Paper machine clothing and method of producing the same

Abstract

A paper machine clothing has a substrate with an upper side, a lower side, two lateral edges, and a usable region between the two lateral edges. A multiplicity of through-channels are formed in the usable region, extending through the substrate from the upper side to the lower side. At least one of the plurality of through-channels has exactly six directly neighboring through-channels of the plurality of through-channels surrounding it as a central through-channel in the shape of an irregular hexagon. There is also described a method of producing such a paper machine clothing.

1 . A paper machine clothing, comprising:
 a substrate having an upper side, a lower side, two lateral edges, and a usable region between said two lateral edges;   said usable region having formed therein a plurality of through-channels extending through said substrate and connecting said upper side with said lower side;   at least one of said plurality of through-channels being a central through-channel having exactly six directly neighboring through-channels of said plurality of through-channels arranged in a shape of an irregular hexagon.   
     
     
         2 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein two of said six surrounding through-channels that are located on opposite sides of said central through-channel are spaced at a first distance from said central through-channel, a remaining four of said six surrounding through-channels each are spaced at a second distance from said central through-channel, and said second distance differs from said first distance. 
     
     
         3 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 2 , wherein said second distance is larger than said first distance. 
     
     
         4 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 3 , wherein said second distance amounts to more than 1.05 times said first distance or said second distance is less than 1.25 times said first distance. 
     
     
         5 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 4 , wherein said second distance amounts to more than 1.10 times said first distance or said second distance is less than 1.13 times said first distance. 
     
     
         6 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 2 , wherein said two through-channels that are disposed opposite one another across said central through-channel and spaced at said first distance from said central through-channel are aligned substantially parallel to said two lateral edges of said substrate of the paper machine clothing. 
     
     
         7 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said six through-channels surrounding said central through-channel is itself surrounded by exactly six directly neighboring through-channels of said plurality of through-channels. 
     
     
         8 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 7 , wherein substantially all of said six through-channels surrounding said central through-channel are themselves surrounded by exactly six directly neighboring through-channels of said plurality of through-channels. 
     
     
         9 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein at least half of said plurality of through-channels in said usable region are central through-channels each having exactly six directly neighboring through-channels of said plurality of through-channels surrounding said central through-channel in the shape of the irregular hexagon. 
     
     
         10 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 9 , wherein at least 90% of said plurality of through-channels in said usable region are central through-channels having exactly six directly neighboring through-channels of said plurality of through-channels surrounding said central through-channel in the shape of the irregular hexagon. 
     
     
         11 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein substantially all of said plurality of through-channels in said usable region are central through-channels having exactly six directly neighboring through-channels of said plurality of through-channels surrounding said central through-channel in the shape of the irregular hexagon. 
     
     
         12 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein said through-channels are non-cylindrical with a cross sectional area becoming smaller proceeding in a thickness direction of said substrate from said upper side to a middle region of said substrate between said upper side and said lower side and wherein an upper rim of said central through-channel is in direct contact with an upper rim of at least two of said six surrounding through-channels. 
     
     
         13 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 12 , wherein the upper rim of said central through-channel is in direct contact with an upper rim of all six of said six surrounding through-channels. 
     
     
         14 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 12 , wherein said cross sectional area of at least one through-channel of said plurality of through-channels in said usable region of said substrate continuously decreases in the thickness direction of said substrate from said upper side to said lower side of said substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 12 , wherein less than 20% of a surface on said upper side of said substrate is flat and substantially orthogonal to the thickness direction of said substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 15 , wherein less than 5% of a surface on said upper side of said substrate is flat and substantially orthogonal to the thickness direction of said substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 12 , wherein between 70% and 90% of a surface on said lower side of said substrate is flat and substantially orthogonal to the thickness direction of said substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The paper machine clothing according to  claim 17 , wherein about 80% of the surface on said lower side of said substrate is flat and substantially orthogonal to the thickness direction of said substrate. 
     
     
         19 . A method of producing the paper machine clothing according to  claim 1 , the method comprising the following steps:
 providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surfaces being planar and parallel to one another; and   forming a plurality of through-channels into a usable region of the substrate;   with at least one of the plurality of through-channels being a central through-channel and having exactly six directly neighboring through-channels surrounding the central through-channel in a shape of an irregular hexagon.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein at least some of the plurality of through-channels that are neighboring each other are non-cylindrical and formed at such a close distance to partially overlap each other. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein, when all the through-channels have been formed into the usable region of the substrate, at least one of the first surface or the second surface in the usable region has disappeared by at least 90%. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein, when all the through-channels have been formed into the usable region of the substrate at least one of the first surface or the second surface in the usable region has completely disappeared. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 19 , which comprises forming the plurality of through-channels into the substrate by laser irradiation and blowing cooling air onto the substrate during the step of forming the through-channels into the substrate.