of a vacuum box 24 · The portion of the vacuum boxes shown also includes a main surface, a vacuum box surface 24θρ which is first encountered when the paper-taping straps move in the machine direction (from left to right in the figures) in the papermaking process, and a path surface, a vacuum box surface 24c<sub>2</sub>, which is the surface of the vacuum box 24 which is found after passing the paper making straps over the vacuum slot 24d. In addition, on each of the surfaces 24 ° ^ © 24c<sub>2</sub>There is an edge adjacent the top of the vacuum slot 24d, such as a main vacuum box surface edge 24b and a path vacuum box surface edge 24b.<sub>2</sub>·
A vacuum V is applied from a vacuum source (not shown), which exerts pressure on the straps and embryonic webs 18 in the direction of the arrows shown. Vacuum V removes some of the water from the embryonic web 18 and deflects and reassembles the fibers 18a of the embryonic web in the ducts 36 of the embryonic web.
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is
Mod. 71 - 20,000 ex. - 90 / 0β
J frame 32 ·
In FIGURE 23A, due to the smooth nature of the backbone lattice system 35a of frame 32, a vacuum seal is believed to be created between the second surface 35 of frame 32 and main surface 24ο.<sub>χ</sub> of vacuum box 24 at the location designated with the reference letter S · When the strap 10a moves to the right, the vacuum slot 24d is found, the seal is suddenly broken, and the vacuum pressure V is suddenly applied to the web. · This causes a sudden deflection of the fibers 18 in the embryonic web 18 in the ducts 36, and in some of the more mobile fibers called 18a<sup>1</sup>, which pass completely through the belt 10a and accumulate at the path edge 24bj of the vacuum box 24 · It has been found that these fibers 18a * will eventually accumulate until they become lumps of fiber on the path surface 24Cg. aa <sup>here</sup>l<sup>shah</sup> of vacuum, creating tips for the papermaking belt 10a to move ·
In FIGURE 23B, on the other hand, provided that the rear zone 12 (in particular the rear zone lattice system 35a of the frame 32) of the belt 10 is textured, there are passages 37 through which air may enter between the rear zone surface 12 of the papermaking belt 10 and the main surface 24c of the vacuum box to remove the seal between the rear crosslinked system 35a of the frame 32 and the main surface 24e of the vacuum box 24. This air inlet is shown schematically by the large arrows. As shown in FIGURE 23B, the air inlet V<sub>L</sub> allows incremental deflection of fiber 18a in the embryonic web 18. Few, if any, fibers pass through the papermaking belt 10 to accumulate at the box edge 24bg. In addition, it is believed that the textured back zone lattice system 35a of the papermaking belt 10 shown in FIGURE 23B may also serve a brushing and cleaning function for
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Remove some fibers that accumulate on the 24bg path vacuum box edge.
2. Process for Making the Papermaking Belt
As indicated above, the strap for making
<img file="PT98151B_D0095.tif" />
io
I
Mod. 71> 20,000 βχ. 10 may have a variety of shapes. While the method of constructing the papermaking belt 10 is irrelevant as long as it has the above characteristics, there are certain discovered methods that may be useful. As to the background, a description is made of the process for making the deflection element (or foraminous element) which does not have the improvements disclosed herein in U.S. Patent 4,514. 345 by the method of Making a Foraminous Member, of Johnson et al., April 30, 1985. The patent of Johnson et al., is incorporated herein by reference to the extent that it is consistent with the present disclosure. The following describes a process for making the improved papermaking belt 10 of the present invention and some variations thereof.
Alright.
Shown is a preferred embodiment of equipment that can be used to construct a papermaking belt 10 of the present invention as a terminal belt in a schematic sketch in FIGURE 25. To show an overview of the total papermaking equipment. In a papermaking belt in accordance with the present invention, FIGURE 25 has been simplified to some extent with respect to certain details of the process. The details of this equipment, and in particular how passages 37 and surface texture irregularities 38 are provided to the rear zone lattice 35a of the second surface 35 of frame 32 are shown in the following figures. It is to be noted at this stage that the scale of certain elements shown may be somewhat exaggerated in the following engravings.
The general process shown in FIGURE 25 generally involves the coating of a reinforcement structure.
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with a liquid photosensitive polymeric resin 70 when the reinforcing structure 33 moves over a forming unit or table 71 having a textured working surface (or casting surface) 72. As shown in FIGURE 25 and the following figures, the resin, or coating, 70 is applied to at least one (preferably both) side (s) of the reinforcing structure 33 such that coating 70 forms a first surface 34 * and a second surface 35 * ♦ coating 70 is distributed in a so that at least a portion of the second surface 35 'of the liner is adjacent to the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 · the liner 70 is also distributed so that the paper facing side 51 of the web reinforcement 33 be placed between the first and second surfaces 34 * and 35 'of coating 70. The portion of the coating that is placed between the first surface 34 * of the coating and the paper-facing side 51 of the reinforcing structure 33 forms a resinous overload t<sub>Q</sub>'· The overload thickness t * is controlled to a preselected value. When the reinforcement frame 33 is coated with photosensitive resin, the liquid resin that has been applied to the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33, with any other resin that runs through the interstices 39 of the refining structure 33, is forced to flow in textured work surface pattern 72. This creates areas on the second surface 35 'of the coating that are defined by the textured surface. The liquid photosensitive resin 70 is then exposed to light with an activating wavelength (light cures the photosensitive liquid resin) from a light source. 73 through a shield 74 having opaque regions 74a transparent regions 74b. Portions of the resin that have been protected from light by opaque regions 74a are not cured by exposure to light. This uncured resin is then removed to leave the ducts passing through the
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. - 90/08
Cured Resin Frame Exposure of the resin to light of the activator wavelength creates passages 37 that provide surface texture irregularities 38 in the back zone lattice 35a of frame 32 in the areas where the coating has infiltrated the surface texture. · By varying the texture of the casting surface it is possible to create virtually any type of passage and irregularities desired in the cross-linked zone system. back 35a of the papermaking strap 10 ·
For convenience, the phases of the overall process are divided into series of phases and examined more accurately in the following discussion. · Note, however, that the steps described below should help the reader understand the method of making the strap. for making paper of the present invention and that the method described below is not limited to a certain number or arrangement of the phases only. It should be noted that it is possible to combine some of the following phases so that they have the desired result. Thus, it is possible to separate some of the following phases into two or more phases from the scope of the present invention.
First phase
The first stage of the process of the present invention relates to forming the forming unit 71 with a tested work surface 72.
As described in more detail below, there are various ways of obtaining a forming unit with a textured work surface. These include, but are not limited to (1) providing a forming table, spool or cylinder in which there is a texture (usually shown in FIGURE 25); or (2) (i) providing a forming unit, (ii) providing an element with a textured surface and a contacting surface with the foaming unit, and (iii) placing the contact surface with the forming unit35.
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 · χ- 90J08
Element formation j in the forming unit (usually shown in PIGURES 27-31) ·
Optionally, and preferably, the basic means of providing the forming unit 71 with a textured work surface 72 set forth above further includes a step of interposing a barrier film (or backing film) 76 between the reinforcement structure 33 and the work surface 72 of the forming unit during the casting process so that the barrier film 76 protects the forming unit 71 (or the as may be) contaminated with resin In a more preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, the textured work surface is provided by an element as described in alternative (2) above, also serving the same element as a protective barrier film of the resin contaminated fiGar forming unit (FIGURES 30 3 31) · The characteristics of the forming unit 71 and the components associated with the forming unit 71 are examined in more detail below.
The forming unit 71 shown in FIGURE 25 has a work surface designated 72. In FIGURE 25, the forming unit 71 appears as a circular element, preferably a coil. The coil diameter and length are selected accordingly. with the needs. The coil diameter and length are selected for convenience. 0 its diameter must be sufficiently large so that the barrier film 76 and the reinforcing structure 33 are not unduly curved during the process. It must also be large enough in diameter that there is sufficient distance to move close to its surface so that the necessary phases can be performed as the coil is rotating. 0 reel length is selected according to the width of the paper making belt 10 to be constructed
The forming unit 71 is rotated through a
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jmi conventional mechanical means not shown ·
FIGURE 27 is an enlarged schematic view of an alternate version of the casting process shown in FIGURE 25. As shown in FIGURE 27, the coil has a textured working surface 72 provided by a textured element, such as a textured opening 92. FIGURE 27 also first shows that in a preferred embodiment of the present process, a hard rubber cover 91 is placed, preferably about one inch (2 · 54 em) thick over forming unit 71 · Textured cover 92 slides over hard rubber cover 91 · Textured cover 92 has a textured surface 92a and a contact surface with forming unit 92b · Texture on the surface of textured cover 92 has generally been designated by reference
Mod. 71 -20,000 · χ.-90 / 0β
Number 93 in the pictures ·
It should be noted that the use of a hard rubber cover and placing a textured cover over the rubber cover 91 to provide the forming unit 71 with a textured work surface 72 is simply a preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention. It is also possible to carry out the process of the present invention by eliminating the hard rubber cover 91, the separate textured cover 92, or both. That is, as long as the outermost surface of the remaining element (or combination of elements) is textured. It is to be understood that all various combinations of these elements and their equivalents are within the scope of the present invention. However, to avoid undue multiplicity of relatively similar figures, only preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown. Even so, several of the possible combinations can be described with reference to the figures shown. For example, if the hard rubber cover is eliminated, the hard rubber cover with the number 91 and the textured cover 92
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· If textured cover 92 is removed, textured surface may be provided in hard rubber cover 91 · If this is the case, the above two elements 91 and 92 will also appear as one. and the same element in the engravings · In another alternative, the surface of the forming unit 71 may have a texture and also a hard rubber cover 91 and the separate textured cover 92 may be eliminated. all three elements shown in the pictures 71 'and 92 will appear as the same element · In the same way' barrier film 76 can be eliminated 'so in this case it would not appear in the pictures.
