Extruded reinforced industrial belt with embedded layer

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an extruded industrial fabric. The method for producing the industrial fabric involves crosshead extrusion of a first layer of polymer matrix material together with linear components. The linear components crosshead extruded together with the polymer matrix material may be a continuous system oriented longitudinally. A nonwoven fabric layer is provided on the surface of the first layer of polymer matrix material, and a second layer of polymer matrix material is extruded onto the nonwoven fabric layer of the material. The first layer of polymer matrix material at least partially contains the linear components. The front side of the industrial fabric may be smooth or may include a surface pattern or design. The back side may be smooth (planar), may have variable roughness, or may include needled fibers incorporated into the fabric or belt structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0001] This disclosure relates to fabrics for extrusion molding industry. Industrial fabrics such as belts are produced by crosshead extrusion of a first layer of polymeric matrix material along with linear components oriented in the machine direction. An internal nonwoven layer is embedded between the first layer of polymeric matrix material and the second layer of polymeric matrix material.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] During the papermaking process, a web of cellulose fibers is formed by depositing a fibrous slurry, i.e., an aqueous dispersion of cellulose fibers, onto a forming fabric that moves in the forming section of a paper machine. A large amount of water is discharged from the slurry through the forming fabric, leaving a web of cellulose fibers on the surface of the forming fabric.

[0003]

[0003] The newly formed web of cellulose fibers advances from the forming section to a pressing section that includes a series of press nips. The web of cellulose fibers passes through a press nip supported by a press fabric or, in most cases, between two such press fabrics. In the press nip, the web of cellulose fibers is subjected to a compressive force that squeezes out water therefrom and causes the cellulose fibers in the web to adhere to each other, resulting in the web of cellulose fibers becoming a paper sheet. The water is received by one or more press fabrics and ideally does not return to the paper sheet.

[0004]

[0004] Finally, the paper sheet advances to a dryer section that includes at least a series of rotatable dryer drums or cylinders that are internally heated by steam. The newly formed paper sheet is guided by a dryer fabric that holds the paper sheet in proximity to the surface of the drum through a continuous serpentine path surrounding each of the series of drums. The heated drums reduce the water content of the paper sheet to a desired level by evaporation.

[0005]

[0005] It should be understood that the forming cloth, pressing cloth, and drying cloth all form an endless loop on the paper machine and function like a conveyor. Furthermore, it should be understood that paper production is a continuous process that proceeds at a considerable speed. That is, the fibrous slurry is continuously piled on top of the forming cloth in the forming section, and the newly produced paper sheets are continuously wound onto rolls after coming out of the drying section.

[0006]

[0006] Patterning belts in the papermaking and nonwoven fields are used to create three-dimensional nonwoven fabrics, tissues, or towels. Typically, these belts are employed, for example, before or during the drying step of the papermaking process, where increasing variations in the thickness of the belts can directly give the thickness, bulk, and three-dimensional patterning of the resulting patterned product, such as rolled articles. For this type of patterning belt, there is usually a base fabric for, for example, dimensional stability and load-bearing properties. These belts often have an upper surface of a second layer added to the base fabric, particularly to give thickness, surface pattern, and bulk. This upper surface may be made from a thermoplastic or thermosetting material and may be applied directly in a molten or liquid form, or it may be produced first as a sheet and then bonded to the surface of the base fabric of the belt. The bonding may be chemical, thermal, or a combination thereof. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007]

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to industrial fabrics. The industrial fabric comprises a first layer and a second layer of extruded polymer matrix material, further comprising an internal nonwoven fabric layer between the first layer and the second layer. The first layer of extruded polymer matrix material encapsulates linear components arranged in the longitudinal direction (MD) of the fabric. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008]

[0008] In some embodiments, the industrial fabric is impermeable. In other embodiments, the industrial fabric is permeable.

[0009]

[0009] In certain embodiments, the internal nonwoven fabric layer is selected from the group consisting of butt fibers, needled fibers, needled butt fibers, spunlaid (spunbond) materials, airlaid nonwoven fabric materials, meltblown materials, (water-entangled) spunlace materials, spunmelt / SMS materials, and wetlaid materials.

[0010]

[0010] In some embodiments, the extruded polymer material of the first layer and / or the second layer is impregnated into the internal nonwoven fabric layer.

[0011]

[0011] In certain embodiments, the first layer of polymer material partially encapsulates one or more linear components. In other specific embodiments, the first layer of polymer material completely encapsulates one or more, or all, of the linear components.

[0012]

[0012] In some embodiments, the linear component is a thread.

[0013]

[0013] In yet another embodiment, the linear component is selected from the group consisting of multifilaments, monofilament yarns, strings, spun yarns, tapes, twisted yarns, and untwisted yarns.

[0014]

[0014] In further embodiments, the linear components may be substantially parallel to each other, substantially on the same plane, or on multiple planes.

[0015]

[0015] In certain embodiments, the linear components have an elastic modulus sufficient to be load-bearing.

[0016]

[0016] In further embodiments, the linear components are crosshead extruded together with a first layer of polymer material.

[0017]

[0017] In certain embodiments, the linear components are selected from the group consisting of thermosetting plastics, carbon, glass, polyester, and polyamide.

[0018]

[0018] In certain embodiments, all linear components are of the same size and material.

[0019]

[0019] In other specific embodiments, the linear component includes a first linear component and a second linear component, wherein the first linear component is of a first size and / or a first material, and the second linear component is of a second size and / or a second material.

[0020]

[0020] In further specific embodiments, the linear component includes a first linear component and a second linear component, wherein portions of the first linear component and the second linear component are of the same size and / or material.

[0021]

[0021] In certain embodiments, at least one of the first and second extruded polymer layers includes a reinforcing material selected from the group consisting of fibers, nanoparticles, nanomaterials, fibrous materials, glass, carbon, inorganic fillers, polymer materials, and combinations thereof.

[0022]

[0022] In further embodiments, the reinforcing material is incorporated throughout or in part of the first or second extruded polymer layer.

[0023]

[0023] In certain embodiments, the first extruded polymer layer includes a reinforcing material.

