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.

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 w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[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.

[0014] Moreover, according to an embodiment of the present invention the warp yarn has a cross-sectional area between 0.125 and 2.00 mm2 for the flat or profiled yarns and between 0.05 and 0.79 mm2 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.

Problems solved by technology

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.

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.

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