The individual ups and downs comprising texture 93 in textured cover 92 are shown as 93a and 93b, respectively. As used herein, the term highs refers to those portions of textured work surface 72 which, alone or together with portions of the barrier film 76 are disposed within the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure Ρ ^<sub>2</sub>when the reinforcing structure 33 is in place on the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 · As used herein, the term low refers to those portions of the textured work surface 72 which, alone or in conjunction with portions of the film - barrier 76, are arranged outside the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcing structure when the reinforcing frame 33 is in place on the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 ·
The texture of the work surface 72 may be of any type, dimension, pattern and may be created by an element or surface made of any suitable material.
It is only imperative that the texture impart the amount of backward texture to the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention after the steps outlined below have been carried out. The textured surfaces ade-9063585
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 · χ. Each of these may have a carved or recessed texture created herein. The surface texture can be random, uniform, regular or of a specific pattern.
Suitable textured surfaces can be formed of virtually any material, including metals, rubber, or plastic surfaces. In addition, with respect to materials having a texture that has been formed therein, a textured surface may be provided by a material having an inherent texture, such as a woven element (a portion of which is shown as 92 * in FIG. 29), a network or a screen and the like. Alternatively, or in addition, strips of material such as 92 '* in FIGURE 29 (or pieces of material in other shapes) of some finite thickness may be used and spaced apart to provide a surface with different height areas. that can be used to create a textured surface · In this alternative case, strip surfaces 92b do not have to be textured · The textured surface will be provided by relative differences in height between strip-covered and stripless surfaces. Basically, any material providing a texture will be suitable as long as it gives the correct amount of backside texture to the papermaking belt of the present invention when used as a casting surface. It is concluded that it is preferable to use surfaces that have a relatively minimal texture so that a certain amount of texture is generally imparted to all parts of the finished belt rear zone lattice 35a.
It is advisable for the forming unit 71 to be covered by a barrier film 76 to prevent the work surface 72 from being contaminated with resin. Barrier film 76 also facilitates the removal of the partially complete papermaking belt 10 * from the forming unit 71 · In general, when the textured surface is imparted by one of the components other than the baz35 film.
Also, the barrier film 76 can be any flexible, smooth and flat material that fits the texture on the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 · That is, the barrier film 76 must be flexible enough to be able to adjust to the surface character of the forming unit 71 so that the exposed surface barrier film 76 has a rough texture at the same locations as the surface texture. 72. The barrier film 76 may be made of polypropylene, polyethylene or polyester laminate. the barrier film is made of and has a thickness of from about 0.01 to about 0 * 1 mm. the barrier film 76 also absorbs both activating wavelength and sufficiently transparent light to transmit such light to the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 as well as the work surface 72 absorbs the light · the barrier film 76 It is also generally treated to prevent the resin from adhering to its surface and to ensure that the resin spreads evenly across its surface. This chemical treatment is a crown treatment. The corona treatment used in the preparation of barrier film 76 involves the application of an electrical discharge to P<sup>1 </sup>barrier barrier 76 prior to installation on the apparatus shown in FIGURE 25.
As shown in FIGURE 25, the film
Barrier 76 is introduced into the system from the film supply cylinder Barrier 77 by unrolling it in the direction indicated by the directional arrow D2.
<img file="PT98151B_D0103.tif" />
with the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 and is temporarily compelled against the working surface 72 by means of the following. The pelicu ·
<img file="PT98151B_D0104.tif" />
as the forming unit 71 rotates. THE
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Mod 71 20,000 cx. - 90/08
The barrier film 76 is optionally separated from the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 θ and moves to the barrier film correction cylinder 78 where it is wound. · In carrying out the process illustrated in FIGURE 25, the barrier film 76 is designed for simple use after being discarded. · In an alternative arrangement, barrier film 76 may be in the form of an end strap that moves over a series of return rollers where it is cleaned and reused. In other alternative arrangements, there may still be two or more barrier films arranged as described above, and a textured element such as a textured cover may be placed between the barrier films.
Preferably, the forming unit 71 may also have a means for ensuring that the barrier film 76 is kept in close contact with its work surface 72. The barrier film 76 may be, for example, adhesively secured to the working surface. work surface 72. Alternatively, the barrier film 76 may be secured to the work surface 72 by a vacuum applied through a plurality of small closed and spaced holes distributed along the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71. Preferably the barrier film 76 is held against work surface 72 by conventional tensioning means not shown in FIGURE 25.
FIGURES 30 and 31 show a particularly preferred means of obtaining forming unit 71 with a textured work surface 72. In FIGS 30 and 31, the element providing the forming unit 71 with a textured work surface 72 also serves as barrier film 76 protecting the forming unit 71 from resin contamination. FIGURE 30 is therefore an enlarged schematic view of another variation of the fusion process shown in FIGURE 25. FIGURE 31 is a further enlarged view of the melting surface shown in FIGURE 30. FIG.
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The alternative shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 is preferred because in such an arrangement, there is no need for a textured surface in the coil that serves as a forming unit, nor for a textured surface in any of the other elements attached to the forming unit (such as as a separate cover or in a hard rubber cover)
<img file="PT98151B_D0107.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. - 90/08
As a particularly preferred alternative, it is also not necessary for the barrier films 76 to conform as long as the barrier films 76 are the element providing the textured surface. Preferably, the barrier film 76 will not also be flat therein. alternative as it should have a relatively permanent textured surface (ie one that retains its texture under the conditions of the melting process) · The other general characteristics of the textured barrier film, however, are the same as the textured surfaces described above.
Phase Two
The second step of the process of the present invention is to provide a reinforcing structure 33 with a paper-facing side 51, a machine-facing side 52 opposite the paper-facing side 51 and interstices 39 for corporation in the belt to make paper.
As noted above, the reinforcement structure is the element upon which the papermaking belt 10 is constructed. Any reinforcement structure described in the previous section of this patent may be used. Preferably, the reinforcing structure 33 is the multilayer woven material shown in FIGURES 6-11 which is characterized by twisted yarns that are stretched vertically towards the top of each other.
Since the recommended paper strip 10 is provided with an end strap the reinforcement structure 33 should also be an end strap since the paper making strap 10 is constructed around the reinforcement structure 33 · As illustrated in FIGURE 25, the structure
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The reinforcement thickness 33 that has been obtained is arranged to move in the direction indicated by the directional arrow D1 on the return cylinder 78a up, over and around the forming unit 71 and around the retinal cylinders 78b and Note that in the papermaking belt equipment of the present invention there are conventional guide rollers, return rollers, mechanical means, support rollers and the like which are not shown in FIGURE 25.
Phase Three
The third step in the process of the present invention is to bring at least a portion of the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcing structure 33 into contact with the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 (or more particularly in the case of the illustrated embodiment). moving the reinforcement frame 33 over the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71) ·
As noted above, a barrier film 76 is used to keep the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 free of resin 70. In this case, the third phase will involve at least a portion of the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 in contact with the barrier film 76 such that the barrier film 76 is interposed between the reinforcement structure 33 and the forming unit 72 ·
The exact manner in which the reinforcement structure 33 is placed relative to either the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 or the barrier film 76 depends upon the specific design desired for the papermaking belt 10. The reinforcement structure 33 can be placed in direct contact with the barrier film 76. Alternatively, the reinforcing structure 33 may be spaced at some finite distance from the barrier film 76. Any convenient means may be used to space the reinforcing structure 33 out of the film - film 76
For example, liquid photosensitive resin 70 could be
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applied to the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 so that a portion of the liner is between the reinforcement structure 33 and the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 · Preferably, however, at least a portion of the the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcing frame 33 (e.g. the machine side joints) is placed directly in contact with the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 (or the film-film 76, · Other portions of the reinforcing structure 33 ', such as the protruding portions 120, will be spaced from the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 *.
Mod. 71 - 20,000 η. - 90 (08
Fourth Phase
The fourth step in the process is applying a liquid photosensitive resin coating 70 to at least one side of the reinforcement structure 33 ·.
J
In general, coating 70 is applied such that coating 70 substantially fills the voids 39a of the reinforcement structure 33 (void areas are defined below). 0 coating 70 is also applied to form a first surface 34 'and a second surface 35'. The 7 ° coating ® is distributed such that at least a portion of the second surface 35 'of coating 70 is positioned adjacent to its surface. working surface 72 of the training unit 71. 0 coating 70 is distributed such that the paper-facing side 51 of reinforcement structure 33 is positioned between first and second surfaces 34 'and 35' of liner 70. The portion of the liner that is disposed between first surface 34 'of the coating and the paper-facing side 51 of the reinforcing structure 33 forms a resinous overload ΐθ<sup>1</sup>. At least a portion of the lining 70 infiltrates the texture of the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 (in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURES 28 and 31) such that the areas of the second surface thereof.
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35 'coating 70' surface defined by textured surface · ίο)
Mod. 71 - 20,000 «* - - 90/08
For the coating of reinforcing structure 33 many suitable photosensitive resins available on the market can be selected, the resins that can be used are materials, usually polymers, which cure or cross-connect under the influence of radiation, especially ultraviolet light ( UV). References containing more information on liquid photosensitive resins include Green et al., Photoeross-linkable Resin Systems.
J. lilacro-Sci. Revs Macro Chem., C21 (2), 187-273 (1981-82) Bayer, A: Review of Ultraviolet Curing Technology, Tappi Paper Synthetics Conf. Proc., Sept. 25-27, 1978, pp. 167-172} and Schmidle, Ultraviolet Curable Flexible Coatings, J. of Coated Factory, 8, 10-20 (July, 1978). All three previous references are included herein by reference. Particularly preferred liquid photosensitive resins
are included in the Merigraph series of resins made by Hercules Incorporated, Wilmington, Delaware. A particularly preferred resin is Merigraph BDP 1616 resin.
In the preferred process for carrying out the present invention, antioxidants are added to the resin to protect the papermaking belt 10 from oxidation and to extend the life of the papermaking belt. Any suitable antioxidant may be added to the resin. Preferred antioxidants are Cyanox 1790, are available from American Cynamid from Wayne, New Jersey 07470 and Iragonox 1010, which is made by Oiba Geigy of Ardsley, Hova York 10502.