[0024]

[0024] In certain embodiments, at least one of the extrusion-molded polymer matrix materials of the first layer and the second layer is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic substance, polyurethane, copolyester, copolyamide, hot melt adhesive, a copolymer of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and acrylic acid, a copolymer of polyester elastomer and TPU, and a copolymer of polyamide elastomer and TPU.

[0025]

[0025] In certain embodiments, the extrusion-molded polymer matrix material of the first layer is the same as the extrusion-molded polymer matrix material of the second layer.

[0026]

[0026] In other embodiments, the extrusion-molded polymer matrix material of the first layer is different from the extrusion-molded polymer matrix material of the second layer.

[0027]

[0027] In certain embodiments, the industrial fabric includes a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side are planar, and one or more linear components do not extend through the first side or the second side.

[0028]

[0028] In other certain embodiments, the first side includes a pattern.

[0029]

(0029)

[0030]

[0030] In still further certain embodiments, the pattern on the first side is formed by an additive process.

[0031]

[0031] In still further certain embodiments, the pattern on the first side is formed by a subtractive process.

[0032] Note: There seems to be a minor error in the original text where it says "

(0029)

(0029)

[0032] In yet another further specific embodiment, the pattern on the first side is formed by a resin deposition technique selected from the group consisting of three-dimensional printing techniques and inkjet printing techniques.

[0033]

[0033] In a particular embodiment, the nonwoven industrial fabric is a conveyor belt and a papermaking machine fabric / papermaking fabric ("PMC") which is a formed fabric, a press fabric, a dryer fabric, a shoe press belt, a conveyor belt, a winding belt, a breathable dry ("TAD") fabric, an indentation fabric, a high energy efficiency technology advanced dry ("eTAD") fabric, an advanced tissue forming system ("ATMOS") fabric or belt, a new tissue technology ("NTT") fabric or belt, or a structured fabric, and double The industrial fabric is selected from the group consisting of nip thickening tank ("DNT") cloth, belt filters, pulp washing machines, belts, cloths, or sleeves for the production of airlaid, spunbond, meltspun, and water-entangled nonwoven materials, belts for the production of building materials, belts for the production of oriented strand board ("OSB"), fiber cement belts, corrugator belts, textile finishing belts, shrink-proofing belts, tanning belts, and tanning sleeves. In a further specific embodiment, the industrial fabric is a papermaking belt.

[0034]

[0034] In a particular embodiment, all linear components in the industrial fabric are arranged on the MD.

[0035]

[0035] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming an industrial cloth, the method includes the steps of: preparing linear components arranged in the longitudinal direction (MD) of the cloth; extruding a first layer of a polymer matrix material, which is a first layer having a first outer side and a first inner side by encapsulating one or more linear components; extruding a second layer of the polymer matrix material, which includes a second outer side and a second inner side; and preparing a third layer, which is an internal nonwoven fabric layer located between the first inner side of the first layer and the second inner side of the second layer.

[0036]

[0036] In a further embodiment of the method for forming an industrial fabric, the internal nonwoven fabric layer is selected from the group consisting of butt fibers, needled fibers, needled butt fibers, spunlaid (spunbond) materials, airlaid nonwoven fabric materials, meltblown materials, (water-entangled) spunlace materials, spunmelt / SMS materials, and wetlaid materials.

[0037]

[0037] In yet another embodiment of the method for forming an industrial fabric, a helical structure is formed by the step of extruding a first layer of a polymer matrix material.

[0038]

[0038] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming an industrial fabric, the linear components are threads.

[0039]

[0039] In a further specific embodiment of the method for forming an industrial fabric, the linear components are selected from the group consisting of multifilaments, monofilament yarns, cords, spun yarns, tapes, twisted yarns, and untwisted yarns.

[0040]

[0040] In certain embodiments of the method for forming industrial fabric, the linear components may be substantially parallel to each other, substantially on the same plane, or on multiple planes.

[0041]

[0041] In a further specific embodiment of the method for forming industrial fabric, the linear components have a high modulus of elasticity.

[0042]

[0042] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming an industrial cloth, a first layer of polymer matrix material is crosshead extruded together with linear components.

[0043]

[0043] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming an industrial fabric, the linear components include a material selected from the group consisting of thermosetting plastics, carbon, glass, polyester, and polyamide.

[0044]

[0044] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming an industrial fabric, at least one of the first and second layers of the extruded polymer matrix material is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastics, polyurethanes, copolyesters, copolyamides, hot melt adhesives, copolymers of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and acrylic acid, copolymers of polyester elastomers and TPUs, and copolymers of polyamide elastomers and TPUs.

[0045]

[0045] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming an industrial cloth, the industrial cloth includes a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being planar, and no linear components extend through the first side or the second side.

[0046]

[0046] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming an industrial fabric, the first side includes a pattern.

[0047]

[0047] In a further specific embodiment of the method for forming the industrial fabric, the pattern on the first side is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of laser etching, mechanical etching, embossing, and resin deposition.

[0048]

[0048] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming industrial fabric, the pattern on the first side is formed by an additive process.

[0049]

[0049] In a particular embodiment of the method for forming industrial fabric, the pattern on the first side is formed by a subtractive process.

[0050]

[0050] In a further specific embodiment of the method for forming the industrial fabric, the pattern on the first side is formed by a resin deposition technique selected from the group consisting of 3D printing techniques and inkjet printing techniques.

[0051]

[0051] In a particular embodiment of a method for forming industrial fabric, the industrial fabric is a conveyor belt and papermaking fabric / papermaking fabric ("PMC") which is a formed fabric, press fabric, dryer fabric, shoe press belt, conveyor belt, winding belt, air-dried ("TAD") fabric, indentation fabric, high energy efficiency technology advanced drying ("eTAD") fabric, advanced tissue forming system ("ATMOS") fabric or belt, new tissue technology ("NTT") fabric or belt, or structured fabric. Selected from the group consisting of C, double nip thickening tank ("DNT") cloth, belt filters, pulp washing machines, belts, cloths, or sleeves for the production of airlaid, spunbond, meltspun, and water-entangled nonwoven materials, belts for the production of building materials, belts for the production of oriented strand board ("OSB"), fiber cement belts, corrugator belts, textile finishing belts, shrink-proofing belts, tanning belts, and tanning sleeves. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0052] [Figure 1A]

[0052] This is a cross-sectional view in the width direction (CD) of the cloth or belt of the present disclosure before a second layer (21) of polymer matrix material is extruded onto a layer of nonwoven fabric material (20). [Figure 1B]

[0053] This is a cross-sectional view of the cloth or belt of the CD in this disclosure. [Figure 2]

[0054] This is a cross-sectional view of a CD of the fabric of the present invention, showing additional patterning that can be achieved by depositing resin onto the surface of the fabric of the present disclosure. [Figure 3]

[0055] This figure shows a continuous additive pattern (where the dark areas are the additives) that can be achieved by depositing resin onto the surface of the fabric of this disclosure. [Figure 4]

[0056] This figure shows a discretized addition pattern (dark areas are additions) that can be achieved by depositing resin onto the surface of the fabric of this disclosure. [Figure 5]

[0057] This is a cross-sectional view of the fabric of the present invention in CD view, showing subtractive or removal patterns that may be realized on the front side of the fabric of the present disclosure. [Figure 6]

[0058] This figure shows an apparatus for producing one of the helical configurations of the cloth or belt embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]

[0059] Figure 1B is a perspective view of a partially cut-out section of the fabric of the present invention. [Figure 8]

[0060] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a partially cut-out section of the fabric of the present invention, which includes the additional elements shown in Figure 2. [Figure 9]

[0061] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a partially cut section of the fabric of the present invention, which includes a subtractive element as shown. [Figure 10]

[0062] This chart compares the CD modulus of the industrial fabric of the present invention with that of an industrial fabric without an internal nonwoven fabric layer. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0053]

[0063] The term “equipped” in this disclosure may mean “contain” or may have the meanings generally given to the term “equipped” in U.S. patent law. The term “essentially consisting of” has the meanings attributed to it in U.S. patent law when used in the claims. Other aspects of this disclosure are described herein or known to those skilled in the art after reviewing this disclosure.

[0054]

[0064] The terms “yarn” or “fiber” are used interchangeably in the following disclosure and may refer to monofilaments, multifilament yarns, twisted yarns, processed yarns, coated yarns, otherwise windable materials, and yarns made from elastic break fibers known to those skilled in the art. Yarns may be made from carbon, rayon, fiberglass, cotton, ceramic, aramid, polyester, polyolefin, metal, polyethylene, glass, polyamide, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and / or polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials, as well as / or other materials and forms exhibiting desired physical, thermal, chemical, or other properties. Yarns may further be thermoplastics, thermosetting elastic materials (elastomers), elastic materials with high elasticity (e.g., sufficient to be load-bearing), and / or inelastic materials, and may also be fusible sheath / core yarns having a core with a higher melting point than the surrounding sheath.

[0055]

[0065] Where used in the following disclosures, the terms “longitudinal direction (MD)” and “width direction (CD)” are used according to their meanings as they are commonly understood in the art. That is, for industrial fabrics such as belts, MD refers to the direction in which the industrial fabric moves in a manufacturing process, such as the process of making tissue / towels or nonwoven fabrics, and CD refers to the direction perpendicular to the MD of the industrial fabric.

[0056]

[0066] This disclosure relates to industrial fabrics, such as belts, used, for example, in the papermaking field or similar fields. A first layer of extruded polymer matrix material is crosshead extruded together with linear components. A layer of nonwoven material is provided on the first layer of extruded polymer matrix material, and a second layer of extruded polymer matrix material is provided on the layer of nonwoven material, so that the layer of nonwoven material is sandwiched between the first and second layers of extruded polymer matrix material. In certain embodiments, the layer of nonwoven material has substantially the same length and width as the first and / or second extruded polymer matrix layer. In further embodiments, this layer of nonwoven material improves the CD tensile properties of the industrial fabric.

[0057]

[0067] Typically, the first and / or second layers of the extruded polymer material completely impregnate the nonwoven layer. For example, in a particular embodiment, about 50% of the nonwoven layer is first impregnated into the first extruded polymer matrix material layer, and then the second polymer matrix material layer is extruded and impregnated into the remaining 50% of the nonwoven layer. This completely impregnates the nonwoven material layer with the polymer matrix material. In this embodiment, the polymer matrix material is equal amounts of polymer matrix material from the first and second extruded polymer matrix material layers. Furthermore, a portion of the second layer typically remains above the nonwoven material layer without impregnation. Similarly, a portion of the first layer typically remains below the nonwoven material layer without impregnation.

[0058]

[0068] The linear component may be a continuous system such as a thread, string, tape, or similar windable material. The linear component may be tensile and / or flexible. In certain embodiments, the linear component has a sufficiently high modulus of elasticity to be load-bearing. The linear component of the present invention may comprise any suitable material, such as elastic or inelastic thermosetting plastics, thermoplastics, carbon, rayon, fiberglass, cotton, ceramics, aramid, polyester, metal, polyethylene, glass, polyamide, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and / or polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials, as well as / or other materials and forms exhibiting desired physical, thermal, chemical, or other properties. Further embodiments of the linear component include a linear component comprising a coating, wherein the linear component comprises a core and a fusible sheath, and the core material has a lower melting point than the sheath material.

[0059]

[0069] Linear components, such as threads, are arranged on the medium-density (MD) of the industrial fabric of the present invention. The linear components may be arranged adjacent to each other on the MD and separated from each other by a specific distance. In some embodiments, the linear components are arranged on the MD in substantially parallel arrays. In further embodiments, the linear components lie substantially on the same plane. In other embodiments, the linear components lie on different planes. In further embodiments, the industrial fabric includes multiple planes of linear components, where the planes are not parallel to each other, either entirely or partially. In yet another embodiment, at least two linear components lie on planes parallel to each other, while other linear components in the industrial fabric lie on planes that are not parallel to the planes of at least two linear components.

