U.S. patent application number 11/559994 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-31 for woven fabric structure.
Invention is credited to Mark Hodson.
Application Number | 20070119513 11/559994 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37726927 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070119513 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hodson; Mark |
May 31, 2007 |
WOVEN FABRIC STRUCTURE
Abstract
The present invention relates to a woven fabric structure
including at least one array of warp yarns interwoven with at east
one array of substantially orthogonally extending weft yarns,
wherein each end of a warp yarn is extended beyond the last weft to
form either a binder or a seam loop which can be interdigitated
with similar seam loops of the opposing fabric end and joined by at
least one pintle wire passed through a tunnel formed by the
interdigitated seam loops. The inventive woven fabric structure is
characterized in that the seam loops and the binders of the warp
yarns possess a ratio above 1:1 and below 4:1.
Inventors: |
Hodson; Mark; (Lancashire,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TAYLOR & AUST, P.C.
142 SOUTH MAIN STREET
P. O. BOX 560
AVILLA
IN
46710
US
|
Family ID: |
37726927 |
Appl. No.: |
11/559994 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
139/385 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D03D 3/04 20130101; D21F
1/0054 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
139/385 |
International
Class: |
D03D 3/00 20060101
D03D003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 25, 2005 |
DE |
10 2005 056 618.9 |
Claims
1. A woven fabric structure comprising: at least one array of a
plurality of weft yarns; and at least one array of a plurality of
warp yarns interwoven with and extending substantially orthogonally
to said at least one array of said plurality of weft yarns, said
plurality of warp yarns including at least one binder and a first
plurality of seam loops, each of said plurality of warp yarns
having at least one end extending beyond a last said weft yarn,
said at least one end comprising one of said binder and said seam
loop, each said binder and each said seam loop being configured for
interdigitating with a similar second plurality of seam loops of an
opposing fabric end and for joining by at least one pintle wire
passed through a tunnel defined by interdigitated said first and
second pluralities of seam loops, said first plurality of seam
loops and said at least one binder defining a ratio of said first
plurality of seam loops to said at least one binder, said ratio
being above 1:1 and below 4:1.
2. The woven fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein said
ratio is one of 3:1, 2:1, and 3:2.
3. The woven fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein each of
said plurality of warp yarns for said first plurality of seam loops
is one of a flat and a profiled yarn with overall dimensions
between 0.25 and 1.0 mm in height and between 0.5 and 2.0 mm in
width.
4. The woven fabric structure according to claim 3, wherein each of
said plurality of warp yarns comprises one of a rectangular-shaped
cross-section and a profile-shaped cross-section.
5. The woven fabric structure according to claim 3, wherein each of
said plurality of warp yarns has a cross-sectional area between
0.125 and 2.0 mm.sup.2.
6. The woven fabric structure according to claim 3, wherein each of
said plurality of warp yarns and each of said plurality of weft
yarns has one of a same, a similar, and a different shape relative
to one another and one of a same, a similar, and a different
cross-sectional area relative to one another.
7. The woven fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein each of
said plurality of warp yarns for said first plurality of seam loops
is a round yarn with a diameter between 0.25 and 1.0 mm.
8. The woven fabric structure according to claim 7, wherein each of
said plurality of warp yarns comprises a circular-shaped
cross-section.
9. The woven fabric structure according to claim 7, wherein each of
said plurality of warp yarns has a cross-sectional area between
0.05 and 0.79 mm.sup.2 for said round yarns.
10. A papermachine clothing comprising: a first and second woven
fabric each comprising: at least one array of a plurality of weft
yarns; at least one array of a plurality of warp yarns interwoven
with and extending substantially orthogonally to said at least one
array of said plurality of weft yarns, said plurality of warp yarns
including at least one binder and a first plurality of seam loops,
each of said plurality of warp yarns having at least one end
extending beyond a last said weft yarn, said at least one end
comprising one of said binder and said seam loop, each said binder
and each said seam loop being configured for interdigitating with a
similar second plurality of seam loops of an opposing fabric end
and for joining by at least one pintle wire passed through a tunnel
defined by interdigitated said first and second pluralities of seam
loops, said first plurality of seam loops and said at least one
binder defining a ratio of said first plurality of seam loops to
said at least one binder, said ratio being above 1:1 and below 4:1;
and wherein said first and said second woven fabrics include a seam
therebetween, said seam comprising an interdigitation of at least
one of said binder and said seam loop of said first and second
woven fabrics and a pintle wire through a tunnel defined by
interdigitated said pluralities of seam loops of said first and
second woven fabrics.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a woven fabric structure
including at least one array of warp yarns interwoven with at least
one array of substantially orthogonally extending weft yarns,
wherein each end of a warp yarn is extended beyond the last weft
yarn to form either a binder or a seam loop which can be
interdigitated with similar seam loops of the opposing fabric end
and joined by at least one pintle wire passed through a tunnel
formed by the interdigitated seam loops.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The woven fabric is for papermachine clothing, such as a
forming fabric, a press sleeve, an extended nip press belt, a dryer
fabric, a base cloth, for a filter belt or for a conveyor belt.