In the preferred process for making the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention, both oxidants are added to the resin. The antioxidants are added in the following respective amounts, Cyanox 1790 1/10 1% and Iraganox 1010 8/10 1%. Both antioxidants are added so that the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is protected from the different species of oxymethylating agents.
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saying.
Any technique by which liquid material can be applied to reinforcing structure 33 is suitable for applying coating 70. As shown in
FIGURE 25, In the preferred method for carrying out the present invention, the liquid photosensitive resin 70 is applied to the reinforcing structure 33 in two stages. The first phase is at the site indicated by the extrusion tube 79 · The first phase is referred to as the prefill phase * as it occurs before the portion of the reinforcement structure 33 is coated and when it is brought into contact with the surface. 72 of the training unit 71 * In the first phase, a first photosensitive liquid resin coating is applied at least to the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 by the extrusion tube 79 to at least partially fill the void areas 39a of the reinforcement structure 33 · Preferably, the first coating fills substantially the voids 39a of the reinforcement structure 33 · Voids are best shown in FIGURE 22D · As used herein, voids (or void volume) refers to all open spaces of the reinforcement frame 33 that lie between the plane defined by the paper-facing side of the reinforcement structure P1 and the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement frame Pjj-2 (i.e. those spaces between the two planes not occupied by the reinforcement member 40). The void areas 39a thus comprise the interstices 39 and any other spaces that lie between the planes P 1 and 1 2.
The application of resin 70 with extrusion tube 79 θ is used in conjunction with the application of a second coating of liquid photosensitive resin 70 in a second phase by a sprayer 80 adjacent the location where mask 74 is introduced into the system. Spray 80 applies the second liquid photosensitive resin coating 70 to the paper side facing 51 of the structure.
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reinforcement 33 · Liquid photosensitive resin 70 must be uniformly applied across the width of the reinforcement structure 33 and the required amount of material worked through the gaps 39 to substantially fill the void areas 39a of the reinforcement structure · The second coating is applied such that the first coating and the second coat together form a single coating, coating 70, which has the first surface 34 'and the second surface 35' described above, being distributed as follows. Thus, the single coating 70 is distributed so that: at least a portion of the second surface 35 * of the coating is placed form adjacent to the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71; the paper facing side 51 of the reinforcement structure 33 is disposed between the first and second surfaces 34 'and 35' of the liner 70; the coating portion is placed between the first surface 34 * and the paper-facing side 51 of the reinforcing structure 33 to form a resinous overload.<sub>Q</sub>'; and at least a portion of the coating infiltrates the texture of the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 so that the areas of the second coating surface 35 'are defined by the textured surface.
In the engravings, it is seen that the phases in which the liquid photosensitive resin 70 is applied to the reinforcing structure 33 need not always occur in a temporal sequence immediately after the third phase described above. That is, the (first phase) phase coating occurs before, not after, the machine-facing side 52 of the reinforcement structure 33 is contacted with the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 if one looks at a specific portion of the reinforcement structure 33 that moves around the reinforcement structure at its return cylinder 78a towards forming unit 71 · On the other hand, if you look at the general assembly process
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From the apparatus shown in FIGURE 25, it is clear that at least a portion of the end strap comprising the reinforcement structure 33 would generally be brought into contact with the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 before any reinforcement structure coating 33 has ever had. As described here, however, the process is usually examined from an earlier perspective.
There is realization shown in the pictures, the second
Mod. 71 -20,000 ««.-90) 06
The application phase of the photosensitive resin (or feet-fill phase) occurs following the location where the reinforcement structure 33 first comes into contact with the forming unit 71 as it moves around the retainer rollers in the reinforcement structure. · It should be noted that these two events (ie the application of the coating and the reinforcement structure 33 in contact with the surface 72 of the forming unit 71) could instead occur simultaneously, or that the photosensitive mesh could be applied to the top surface (i.e., the paper side 51) of the reinforcement structure prior to the point where the reinforcement structure 33 is first contacted with the forming unit 71 The process of the present invention was intended to include all possible arrangements and sequences of the basic phases described herein. Preferably, however, the coating of the reinforcing structure 33 occurs in the order shown in the engravings.
As shown in FIGURE 28, the resin (mainly from the back zone coating process) is forced by the resin that is applied to the top surface of the reinforcement structure 33 in the foot-fill stage for basses, or depressions 93b. , on the textured surface at the points designated 94. This resin displaces the air in these lows or depressions. When the described steps occur, the papermaking belt has a texture in the back which is approximately the mirror image of the texture on the fusing surface.
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Phase Five
The fifth step in the process of this invention is the control of overload thickness t<sub>Q</sub>* of resin coating 70 to a preselected value. In the preferred embodiment of the belt making apparatus shown in the figures, this phase occurs at approximately the same time, i.e. simultaneously as the second phase of applying a liquid photosensitive resin coating to the reinforcement structure 33.
The preselected value of the overload load thickness corresponds to the desired thickness for the papermaking belt 10. This thickness, of course, also stems from the expected use of the papermaking belt. When the papermaking belt 10 is to be used in the papermaking process described below, it is preferable that the thickness, t, of the papermaking strap 10 is between about 0.01 mm and about 3.0 mm. Of course, other applications may require thicker papermaking belts, which may be up to an additional 3 centimeters.
Any medium suitable for controlling the thickness may be used. The means used to control the thickness of the overload illustrated in FIGURE 25 is the use of a toothed cylinder 81 which also serves as a protective guide cylinder. The void space between the toothed cylinder 81 and the forming unit 71 may be mechanically controlled by any conventional means not shown. 0 toothed cylinder 81, together with guard 74 θ guard guide cylinder 82, tends to smooth the surface of liquid photosensitive resin 70 θ to control its thickness.
Stage Six
The sixth step in the process of this invention may be considered as a single step or as two separate steps comprising: (1) providing a shield 74 with opaque regions 74a and transparent regions 74b, in which opaque regions 74a with transparent regions
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74b define a preselected pattern in the shield; and (2) placing the shield 74 between the liquid photosensitive resin coating 70 and an actinic light source.73 so that the shield 74 contacts the first surface 34 'of the liquid photosensitive resin coating 70 · The shield 74 may be placed so that it is placed at a finite distance from the first surface 34 * of the coating 70. Preferably, however, for the following reasons, that is in contact with the first surface 34 'of coating 70 · the purpose of protection 74 is to protect certain areas of liquid photosensitive resin 70 from exposure to light from the actinic light source · Of course, if some areas are protected, it happens that others are not and the liquid photosensitive resin 70 in these unprotected areas will be exposed to the activating light later and will be cured · After the steps described herein have been performed, the protected regions will generally comprise the preselected pattern formed by the conduits 36 in the hard resin frame 32 ·
The shield 74 may be made of any suitable material which may have opaque regions 74a and transparent regions 74b. Suitable for use as a protective material is a material in the nature of a flexible photo film. The flexible film may be polyester, polyethylene, or cellulose or any other suitable material. Opaque regions 74a should be opaque to light curing liquid photosensitive resin. With respect to the liquid photosensitive resin used, the opaque regions 74a should be light opaque with a wavelength between about 200 and about 400 manometers. Opaque regions 74a may be applied to mask 74 by any convenient means such as through a blue print (or ozalide process), or by photographic or gravure processes, flexographic processes or rotary screen printing processes. Preferably, re-10263585
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opaque regions 74b are applied to the protection by a blue (ozalid) printing process.
The shield 74 may be an infinite circuit (with conventional characteristics and thus not shown) or may be obtained from a transverse supply cylinder through the system to a reciprocating cylinder, none of which are shown to be also both conventional · Shield 74 moves in the direction indicated by the directional arrow D3, turns under the toothed cylinder 81 where it is brought into contact with the liquid photosensitive resin surface 70 and then moves to the guard guide cylinder 82 in the presence of which is removed from contact with the resin 70 · In this particular embodiment, the resin thickness control 70 and positioning of guard 74 occur simultaneously.
seventh phase
The seventh process step of this invention comprises curing the unprotected regions of the liquid photosensitive resin coating in those regions left unprotected by the transparent regions 74b of the protection 74 and leaving the protected portions uncured by exposing the liquid photosensitive resin coating 70 to light. of an activator wavelength through shield 74 to form a partially formed composite belt 10 '.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 25, the barrier film 76, the reinforcement structure 33, the liquid photosensitive resin 70 and the shield 74 all form a unit moving together from the toothed cylinder 81 to the guide cylinder. 82, Intermediate with toothed cylinder 81 and protective guide cylinder 82 and placed where barrier film 76 and reinforcement structure 33 are still adjacent to forming unit 71, liquid photosensitive resin 70 is exposed to light of an active wavelength-10363585
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obtained by an exposure lamp 73.
Exposure lamp 73 is generally selected to obtain illumination primarily at the wavelength that cures the liquid photosensitive resin 70. That wavelength is a characteristic of the liquid photosensitive resin 70. Any suitable light source, such as the arc of mercury, pulse-emitted xenon, electrode-free lamps, and fluorescent lamps may be used. As described above, when the liquid photosensitive resin 70 is exposed to light of the appropriate wavelength, cure is induced in the exposed portions of the resin 70. Curing is usually manifested by a solidification of the resin in the exposed areas. On the other hand, unexposed regions3 remain fluid.
In addition to induction of curing of liquid photosensitive resin 70 in those areas not protected by the transparent regions 74b of the shield, as will be seen in conjunction with the description of the following figures at this stage, exposing the coating of the photosensitive resin 70 to light with an activating wave length also induces curing of those portions of the liquid photosensitive resin that have infiltrated the surface texture of the work surface 72 of the forming unit 71 and which are not protected by the regions. guards 74b of shield 74. These portions will then be cured in a shape defined by the surface texture obtained by the work surface of the forming unit. These cured portions in these forms will comprise the passages and irregularities of the surface texture in the rear zone lattice 35a of the second surface 35 of the resinous frame 32.
The intensity of the illumination and its duration depend on the degree of cure required in the exposed areas. Absolute values of intensity and exposure time depend on the chemical nature of the resin, its photo characteristics, the thickness of the resin coating and the pattern of the resin.
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taught. For the preferred resin Merigraph EDP 1616 resin, this amount ranges from about 100 to about 1000 millijoules / cm<sup>2</sup>, in a preferred range from about 300 to about 800 millijoules / cm and more preferably from about 500 to about 800 millijoules / cm<sup>2</sup>·
The intensity of exposure and the angle of incidence of light can have a significant effect on the presence of the taper in the walls 44 of the ducts 36 · In addition, in order to have the tapering of the walls 44 of the ducts 36, the intensity of exposure and the angle of incidence of light will affect the permeability of the hard frame 32 to air. · This air permeability (air permeability) is important for the use of the papermaking belt of the present invention in processes for making paper by drying. with air. Of course, if there is a high degree of light collimation of the activator wavelength, the walls 44 of the conduits 36 will be less tapered. Less tapering (or near verticality) of the duct walls will provide the papermaking belt with a higher air permeability than inward tapered walls (for a given first surface joint area), since the total area The papermaking belt through which air can flow is superior when the walls 44 of the ducts 36 are not tapered inwardly.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light incidence angle is collimated to better cure the photosensitive resin in the desired areas, and to obtain the desired tapering angle in the walls 44 of the finished papermaking belt. Other means of controlling the direction and intensity of the curing radiation include means using refracting devices (i.e. lenses) and reflective devices (i.e. mirrors). The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a subtractive collimator (i.e. an angled distribution filter or a collimator that
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. - 90/08
J filter or block UV light rays in directions other than those desired). Any suitable device may be used as a subtractive collimator. A dark colored, preferably black, metal device in the form of a series of channels through which direct light in the desired direction can pass is advisable. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the collimator is of such dimensions that it transmits light so that when the resin crosslinked system when cured has a projected surface area of 3556 on the upper side of the papermaking belt and 65% on the backside. ·
Eighth Stage
The eighth step of the process in the present invention is the substantial removal of all unstained liquid photosensitive resin from the partially formed composite belt 10 'to leave a hard resin frame 32 around at least a portion of the reinforcement structure 33 ·.
At this stage, the resin that was protected from light exposure is removed from the partially foiled composite strap 10 'in the form described below to provide the frame 32 with a plurality of conduits 36 in the regions that were protected from light rays by the opaque regions 74a of the frame. guard 74 and passages 37 which impart surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear crosslinked system 35a of the frame 32, corresponding to the areas where the second surface 35 * of the coating has infiltrated the texture of the working surface 72 of the forming unit 71 ·
In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 25, at a point near the guard guide cylinder 82, guard 74 and barrier film 76 are physically separated from the 'partially formed strap / composite 10' comprising reinforcement structure 33 and resin now partially cured 70, with a certain amount of uncured resin · The reinforcing frame compound 33 and partially cured resin 70 moves to the first removal pad
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of resin 83a. A vacuum is applied to one side of the composite strap 10 'on a first resin removal pad 83a so that a substantial amount of the uncured liquid photosensitive resin is removed from the composite strap 10'.
As composite belt 10 * moves further away, it is placed near resin wash shower 84 and resin wash station drainage 85, at which time composite belt 10 * is carefully washed with water or another liquid suitable for essentially removing all remaining uncured liquid photosensitive resin that is discharged from the system through resin wash station drainage 85 · In the second resin removal pad 83b, any residual scrubbing liquid and uncured liquid resin are removed from the composite belt 10 by applying vacuum. At this time, the composite belt 10 'comprises the reinforcing structure 33 and the hard resin frame 32 and represents the papermaking belt 10 which is a product of this process.
Optionally, and preferably, as shown in FIGURE 25, there may be a second exposure of the resin to the activating light (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the post-cure phase) in order to complete resin cure and increase hardness and durability. of the cured resin frame 32. The post-curing phase occurs at the location designated by reference to FIGURE 26 below. FIGURE 26 is an enlarged schematic representation of this post-cure phase.
As shown in FIGURE 26, the composite belt 10 'is subjected to a second exposure of the activator wavelength light by the post-cure UV light source' 73a. This second exposure, however, occurs when the composite belt 10 'is submerged in water 86. In order to submerge the composite belt 10', as shown in FIGURE 26, the composite belt 10 'is offset somewhat from the course in which it is submerged. had been moving along cylinders 87a, 87b, 87c and
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J
87d for water 86 obtained by water bath 88 · It has been found that it is important that the composite strap 10 'is submerged for this foot-cure exposure; otherwise the finished belt 10 would be excessively viscous or sticky. In addition, it was also found necessary to add sodium sulphite (Na<sub>2</sub>To remove as much of the dissolved oxygen from the water as possible to help complete the polymerization of the resin. Sodium sulfite is added in the amount of approximately 2% or less by weight of water in the foot-cure bath.
Besides that, FIGURE 26 shows that a mirror 89 is placed on the base surface 90 of the water bath 88 in this foot-curing process. The mirror 89 serves to reflect UV light that strikes the mirror 89 backwards or downwards. rear zone 12 of composite belt 10 '· This phase is particularly important for completely curing the resin portion that provided passageways and irregularities of the rear zone lattice 35a of the second surface 35 of the papermaking frame 32. · As shown in the preceding figure, all UV light was supplied from sources located above the upper side of the 10 'composite strap. · The amount of UV light that is delivered during this feet-curing process again depends on the resin. involved, as well as the desired depth and diamond pattern. For the preferred Merigraph EDP 1616 resin, the dosages specified above for the pre-cure phase are also suitable for the feet-cure phase. It is not necessary, however, to collimate the light in the feet-healing phase because the ducts or channels have already been formed conveniently in the frame.
This process continues until the entire length of the reinforcing structure 33 has been treated and converted to the papermaking belt 10.
If you want to build a paper making belt with different patterns overlapping each other or
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Mod. 71 20,000 x. With patterns or different thicknesses, the reinforcing structure may be subjected to multiple stages throughout the process. The multiple stages through the process of this invention may also be used to construct relatively large thickness papermaking belts.
The Papermaking Process The papermaking process utilizing the improved papermaking belt 10 of the present invention is described below, although it is contemplated that other processes may also be used to make the paper products described herein. background, a papermaking process that does not include the improvements of the present process or utilizes the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention in detail in US Patent 4,529,480, Tissue Paper which was issued to Paul D · Trolchan on July 16, 1985 · The Trokhan patent is incorporated herein by reference to be consistent with this disclosure. Improvements to the process described in the Trokhan patent are exemplified below. The general papermaking process utilizing the papermaking belt of the present invention comprises a number of steps or operations that take place in the usual time sequence as noted below. In the following paragraphs, each step will be discussed in detail with reference to FIGURE 1. It should be noted, however, that the following steps are intended to make the reader understand the process of the present invention and that the invention is not limited to processes with only one. a certain number or arrangement of phases. Thus, it is to be noted that it is possible to combine the following phases so that they are carried out simultaneously. Similarly, it is possible to separate the following phases into two or more phases without departing from the scope of the invention.
FIGURE 1 is a simplified and schematic representation of one embodiment of a continuous papermaking machine useful in practicing the papermaking process.
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of the present invention. The papermaking strap 10 of the present invention is shown as an end strap. The specific papermaking machine illustrated in FIGURE 1 is a Fourdrinier yarn machine which is generally similar to 10 in configuration and arrangement of its belts to the papermaking machine described in US Pat. 1967, incorporated herein by reference.
It is also taken into account that the double thread paper machine of FIG. 1 of US patent 4 * 102. No. 737 issued to Morton of July 25, 1978, the patent of which is incorporated herein by reference, may be used in the practice of the present invention. If the paper machine
Mod. 71 - 20,000 · χ. 90 (08 double yarn disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,202,737 issued to Morton used in the practice of the present invention, the papermaking belt of the present invention would replace matter)
drying / printing represented by the numeral reference 4 in the Morton patent figures. All other references to the figures, however, are made to the accompanying engravings.
First phase
The first step in practicing the papermaking process of the present invention is to obtain an aqueous dispersion of papermaking fibers.
The apparatus for preparing the aqueous dispersion of the papermaking fibers 14 is well known and is therefore not shown in FIGURE 1. The aqueous dispersion of the papermaking fibers 14 is provided to a front case 13 *.
A simple front box is shown in FIGURE 1. However, it will be appreciated that there may be multiple front boxes in alternative arrangements of the papermaking process of the present invention. The front case (s) and equipment for preparing the aqueous dispersion of papermaking fibers are preferably of the type described in US Patent 3,994,771 issued to Morgan and Rich, 30 November
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1976, incorporated herein by reference. The preparation of the aqueous dispersion and the characteristics of the aqueous dispersion are described in detail in US Patent 4,529,480 issued to Trokhan on July 16, 1985, incorporated herein by reference.
The aqueous dispersion of the papermaking fibers 14 provided by the front case 13 is transmitted to a forming belt, such as Fourdrinier yarn 15 to carry out the second phase of the papermaking process. Fourdrinier 15 is supported by a central cylinder 16 and a plurality of return cylinders designated 17 and 17e. Fourdrinier wire 15 is propelled in the direction indicated by the directional arrow A through conventional mechanical means not shown in FIGURE 1. They may also be associated with the papermaking machine shown in FIGURE 1 optional auxiliary units and devices generally associated with Fourdrinier papermaking machines and yarns, including forming boards, hydrofoils, vacuum boxes, tension cylinders, support cylinders, showers. yarn cleaning and the like, which are conventional and therefore not shown in FIGURE 1.
Second level
The second phase of the papermaking process is the formation of an embryonic web of papermaking fibers 18 on a foraminous surface from the aqueous dispersion 14 obtained in the first phase. Fourdrinier yarn 15 serves as the foraminous surface in the papermaking machine shown in FIGURE 1. As used herein, the embryonic web is the fiber web that is subjected to rearrangement in the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention during the course of the papermaking process.