[0060]

[0070] The industrial fabric of the present invention may comprise one or more layers of linear components extending in the MD, at least partially encapsulated by a polymer matrix material of a first layer. In certain embodiments, one or more linear components are completely encapsulated by the polymer matrix material of the first layer. In some embodiments, all linear components in the fabric of the present invention are completely encapsulated by the polymer matrix material of the first layer. In certain embodiments, the linear components are treated to be chemically bonded to the matrix material of the first layer. This treatment (e.g., a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex "RFL" coating) may be a chemical coating applied to the linear components that bonds to the linear components, bonds to the polymer matrix of the first layer, and is designed to be resistant to hydrolysis when exposed by perforation of the final fabric.

[0061]

[0071] The linear components in the industrial fabric of the present invention may vary in number, material composition, and / or size (e.g., yarn diameter). In certain embodiments, two or more linear components are each made of the same material and / or are the same size (e.g., diameter). In some embodiments, the industrial fabric of the present invention comprises first and second linear components, where one or more first linear components are made of the same material and / or are the same size, while one or more second linear components are made of a different material and / or are different size from the first linear components. In other embodiments, all linear components are made of the same material and / or are the same size.

[0062]

[0072] In manufacturing the industrial fabric of the present invention, typically, flakes of polymer matrix material (e.g., resin) are extruded longitudinally along with linear components to form a fabric such as a belt. This extrusion of the first layer of polymer matrix material and linear components can be characterized as crosshead extrusion, i.e., simultaneous extrusion or co-extrusion. Crosshead extrusion may be used in this operation, in which the first layer of polymer matrix material is molten and extruded together with pre-fabricated linear components. Some embodiments may use extrusions that are only a few inches (about 5-8 cm) wide.

[0063]

[0073] The industrial fabric of the present invention may be produced in the form of an endless belt or in a flat form.

[0064]

[0074] A first layer of polymer matrix material, such as a resin, encapsulates one or more linear components. Encapsulating one or more linear components in the first layer of polymer matrix material binds the linear components together to form the first layer of the industrial fabric of the present invention. In some embodiments, one or more linear components are partially encapsulated in the matrix material. In other embodiments, one or more linear components are entirely encapsulated in the matrix material. In certain embodiments, all linear components in the industrial fabric of the present invention are entirely encapsulated by the polymer matrix material. In various embodiments of the present invention, all linear components in the industrial fabric are located in the MD of the first polymer layer. In these embodiments, no linear components are located in the CD of the first polymer layer, nor in the MD or CD of the second polymer layer.

[0065]

[0075] The polymer matrix material of the first layer (e.g., resin) can be made of any suitable polymer material for encapsulating one or more linear components. It is assumed that one or more of many different extrudeable polymer systems may be used, and this polymer system may include, but is not limited to, thermoplastics, polyurethanes, copolyesters, copolyamides, hot melt adhesives, copolymers of thermoplastic polyurethane and acrylic acid, polyester elastomers, and polyamide elastomers, and may include coefficient of friction (COF) modifiers. Typically, the polymer matrix material of the first layer of industrial fabric will have a lower melting temperature than that of the linear components.

[0066]

[0076] In addition, the polymer matrix material of the first layer may be further reinforced by fibrous inclusions such as carbon, glass, spunbond polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, or similar materials such as polymer fibers, airlaid, tightly woven fabrics, etc. The polymer matrix material may further include spunbond, spunlace, meltblown, or needled fibrous structures or fabrics to enhance the integrity and overall strength of the fabric. Similarly, the polymer matrix material may be further reinforced by fibrous inclusions such as nanoparticles, nanomaterials, inorganic filler particles (e.g., clay, SiO2), and / or, but not limited to, glass, carbon, inorganic fillers, or polymer materials, thereby enhancing the physical properties of the resulting matrix. Reinforcing materials such as nanoparticles or nanomaterials may be incorporated throughout the entire first layer of the polymer matrix material, or incorporated into one or more portions of the first layer of the polymer matrix material. In certain embodiments, the reinforcing materials such as nanoparticles or nanomaterials are incorporated evenly throughout the entire first layer of the polymer matrix material.

[0067]

[0077] The polymer matrix material of the second layer can be made of any suitable polymer material, such as those disclosed for the first layer. It is assumed that one or more of many different extrudeable polymer systems may be used, and these polymer systems may include, but are not limited to, thermoplastics, polyurethanes, copolyesters, copolyamides, hot melt adhesives, copolymers of thermoplastic polyurethanes and acrylic acids, polyester elastomers, and polyamide elastomers, and may include coefficient of friction (COF) modifiers.

[0068]

[0078] In addition, the polymer matrix material of the second layer may be further reinforced by fibrous inclusions such as carbon, glass, spunbond polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, or similar materials such as polymer fibers, airlaids, tightly woven fabrics, etc. The polymer matrix material may further include spunbond, spunlace, meltblown, or needled fibrous structures or fabrics to enhance the integrity and overall strength of the fabric. Similarly, the polymer matrix material may be further reinforced by fibrous inclusions such as nanoparticles, nanomaterials, inorganic filler particles (e.g., clay, SiO2), and / or, but not limited to, glass, carbon, inorganic fillers, or polymer materials, thereby enhancing the physical properties of the resulting matrix. Reinforcing materials such as nanoparticles or nanomaterials may be incorporated throughout the entire second layer of the polymer matrix material, or incorporated into one or more portions of the second layer of the polymer matrix material. In certain embodiments, reinforcing materials such as nanoparticles or nanomaterials are incorporated evenly throughout the entire second layer of the polymer matrix material.

[0069]

[0079] In some embodiments, either the first extruded polymer layer or the second extruded polymer layer, or both of the first and second extruded polymer layers, comprises a COF modifier. For example, in certain embodiments, the first extruded polymer layer (e.g., the back side of the fabric or the machine side) comprises a siloxane low-friction additive to impart abrasion-side slipperiness to the industrial fabric.

[0070]

[0080] In some embodiments, the front or paper side of the industrial cloth of the present invention is provided with a coating or film, for example, to enhance the adhesion of the sheet. The coating may be sprayed, coated, or extruded. Other coatings, or in some embodiments, films, may be applied to the front and / or machine side of the industrial cloth of the present invention, taking into consideration hydrophobicity or other specific properties. In certain embodiments, a material is applied to the front surface of the cloth of the present invention as a coating to improve the adhesion of the sheet. The coating or film may be applied to the cloth of the present invention, which is impermeable, permeable, or has both impermeable and permeable portions.

