U.S. patent application number 14/784139 was filed with the patent office on 2016-02-25 for clothing for a machine for manufacturing a web material.
The applicant listed for this patent is VOITH PATENT GMBH. Invention is credited to ANDREW ALLUM, ANTONY MORTON, DAVID STUART PONTON, PAUL RAYMOND RIDING.
Application Number | 20160053436 14/784139 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50478395 |
Filed Date | 2016-02-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160053436 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MORTON; ANTONY ; et
al. |
February 25, 2016 |
CLOTHING FOR A MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING A WEB MATERIAL
Abstract
A fabric for a machine for producing web material, in particular
paper, cardboard, tissue, film, a nonwoven product or a composite
product, has a base fabric and at least two pattern components. The
pattern components are applied to the base fabric. A
cross-sectional shape of the first pattern component and a
cross-sectional shape of the at least one further pattern component
are different.
Inventors: |
MORTON; ANTONY; (BEN
RHYDDING, GB) ; ALLUM; ANDREW; (DARWEN, GB) ;
PONTON; DAVID STUART; (BLACKBURN, GB) ; RIDING; PAUL
RAYMOND; (BLACKBURN, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
VOITH PATENT GMBH |
Heidenheim |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
50478395 |
Appl. No.: |
14/784139 |
Filed: |
April 9, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
April 9, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2014/057130 |
371 Date: |
October 13, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
162/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D21F 1/0027 20130101;
D21F 7/08 20130101; D21F 7/083 20130101; B32B 2309/10 20130101;
B32B 37/153 20130101; D21F 11/006 20130101; B32B 2433/02 20130101;
B32B 2037/243 20130101; B32B 2309/105 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D21F 7/08 20060101
D21F007/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 10, 2013 |
DE |
10 2013 206 265.6 |
Claims
1-11. (canceled)
12. A clothing for a machine for manufacturing a web material, the
clothing comprising: a basic structure; at least two pattern
components applied to said basic structure, said pattern components
including a first pattern component and at least one further
pattern component, wherein a cross-sectional shape of said first
pattern component and a cross-sectional shape of said at least one
further pattern component are different from one another.
13. The clothing according to claim 12, configured for
manufacturing a web material of paper, cardboard, tissue, film, a
non-woven-product, or a composite product.
14. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein the cross-sectional
shape of said first and further pattern components is angular or
rounded.
15. The clothing according to claim 14, wherein the angular shape
is square or rounded and the rounded shape is at least
segment-shaped or oval.
16. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein an overall shape of
said first and further pattern components is selected from the
group consisting of drops, beads, lines, grid structures,
contiguous or non-contiguous elements.
17. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said pattern
components are arranged to be in mutual contact.
18. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said pattern
components are arranged to be intersect one another.
19. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said pattern
components are arranged to be isolated from one another.
20. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said first pattern
component and said at least one further pattern component are
formed of identical materials or of different materials.
21. The clothing according to claim 20, wherein said first and
further pattern components contain or are composed of a material
selected from the group consisting of amide, ester, silicone, and
urethane.
22. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein dimensions of said
first and further pattern components are at a height of 0 to 10 mm
above said basic structure, at a width of 0.1 to 10 mm, and at a
length of 0.1 mm to indefinite.
23. The clothing according to claim 22, wherein the dimensions of
said first and further pattern components are identical to one
another.
24. The clothing according to claim 22, wherein the dimensions of
said first and further pattern components are different from one
another.
25. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said first and
further pattern components are applied unilaterally to one side of
said basic structure.
26. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said first and
further pattern components are applied bilaterally to both sides of
said basic structure.
27. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said first and
further pattern components have characteristics of having been
formed by a process selected from the group consisting of
extruding, roller coating, spraying, squeegee coating, and screen
printing.
28. The clothing according to claim 12, wherein said basic
structure is a woven fabric, a cross-laid structure, a warp-knitted
fabric, a helical screen, a helically coiled structure, in the form
of films, a joinable planar structure, or an endless belt.
Description
[0001] The invention proceeds from a clothing for a machine for
manufacturing a web material, such as, for example, paper,
cardboard, tissue, film, a non-woven product, or a composite
product, according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] A clothing of this type which may be employed as a forming
wire in a paper machine, for example, is known from EP 1 690 981
A1. In this known paper machine clothing, a pattern from polymer
material is applied in a rotary printing method by means of a
rotary screen to a carrier structure which is configured as a woven
fabric, for example. The pattern in substantially any arbitrary
design may be applied to the woven carrier fabric, so as to
generate on one side of the paper machine clothing thus
manufactured a surface structure which during paper manufacturing
is reproduced having a corresponding topography in the manufactured
paper.