The characteristics of the embryonic web 18 and the various possible techniques for forming the embryonic web 18 are described in US Patent 4,529,480 included herein by reference. And the case of the process shown in FIGURE 1,
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The embryonic web 18 is formed from the aqueous dispersion of papermaking fibers 14 between the central cylinder 16 and the return cylinder 17 by depositing the aqueous dispersion 14 on the Fourdrinier yarn 15 and removing a portion of the aqueous dispersion medium. Conventional vacuum forming boards, hydrofoils and the like that are not shown in FIGURE 1 are useful in removing water from the aqueous dispersion.
After the embryonic web 18 is formed, it travels with the Fourdrinier yarn 15 near the return cylinder 17 and is brought in close proximity to a second papermaking belt, the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention.
Phase Three
The third step in the papermaking process is contacting (or associating) the embryonic web 18 with the paper contacting side 11 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention.
The objective of this third phase is to bring the embryonic web 18 into contact with the contact side with the role of. papermaking belt 10 in which the embryonic web 18 and the individual fibers thereof will subsequently be deflected, rearranged and later dried. The embryonic web 18 is contacted with the wrapping belt 10 of the present invention by the Fourdrinier yarn 15. 0 Fourdrinier wire 15 contacts the embryonic web 18 and transfers the embryonic web 18 to the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention in the vicinity of the vacuum pickup pad 24a.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1, the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention moves in the direction indicated by the directional arrow Β. Paper strip 10 passes around the paper belt return rollers 19a and 19b, printing toothed roller 20, paper belt return rollers
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19c, 19d, 19e and 19f and emulsion dispensing cylinder 21 (which dispenses an emulsion 22 to the papermaking belt 10 from an emulsion bath 23). 0 The circuitry around the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention further includes a means for applying a differential fluid pressure to the paper web, which in the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a vacuum pickup pad 24a and a housing. such as a multi-slot vacuum box 24 · Also in the circuit is a pre-dryer 26. In addition, between the papermaking belt return cylinders 19c and 19d and also between the papermaking belt return cylinders 19d and 19e are water showers 102 and 102a, respectively. · The purpose of water showers 102 and 102a is to clean the papermaking belt 10 from any paper fibers, adhesives and the like, attached to the section of the papermaking belt 10 which has moved through the final stage in the papermaking process. Associated with the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention, and also not shown in FIGURE 1, there are several support rollers. · Return cylinders, cleaning means, mechanical means and the like commonly used in papermaking machines and all known to those skilled in the art.
The function of emulsion dispensing cylinder 21 and emulsion bath 23 will be discussed in conjunction with the third phase for convenience. Emulsion dispensing cylinder 21 and emulsion bath 23 continuously apply an effective amount of a chemical compound (or compounds) to belt 10 during the papermaking process. Chemicals may be applied to the papermaking belt 10 at any time in the papermaking process, although it is preferable that chemicals be added to the paper contacting side 11 of the belt 10 at a specific point in the belt rotation when strap 10 does not carry a web of paper. This will be normal35
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after (as will be described in more detail here) the pro-dried paper web 27 has been transferred out of the papermaking belt 10 to the surface of the Yankee drying coil 28 and the belt has again contacted another embryonic web 18 (i.e., near the emulsion dispensing cylinder 21) · compound or chemical compounds are preferably applied to the papermaking belt 10 as an emulsion, such as emulsion 22 shown in FIGURE 1. These compound (s) serve the dual purpose of acting as a release agent, or release emulsion (a coating on the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention). invention so that the paper is released and does not stick to the belt after the stages of the papermaking process have been carried out on the paper web); (2) treating the belt to prolong its life by reducing the tendency of the resinous frame 32 to degrade due to oxidation (i.e. emulsion 22 further serves as an antioxidant). Preferably the chemical compound (s) should be applied uniformly to the paper contact side 11 of the belt 10 so that the entire paper contact side 11 substantially benefit from chemical treatment.
Preferred emulsion 22 is primarily comprised of 5 compounds, although other suitable additional compounds or compounds may be used. The preferred composition contains water, a high speed turbine oil known as Regai Oil, distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, cetyl alcohol, and an antioxidant.
As used herein, the term Regai Oil refers to a compound comprising approximately 87% saturated hydrocarbons and approximately 12.6% additive-traced aromatic hydrocarbons, which is manufactured with product number R & 0 68 code 702 by Texaco Oil Company of Houston, Texas. The purpose of Regai Oil in the composition described above is to provide the emulsion with 11463585
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that allow it to react as a release agent.
diesteraryl dimethyl ammonium chloride is sold under the tradename ADOGEN TA 100 by Sherex Chemical Company, Inc. of Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Hereinafter, for convenience, diesteraryl dimethyl ammonium chloride will be referred to by ADOGEN. ADOGEN is used in the emulsion as a surfactant to emulsify or stabilize (from Regai Oil) oil particles in water. referred to herein, the term surfactant refers to a surface active agent, with one hydrophilic and one hydrophobic end, which moves to the interface between a hydrophilic substance and a hydrophobic substance to stabilize the two substances ·
As noted herein, cetyl alcohol refers to a linear C 1-4 fatty alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is manufactured by The Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio · Cetyl alcohol, such as ADOGEN, is used as a surfactant in the emulsion used in the present invention.
As used herein, the term antioxidant refers to a compound, which when applied to the surface of an article, the surface thereof is subject to oxidation, reduces the tendency of the article to oxidize (i.e. to combine with oxygen). In this patent, in particular, the term antioxidant refers to compounds that reduce the tendency of the cured resin crosslinked resin making system 10 of the present invention to oxidize. A preferred antioxidant is Cyanox 1790 which can be obtained from American Cyanamid of Wayne, New Jersey 07470.
The following are the relative percentages of the compounds as used in the emulsion:
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<img file="PT98151B_D0127.tif" />
<td>Component</td><td>Volume (gallons)</td><td>Weight (pounds)</td>
<td>Water</td><td> 518</td><td> 4,320,0</td>
<td>RBGAL OIL</td><td> 55</td><td> 421,8</td>
<td>ADOGEN</td><td>N / A®.</td><td> 24</td>
<td>Cetyl alcohol</td><td>N / A®</td><td> 16</td>
<td>Cyanox 1790</td><td>N / A®</td><td> 5,8</td>
^ / When component is added in solid state ·)
Fourth Phase
The fourth step in the papermaking process involves applying a differential fluid pressure of a fluid suitable to the embryonic web 18 with a vacuum source to deflect at least a portion of the papermaking fibers in the embryonic web 18 into the belt ducts 36. for making paper 10 and for removing water from the embryonic web 18 through the ducts 36 to form an intermediate web 25 of papermaking fibers. The deflection also serves to rearrange the fibers in the embryonic web 18 into the desired structure.
A preferred method for applying a differential fluid pressure (or "differential pressure fluid"), as will also be described in more detail, is by arranging the embryonic web 18 so that the web is exposed to vacuum through the ducts 36 through applying vacuum from the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention, FIGURE 1, This preferred method is illustrated with the use of a vacuum pickup mold 24a and multi-slotted gearbox 24 · Preferably, a vacuum pressure of about 8 to 12 inches (20.32 cm and 3θ · 48) is applied. cm) of mercury to 24ε vacuum pickup pad
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) and a vacuum pressure of about 15 to 20 inches (38.1 cm and 50.8 cm) of mercury is applied to the multi-slot vacuum box 24. In the preferred embodiment of the present process, therefore, the differential fluid pressure will be at generally a negative pressure (ie less than atmospheric pressure) and the appropriate fluid is air. Alternatively, or optionally, positive pressure in the form of air or vapor pressure may be applied through the Fourdrinier wire 15 to the embryonic web 18 in the vicinity of the pickup pad 24a or vacuum box 24.
The means for applying such positive pressure is conventional and is therefore not shown in FIGURE 1.
The deflection of the fibers in the ducts 36 is illustrated in FIGURES 1A and 13. FIGURE 1A is a simplified representation of a cross section of a portion of a papermaking belt 10 and an embryonic web 18 after the embryonic web 18 has been joined. to the papermaking belt 10, but before the fiber deflection occurs in the ducts 36. As shown in FIGURE 1A, the embryonic web 18 is still in contact with Fourdrinier yarn 15 (or more specifically, between Fourdrinier yarn 15 and paper belt 10 of the present invention). In FIGURE 1A, a conduit 36 is shown and the embryonic web 18 is shown in association with the paper-side cross-linking system surface 34a of the paper clip belt frame 10.
The portion of the papermaking belt shown in FIGURES 1A and IB has been simplified by omitting the reinforcement structure which is generally part of the preferred embodiment of the papermaking belt of the present invention, and further showing the walls 44 of ducts 36 as vertical straight lines in cross section, when in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the profile of the duct walls 44 is somewhat more complex. In addition, opening conduit 36 in the first
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On surface 34, first conduit opening 42 and its opening on second surface 35, second conduit opening 43 are shown substantially the same size and shape, when in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conduit openings in the second conduit surface 35 will be smaller than the conduit openings in the first surface 34 of the frame 32.
FIGURE 1B, like FIGURE 1A, is a simplified cross-sectional view of a portion of the papermaking belt 10. This view, however, illustrates the transformation of the embryonic web 18 into the intermediate web 25 by deflecting the fibers of the embryonic web. 18 in conduit 36 under the application of differential fluid pressure FIGURE 1B shows that a substantial portion of the fibers in the embryonic web 18 and thus embryonic web 18 has been displaced in conduit 36 below the paper side cross-linking system surface 34a in conduit 36 to form intermediate web 25. The rearrangement of the individual fibers in embryonic web 18 (no details shown) occurs during deflection.
