Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Nathan J Haiduk

Peter John Allen

Kenneth John Zwick

Robert James Seymour

Frank Stephen Hada

Robert Eugene Krautkramer

Samuel August Nelson

Mark John Hassman

Richard Allen Zanon

Richard Mark Hansen

Daniel Robert Sprangers

Reza Ramazani-Rend

Daniel Keith Lawson

Paul Timothy Baker

Chris Lawler

The disclosure is directed towards a through-air drying system comprising a hood and a rotatable cylinder with a porous cylindrical deck. The system includes a seal, and more particularly a seal along the lateral edges of the system. The seal generally prevents the exhaust of drying medium from the system through the gap between the hood and the rotatable cylinder and enables the system to be operated at positive air pressure. The seal may be formed by providing the hood with an axial hood flange, which extends at least partially along the bottom edge of the hood and overlaps an axial annular flange disposed on the cylinder when the hood is in a closed and sealed position.

Through-air drying apparatus

Unlike conventional through-air drying processes the instant invention utilizes at least two through-air driers where the first dyer is at least partially encircled by a first through-air drying fabric and the second dyer is at least partially encircled by a second through-air drying fabric. By providing each through-air dryer with its own fabric the overall drying performance may be increased. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the first and second fabrics may be different to optimize both the drying performance and/or tissue product properties.

Through-air drying apparatus and methods of manufacture

A method of controlling the degree of molding of a paper web during formation of a tissue product is provided. Initially, a liquid furnish of papermaking fibers is deposited onto a foraminous surface. The web is transferred to a through-drying fabric having a three-dimensional surface contour. In one embodiment, during transfer, the wet web is deflected onto the through-drying fabric so that it is molded to the surface contours of the fabric. The degree of molding is controlled by increasing or decreasing the solids consistency of the web without changing the deflection pressure or force.

Method for controlling degree of molding in through-dried tissue products

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Hortonville, WI, United States of America

Nathan J Haiduk