Albany International Corporation

Bruce Stowe

Dana Eagles

Robert Hansen

Jonas Karlsson

Jon I Montcrieff

Joseph P Botelho

Sabri Mourad

Jerry O'Connor

John J Lafond

Jeffrey Joseph Collegnon

Cynthia Rose Mathe

Joseph Bothelho

Jon Montcrieff

An industrial fabric, belt or sleeve and a method of making the fabric, belt or sleeve are disclosed. The industrial fabric, belt or sleeve is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, and joining the adjoining sides of the strips of material using ultrasonic welding or laser welding techniques. The fabric, belt or sleeve may then be perforated using a suitable technique to make it permeable to air and/or water.

Industrial fabric including spirally wound material strips

An industrial fabric such as an endless belt or sleeve for use in the production of nonwovens, and a method of making thereof are disclosed. The industrial fabric is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, and joining the adjoining sides of the strips of material using ultrasonic welding or laser welding techniques. The fabric may then be perforated using a suitable technique to make it permeable to air and/or water.

A multi-layer tissue forming fabric constructed so that the top forming surface has topographical differences measured as a plane difference between at least two top weft yarns. The plane difference&#x2014;the difference in height between the two weft yarns&#x2014;must be greater than zero. Using at least two different diameter, size, or shape weft yarns positioned at the same contour in the forming surface creates this plane difference and defines pocket areas in the forming surface of the tissue forming fabric. The pocket areas act to generate bulk, cross directional tensile, absorbency, and softness in a formed sheet of tissue, napkin, or towel paper.

Textured surface of a tissue forming fabric to generate bulk, cross directional tensile, absorbency, and softness in a sheet of paper

Growing community of inventors

Neenah, WI, United States of America

Bruce Stowe