FIGURE 1B also shows that by the time the fibers in the embryonic web 18 have been deflected in conduit 36 and rearranged, the embryonic web 18 is no longer in contact with Fourdrinier wire 15. As shown in FIGURE 1, the web 18 is separated from the Fourdrinier wire 15 immediately after it has moved away from the pickup pad 24a. '
Either as fibers are deflected in conduits 36 or after deflection, water is removed from the embryonic web 18 through conduits 36. Removal of the mare occurs under the action of differential fluid pressure. It is important, however, that there is essentially no removal of water from the embryonic web 18 prior to the deflection of the fibers in the ducts 36. As an aid to this condition, at least these portions of the conduits 36 are dead by the paper side cross-linking system 34a.
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Mod. 71 - 20,000 χ. 20 This insulation, or compartmentalization, of the ducts 36 is important to ensure that the force causing deflection, such as an applied vacuum, is applied relatively quickly and in sufficient amount to cause fiber deflection. This is in contrast to the situation in which conduits 36 are not isolated. the vacuum will exceed the boundaries of the adjacent ducts 36 which will result in gradual application of the vacuum and removal of water without accompanying fiber deflection ·
In the machine illustrated in FIGURE 1, water removal initially occurs at the pickup pad 24a and vacuum box 24 · Since the ducts 36 are opened through the thickness of a papermaking belt 10, water is withdrawn from the embryonic web. 18 passes through ducts 36 and out of the system · Water removal continues until the consistency of the web associated with ducts 36 is fed from about 20% to about 35% ·
Phase Five
The fifth phase is the displacement of the papermaking belt 10 and the embryonic web 18 over the vacuum source described in the fourth phase. Preferably, the fifth phase will occur at the same time as the fourth phase. The strap 10 carries the embryonic web 18 on its paper contact side 11 over the vacuum source. At least a portion of the textured back zone 12 of the belt 10 is generally in contact with the vacuum source surface when the belt 10 is disposed over the vacuum source.
The displacement phase of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention on the vacuum source reduces undesirable accumulation of paper fibers at the edges of the vacuum box. Not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that one of the keys to achieving this reduction in the process of the present invention is controlling the relative speed of deflection during the ante-phase.
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Junior. Fiber deflection is controlled by the use of a papermaking belt with a textured back zone 12.
The textured back zone surface allows a quantity of air to enter through the back zone 12 of the papermaking belt 10 when the back zone 12 is in contact with the surfaces of the pickup pad 24a and the vacuum box 24. The system The rear web 35 of belt 10 has passages 37 which provide spaces through which at least some of this air may enter. This is in contrast to the anterior deflection element which had a base surface that was relatively flat. The flat surface tended to form a seal in the vacuum box used to deflect the fibers of the embryonic web, resulting in extremely rapid application of vacuum pressure when the seal was broken. Thus controlling the deflection of the fibers in the embryonic web 18 may be a phase that occurs inherently in conjunction with the fifth phase, or may be considered a separate phase.
These passages 37 which provide surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear zone 12 of the papermaking belt 10 are further believed to have a cleaning effect on the edges or surfaces of the vacuum drying equipment used in the papermaking process. This linning action tends to remove any unwanted accumulation of papermaking fibers in this vacuum equipment. This cleaning action is believed to occur when the vacuum source has at least one surface on which the papermaking belt moves during the deflection phase. Thus, surface cleaning of the vacuum drying equipment may be a phase that occurs inherently in conjunction with the fifth phase, or may be considered a separate phase. If an additional phase is considered, this phase will include contacting the surface of said vacuum source with the textured backside 12 of the belt 10 to clean any papermaking fibers that have accumulated on the surface.
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of said vacuum source.
Following application of the vacuum pressure and displacement of the papermaking belt 10 and the embryonic web 18 over the vacuum source, the embryonic web 18 is in a state in which it has been subjected to a deflected but not differential fluid pressure. completely dry, so it is now referred to as the middle web 25 ·
Stage Six
The sixth step in the papermaking process is an optional step comprising drying the whole web 25 to form a pre-dried web of paperboard fibers. Any convenient means conventionally known in the art of papermaking can be used to dry the intermediate web 25 For example, flow dryers, non-thermal instruments, hair drying instruments, and Yankee dryers can be used satisfactorily, alone or together.
A preferred method of drying the web 25 is illustrated in FIGURE 1. After the vacuum box 24 is moved away, the web 25, which is associated with the papermaking belt 10, passes around the take-up reel of the belt. to make paper 19a and move in the direction indicated by the directional arrow Β. The intermediate web 25 then passes through the optional pre-dryer 26. This pre-dryer 26 may be a conventional flow dryer (hot air dryer) known to those skilled in the art.
The amount of water removed in the pre-dryer 26 is controlled such that the pre-dried web 27 exiting the pre-dryer 26 has a consistency between about 30% and about 98%. The pre-dried web 27, which is further associated with the papermaking belt 10, passes around the return belt of the papermaking belt 19b and moves to the region of the printing toothed roller 20.
seventh phase
The seventh phase in the papermaking process is the
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printing the paper side cross-linking system 34a of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention into the pre-secs web by interposing the pre-dry web 27 between the papermaking belt 10 and a printing surface to form a printed web of the pre-secs. fibers for making paper.
If the intermediate web 25 is not subjected to the optional sixth pre-drying phase, this seventh phase will occur in the intermediate web 25.
The seventh phase is carried out on the machine illustrated in FIGURE 1 when the pre-dried web 27 passes through the cut formed between the toothed impression roller 20 and the drying coil Yankee 28. As the pre-dry web 27 passes through this cut, the crosslinked system pattern formed by the paper side crosslinked system 34a on the paper contacting side 11 of the papermaking belt 10 is printed on the pre-dried web 27 to form a printed web 29 ·
Eighth Stage
The eighth step in the papermaking process is drying the printed web 29. The printed web 29 separates from the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention after the paper side crosslinking system 34a is printed on the web to form a printed web. · When the web 29 separates from the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention, it adheres to the surface of the Yankee drying coil 28 where it is dried to a consistency of at least about
95%.
The web-carrying belt section 10 passes around the papermaking belt 10 of the return cylinders 19c, 19d, 19θ θ 19f θ through the showers 102 and 102a between them in clean locations. From the showers, the belt section moves to the emulsion cylinder 21 where it receives another application of the emulsion 22 before contacting another portion of the embryonic web 18.
Ninth Stage
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The ninth phase in the papermaking process is the dry web foreshortening (printed web 29). This ninth phase is optional but highly advised.
As used herein, the term foreshortening refers to the reduction in length of a dry paper web that occurs when energy is applied to the dry web so that the length of the web is reduced and the fibers in the web are rearranged with a rupture of the webs. fiber-to-fiber connections.
Foreshortening can be perfected in any of the ways known in the art. The most common and preferred is entrainment.
In the dragging operation, the dry web 29 adheres to the surface, and is then removed from this surface with a scraper 30. As shown in FIGURE 1, the surface to which the web generally adheres also functions as a drying surface. Generally, this surface is the surface of a Yankee drying coil 28 as shown in FIGURE 1.
Adhesion of the printed web 29 to the surface of the Yankee coil 28 is facilitated by the use of a dragging adhesive. Typical drag adhesives may include any suitable glue, such as those based on polyvinyl alcohol. Specific examples of suitable adhesives are described in US Patent No. 3,926,716 issued to Bates of December 16, 1975, incorporated herein by reference. 0 The adhesive is applied to either the pre-dried web 27 immediately prior to its passage through the above-described groove or preferably to the Yankee drying coil surface 28 prior to the point where the web is compressed against the surface of the Yankee drying coil. 28 through the drying coil 28 through the toothed impression roller 20. The specific glueing means and technique for applying the glue used in the practice of the present invention are conventional and therefore not shown in FIGURE 1. Any technique for applying glue adhesives can be used.
123
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entrainment known to those skilled in the art, such as spraying.
In general, only undeflected portions of web 29 that have been associated with the paper side crosslinking system 34a on the paper contact side 11 of the papermaking belt 10 are subjected to one. direct adherence to the surface of the lankee drying coil 28. The pattern of the paper side crosslinking system 34a and its orientation with respect to the scraper 30 will greatly influence the extent and character of the web's entrainment.
The physical characteristics of paper web 31 made by the process of the present invention are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,529,480 entitled Tissue Paper, issued to Trokhan on July 16, 1985, incorporated herein by reference. The cross-linked system region and plurality of domes in the paper web 31, however, will be formed in a linear Idaho pattern rather than in the hexagon pattern shown in the US patent engravings. No. 4,529,480 due to the difference in the shape of the ducts in the preferred embodiment of the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention.
The paper web 31, product of this invention, may optionally be calendered and rewound with or without differential speed, and and cut and stretched all by conventional means, not shown in FIGURE 1. The paper web 31 is then ready to use.
4 Testing Methods
It has been found that belts with a certain amount of back zone texture will achieve the desired objectives of reducing unwanted paper fiber accumulation on the surfaces of the vacuum drying equipment and controlling other problems associated with the accumulation of paper. fibers. The amount and character of the back zone texture that must be present in order to achieve the desired results when using the fa-12463585 belt.
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Making paper 10 of the present invention is a quality of the belt.
Mod. 7t - 20,000 x. - 20/08 which is referred to as the flowability of the belt, or more specifically, the textured backside surface 12 of the belt. As used herein, the term fluid flowability refers to an air measurement that displaces (or air leaks) through the backside 12 of the papermaking belt 10 under test conditions described from what was developed for this particular purpose ·
Leakage of air through the back portion 12 of the papermaking belt 10 will sometimes be referred to as air leakage XY. The XY language is derived from the fact that if the papermaking belt 10 of the present invention were placed in a Cartesian coordinate system with the rear zone 12 of the papermaking belt 10 in the plane formed by the x and y axes; the air leak of interest would be that which passes along the rear zone surface 12 of the 10th in any direction in the XY plane (XY or rear zone air leakage test)
uses a device which is shown schematically in FIGURES 32 and 33 · FIGURE 32 is a schematic top plan view of the rear zone leakage tester 56 · All tubes generally associated with the tester have been omitted of FIGURE 32 for reasons of simplification. These tubes can best be seen in side view of the device shown in FIGURE 33. As shown in these figures, the rear zone leakage testing device 56 has as basic components a column 57 which includes a first plate 58 with a hole 59 in the center and a second smooth round plate 60 separated from the column; which may be placed over hole 59 in the first plate 58; a liquid-filled vacuum probe 62; and a flow meter 63.
