Clothing for a machine for producing a fibrous web and method for producing a clothing of this type

{
  "publication_number": "US11306437B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Clothing for a machine for producing a fibrous web and method for producing a clothing of this type",
  "abstract": "A clothing for a machine for producing a fibrous web, more particularly a paper or cardboard web, is substantially formed from a film-shaped material having a first surface facing the fibrous web and a second surface facing away from the fibrous web. The clothing includes a plurality of through openings each extending along a central axis from the first surface to the second surface. The central axes of at least some of the through openings in the covering enclose an angle with the first surface which differs from 90°. A machine for producing a fibrous web, more particularly a paper or cardboard web, includes the clothing. A method for producing the clothing includes making the through openings in the film-shaped material by using a laser.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A clothing for a machine for producing a fibrous, paper or board web, the clothing comprising: a film-shaped material having a first surface facing the fibrous web, a second surface facing away from the fibrous web, two side edges delimiting the clothing, two edge regions adjacent said two side edges, and a central region disposed centrally between said two side edges; said film-shaped material having a multiplicity of passage openings each extending along a respective central axis from said first surface to said second surface; said central axes of at least some of said passage openings enclosing an angle with said first surface differing from 90°; and said central axis of at least one of said passage openings in one of said edge regions having a greater difference from a 90° angle enclosed with said first surface than said central axis of at least one other of said passage openings in said central region to effect a desired dewatering of the fibrous web.",
    "2. The clothing according to claim 1, wherein said central axes of at least two of said passage openings enclose angles with said first surface differing from each other.",
    "3. The clothing according to claim 1, wherein said central axis of at least one of said passage openings has a directional component oriented parallel to a longitudinal direction of the clothing.",
    "4. The clothing according to claim 1, wherein: said central axes of a plurality of said passage openings have a directional component oriented parallel to a longitudinal direction of the clothing; and said directional components of said central axes of most or all of said plurality of said passage openings point in an identical direction.",
    "5. The clothing according to claim 1, wherein said central axis of at least one of said passage openings has a directional component oriented parallel to a transverse direction of the clothing.",
    "6. The clothing according to claim 1, wherein: said central axes of a plurality of said passage openings have a directional component oriented parallel to a transverse direction of the clothing; and said directional components of said central axes of approximately half of said plurality of said passage openings point in a direction opposite to said directional components of said central axes of a remainder of said plurality of said passage openings.",
    "7. The clothing according to claim 6, which further comprises: a first side edge and a second side edge delimiting the clothing; and said passage openings having said central axes with directional components oriented parallel to the transverse direction and all pointing in an identical direction being disposed closer to said first side edge than said passage openings having said central axes with directional components oriented parallel to the transverse direction and pointing in the opposite direction.",
    "8. The clothing according to claim 1, wherein said edge regions are viewed in the transverse direction of the clothing.",
    "9. The clothing according to claim 1, wherein said clothing is a forming clothing or wire.",
    "10. A machine for producing a fibrous, paper or board web, the machine comprising a clothing according to claim 1.",
    "11. The machine according to claim 10, which further comprises a forming section of the machine, the clothing being installed in said forming section.",
    "12. The machine according to claim 10, wherein: said central axes of a plurality of said passage openings of the clothing installed in the machine have directional components oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clothing; and said directional components of said central axes of most or all of said plurality of passage openings point in a direction opposite to a running direction of the clothing.",
    "13. A method for producing a clothing for a machine for producing a fibrous, paper or board web, the method comprising the following steps: providing a film-shaped material having a first surface facing the fibrous web, a second surface facing away from the fibrous web, two side edges delimiting the clothing, two edge regions adjacent the two side edges, and a central region disposed centrally between the two side edges; using a laser to introduce a multiplicity of passage openings in the film-shaped material, each of the openings extending along a respective central axis from the first surface to the second surface; orienting the central axes of at least some of the passage openings to enclose an angle with the first surface differing from 90°; and orienting the central axis of at least one of the passage openings in one of the edge regions to have a greater difference from a 90° angle enclosed with the first surface than the central axis of at least one other of the passage openings in the central region to effect a desired dewatering of the fibrous web.",
    "14. The method according to claim 13, which further comprises using mirror optics functionally connected to the laser to introduce at least two of the passage openings into the film-shaped material at angles differing from one other and enclosing angles differing from 90° with the first surface."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a clothing for a machine for producing a fibrous web, in particular a paper or board web, which is substantially formed from a film-like material, having a first surface facing the fibrous web and a second surface facing away from the fibrous web, wherein the clothing comprises a plurality of passage openings, which each extend along a central axis from the first surface to the second surface.\n\nClothings for machines for producing a fibrous web, such as forming clothings for a paper machine, are currently still predominantly woven. However, the weaving process is both costly and time-consuming. Therefore, for a long time there has already been the aspiration to make such clothings from a film-like material, which can consist of a plastic and be extruded economically. The film-like material can either be produced in one layer or have multiple layers which together form a laminate. To achieve permeability of the film-like material for water, it must have passage openings. To this end, different methods have already been proposed, such as punching, mechanical drilling or providing pore formers in the film-like material, which form the passage openings following activation.\n\nAt this point, it should be noted that the term “film-like material” in the sense of the present invention is particularly preferably to be read as extruded plastic films, but does not necessarily have to be restricted thereto. Thus, this term can also relate to any type of flat and flexible elements which are not produced by weaving, that is to say, for example, even to felts or laid clothings.",
  "cpc": [
    "D21F 1/0063"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "D21F 1/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Voith Patent GmbH"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Michael Straub"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-01-18",
  "publication_date": "2022-04-19",
  "grant_date": "2022-04-19",
  "priority_date": "2018-03-26",
  "application_number": "US-201916971999-A",
  "family_id": "65228517",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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}