[0003] A method for applying a pattern to a paper machine clothing
in which a polymer material in an extrusion operation is dispensed
from an extrusion head and thus applied to the surface of a carrier
structure which may be of a woven-fabric type, for example, is
known from EP 1 690 982 A1. The extrusion head may be moved
arbitrarily above the surface of the carrier structure.
[0004] Furthermore, a clothing for a paper machine, in which a
basic structure is printed multiple times with a polymer structure,
wherein a first polymer layer has a grid-type structure and a
second polymer layer largely occupies the clearances in the
grid-type first layer and thereby partially superimposes the first
layer, is known from US2008/0991701A, for example. The manufacture
of structures of this type here is achieved by applying a polymer
to the entire area of the surface of the basic structure, masking,
radiating with light of a specific wavelength, and, on account
thereof, curing the parts which are not masked, and subsequently
removing the non-cured polymer proportions.
[0005] A woven paper machine fabric for perfused air drying, which
has a three-dimensional woven pattern which has a structure which
has height differences in the Z-direction of 0.2 mm or more, is
known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,624,765B. The clothing has decorative
elements which are surrounded by accentuation areas, the decorative
elements being surrounded by the three-dimensional woven pattern of
the clothing and having a height lesser than the structure of the
woven pattern. The woven pattern represents a structured background
surface which is the prevailing contact area of the clothing with
the paper web.
[0006] It is disadvantageous in the known clothings that the
patterns which are generatable in this manner indeed may be fit for
their decorative purpose, for example by offering an aesthetic
impression in the finished product, for example, but that the
physical properties of the clothing and of the product are
incapable of being sufficiently influenced by only one pattern
component. It is thus desirable for variously shaped patterns to be
manufactured, for example, which fulfill different functions. In
many cases, combinations of patterns may indeed be generated by way
of the above-mentioned methods, the patterns however being all
manufactured in the same way and the applied patterns thus having
identical cross-sectional shapes in all components, on account of
the application method which is always identical. It is thus
impossible for individual pattern components having different cross
sections to be configured, such that it is likewise impossible for
different pattern components for various tasks to be selectively
configured in the clothing.
[0007] If and when various patterns are generated as a result of a
specific design of the basic structure by way of a woven pattern
and subsequent printing using a polymer, the method is
characterized by high complexity and thus also high costs.
[0008] It is thus an object of the present invention to state
clothing which is readily manufacturable and which has pattern
components that permit the physical and aesthetic properties of the
clothing to be selectively influenced.
[0009] The object is achieved by the characterizing features of
claim 1 in combination with the generic features.
[0010] It is provided here according to the invention that a
cross-sectional shape of a first pattern component and a
cross-sectional shape of at least one further pattern component are
different from one another. On account thereof, aesthetic motifs,
for example, may be highlighted in an intense and sharp manner and
may be surrounded by a background which has been drawn so as to be
softer and which is less prominent. Coarse patterns for physically
modeling de-watering parameters may be combined with fine patterns
for designing a visually and haptically appealing surface of the
final product. The physical and aesthetic properties of the
individual pattern components may thus be selectively modified and
adjusted in a mutually independent manner, so as to emboss patterns
of variable intensity in the finished product and so as to thus
also model the physical and aesthetic properties of the finished
product. It is furthermore possible for the properties of the
clothing in terms of their behavior during manufacturing of the
fibrous web to be modeled and on account thereof for dynamic
processes to be supported.
[0011] Further advantageous aspects and refinements of the
invention are derived from the dependent claims.
[0012] According to one preferred embodiment of the invention it
may be provided that the cross-sectional shape of the pattern
components is angular, in particular rectangular or square, or
rounded, in particular at least segment-shaped or oval. On account
thereof, structures which are optionally less or more intensely
prominent and which facilitate in influencing the aesthetic and
physical properties may be generated in the fibrous web.
[0013] An overall shape of the pattern components may be selected
from drops, beads, lines, grid structures, contiguous or
non-contiguous elements.
[0014] It may be advantageously provided that the pattern
components are in mutual contact, mutually intersect, or are
mutually isolated, depending on the requirement profile.
[0015] It may be advantageously provided that the first pattern
component is composed of a first material, and the at least one
second pattern component is composed of a second material, wherein
the first and the second material may be identical or different
from one another. If and when various requirements are set for the
pattern components, it may be advantageous for one of the materials
to be harder or softer, more resistant to abrasion, smoother or
coarser than the other material.