[0071]

[0081] In some embodiments, the first extruded polymer layer and the second extruded polymer layer may be made of the same material. In other embodiments, the first layer and the second layer may be made of different materials.

[0072]

[0082] The internal nonwoven fabric layer between the first and second layers of the polymer material may be butt fibers, needled fibers, needled butt fibers, spunlaid (spunbond) material, airlaid nonwoven fabric material, meltblown material, (water-entangled) spunlace material, spunmelt / SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) material, wetlaid material, or similar material. Furthermore, by adding a nonwoven fabric layer between the first and second layers of the polymer matrix material, an improvement in the widthwise tensile properties is expected in many embodiments of industrial fabrics. For example, in certain embodiments, the additional layer of nonwoven fabric material is intended to stabilize the widthwise properties of the industrial fabric.

[0073]

[0083] A fabric such as a belt according to this disclosure is typically extruded and includes a first layer of polymer matrix material comprising linear components. The first layer of polymer matrix material forms a first outer side and a first inner side. The first outer side forms the bottom (typically the back) of the fabric or belt. An inner layer of nonwoven material (e.g., but not limited to but including but not limited to butt fibers, needled fibers, spunbond material, etc.) lies on the first inner side of the first layer of polymer material. A second layer of polymer material is extruded, for example, onto the layer of nonwoven material to form a second outer side and a second inner side. The second inner side lies on the inner layer of nonwoven material, and the second outer side forms the top (typically the front or paper side) of the fabric or belt. Typically, the first and / or second layers of extruded polymer material are completely impregnated into the nonwoven layer, and the length and width of this nonwoven layer are usually substantially the same as those of the first and / or second extruded polymer layer. In certain embodiments, approximately 50% of the nonwoven fabric layer is first impregnated into the first interior side of the first extruded polymer matrix material layer, and then the second interior side of the second polymer matrix material layer is extruded and impregnated into the remaining 50% of the nonwoven fabric layer. This completely impregnates the nonwoven fabric layer with the polymer matrix material. In this embodiment, the polymer matrix material is equal amounts of polymer matrix material from the first and second extruded polymer layers. Furthermore, a portion of the second extruded polymer layer typically remains above the nonwoven fabric layer without impregnation. Similarly, a portion of the first extruded polymer layer typically remains below the nonwoven fabric layer without impregnation.

[0074]

[0084] The industrial fabrics of the present invention, such as belts, can be used in a considerable number of industrial processes, including papermaking processes. In some embodiments, the industrial fabrics of the present invention include papermachine clothing such as formed fabrics, pressed fabrics, dryer fabrics, shoe press belts, conveyor belts, winding belts, through-air drying ("TAD") fabrics, impression fabrics, energy-efficient technologically advanced drying ("eTAD") fabrics, advanced tissue molding system ("ATMOS") fabrics or belts, new tissue technology ("NTT") fabrics or belts, structured fabrics, and double nip thickener ("DNT") fabrics, belt filters, pulp washing machine fabrics, belts / fabrics / sleeves for the production of nonwoven fabrics (e.g., airlaid, spunbond, meltspun, water-entangled), and building materials (e.g., oriented strand board ("OSB")). Suitable for use as engineered fabric (EF) such as belts for producing boards, fiber cement belts, corrugated belts, textile finishing belts (e.g., shrink-proof belts), or leather tanning belts or sleeves.

[0075]

[0085] To optimize a cloth (e.g., a belt) for use in dewatering processes such as forming, pressing, or drying sections, and for use as a conveyor belt in a paper machine or tissue production machine, the surface should include a pattern on the front side to allow for a uniform pressure distribution and / or to be imprinted on the paper, board, tissue, or other material produced thereon. In certain embodiments, cloths or belts including a patterned or unpatterned front side may be used in industrial applications such as the production of nonwovens, spunlace, building materials, tissue, towels, boards, shingles, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and similar products. The cloth or belt may be configured to include a front and back side formed from polymer matrices of second and first polymer layers, respectively, so as to be impermeable to gases and / or liquids such as water. However, in other specific embodiments, the cloth or belt may include perforations formed by penetrating it by mechanical means, lasers, or similar means to provide permeability to gases and / or liquids. In yet another embodiment, the industrial fabric may include both permeable sections or portions and opaque sections or portions.

[0076]

[0086] In certain embodiments, the patterning on the front side (or "paper side") may vary in depth to the maximum thickness of the final product produced thereon (e.g., tissue or towel), if patterned by methods such as laser, etching, or other types of surface removal techniques (similar to gravure printing or negative relief). The patterning may be prepared by techniques such as embossing (e.g., from a patterned roll, belt, or other patterned medium), or by resin deposition on a surface (similar to letterpress printing or positive relief). The resin deposition may be applied by three-dimensional printing techniques such as inkjet printing or other resin injection molding techniques. A wide variety of pattern elements may be produced, including, but not limited to, continuous or discontinuous lines, dots, logos, figures, images, handwritten letters, and text. In certain embodiments, pattern elements are selected from circles, polygons, lines, curves, letters, numbers, words, logos, waves, slits, pictures, trademarks, and / or any desired shape, or any combination of shapes that generate any random or aligned desired pattern. In certain embodiments, circles are round or ellipses. In yet other embodiments, polygons are selected from triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, rhombuses, diamond shapes, and / or stars.

[0077]

[0087] The patterns applied to products produced on the industrial fabric of the present invention are typically realized on the front side of the fabric of the present invention in configurations such as inverted, reversed, or recessed, thereby imprinting the corresponding desired image onto paper, board, tissue or other product material produced on the industrial fabric of the present invention, such as a belt.

[0078]

[0088] Applications of the industrial fabric of the present invention include, but are not limited to, plain (unpatterned) configurations used as NTT belts or conveyor belts, patterned configurations used as opaque NTT belts, laser-drilled patterned configurations used as transparent NTT belts, or belts with both patterned and laser-drilled patterns.

