Apparatus for calendering a sheet material web carried by a fabric
First Claim
1. A calendering apparatus for reducing the thickness of a dried sheet material web, said calendering apparatus comprising:
- a first and second calendering roll forming a nip therebetween;
at least one carrier fabric disposed between said first and second calendering rolls, said at least one carrier fabric adapted to carry said dried sheet material web through said nip, wherein said at least one carrier fabric is substantially air impermeable, wherein said at least one carrier fabric enters and exits said nip along a path substantially tangential to said first and second calender rolls at said nip and wherein said at least one carrier fabric does not otherwise touch said first and second calender rolls as said at least one carrier fabric exits said nip except at said nip, whereby the thickness of the dried sheet material web is reduced as said dried sheet material web carried by said at least one carrier fabric passes through said nip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for calendering a sheet material web being carried on or between one or more carrier fabrics. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a calender section having first and second calender rolls forming a nip therebetween. At least one carrier fabric is disposed between the first and second calender rolls. The first and second calender rolls apply a load to the carrier fabric and sheet material web as they pass through the nip between the calender rolls so as to reduce the caliper, or thickness, of the sheet material web. A method for calendering the sheet material web includes carrying the sheet material web on one or more carrier fabrics through the calender nip formed by the first and second calender rolls and applying a load to the carrier fabric, and sheet material carried thereby, so as to reduce the thickness of the sheet material web.
135 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A calendering apparatus for reducing the thickness of a dried sheet material web, said calendering apparatus comprising:
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a first and second calendering roll forming a nip therebetween;
at least one carrier fabric disposed between said first and second calendering rolls, said at least one carrier fabric adapted to carry said dried sheet material web through said nip, wherein said at least one carrier fabric is substantially air impermeable, wherein said at least one carrier fabric enters and exits said nip along a path substantially tangential to said first and second calender rolls at said nip and wherein said at least one carrier fabric does not otherwise touch said first and second calender rolls as said at least one carrier fabric exits said nip except at said nip, whereby the thickness of the dried sheet material web is reduced as said dried sheet material web carried by said at least one carrier fabric passes through said nip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A calendering apparatus for reducing the thickness of a dried sheet material web comprising:
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a first and second calendering roll forming a nip therebetween;
a first and second carrier fabric disposed between said first and second calendering rolls, wherein said first carrier fabric is substantially air permeable and wherein said second carrier fabric is substantially air impermeable, said first and second carrier fabrics adapted to carry the sheet material web therebetween as it passes through said nip between said first and second calendering rolls. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A calendering apparatus for reducing the thickness of a dried sheet material web comprising:
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a first and second calendering roll forming a nip therebetween;
at least one carrier fabric disposed between said first and second calendering rolls, wherein said at least one carrier fabric is substantially air impermeable, said at least one carrier fabric carrying said dried sheet material web from a first position through said nip to a second position, wherein said sheet material web has a first thickness at said first position and a second thickness at said second position, wherein said second thickness is less than said first thickness, wherein said at least one carrier fabric enters and exits said nip along a path substantially tangential to said first and second calender rolls at said nip and wherein said at least one carrier fabric does not otherwise touch said first and second calender rolls as said at least one carrier fabric exits said nip except at said nip. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification