Web Material Structuring Belt with Associating Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing web material structuring belts, particularly laminated papermaking belts, face issues with lamination strength, air permeability, and fiber realignment, leading to imperfections and reduced durability in structured fibrous structures, such as sanitary tissue products, due to inadequate penetration and adhesion between the structuring and support layers.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a web material structuring belt comprising a support layer, a structuring layer, and an associating layer, where the associating layer extends into both layers to enhance penetration, adhesion, and wrapping of components, improving lamination properties and air permeability, and allowing for better fiber realignment and delamination resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the structuring layer is laminated to the support layer at the interface, then the belt structure is formed, but the lamination strength is insufficient and delamination occurs during processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelamination strengthVSAvoiddelamination resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The associating layer penetrates into and wraps around support layer components (yarns, threads, filaments), creating a nested structure where the associating layer is embedded within the support layer matrix. This nesting provides mechanical interlocking that significantly enhances lamination strength and prevents delamination during processing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite structure consisting of three distinct layers: structuring layer, associating layer, and support layer. The associating layer acts as an intermediate composite material that bonds the structuring and support layers together, providing both structural integrity and delamination resistance through its penetrating and wrapping characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If the structuring layer does not penetrate into the support layer, then the belt manufacturing is simplified, but the lamination quality and adhesion are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebelt manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidlamination quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The associating layer is designed to penetrate into and wrap around support layer components, creating a nested configuration that enhances lamination quality. This nesting provides mechanical interlocking and strong adhesion between layers, achieving high lamination quality while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity through the systematic integration of the three-layer structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Manufacturing precision

If the structuring layer extends entirely through the support layer, then the fiber realignment is maximized, but the air permeability is excessively reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber realignmentVSAvoidair permeability reduction

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The associating layer is designed with localized penetration depth that does not extend entirely through the support layer. This local quality approach allows sufficient fiber realignment and structure formation in the contact zone while maintaining air permeability in the deeper regions of the support layer, thus balancing manufacturing precision with harmful factor reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The support layer is designed with porous characteristics that maintain air permeability even with the presence of the associating layer. The porous structure allows air flow necessary for drying operations while the associating layer provides sufficient fiber realignment, thus reducing harmful air permeability reduction without compromising manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

4Strength

If the associating layer wraps around support layer components, then the lamination strength is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelamination strengthVSAvoidbelt structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The associating layer wraps around support layer components (yarns, threads, filaments) to create a nested structure that enhances lamination strength. While this increases structural complexity compared to simple lamination, the systematic three-layer design provides a organized and manufacturable solution that balances strength enhancement with acceptable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS20230138680A1Web material structuring belt, method for making and method for using

Publication Date: 2023.05.04 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

Web material structuring belts that impart structure to a web material during a web material structuring operation and/or structured web material forming operation, method for making same and methods for using same to make structured web materials, for example structured fibrous structures, such as structured sanitary tissue products such as structured toilet tissue, structured paper towels and structured facial tissue are provided.