Method for manufacturing resin-impregnated endless belt structures for papermaking machines and similar industrial applications and belt

• US 7,166,196 B1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albany International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Albany International Corporation
• Inventors: Kramer, Charles E., O'Connor, Joseph G., Paquin, Maurice, Skelton, John
• Primary Examiner(s): HUG, ERIC J
• Application Number:
  US10/334,192
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 162203-207, 162/306, 162/348, 162/358.2, 162/358.4, 162900-904, 162109-117, 162360-361, 156/459, 156/460, 428192-194, 428/195.1, 428/198, 428/200, 428/206, 428/212, 428/213, 428/220, 428/143, 428/147, 428/304.4, 428/308.4, 428/314.2, 428/131, 442/59, 442/76, 442/148, 474266-268, 427/9, 427/447, 427/448, 427/466, 427/470, 427/487, 427/492, 427508-510, 427/513, 427/140, 427/176, 427/189, 427/195, 427/196, 427/201, 427/203, 427/209, 427/210, 427/244, 427/258, 427/261, 427/265, 427/285, 427/288, 427/331, 427/355, 427/370, 427/372.2, 427/384, 427/389.9, 427/394, 430/18, 430/322
• US Class Current: 162/358.4
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 3/0227 Belts or sleeves therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 162/901 Impermeable belts for extended nip press
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2481 including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer

Abstract

A method for manufacturing resin-impregnated endless belt structure and belt structure, designed for use on a long nip press on a papermaking machine and for other papermaking and paperprocessing applications, requires the application of a polymeric resin material onto a base substrate in a precise predetermined pattern in droplets having an average diameter of 10μ (10 microns) or more. The polymeric resin material is then set by means appropriate to its composition, and, optionally, may be abraded to provide the belt with a uniform thickness, and a smooth, macroscopically monoplanar surface.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing resin impregnated endless belt structures, designed for use on a long nip press on a papermaking machine and for other papermaking and paper processing applications, said method comprising the steps of

a) providing a base substrate for the belt;

b) depositing polymeric resin material onto said base substrate in a controlled manner so as to control the x, y, z dimensions of said material deposited to create a predetermined pattern of deposits, wherein each deposit comprises one or more droplets of material and wherein said predetermined pattern is to create the surface characteristic of said belt structures; and

c) at least partially setting said polymeric resin material.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said droplets have an average diameter of 10μ

(10 microns) or more.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the optional step of abrading said polymeric resin material deposited on said base substrate to provide said polymeric resin material with a uniform thickness and a smooth, macroscopically monoplanar surface.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein steps b) and c) are performed sequentially on successive bands extending widthwise across said base substrate.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein steps b) and c) are performed sequentially on successive strips extending lengthwise around said base substrate.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein steps b) and c) are performed spirally around said base substrate.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern comprises a plurality of discrete locations set forth in a predetermined array.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern comprises a continuous network defining a plurality of discrete open areas in a predetermined array.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern comprises a semicontinuous network extending substantially throughout said base substrate.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern is visually smooth and uniform.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in step b), said polymeric resin material forms a layer of desired thickness over said base substrate in said predetermined pattern which may be random or uniform.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in step b), said polymeric resin material is deposited by a piezojet array comprising at least one individual computer-controlled piezojet.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising, between steps b) and c), the steps of:

i) checking the actual pattern of said polymeric resin material to measure conformity to said predetermined pattern; and

ii) repairing said actual pattern of said polymeric resin material to eliminate departures from said predetermined pattern.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said checking step is performed by a fast pattern recognizer (FPR) processor operating in conjunction with a digital imaging camera.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said repairing step is performed by a repair jet array coupled to said FPR processor.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said polymeric resin material is selected from the group consisting of:

1. hot melts and moisture cured hot melts;

2. two part reactive systems based on urethanes and epoxies;

3. photopolymer compositions consisting of reactive acrylated monomers and acrylated oligomers derived from urethanes, polyesters, polyethers, and silicones; and

4. aqueous based latexes and dispersions and particle filled formulations including acrylics and polyurethanes.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said setting step is performed by exposing said polymeric resin material to a heat source.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said setting step is performed by exposing said polymeric resin material to cold air.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said setting step is performed by exposing said polymeric resin material to actinic radiation.

20. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said piezojet array comprises a plurality of individual computer controlled piezojets, and wherein some of said individual computer controlled piezojets deposit one polymeric resin material while other individual computer controlled piezojets deposit another polymeric resin material.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein one polymeric resin material is hydrophilic and the other polymeric resin material is hydrophobic.

22. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited in a uniformly thick layer having a monoplanar surface.

23. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited in a non-uniformly thick layer having a surface with a three dimensional structure.

24. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of depositing a polymeric resin material onto said base substrate in said predetermined pattern with a bulk jet to accelerate the manufacture of said belt.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein said depositing step is carried out prior to step b).

26. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein said depositing step is carried out simultaneously with step b).

27. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising, between steps a) and b), the step of depositing a polymeric resin material onto said base substrate to coat the entire surface thereof and to render said base substrate impermeable.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited onto said base substrate by a bulk jet array.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited by a piezojet array comprising at least one individual computer controlled piezojet.

30. A method as claimed in claim 1 which includes the step of providing a base substrate taken from the group consisting essentially of woven, nonwoven, spiral formed, spiral-link, knitted, mesh or strips of material which are ultimately wound to form a belt having a width greater than a width of the strips.

31. A resin-impregnated endless belt structure, designed for use on a long nip press on a papermaking machine and for other papermaking and paper processing applications, said belt comprising

a base substrate;

and

an x, y, z dimensionally controlled pattern of polymeric resin material deposits, said deposits comprising one or more droplets of polymeric resin material wherein said belt is made in a manner comprising the steps of;

a) providing a base substrate for the belt;

b) depositing polymeric resin material onto said base substrate in a controlled manner so as to control the x, y, z dimensions of said material deposited to create a predetermined pattern of deposits, wherein each deposit comprises one or more droplets of material and wherein said predetermined pattern is to create the surface characteristic of said belt; and

c) at least partially setting said polymeric resin material.

32. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein said droplets have an average diameter of 10μ

(10 microns) or more.

33. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 further comprising the optional step of abrading said polymeric resin material deposited on said base substrate to provide said polymeric resin material with a uniform thickness and a smooth, macroscopically monoplanar surface.

34. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein steps b) and c) are preformed sequentially on successive bands extending widthwise across said base substrate.

35. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein steps b) and c) are performed sequentially on successive strips extending lengthwise around said base substrate.

36. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein steps b) and c) are performed spirally around said base substrate.

37. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern comprises a plurality of discrete locations set forth in a predetermined array.

38. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern comprises a continuous network defining a plurality of discrete open areas in a predetermined array.

39. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern comprises a semicontinuous network extending substantially throughout said base substrate.

40. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein, in step b), said predetermined pattern is visually smooth and uniform.

41. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein, in step b), said polymeric resin material forms a layer of desired thickness over said base substrate in said predetermined pattern which may be random or uniform.

42. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein in step b), said polymeric resin material is deposited by a piezojet array comprising at least one individual computer-controlled piezojet.

43. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 wherein said polymeric resin material is selected from the group consisting of:

1. hot melts and moisture-cured hot melts;

2. two-part reactive systems based on urethanes and epoxies;

3. photopolymer compositions consisting of reactive acrylated monomers and acrylated oligomers derived from urethanes, polyesters, polyethers, and silicones; and

4. aqueous-based latexes and dispersions and particle-filled formulations including acrylics and polyurethanes.

44. A belt structure as claimed in claim 43 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited by a piezojet array comprising at least one individual computer-controlled piezojet.

45. A belt structure as claimed in claim 41 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited in a uniformly thick layer having a monoplanar surface.

46. A belt structure as claimed in claim 41 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited in a nonuniformly thick layer having a surface with a three-dimensional structure.

47. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 further comprising the step of depositing a polymeric resin material onto said base substrate in said predetermined pattern with a bulk jet to accelerate the manufacture of said belt.

48. A belt structure as claimed in claim 47 wherein said depositing step is carried out prior to step b).

49. A belt structure as claimed in claim 47 wherein said depositing step is carried out simultaneously with step b).

50. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 further comprising, between steps a) and b), the step of depositing a polymeric resin material onto said base substrate to coat the entire surface thereof and to render said base substrate impermeable.

51. A belt structure as claimed in claim 50 wherein said polymeric resin material is deposited onto said base substrate by a bulk-jet array.

52. A belt structure as claimed in claim 31 further comprising the step of providing a base substrate taken from the group consisting essentially of woven, nonwoven, spiral formed, spiral-link, knitted, mesh or strips of material which are ultimately spiral wound to form a belt having a width greater than a width of the strips.

53. A belt as in claim 38 wherein said network are parallel grooves.

54. A belt as in claim 38 wherein said network are crisscross grooves.