[0005] A common form of seam is achieved by extending selected
longitudinal (machine direction) warp yarns of the fabric beyond
the last transverse (cross-machine direction) weft yarn to form a
loop, the end of which is back-woven into the fabric. The
non-selected machine direction warp yarns are looped about the last
cross-direction weft yarn the end of which is woven and the end
back-woven into the fabric. Such a fabric structure is described in
the British Patent Application GB-A-1,488,815, which discloses two
patterns of weaving back the looped yarns and cutting short of
certain other machine direction yarns to provide space for the back
woven loop ends.
[0006] All warp yarns usually have the same thickness or width, so
that as a result when using only half the warp yarns to form the
loops, to afford space for interdigitation of the corresponding
loops of the opposite end of the fabric, the tensile strength of
the seam is significantly less than the fabric strength and there
is a higher propensity in the seam region for marking the material
sheet due to the greater open area in the seam region, as about 50%
of the total width of the fabric is open space.
[0007] One approach of solving this problem is to use more than 50%
of the warp yarns to form loops. An example of this is the
International Patent Application WO 92/15743 A1 wherein the problem
of obtaining space for interdigitation of loops where more than 50%
space is used by the loops of each side is tackled by crossing
adjacent loops over each other. However, the use of more than 50%
warp yarns and the crossing of the looped yarns make the already
complicated, prolonged, and expensive seaming process even more
protracted.
[0008] Finally, the European Patent Specification EP 1 070 164 B1
discloses a woven fabric structure including an array of warp yarns
interwoven with an array of substantially orthogonally extending
weft yarns using warp yarns of differing widths. The warp yarns
include groups of relatively wide warp yarns and groups of
relatively thin warp yarns, said groups of relatively wide warp
yarns alternating with said groups of relatively thin warp yarns.
The groups of relatively wide and relatively thin warp yarns each
include two or more respectively wide or thin warp yarns and said
relatively wide warp yarns are extended in a seam region to provide
seaming loops on each end of the fabric. The disadvantage of this
woven fabric structure is that warp yarns of different size can
produce an uneven fabric surface leading to marking of the material
sheet.
[0009] What is needed in the art is a woven fabric structure with
an improved tensile strength, less open space and a reduced
propensity in the seam region for marking the material sheet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention provides that the seam loops and the
binders of the warp yarns possess a ratio above 1:1 and below
4:1.
[0011] This ratio provides a woven fabric structure with an
improved tensile strength, a lower open space, and a reduced
propensity in the seam region for marking the material sheet.
[0012] The ratio of the seam loops to the binders is 3:1, 2:1, or
3:2. The ratio of "3:1" means three seam loops, one binder, three
seam loops, one binder, three seam loops, etc. The ratio of "2:1"
means two seam loops, one binder, two seam loops, one binder, two
seam loops, etc. The ratio of "3:2" means either two seam loops,
one binder, one seam loop, one binder, two seam loops, one binder,
one seam loop, one binder, two seam loops, etc. or three seam
loops, two binders, three seam loops, two binders, three seam
loops, etc. These three ratios provide highly improved tensile
strengths with significant lower open spaces. The propensity in the
seam region for marking the material sheet is consequently
reduced.
[0013] According to two embodiments of the present invention, the
warp yarns for the seam loops are flat or profiled yarns with
overall dimensions between 0.25 and 1.00 mm in height and between
0.50 and 2.00 mm in width, or they are round yarns with a diameter
between 0.25 and 1.00 mm. Furthermore, the warp yarns are of a
circular, rectangular, or other profile shaped cross-section. The
other profile shaped cross-section will have the shape of a
triangle, semicircle, hexagon, octagon, or parallelogram.