[0079]

[0089] In certain embodiments, the industrial fabric of the present invention may be produced by a helical winding method. For example, a resin extrusion machine is provided to crosshead extrude a first layer of polymer matrix material together with linear components received from a creel. The fragments of the first layer of polymer matrix material, containing the linear components, are helically wound around two parallel support bars (the distance between the parallel support bars defines the length of the resulting industrial fabric), so that adjacent passing portions of the extruded material are bonded together. Similarly, a second layer of polymer matrix material (e.g., without linear components) may be applied using helical winding techniques. Certain embodiments use material with uncured bonds sufficient to withstand solidification in order to form many fragments into a single strip. Other options for forming bonds between fragments are high-temperature gas bonding, infrared bonding, and laser bonding.

[0080]

[0090] In certain embodiments, the helical winding technique may provide channels on the perforated back side of an industrial fabric (e.g., a belt) that are useful for dewatering, guiding, and / or stabilizing. In other embodiments, the back side may be smooth (planar), or may have a variable roughness (including, but not limited to, polishing, added fibers, or patterning) depending on the needs of the application, or may contain needled fibers incorporated into the structure of the fabric (e.g., a belt).

[0081]

[0091] Embodiments of the present disclosure are expected to provide improved steady-state performance compared to conventional fabrics. Furthermore, by adding a nonwoven fabric layer between the first and second polymer matrix material layers, improved tensile properties in the cross direction are expected in many embodiments of industrial fabrics or belts. In certain embodiments, incorporating a nonwoven fabric layer between the first and second polymer layers results in at least a twofold improvement, and in various embodiments, the CD (widthwise) modulus is improved by at least eightfold, resulting in improved buckling load resistance compared to fabrics without a nonwoven fabric layer. This performance improvement is expected to be a function of buckling resistance at lower overall thickness and basis weight.

[0082]

[0092] More specifically, bending stiffness = M × I (where M is the modulus of elasticity in the width direction (CD) and I is the moment of bending inertia about the center in the longitudinal direction (MD) along CD), and I = bh 3 Assuming / 12 (where h is the thickness of the product), in a particular embodiment, the purpose of the nonwoven reinforcement layer is to improve CD stability and resistance to buckling on a crowned roll by increasing M while decreasing I, and to provide the lightest possible product for the desired industrial application.

[0083]

[0093] A bending stiffness test was conducted comparing the industrial fabric of the present invention with an industrial fabric without a nonwoven fabric reinforcement layer, and the CD modulus was determined for each fabric. The results of these tests are summarized in Table I and Figure 10 below. These results demonstrate that when the first layer has MD linear components, the CD modulus increases by more than eight times by incorporating an internal nonwoven fabric reinforcement layer between the first and second polymer layers. [Table 1]

[0084]

[0094] Referring here to the drawings in detail, we can see that Figures 1A, 1B, and 2 show a first layer of the industrial fabric 10 of the present disclosure. The linear components 12 are oriented longitudinally and typically have a high modulus of elasticity, thereby providing the fabric 10 with reinforcement, particularly under longitudinal tensile loads. The linear components 12 are substantially parallel to each other and may lie substantially on the same plane. The linear components 12 may be a continuous system such as yarn, cord, tape, or similar windable material, but are not limited to these. The linear components 12 may also be composed as multifilaments, monofilament yarns, or spun yarns.

[0085]

[0095] The linear component 12 is crosshead extruded together with a polymer matrix material such as resin, so that the linear component 12 is incorporated into a first layer of resin matrix 14, forming a first layer of resin or polymer matrix 14 that forms the lower outer surface 14' and the upper inner surface 14'' (see Figures 1A and 1B). Many different extrudeable polymer resin systems can be used, and they include, but are not limited to, thermoplastics, polyurethanes, copolyesters, copolyamides, hot melt adhesives, copolymers of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and acrylic acid, polyester elastomers, and polyamide elastomers. The linear component 12 of the finished fabric or belt may be completely incorporated by the first layer of resin matrix 14.

[0086]

[0096] In addition, the first layer of the resin matrix 14 may be further reinforced by the inclusion of shreddable fibers 13 (see Figures 1B and 2), such as carbon, glass, spunbond polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, or similar materials such as polymer fibers, airlaid, tightly woven fabrics, etc. The first layer of the resin matrix 14 may further include spunbond, spunlace, meltblown, or needled fiber structures to enhance the integrity and overall strength of the fabric. Similarly, the first layer of the resin matrix 14 may be further reinforced by the inclusion of inorganic filler particles 23 (see Figure 1B), such as nanoparticles, nanomaterials, and / or, but not limited to, glass, carbon, inorganic substances, or polymer materials to enhance the physical properties of the resulting matrix.

[0087]

[0097] As shown in Figures 1A and 1B (showing the cloth or belt 10 of this disclosure before and after the second layer of polymer matrix material 21 is extruded onto the layer of nonwoven material 20, respectively) and the cutaway perspective view of Figure 7, the layer of nonwoven material 20 is positioned on the upper inner surface 14'' of the first layer of polymer matrix material 14. The layer of nonwoven material 20 may be, for example, butt fiber, needled fiber, needled butt fiber, spunlaid (spunbond) material, airlaid nonwoven material, meltblown material, (water-entangled) spunlace material, spunmelt / SMS material, wetlaid material, or similar material. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1B, the lower inner surface 21' of the second layer of polymer matrix material 21 is positioned relative to the layer of nonwoven material 20 by extrusion of the second layer of polymer matrix material 21 (e.g., material similar to or more of the first layer of polymer matrix material 14) onto the layer of nonwoven material 20. In other words, the layer of nonwoven fabric material 20 is sandwiched or embedded between the upper inner surface 14'' of the first layer of polymer matrix material 14 and the lower inner surface 21' of the second layer of polymer matrix material 21. In this configuration, the upper outer surface 21'' of the second layer of polymer matrix material 21 forms the front side 16 of the industrial fabric 10, while the lower outer surface 14' of the first layer of polymer matrix material 14 forms the back side 18 of the industrial fabric 10.

[0088]

[0098] In certain embodiments, as shown in Figure 1B, a first layer of polymer matrix material 14 completely encloses the linear component 12, thereby forming the back side (or machine side) 18, while a second layer of polymer matrix material 21 forms the front side (or paper side) 16. In certain embodiments, the linear component 12 is not exposed and does not extend through or permeate the front side 16 or back side 18 of the finished cloth 10.