In this preferred form, the plate forming the top of the column (i.e. the first plate 5θ) is square with
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8x8 inches (20.32 cm x 20.32 cm) and 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) thick. First plate 58 provides a smooth, non-deformable, fluid impervious (i.e., gas and liquid impervious) surface. It should be made of stainless steel with a mirrored and extremely smooth surface.
It is particularly important that ηδο have skinned or other defects on the surface of this plate for accurate readings. Such surface defects will allow additional air leakage to occur, which will result in higher readings than if the first plate 58 had no such defects. The hole diameter in the center of this plate is 1.0 inch (2.54 cm). In addition, in the column used for the test described herein, a circle of approximately 3 · 5 inches (8.89 cm) in diameter is inscribed on the first plate 58 which is centered around hole 59 · The purpose of this circle will be to provide a to center the second plate 60 over hole 59 · This circle is not believed to have any effect on the accuracy of the readings.
The second round plate 60 which is not part of the column, is preferably also made of stainless steel, is 3 inches in diameter (7 · 62 cm) and 1/2 inch thick (1.27 cm). The second plate 60 weighs 405 grams.
The weight should be sufficient to retain the sample of the strap being tested on the column without being improperly compressed.
As shown in FIGURE 33, an adapter 61 is located within hole 59 in first plate 58 so that a tube can be inserted into hole 59 and retained therein. Adapter 61 has a short tube 64 extending from at least one end thereof. This tube 64 extends toward the opening of hole 59 along the surface of the first plate 58, in which the section of the strap to be tested remains. 0 Inner diameter of tube 64 extending from adapter 61 is 0.312 inches (0.793 cm).
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<img file="PT98151B_D0138.tif" />
A tube 65a extends from the other end of adapter 61 to the base of flow meter 63. Flow meter 63 is used to measure the air flow rate through the portion of the papermaking belt 10 to be tested. Flow meter 63 has a numbered scale between 0 and 150.
As with most flow meters, no specific units on the scale are indicated. Thus, as will be described in more detail below, the flow meter 63 has been calibrated to any known unit. A suitable flow meter is FM 102-05 manufactured by Cole Parmer Company, Chicago, IL 60648.
There is another tube 65b extending from the top of the flow meter 63 to the tube 68 which is ultimately connected to a vacuum source that pulls a vacuum in the direction of the arrow v. The vacuum source itself is conventional and is therefore not shown in FIGURE 33. There are several branches of tube 68 that run from tube 65b to the vacuum source. Included in these branches are a high pressure valve 69a, a coarse adjusting valve 69b and a fine adjusting valve 69c, as well as a liquid vacuum probe 62 calibrated for pressures between 0 and 30 inches (0-76.2 cm). Mercury. Any probe that measures the vacuum correctly in inches of mercury is adequate. An example of such a vacuum port is model AISI 316 Tube & Socket No. 250.2274A manufactured under the brand Ashcroft Duragauge in Stratford,
CT.
During operation a section of the paper making belt 10 is placed through the top of the hole 59 in the leakage tester plate 58 Χ-Ϊ 57. The section of the<sub>: </sub>the papermaking belt 10 is placed on the plate 58 with its contact side as the paper 11 upwards (i.e. offset from the plate 58) and its rear zone 12 directly on the plate 58. The section of the papermaking belt 10 it must be of sufficient size to be at least larger than the second round plate 60 in all dimensions. Only one
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The portion of the papermaking belt part 10 is shown in FIGURES 32 and 33, however, for illustration purposes. In addition, it should also be noted that for illustration purposes the portion of the papermaking belt 10 shown in these figures has been greatly exaggerated with respect to the size of the leak tester 56.
The second plate 60 is then placed on top of the paper contact side 11 of the papermaking belt 10 to hold the belt in place and to cover the ducts 36 of the portion of the papermaking belt 10 to be tested to prevent it from entering. air through ducts 36. Vacuum pressure is applied and valves 69a, 69b and 69c are adjusted so that the differential pressure measured by vacuum probe 62 is preset to approximately 7 inches (17.78 cm) of mercury. The readings, however, were taken when the vacuum probe 62 was pre-set at 5 inches (12.7 æm) of mercury before a standard procedure was fully established. Readings taken at 5 inches (12.7 cm) of mercury can be converted to readings taken at 7 inches of mercury by entering readings taken at 5 inches (12.7 cm) mercury in the following equation where x is the reading taken at 5 inches (12.7 cm) of mercury y is the reading corresponding to 7 inches (17.7 cm) of mercury:
y = 2.6720 + 1.2361X
When the vacuum pressure has thus been applied, a direct reading is taken on the flow meter 63. The number read directly from the flow meter 63 is a measure of the leakage XY through the rear section 12 of the belt section to make paper 10, or more particularly, of the volume of air that enters the circumference of the second plate 60 (as in the direction indicated by the arrows L) and moves through the rear region 12 of the paper making belt section 10 to be tested. The units of this reading were called “Mariatts” according to Henry Mar12863585.
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<img file="PT98151B_D0139.tif" />
M9Í lati from Mehoopany, Pennsylvania, an individual responsible for obtaining some air leakage readings using the above test · Marlatts can be converted to standard cubic centimeters / minute by entering the Mariatts reading in the following equation where x is the reading in Marlatts y and the corresponding value in standard cc / minute:
y = 36,085 + 52,583 x - .07685X<sup>2 </sup>This equation for converting Marlatts to standard cc / min. was developed by calibrating the standard dc flow meter / min. using a Buck Optical Soap Bubble Meter. The relationship between the direct readings taken on the flowmeter 63 in Marlatts and the corresponding readings in standard dc / min. is graphically depicted in FIGURE 34.
Preferably, the fluid flowability (or amount of air leakage measured using the test described above) should not be less than about 35 Marlatts (approximately 1800 standard cc / min.). 35 Marlatts begin to have some of the advantages of reducing paper fiber build-up in the vacuum drying equipment used in the papermaking process. In other words, the passages 37 on the second surface 35 of the frame 32, with the other elements comprising the back zone texture, should be sufficient in size or capacity to allow at least about 1800 standard cc / min. air or other flow travels (or escapes) through the textured backside texture of the strap when the backside 12 of the strap 10 is brought into contact with a smooth, non-deformable, fluid impervious surface and the ducts 3e are to prevent air or fluids from escaping through ducts 36, and a differential fluid pressure of approximately 7 inches (17.78 cn) of mercury less than atmospheric pressure to the trans-12963585 zone is applied.
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<img file="PT98151B_D0140.tif" />
straps 10 12 ·
The amount of air leakage present in the papermaking belts that will emerge at an acceptable level in the papermaking process is an air leakage generally greater than approximately 40 Mariatts (about 2,000 cc standard / min) at an air permeability of about 100%. 450-550 cubic feet per minute, the preferred minimum air permeability ratio for the composite belt. Preferably, a belt should have an air leakage law of at least about 70 Marlatts (about 3,300 cc standard / min) and preferably the belt should have an air leakage reading of at least about 100 Marlatts (about (500-550 cc standard / min) under the same conditions (450-550 cubic feet per minute air permeability) · upper limit on the advisable amount of back zone texture is what allows a maximum amount of air to travel through from the back 12 of the circle without undesirable differential vacuum pressure lowering result below that amount necessary to cause the fibers of the paper web to be deflected into the conduits 36 of the papermaking belt 10. This amount is believed to be 250 Marlatts (approximately 8,400 cc / min) or more.
FIGURES 36A-C and 37A-C are enlarged photographs of papermaking belts made in accordance with two alternative embodiments of the process of the present invention. The photograph of the belt shown in FIGURES 36A-C and 37A-C may be compared to the photographs. of the anterior smooth back strap shown in FIGURES 35A and B.
There are several things to keep in mind when looking at enlarged photographs of these straps. First, it should be clear that, due to the level of magnification used, the strap portions shown in the photographs are generally very small portions of these straps. The portions of the straps
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<img file="PT98151B_D0141.tif" />
that are shown in the photographs (and especially the back zone texture on these straps) are truly representative of the characteristics of the entire strap. This does not mean, however, that there are no sections of the strap that are more significant in the characteristics of the entire strap than the portions of the strap shown in the photographs.
It should be noted, moreover, that the strap portions shown in the photographs should not correspond identically with the strap portions shown in the other photographs taken from different angles because of the difficulty in examining and photographing the minimal aspects of such an enlarged article. In other words, the portions of the belt that form the paper contact side 11 and the back zone 12 may not be directly above and below each other. Similarly, the cross-sectional photographs of the strap may not be cross sections of the same portions of the strap shown in the top and side bottom photographs. And considering all this, the enlarged photographs of the straps will now be examined.
FIGURES 35A and 35B are plan view photographs, each enlarged about 25 times the actual size, of the paper contacting side 11a and rear zone 12a, respectively, of a papermaking belt 10a not containing the improvements revealed here. The strap shown in FIGURES 35-A and 35B differs somewhat in size from the straps formed by the process of the present invention because the strap shown in FIGURES 35A and 35B is a linear Idaho strap 711. The strap shown in FIGURES 35A and B, therefore , has smaller ducts..36 and a larger number ... ducts per square inch.
Rear zone 12a of belt 10a shown in FIGURE 35B shows one of the problems that occurred with smaller duct fusion belts. The ducts 36 tend to close in the rear zone 12a. The ideal form would be ε rear zone 12a of the strap 10a in FIGURE 35B to look like
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<img file="PT98151B_D0142.tif" />
almost identical to the paper contact side 11a shown in FIGURE 35A. If the walls 44 of the ducts 36 were tapered, in the rear zone the ducts would appear smaller and the area of the rear zone lattice surface should be larger. The departure of the hypothetical ideal strap is also partly caused by minor imperfections in the strap that seemed to be greatly exaggerated in these photographs. When the rear portion 12 of the strap 10a shown in FIGURE UB is examined microscopically, the conduit openings in the rear portion 12a of the strap 10a appear to be very similar to the conduit openings on the paper contacting side 11a of the strap 10a. However, such examination of the belt 10a reveals that there is a very thin film of resinous material covering the ducts, which may at least partly be responsible for the differences in appearance of the rear zone 12a of the belt 10a.
