Industrial fabric having a thermochromic sensor

• US 20080233379A1
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albany International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Albany International Corporation
• Inventors: O'Connor, Joseph G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,728,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/221
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/04 Pigments
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/06 Dyes
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/44 from mixtures of polymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds as major constituent with other polymers or low-molecular-weight compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/88 from mixtures of polycondensation products as major constituent with other polymers or low-molecular-weight compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/63 containing sulfur in the main chain, e.g. polysulfones
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 1/004 Dyeing with phototropic dyes; Obtaining camouflage effects
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 1/0052 Dyeing with polymeric dyes
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 1/44 using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 1/5214 Polymers of unsaturated compounds containing no COOH groups or functional derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 1/0027 Screen-cloths
• CPC Class Codes: D21G 9/0036 controlling the press or drying section
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2213/00 Temperature mapping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core

Abstract

The present invention is directed to endless belts and fabrics incorporating thermochromic material such as polythiophene for use as a process control aid which can be used in thermal profiling of industrial thermal process, the industrial fabrics used in such a process, the manufacture of the industrial fabrics thereof and/or the products produced or carried thereon.

Claims

1. An industrial fabric taken from the group consisting of forming fabrics, press fabrics, dryer fabrics, process belts in papermaking, impression or embossing fabrics, through-air-dryer (TAD) fabrics, fabrics used in the production of nonwoven and fabrics used in finishing textiles, said fabric comprising fibers, yarn or film including thermochromic material, used as a process control aid.

2. The fabric according to claim 1, wherein said thermochromic material is formed as part of the fiber, yarn or film or is in the form of a coating.

3. The fabric according to claim 2, wherein said thermochromic material is in the form of a filamentary material selected from the group consisting of monofilaments, multifilament fibers, bicomponent fibers, and staple fibers.

4. The fabric according to claim 1, wherein said thermochromic material is a thermochromic polymer.

5. The fabric according to claim 4, wherein said thermochromic polymer is polythiophene.

6. The fabric according to claim 4, wherein said yarns or fibers are incorporated in a pattern and said thermochromic polymers include those having different thermochromic transition temperatures.

7. The fabric according to claim 6, wherein said pattern is in a form of stripes arranged in a cross machine direction (CD) in an increasing order of thermochromic transition temperatures.

8. The fabric according to claim 7, wherein said pattern is in the form of stripes arranged in a cross machine direction (CD) in a decreasing order of thermochromic transition temperatures.

9. The fabric according to claim 7, wherein said pattern is in the form of stripes arranged in a cross machine direction (CD) in an order other than increasing or decreasing thermochromic transition temperatures.

10. The fabric according to claim 4, wherein the transition color of the thermochromic polymer is modified by using a color pigment.

11. The fabric according to claim 5, wherein the transition color of the thermochromic polymers is modified by using a color pigment.

12. The fabric according to claim 1, wherein said yarn is a bicomponent yarn extruded in a sheath-core form.

13. The fabric according to claim 12, wherein the sheath and core are formed from the same or different materials.

14. The fabric according to claim 2, wherein the coating of thermochromic material is applied via one of dip or bath coating, spraying, jetting, blade coating, screen printing, and dye application.

15. The fabric according to claim 1, further comprising a coating of thermochromic material.

16. The fabric according to claim 15, wherein the coating of thermochromic material is applied via one of dip or bath coating, spraying, jetting, blade coating, screen printing, and dye application.

17. A method of forming an industrial fabric taken from the group consisting of forming fabrics, press fabrics, dryer fabrics and process belts used in papermaking, impression or embossing fabric, through-air-dryer (TAD) fabrics, fabrics used in the production of nonwovens with said fabric comprising fibers, yarns or film which includes thermochromic material used as a process control aid.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said thermochromic material is formed as part of the fibers, yarn or film or as a coating.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said thermochromic material is in the form of a filamentary material selected from the group consisting of monofilaments, multifilament fibers, bicomponent fibers, and staple fibers.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein said thermochromic material is made from a thermochromic polymer.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said thermochromic polymer is polythiophene.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said yarns or fibers are incorporated in a pattern and said thermochromic polymers include those having different thermochromic transition temperatures.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said pattern is in the form of stripes arranged in a cross machine direction (CD) in an increasing order of their thermochromic transition temperatures.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein said pattern is in the form of stripes arranged in a cross machine direction (CD) in a decreasing order of their thermochromic transition temperatures.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein said pattern is in the form of stripes arranged in a cross machine direction (CD) in an order other than increasing or decreasing thermochromic transition temperatures.

26. The fabric according to claim 20, wherein the transition color of the thermochromic polymer is modified by using a color pigment.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the transition color of the thermochromic polymers is modified by using a color pigment.

28. The method according to claim 20 wherein the thermochromic transitional temperatures are in a predetermined range.

29. The method according to claim 17, wherein said yarn is a bicomponent yarn extruded in a sheath-core form.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the sheath and core are formed from the same or different materials.

31. The method according to claim 18, wherein the coating of thermochromic material is applied via one of dip or bath coating, spraying, jetting, blade coating, screen printing, and dye application.

32. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of applying a coating of thermochromic material over said fabric.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the coating of thermochromic material is applied via one of dip or bath coating, spraying, jetting, blade coating, screen printing, and dye application.

34. A monofilament, multifilament, film, bicomponent fiber or staple fiber incorporating polythiophene as a component thereof or coating thereon.

35. An extrudable resin incorporating polythiophene as a component thereof.