Forming fabric with extended surface

Abstract

A method of forming a structured fibrous web including the steps of supplying a fiber slurry to a nip, the nip being formed by a structured fabric and a forming fabric; dewatering the fiber slurry through the forming fabric to create a web; retaining the web with the structured fabric through at least one dewatering process, the forming fabric including a woven fabric having a paper side and a roll side, the paper side having a paper side surface and said roll side having a roll side surface; and providing a polymer material deposit extending above the paper side surface, the polymer material deposit having at least one of a random pattern, a random motif, a pseudo-random pattern, a pseudo-random motif, a predetermined pattern and a predetermined motif.

1 . A method of forming a structured fibrous web, said method comprising the steps of:
 supplying a fiber slurry to a nip, said nip being formed by a structured fabric and a forming fabric;   dewatering said fiber slurry through said forming fabric to create a web;   retaining the web with said structured fabric through at least one dewatering process, said forming fabric including a woven fabric having a paper side and a roll side, said paper side having a paper side surface and said roll side having a roll side surface; and   providing a polymer material deposit extending above said paper side surface, said polymer material deposit having at least one of a random pattern, a random motif, a pseudo-random pattern, a pseudo-random motif, a predetermined pattern and a predetermined motif.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer material deposit is at least one of an RTY-type material, an RTV-type heat curable material, an acrylic, an epoxy resin, a silicone, a polyurethane, a hydrosol, a polyolefin, UV curable, a natural rubber, a synthetic rubber, nanopolymers, carbon fullerenes, dendrimers, polymers loaded with carbon, polymers loaded with metals, electrically conducting polymers, semi-conductors, liquid crystal polymers, hot melts, polymers that are sensitive to pressure, polymers that are sensitive to light, polymers that are sensitive to temperature, reactive polymers and living polymers. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said structured fabric has peaks and valleys, said structured fabric further comprising a plurality of yarns woven together and having a mesh count and a weave pattern, said weave pattern including said valleys being from approximately 0.07 mm to approximately 0.60 mm deep and said mesh count being between 95×120 and 26×20 per square inch, the method further comprising the step of substantially collecting fibers of said fiber slurry in a plurality of said valleys of said structured fabric. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising the step of dewatering said fiber slurry through said forming fabric and not through said structured fabric. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said step of collecting said fibers of said fiber slurry further includes the step of forming a structured web. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said structured web has a pillow thickness and a pillow basis weight formed in said valleys and a top surface thickness and a top surface basis weight formed on said peaks, said pillow thickness being one of equal to and greater than said top surface thickness and said pillow basis weight being one of equal to and greater than said top surface basis weight. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the steps of removing said forming fabric from said structured web and contacting said structured web with a dewatering fabric and removing moisture from said structured web through said dewatering fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
 applying pressure against a contact area of said fibrous web with a portion of a permeable belt, said contact area being at least approximately 10% of an area of said portion; and   moving a fluid through an open area of said permeable belt and through said fibrous web, said open area being at least approximately 25% of said portion, said permeable belt having a tension of at least approximately 30 KN/m during said step of applying pressure and said step of moving said fluid.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 applying pressure against a contact area of said fibrous web with a portion of a permeable belt, said contact area being at least approximately 25% of an area of said portion; and   moving a fluid through an open area of said permeable belt and through said fibrous web, said open area being at least approximately 25% of said portion, said permeable belt having a tension of at least approximately 30 KN/m during said step of applying pressure and said step of moving said fluid.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein during said steps of applying pressure and moving fluid, said structured fibrous web is positioned between said structured fabric and said dewatering fabric, said permeable belt contacting said structured fabric and said dewatering fabric contacting a surface of a roll, said pressure being applied through said structured fabric to said fibrous web and said fluid moving first through said fibrous web and second through said dewatering fabric. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said tension is greater than approximately 60 KN/m. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said step of applying pressure and said step of moving said fluid occur for a dwell time sufficient to produce a fibrous web solids level in a range between approximately 25% to approximately 55%. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said dwell time is one of equal to and greater than approximately 40 ms. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said dwell time is one of equal to and greater than approximately 50 ms. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a structured fibrous web, said method comprising the steps of:
 supplying a fiber slurry to a nip, said nip being formed by a structured fabric and a forming fabric, said structured fabric having peaks and valleys and including a plurality of yarns woven together, said structured fabric having a mesh count and a weave pattern, said weave pattern including said valleys being from approximately 0.07 mm to approximately 0.60 mm deep and said mesh count being between 95×120 and 26×20 per square inch;   dewatering said fiber slurry through said forming fabric to create a web;   retaining the web with said structured fabric through at least one dewatering process, said forming fabric including a woven fabric having a paper side and a roll side, said paper side having a paper side surface and said roll side having a roll side surface; and   providing a polymer material deposit extending above said paper side surface, said polymer material deposit having at least one of a random pattern, a random motif, a pseudo-random pattern, a pseudo-random motif, a predetermined pattern and a predetermined motif.   
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a structured fibrous web, said method comprising the steps of:
 supplying a fiber slurry to a nip, said nip being formed by a structured fabric and a forming fabric, said structured fabric having peaks and valleys;   dewatering said fiber slurry through said forming fabric to create a web to form a structured web having a pillow thickness formed in said valleys and a top surface thickness formed on said peaks, said pillow thickness being one of equal to and greater than said top surface thickness;   retaining the web with said structured fabric through at least one dewatering process, said forming fabric including a woven fabric having a paper side and a roll side, said paper side having a paper side surface and said roll side having a roll side surface; and   providing a polymer material deposit extending above said paper side surface, said polymer material deposit having at least one of a random pattern, a random motif, a pseudo-random pattern, a pseudo-random motif, a predetermined pattern and a predetermined motif.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , said structured web having a pillow basis weight formed in said valleys and a top surface basis weight formed on said peaks, said pillow basis weight being one of equal to and greater than said top surface basis weight. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of removing said forming fabric from said structured fabric and contacting said structured web with a dewatering fabric and removing moisture from said structured web through said dewatering fabric. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of:
 applying pressure against a contact area of said fibrous web with a portion of a permeable belt, said contact area being at least approximately 10% of an area of said portion; and   moving a fluid through an open area of said permeable belt through said fibrous web, said open area being at least approximately 25% of said portion, said permeable belt having a tension of at least approximately 30 KN/m during said step of applying pressure and said step of moving said fluid.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , said contact area being at least 25% of said area of said portion.