Photographs of the strap 10 shown in FIGURES 36A-0 depict a strap that has been made in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the process of the present invention. The back zone texture of the strap shown in these figures was created using a monolayer woven material as the textured surface. The monolayer woven material had a web of 18 x 20 (number of twisted yarns per inch by number of woven yarns per inch). This woven material was placed on top of a barrier film which was introduced into the system similar to the barrier film 76 shown in FIGURE 27. The material was then covered to prevent it from being contaminated with resin by a highly adjusted second barrier film. . This second film<sub>: </sub>The barrier film was introduced in the same way as the first barrier film was brought into the system. (Although the second barrier film supply cylinder is positioned such that this second barrier film is positioned between the monolayer woven material and the reinforcement structure) · The second barrier film has been
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Case 4194 n / a made of a material known as Ethyl Visqueen, a 1 mil polyethylene film.
The photographs of the strap 10 shown in FIGURES 30A-36C have been enlarged about 25 times actual size. FIGURE 36A is a photograph of a contact side.
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. 90/08 with paper 11 of the strap 10 taken from an angle of about 35 degrees relative to an imaginary line normally drawn to the surface of the paper contact side (i.e., with respect to the z-direction). FIGURE 36B is a photograph of the rear portion 12 of the strap 10 shown in FIGURE 36Α. FIGURE 36C is a sectional view of the strap 10 shown in FIGURES 36A and 36B.
FIGURE 36A shows that the paper side crosslinking system 34a (upon which the paper web will be conveyed) is macroscopically monoplane, patterned and continuous. As shown in FIGURE 36A, the system re20>
The paper side bonding 34a is also macroscopically monoplanar, with patterns and continuous at a magnification level at which the photograph was taken. The paper side crosslinked system surface 34a surrounds and defines the openings 42 of a plurality of conduits 36 in which the fibers in the embryonic web may be deflected and rearranged in the form of an improved paper web. The reinforcing structure 33 can be seen in the tubes or openings 41 discovered by the ducts 36. The reinforcing structure 33 comprises a plurality of machine direction twisted yarns 53 which are interlaced with a plurality of machine direction cross woven yarns 54 so as to leave gaps 39 in the meantime. As shown in FIGURE 36A.
the gaps 39 are generally several times smaller than the ducts 36. The reinforcing structure 33 strengthens the frame 32 without interfering with water drainage and air passage through the ducts 36.
The rear portion 12 of the strap 10 is shown in FIGURES 36B and 36C. FIGURES 36b and 360 show texture-13363585
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J <sup>10</sup>
<img file="PT98151B_D0143.tif" />
Mod. 71 - 20,000 βχ. The rear zone portion which is formed by a version of the process of the present invention. As shown in FIGURE 36B, the rear zone 12 of the strap 10 shown in FIGURE 36B has a rear zone lattice 35a which has some properties. with pattern and continuos of the paper side cross-linked system 34a · The rear-cross-linked system 35a, however, is not very clearly monoplanar. In FIG. 36B, it appears that this departure from a monoplanar character is to some extent due to the fact that the wires of the reinforcement member 33 appear to cause an outward bending in the rear crosslinked system 35a. These arches comprise the passages 37 which provide surface texture irregularities 38 in the rear zone crosslinked system 35a.
36C shows that in addition to the passages 37 and the irregularities 38 formed by these arches, a plurality of passages 37 are disposed within the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure.<sub>k2</sub> interstices 39 so that a portion of the projected area of the passages corresponds to a portion of the projected open area of the reinforcement structure 33. FIGURE 36C also shows that a plurality of the passages 37 are positioned outside the plane defined by the side. Facing the reinforcement frame machine Ρ ^<sub>2</sub>FIGURES 36B and 36c show that (at least those) the passageways 37 formed by the arches around the wires of the reinforcement structure 33 are regularly spaced and placed in the rear zone lattice 35a in a pattern.
The photographs of the strap 10 shown in FIGURES 37A-C depict a strap that was made in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the process of the present invention. The backside texture of the strap shown in these figures was made using a textured barrier film instead of a separate textured element or surface.
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<img file="PT98151B_D0144.tif" />
The textured barrier film was made from a material known as Cracked Ice Embossed (CIE) 142 film available from Borden Chemical Company · Cracked Ice Em bossed (CIE) 142 film has a randomly distributed texture throughout its surface. ·
The angles from which the photographs shown in FIGURES 37A-C were taken are similar to those of FIGURES 36A-C. The paper side features 11 of the strap
Mod. 71 - 20.0 «ac. - 90 / ')
37A are also generally similar to those on the paper side 11 of the strap 10 shown in FIGURE 36A. The characteristics of the rear zone 12 (and in particular the rear zone lattice 35a) are quite different from the strap shown in FIGURES. 36A-C ·
The rear zone 12 of the strap 10 made by the second embodiment of the process of the present invention is shown in FIGURES 37B and 370. The rear zone lattice 35a is neither monoplaner nor continuous. In FIGURE 37B, the rear zone texture of the strap 10 shown seems to fall into both general categories.
The first category of rear zone texture appears to resemble a plurality of projections or protrusions from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcing structure Ρ ^ 2. As shown in FIGURE 37C, these protrusions appear in cross section to provide passages 37 which are characterized by a continuous curved wall. As is well shown in FIGURE 37C, surrounding or flanking these passages 37 are surface texture irregularities 38 that appear to be edges in cross section. All passages 37 shown in FIGURE 37C are positioned outwards from the plane defined by the machine-facing side of the reinforcement structure P<sub>k</sub>2.
The second texture category is where bits or pieces of the rear zone lattice 35a appear to have been completely removed. Cre-13510
I
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<img file="PT98151B_D0145.tif" />
It is believed that this second type of texture may have been created when portions of the liquid photosensitive resin coating adhered to the Cracked Ice Embosse film, and were removed when the composite paper belt separated from the Cracked Ice Embossed film after the composite belt left. the melt coil. Where the parts of the rear zone crosslinked system 35a appear to have been removed left passages 37 interconnecting various conduits 36 along rear zone 12 of belt 10. Despite this interconnection as shown in FIGURE 37A, the system paper side cross-linking 34a remained relatively untouched, providing discrete and isolated conduits 36. Both texture categories appear to occur quite randomly.
Mod. 71 - 20,000 αχ. - 90 / Οβ
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications could have been made without losing the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to encompass in the appended Claims such changes and modifications which are within the scope of this invention.
Contents25
24 sheets
Sheet 1 Sheet 2 Sheet 3 Sheet 4 Sheet 5 Sheet 6 Sheet 7 Sheet 8 Sheet 9 Sheet 10 Sheet 11 Sheet 12 Sheet 13 Sheet 14 Sheet 15 Sheet 16 Sheet 17 Sheet 18 Sheet 19 Sheet 20 Sheet 21 Sheet 22 Sheet 23 Sheet 24
33 members in 17 offices
Priority claims3
| Document | Office | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54635090 | United States of America | A | |
| 546350 | – | – | – |
| US19900546350 | – | – | – |
Members33
| Document | Office | Kind | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2083371A1 | Canada | A1 | |
| IE912273A1 | Ireland | A1 | |
| WO9200414A1 | World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) | A1 | |
| AU8207391A | Australia | A | |
| MX9100037A | Mexico | A | |
| US5098522A | United States of America | A | |
| CN1062568A | China | A | |
| FI925888A | Finland | A | |
| FI925888A0 | Finland | A0 | |
| FI925888A7 | Finland | A7 | |
| EP0536281A1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A1 | |
| BR9106608A | Brazil | A | |
| KR930701660A | Republic of Korea | A | |
| US5260171A | United States of America | A | |
| JPH05508450A | Japan | A | |
| PT98151A | Portugal | A | |
| CN1026511C | China | C | |
| EP0536281B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| AT114007T | Austria | T | |
| ATE114007T1 | Austria | T1 | |
| US5364504A | United States of America | A | |
| DK0536281T3 | Denmark | T3 | |
| DE69105138D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| ES2063517T3 | Spain | T3 | |
| DE69105138T2 | Germany | T2 | |
| AU662487B2 | Australia | B2 | |
| FI97070B | Finland | B | |
| CA2083371C | Canada | C | |
| FI97070C | Finland | C | |
| CA2159524C | Canada | C | |
| PT98151BThis record | Portugal | B | |
| KR100218033B1 | Republic of Korea | B1 | |
| JP3145114B2 | Japan | B2 |
2 legal events, as the office reported them to INPADOC
Over the term
Point at a mark for the eventEvents
| Event | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Patent granted, date of grantingGrantedFG3A | FG3A | |
| Laying open of patent applicationBB1A | BB1A |
Numbers
- Publication, DOCDB
- 98151
- Publication, EPODOC
- PT98151
- Application
- 98151
- Application, DOCDB
- 9815191
- Application, EPODOC
- PT19910098151
Titles2
- Portuguese
- CINTA PARA O FABRICO DE PAPEL E PROCESSO DE FABRICO DA MESMA USANDO UMA SUPERFICIE DE IMPRESSAO TEXTURADA
- English
- BRACE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND PROCESS USING THE SAME MANUFACTURING A SURFACE PRINT TEXTURATED
Classification
- CPC, 11
- D21F11/00
- B29C35/10
- B29C43/222
- B29C43/28
- B29C2035/0827
- B29K2105/0002
- B29L2031/733
- D21F3/00
- D21F11/006
- Y10T428/24306
- Y10T428/24331
- IPC, 7
- B29C35 08
- B29C35 10
- B29C43 22
- B29C43 28
- D03D1 00
- D21F1 10
- D21F11 00