[0016] The material of the pattern components may preferably
contain or be composed of: amide, ester, silicone, urethane.
[0017] According to preferred aspects of the invention, sizing of
the pattern components may be at a height of 0 to 10 mm above the
basic structure, at a width of 0.1 to 10 mm, and at a length of 0.1
mm to indefinite.
[0018] Sizing of the pattern components may be particularly
preferably identical or variable. There are thus no limits
applicable to the diversity of patterns and the precise adjustment
of the desired physical parameters, in particular the desired
dynamic parameters, of the clothing and to the arbitrary design of
the final product.
[0019] Application of the pattern components to the basic structure
may be performed unilaterally or bilaterally, depending on intended
use. A combination with further components may likewise be
performed, for example in order to manufacture a pressing felt once
printing of the basic structure has been completed.
[0020] Application of the pattern components may be readily
performed by application methods which are known per se, such as
extruding, roller coating, spraying, squeegee coating, or screen
printing.
[0021] According to advantageous design embodiments of the
invention, the basic structure may be present as a woven fabric, a
cross-laid structure, a warp-knitted fabric, a helical screen, a
helically coiled structure, or as films, as a joinable planar
structure, or as an endless belt.
[0022] The invention will be described in more detail in the
following, by way of example, with reference to the figures and
without limiting the general scope thereof. In the figures:
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a very schematic plan view of a clothing
according to the invention, and
[0024] FIG. 2 shows a very schematic cross-sectional view of a
clothing configured according to the invention.
[0025] A plan view of a clothing 1, which is in particular suitable
for use in a machine for manufacturing a fibrous web, such as a
paper, cardboard, tissue, or film machine, and in a machine for
manufacturing a non-woven product or a composite product, is shown
in a very schematic view in FIG. 1. A clothing 1 of this type is
shown in a very schematic sectional view in FIG. 2.
[0026] A plurality of clothings 1 which depending on their position
fulfill various tasks are currently provided in such a machine. For
instance, a clothing 1 in the forming section serves as a forming
wire and thus for initially de-watering the fibrous suspension
which has been sprayed onto the forming wire or has been injected
between two forming wires in a double-wire former, and for
orienting the fibers in the nascent fibrous web. Clothings 1 are
provided as pressing felts for further de-watering in the
downstream pressing section, which clothings 1 should have a high
absorptive capacity for water, good resilience, smooth contact
surfaces to the fibrous web, and a low tendency toward rewetting.
The clothing 1 in the drying section is often configured as a
drying wire in the shape of a helical structure and, on account
thereof, is distinguished by a high resistance to temperature at
high permeability to air.
[0027] Clothings 1 also often serve for incorporating a decorative
pattern in the fibrous web, this representing the current standard
in the field of hygiene tissues in particular. The patterns here
have both aesthetic features as well as features which influence
the properties of the paper web, such as the grip of the surface,
the thickness of the layers, etc.
[0028] The individual features here are often conceived such that a
decorative and often also personalized pattern is desirable, but
that the latter is not able to fulfill the requirements which are
set for the physical properties of the fibrous web. It has thus
been necessary to date for the clothing 1 to be subjected to at
least two separate operational steps in order for at least two
patterns to be manufactured in or on the respective clothing. For
example, as mentioned at the outset, is possible for a
three-dimensional structure to be generated when manufacturing a
basic structure 2 of the clothing 1, and for this structure to be
then superimposed by a pattern which is printed on at least one
surface of the clothing 1, for example. The structure of the basic
structure 2 here may be manufactured by established weaving
patterns, while the printed pattern is applied by a rotary screen
printing method, for example. Weaving of such basic structures 2 is
in particular a very complex process which moreover is very limited
in terms of its diversity of patterns. Due to the nature of
weaving, in each case only the machine direction, the machine cross
direction, and diagonals may be incorporated in the pattern; an
arbitrary selection of patterns and a selective intervention in the
property profile of the clothing 1 are thus not possible.
[0029] Therefore, it is proposed according to the invention to
provide the basic structure 2 with at least two pattern components
3, 4, which have different cross-sectional shapes and thus generate
different effects in terms of the aesthetic appearance and the
physical property profile of both the clothing 1 as well as of the
finished product.
[0030] Arbitrary planar structures, such as woven fabrics,
cross-laid fabrics, warp-knitted fabrics, helical wires, helically
coiled structures, and also films are employable here as the basic
structure 2. The basic structure 2 may be present in a flat form,
having the potential for joining, or as an endless belt.
Permeability to liquids and gasses is to be selected with a view to
the application purpose of the clothing 1. The basic structure 2
may subsequently be combined with additional components which are
not illustrated in more detail in the figures, such as layers of
staple fibers, films, non-woven reinforcement structures, or
coatings on one or both sides, as well as other components, for
example impregnations, which adapt the clothing 2 to the prevailing
conditions.
[0031] A plurality of at least two pattern components 3, 4 are
applied to the basic structure 2 by arbitrary application methods
such as extruding (in the form of drops, lines, films, etc.),
coating (by rollers, spraying, or squeegee coating), or screen
printing. Application here may be performed on one or on both sides
of the basic structure 2.
[0032] The pattern components 3, 4 here may be composed of an
identical material or of different materials. Individual types of
polymers or else a plurality of specifically selected
groups/classes of polymers may be provided. The selection of the
materials may be performed both microscopically as well as
macroscopically, depending on the requirements in terms of
stability, sizing, smoothness, coefficient of friction, elasticity,
open surface, open volume, permeability to gas and liquid, or
conveyability of gas and liquid, respectively, etc., of the
individual pattern components 3, 4.
[0033] Examples of suitable materials here include amides, esters,
silicones, and urethanes, and arbitrary combinations thereof.
[0034] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the two pattern
components 3, 4 in the exemplary embodiment are provided both with
different shapes as well as with different cross sections. The
first pattern component 3 is configured in the form of elongate
formations having an angular cross section, while the second
pattern component 4 is present in the form of rotund formations
having a cross-sectional shape which is rounded in a substantially
convex manner.
[0035] Generating these variously shaped pattern components 3, 4
may be performed, for example, by extruding a comparatively hard
and rapidly curing polymer out of a suitably shaped nozzle for the
first pattern component 3, and by applying a rather liquid polymer
which thus bleeds more intensely in a drop-wise manner out of a
differently shaped nozzle for the second pattern component 4.
[0036] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, a fine and richly
detailed background structure in the finished product is generated
by the second pattern component 4 by means of a low height above
the basic structure and soft and rounded shapes. The background
structure of the product here is generated by mechanical
influences, such as hydraulic pressure and the distribution of the
fibers in the fibrous suspension, and later in the finished
product.
[0037] By contrast, the first pattern component 3 stands proud of
the basic structure 2 to a greater height and, on account thereof,
may impart a higher topography associated with higher
functionality. Advantages derived therefrom may be seen in
particular in optimizing the drainage of liquid or the conveyance
of liquid, respectively, during the dynamic formation of the final
product. This higher and coarser structure may conversely serve as
a reinforcement of the basic structure 2. The basic structure 2
thus supports the pattern component 3, while the latter makes
available to the clothing 1 a higher volume for liquid absorption.
The latter is an important parameter when judging the dynamic
properties of the clothing 1. Throughput rates for masses and
gasses are good examples of the dynamic state which is capable of
being influenced here, such as can be seen in the drying process by
way of migration of liquid or evaporation, for example.
[0038] Further advantages of the more intense topography of the
first pattern component 3 are to be seen in the product having the
ability to be three-dimensional. Depending on the specific
application of the clothing 1, in particular on the point in time
at which embossing into the fibrous web takes place during the
manufacturing thereof, the ability to be three-dimensional may be
semi-permanent (similar to an embossing) or durable and thus be a
feature of the finished fibrous web. The latter may be performed in
particular during the final finishing steps, such as drying or
curing of the final product.
[0039] A further advantageous aspect of the high topography of the
first pattern component 3 is to be seen in facilitating drawing-in
of the clothing 1 into the fibrous web machine. On account of there
being fewer bearing points present, and on account of the
coefficient of friction of the bearing points being able to be
reduced due to suitable selection of the material which forms the
pattern component 3, it is easier and safer for the personnel to
draw-in the clothing 1 and to dismount the latter.
[0040] With reference to the dimensions of the pattern components
3, 4, reference is made to current orders of magnitude which may be
in the range of 0 to 10 mm in terms of height above the clothing 1,
of 0.1 to 10 mm in width and of arbitrary length for the first
pattern component 3 in the illustrated exemplary embodiment.
[0041] The rotund shapes of the second pattern component 4 in the
exemplary embodiment may have similar dimensions with an identical
or similar extent in all spatial directions.
[0042] It is conceivable and possible for further pattern
components which are not illustrated in more detail and have
further cross-sectional shapes which are identical or different
from one another and are from the same or different polymers,
having the same or different sizes, to be added to the two pattern
components 3, 4 which are illustrated in the exemplary
embodiment.
[0043] The invention is not limited to the illustrated exemplary
embodiments. Combinations of the features are particularly possible
and conceivable.
* * * * *