[0089]

[0099] If the industrial fabric 10 is produced in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 6, the sequential extrusion passes (crosshead extrusion of linear components 12 and polymer matrix material 14) can be joined at welding lines 15 to form a first layer, as shown in Figures 1A, 1B, and 6.

[0090]

[0100] To optimize the fabric (e.g., a belt) for use in dewatering processes such as forming, pressing, or drying sections, and for use as a conveyor belt in a paper machine or tissue production machine (such as Valmet's Advantage NTT or other patterned tissue production paper machines), the surface of the front side 16 should be prepared to allow for a uniform pressure distribution and / or a pattern to be imprinted on the paper, board, or tissue produced. Both patterned and unpatterned belts may also be used in other industrial applications such as building materials. In certain embodiments, the industrial fabric, such as a belt, of the present invention is completely impermeable to air and / or water. In other embodiments, the industrial fabric may include both permeable sections or portions and impermeable sections or portions. In other embodiments, the fabric 10 may be perforated by various means (e.g., laser or mechanical) to provide permeability to gases and / or liquids.

[0091]

[0101] Applications of the industrial fabric 10 include, but are not limited to, plain (unpatterned) configurations used as NTT belts or conveyor belts, patterned configurations used as opaque NTT belts, laser-drilled patterned configurations used as transparent NTT belts, or belts with both patterned and laser-drilled patterns.

[0092]

[0102] In certain embodiments, the patterning of the front surface 16, when patterned by additive processing, may vary in depth, for example, up to the maximum thickness of the finished product produced on the fabric. As seen in Figure 2, the front surface 16 may include additive pattern elements 22, which may be formed by processing such as resin deposition onto a resin matrix 21 while maintaining the opacity of the front surface 16. These additive pattern elements 22 may form a continuous additive pattern 22 as shown in Figure 3 (dark areas are additives) or individual / discretized additive patterns as shown in Figure 4 (dark areas are additives). A cut-out perspective view of the fabric 10 of Figure 2 is shown in Figure 8.

[0093]

[0103] Similarly, as shown in Figure 5, the front surface 16 may include subtractive pattern elements 24 such as voids and patterns in the resin matrix 21, which may be formed by material removal such as laser, etching, or other types of surface removal techniques (similar to gravure printing or embossing) while maintaining the opacity of the front surface 16. These subtractive pattern elements 24 may form continuous subtractive patterns as shown in Figure 3 (white areas are subtractive) or individual / discretized subtractive patterns 24 as shown in Figure 4 (white areas are subtractive). A cut-out perspective view of the cloth 10 from Figure 5 is shown in Figure 9.

[0094]

[0104] In summary, patterning can be prepared by techniques such as laser technology or embossing technology (e.g., from a patterned roll, belt, or other patterned medium), or by resin deposition on a surface (e.g., similar to letterpress printing or relief). Resin deposition can be applied by three-dimensional printing techniques such as inkjet printing or other resin injection molding techniques. A wide variety of patterns can be produced, including, but not limited to, continuous or discontinuous lines, dots, logos, figures, images, handwritten letters, and text.

[0095]

[0105] The pattern applied from the fabric 10 to the product is typically realized on the front side of the fabric of the present invention, for example, in a reverse, inverted, or embossed configuration, thereby imprinting the corresponding desired image onto paper, board, tissue or similar product material produced on the industrial fabric, such as a belt, of the present invention.

[0096]

[0106] Figure 6 shows equipment 100 for one method of forming the first layer of industrial cloth 10. A resin extrusion machine 102 is configured to crosshead extrude the resin material of the resin matrix 14 and the material of the linear components 12 received from the spool 104. The fragments of resin material comprising the linear components are helically wound around two parallel support bars 106, 108 (the distance between the parallel support bars 106, 108 defines the length of the resulting industrial cloth 10), and adjacent passing portions of the extruded material are joined together at a welding line 15. Similarly, a second layer of polymer matrix material may be applied using the helical winding technique shown in Figure 6. Certain embodiments use material with uncured bonds sufficient to withstand solidification in order to form many fragments into a single strip. Other options for forming bonds between fragments are hot gas bonding, infrared bonding, and laser bonding.

[0097]

[0107] In certain embodiments, the helical winding technique may provide channels on the perforated back side that aid in dewatering, induction, and stabilization. In other embodiments, the back side may be smooth or planar, have variable roughness, or contain needled fibers incorporated into the fabric or belt structure.

[0098]

[0108] While modifications to the above would be obvious to those skilled in the art, they do not require the invention to be modified in a manner that deviates from its scope. The subsequent claims should be interpreted as extending to such circumstances.

Claims

1. Industrial fabric, A linear component arranged in the longitudinal direction of the aforementioned fabric, A first layer of an extruded polymer matrix material, wherein one or more of the linear components are encapsulated to form a first layer having a first outer side and a first inner side; A second layer of an extruded polymer matrix material, including a second outer side and a second inner side, A third layer is an internal nonwoven fabric layer located between the first inner side of the first layer and the second inner side of the second layer, Industrial fabric equipped with [specific features / features].

2. An industrial fabric according to claim 1, wherein the industrial fabric is impermeable.

3. An industrial fabric according to claim 1, wherein the industrial fabric is permeable.

4. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the internal nonwoven fabric layer is selected from the group consisting of butt fibers, needled fibers, needled butt fibers, spunlaid (spunbond) material, airlaid nonwoven fabric material, meltblown material, (water-entangled) spunlace material, spunmelt / SMS material, and wet-laid material.

5. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the extruded polymer matrix material of the first layer and / or the second layer is impregnated into the internal nonwoven fabric layer.

6. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first layer of the extruded polymer matrix material partially encapsulates one or more of the linear components.

7. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first layer of the extruded polymer matrix material completely encapsulates one or more of the linear components.

8. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first layer of the extruded polymer matrix material completely encloses all of the linear components.

9. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the linear component is a thread.

10. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the linear component is selected from the group consisting of multifilament, monofilament yarn, string, spun yarn, tape, twisted yarn, and untwisted yarn.

11. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the linear components are substantially parallel to one another.

12. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the linear components are substantially on the same plane.

13. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the linear components are located on a plurality of planes.

14. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the linear component has an elastic modulus sufficient to be load-bearing.

15. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the linear components are crosshead extruded together with a first layer of the polymer matrix material.

16. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the linear components include a material selected from the group consisting of thermosetting plastics, carbon, glass, polyester, and polyamide.

17. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein all of the linear components are of the same size and material.

18. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the linear component comprises a first linear component and a second linear component, the first linear component being of a first size and / or a first material, and the second linear component being of a second size and / or a second material.

19. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the linear component comprises a first linear component and a second linear component, and a portion of the first linear component and the second linear component are of the same size and / or material.

20. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein at least one of the first and second extruded polymer layers comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fibers, nanoparticles, nanomaterials, fibrous materials, glass, carbon, inorganic fillers, polymer materials, and combinations thereof.

21. The industrial fabric according to claim 20, wherein the material is a reinforcing material incorporated throughout or in part of the first or second extruded polymer layer.

22. The industrial fabric according to claim 21, wherein the first extruded polymer layer includes a reinforcing material.

23. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the extruded polymer matrix material of at least one of the first layer and the second layer is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastics, polyurethanes, copolyesters, copolyamides, hot melt adhesives, copolymers of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and acrylic acid, copolymers of polyester elastomers and TPUs, and copolymers of polyamide elastomers and TPUs.

24. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the extruded polymer matrix material of the first layer is the same as the extruded polymer matrix material of the second layer.

25. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the extruded polymer matrix material of the first layer is different from the extruded polymer matrix material of the second layer.

26. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 25, comprising a first side and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side are planar, and one or more of the linear components do not extend through the first side or the second side.

27. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the second outer side of the second extruded polymer matrix material layer includes a pattern.

28. The industrial fabric according to claim 27, wherein the pattern on the second outer side of the second layer is formed by an additive process and / or a subtractive process.

29. The industrial fabric according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the pattern on the second outer side of the second layer is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of laser etching, mechanical etching, embossing, and resin deposition.

30. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein the pattern on the second outer side of the second layer is formed by a resin deposition technique selected from the group consisting of three-dimensional printing technology and inkjet printing technology.

31. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 30, comprising: a conveyor belt; a papermaking machine fabric ("PMC") which is a formed fabric, a press fabric, a dryer fabric, a shoe press belt, a conveyor belt, a winding belt, a breathable dry ("TAD") fabric, an indentation fabric, a high energy efficiency technology advanced dry ("eTAD") fabric, an advanced tissue molding system ("ATMOS") fabric or belt, a new tissue technology ("NTT") fabric or belt, or a structured fabric; and a double nip Industrial fabrics selected from the group consisting of: concentrated tank ("DNT") fabrics; belt filters; pulp washing machines; belts, fabrics, or sleeves for the production of airlaid, spunbond, meltspun, and water-entangled nonwoven materials; belts for the production of building materials; belts for the production of oriented strand board ("OSB"); fiber cement belts; corrugator belts; textile finishing belts; shrink-proofing belts; tanning belts; and tanning sleeves.

32. The industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 31, wherein the industrial fabric is a papermaking ("PMC") belt.

33. An industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein all linear components are arranged on the medium-distance (MD) axis.

34. A method for forming an industrial fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 33, The steps include preparing linear components arranged in the longitudinal direction (MD) of the fabric, The steps include: extruding a first layer of a polymer matrix material, which has a first outer side and a first inner side by encapsulating one or more linear components; The steps include extruding a second layer of polymer matrix material, which includes a second outer side and a second inner side, The steps include preparing a third layer, which is an internal nonwoven fabric layer located between the first internal side of the first layer and the second internal side of the second layer, A method that includes this.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the internal nonwoven fabric layer is selected from the group consisting of butt fibers, needled fibers, needled butt fibers, spunlaid (spunbond) materials, airlaid nonwoven fabric materials, meltblown materials, (water-entangled) spunlace materials, spunmelt / SMS materials, and wetlaid materials.

36. A method according to claim 34 or 35, wherein a helical structure is formed by the step of extruding a first layer of the polymer matrix material.

37. A method according to any one of claims 34 to 36, wherein the linear component is a thread.

38. A method according to any one of claims 34 to 37, comprising the step of crosshead extruding a first layer of the polymer matrix material together with the linear components.

39. A method according to any one of claims 34 to 38, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the extruded polymer matrix material is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastics, polyurethanes, copolyesters, copolyamides, hot melt adhesives, copolymers of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and acrylic acid, copolymers of polyester elastomers and TPUs, and copolymers of polyamide elastomers and TPUs.

40. A method according to any one of claims 34 to 39, wherein the second outer side of the second extruded polymer matrix material layer includes a pattern.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the pattern on the second outer side of the second layer is formed by an additive process and / or a subtractive process.

42. A method according to claim 40 or 41, wherein the pattern on the second outer side of the second layer is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of laser etching, mechanical etching, embossing, and resin deposition.

43. A method according to any one of claims 40 to 42, wherein the pattern on the second outer side of the second layer is formed by a resin deposition technique selected from the group consisting of 3D printing techniques and inkjet printing techniques.

44. A method according to any one of claims 34 to 43, wherein the industrial fabric is a conveyor belt and; a papermaking machine fabric ("PMC") which is a formed fabric, a press fabric, a dryer fabric, a shoe press belt, a conveyor belt, a winding belt, a breathable dryer ("TAD") fabric, an indentation fabric, a high energy efficiency technology advanced dryer ("eTAD") fabric, an advanced tissue molding system ("ATMOS") fabric or belt, a new tissue technology ("NTT") fabric or belt, or a structured fabric and; double A method selected from the group consisting of nip thickening tank ("DNT") cloth; belt filter; pulp washing machine; belt, cloth, or sleeve for the production of airlaid, spunbond, meltspun, and water-entangled nonwoven materials; belt for the production of building materials; belt for the production of oriented strand board ("OSB"); fiber cement belt; corrugator belt; textile finishing belt; shrink-proofing belt; tanning belt; and tanning sleeve.

Images