[0014] Moreover, according to an embodiment of the present
invention the warp yarn has a cross-sectional area between 0.125
and 2.00 mm.sup.2 for the flat or profiled yarns and between 0.05
and 0.79 mm.sup.2 for the round yarns. These ranges guarantee a
reduced propensity of the woven fabric structure and, therefore, a
reduced marking of the material sheet. The material sheet is a
paper, board, or tissue sheet.
[0015] In order to significantly reduce marking of the material
sheet, the warp yarns and the weft yarns have the same, similar, or
different shapes and cross-sectional areas.
[0016] The present invention further provides papermachine clothing
formed by seaming a woven fabric structure according to the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of
this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more
apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference
to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0018] FIGS. 1-3 are three fragmentary, enlarged, detail views of
parts of seam regions of woven fabrics, showing parts of the weave
structures of the fabrics of the seam formations;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, detail view of part of a
seam region of a woven fabric, showing part of the weave structure
of the fabric of the seam formation; and
[0020] FIGS. 5-7 are three fragmentary, enlarged, detail views of
parts of seam regions of woven fabrics according to the invention,
showing parts of the weave structures of the fabrics of the seam
formations.
[0021] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out
herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, and such
exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of
the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a woven fabric structure for a
papermachine clothing or another belt, such as a filter or conveyor
belt, including an array of cross-machine direction weft yarns 10,
extending parallel to an edge of the fabric 1, and a last weft yarn
10a, defining the edge. An array of warp yarns 12 is woven through
the weft yarns 10 substantially orthogonally to the weft yarns 10
of, and in machine direction of, the fabric 1.
[0023] It is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, which shows a
fragmentary, enlarged, detail view of part of a seam region of a
woven fabric 1, that a normal loop seam is made by reweaving the
first machine direction warp yarn 12.1 back into the fabric 1 to
form a loop 14. The second machine direction warp yarn (12.2 is not
visible) is brought out of the fabric within the seam area. This
leaves a space for the first machine direction warp yarn to replace
the pathway of the second machine direction warp yarn. The third
machine direction warp yarn 12.3 is then rewoven back into the
fabric to form a binder by replacing the path of the fourth machine
direction warp yarn 12.4. The process is repeated so that 50% of
the seam includes loops 14 and 50% of the seam includes binders
16.
[0024] The seam loops 14 and the binders 16 are interdigitated with
similar seam loops 14 of the opposing fabric end and joined by a
pintle wire 18 passed through a tunnel 20 formed by the
interdigitated seam loops 14.
[0025] Another possibility to join two fabric ends together is the
use of a spiral connecting the seam loops of the two opposing
fabric ends. A spiral is used in connecting the seam loops of the
two opposing fabric ends of a dryer fabric.
[0026] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of FIG. 2, some
designs of fabrics 1 have two layers A, B of thin machine direction
warp yarns 22. The seam loops 24 are made by reweaving one machine
direction warp yarn 22.1 of the first layer A back into the fabric
1 to form a seam loop 24 by replacing the path of the second
machine direction warp yarn 22.2 of the second layer B. The third
machine direction warp yarn 22.3 is then rewoven back into the
fabric 1 of the first layer A to form a binder 26 by replacing the
path of the fourth machine direction warp yarn 22.4 of the second
layer B. The process is repeated so that 50% of the seam is
includes seam loops 24 and 50% of the seam includes binders 26. A
fabric 1 of this design is disclosed in the European Patent
Specification EP 0 612 881 B1.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, it is also possible to increase the
number of seam loops 34 by making a seam without binders 36 so that
50% of the seam forms seam loops 34 around a pintle wire 38a. Then
50% of the seam forms seam loops 34 around a second pintle wire
38b.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows another fragmentary, enlarged, detail view of
part of a seam region of a woven fabric 1, showing part of the
weave structure of the fabric 1 of the seam formation. The seam
loops 44 and the binders 46 of the warp yarns 42 possess a ratio R
of 1:1, e.g. one seam loop 44, one binder 46, one seam loop 44, one
binder 46, one seam loop 44, etc. Additionally, the warp yarns 42
for the seam loops 44 are either flat or profiled yarns with
overall dimensions between 0.25 and 1.00 mm in height and between
0.50 and 2.00 mm in width, or they are round yarns with a diameter
between 0.25 and 1.00 mm. A practical embodiment will have over 48
seam loops 44 with a width of 100 mm and 11.52 mm.sup.2
cross-sectional area F in total.
[0029] Additional fragmentary, enlarged, detail views of parts of
seam regions of woven fabrics 1 are shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Each
fabric 1 includes an array of cross-machine direction weft yarns
100, extending parallel to an edge of the fabric 1, and includes a
last weft yarn 100a, defining the edge. An array of warp yarns 102
is woven through the weft yarns 100 substantially orthogonally to
the weft yarns 100 of and in machine direction of the fabric 1.
[0030] Each end of a warp yarn 102 is extended beyond the last weft
yarn 100a to form either a binder 106 or a seam loop 104 which can
be interdigitated with similar seam loops 104 of the opposing
fabric end and joined by a pintle wire 108 passed through a tunnel
110 formed by the interdigitated seam loops 104.
[0031] The seam loops 104 and the binders 106 of the warp yarns 102
possess a ratio R above 1:1 and below 4:1. For example, the ratio R
can be 2:1 as shown in FIG. 5 or 3:2 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
According to the first ratio R, the warp yarns 102 have two seam
loops 104, one binder 106, two seam loops 104, one binder 106, two
seam loops 104, etc. According to the second ratio R, the warp
yarns 102 have three seam loops 104, two binders 106, three seam
loops 104, two binders 106, three seam loops 104, etc. or two seam
loops 104, one binder 106, one seam loop 104, one binder 106, two
seam loops 104, etc. These two ratios provide highly improved
tensile strengths with significant lower open spaces. The
propensity in the seam region for marking the material sheet is
consequently reduced.
[0032] Additionally, the warp yarns 102 for the seam loops 104 are
either flat or profiled yarns with overall dimensions between 0.25
and 1.00 mm in height and between 0.50 and 2.00 mm in width or are
round yarns with a diameter between 0.25 and 1.00 mm. The warp
yarns 102 of both embodiments are of a circular, rectangular or
other profile shaped cross-section C and have a cross-sectional
area F between 0.125 and 2.00 mm.sup.2 for the flat or profiled
yarns and between 0.05 and 0.79 mm.sup.2 for the round yarns. A
practical embodiment with a ratio of 2:1 will have over 64 seam
loops 104 with a width of 100 mm and 15.36 mm.sup.2 cross-sectional
area F in total (0.36 mm in height and 0.67 mm in width). This is a
33% increase in material around the seam pintle with respect to the
embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0033] Moreover, the warp yarns 102 and the weft yarns 104 have the
same, similar, or different shapes S and cross-sectional areas
F.
[0034] The woven fabric 1 can be used for papermachine clothing,
such as a forming fabric, a press sleeve, an extended nip press
belt, a dryer fabric, a base cloth, for a filter belt or for a
conveyor belt.
[0035] While this invention has been described with respect to at
least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified
within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is
therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of
the invention using its general principles. Further, this
application is intended to cover such departures from the present
disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to
which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of
the appended claims.
REFERENCE NUMERALS LIST
[0036] 1 fabric [0037] 10 weft yarn [0038] 10a last weft yarn
[0039] 12 warp yarn [0040] 12.1 warp yarn [0041] 12.2 warp yarn
[0042] 12.3 warp yarn [0043] 12.4 warp yarn [0044] 14 seam loop
[0045] 16 binder [0046] 18 pintle wire [0047] 20 tunnel [0048] 22
warp yarn [0049] 22.1 warp yarn [0050] 22.2 warp yarn [0051] 22.3
warp yarn [0052] 22.4 warp yarn [0053] 24 seam loop [0054] 26
binder [0055] 34 seam loop [0056] 36 binder [0057] 38a pintle wire
[0058] 38b pinte wire [0059] 42 warp yarn [0060] 44 seam loop
[0061] 46 binder [0062] 100 weft yarn [0063] 100a last weft yarn
[0064] 102 warp yarn [0065] 104 seam loop [0066] 106 binder [0067]
108 pintle wire [0068] 110 tunnel [0069] A first layer [0070] B
second layer [0071] C cross-section [0072] F cross-sectional area
[0073] R ratio [0074] S shape
* * * * *