Paper machine belt

Abstract

A paper machine belt that includes at least one layer having parallel yarns. Additionally, a ratio of a volume of the parallel yarns in the at least one layer to a void volume in the at least layer is greater than 1:1.

1 . A paper machine belt comprising: 
 at least one layer having parallel yarns,    wherein a ratio of a volume of said parallel yarns in said at least one layer to a void volume in said at least layer is greater than 1:1.    
     
     
         2 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 1 , wherein said ratio is greater than 1.5:1.  
     
     
         3 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 1 , wherein said ratio is substantially 2:1.  
     
     
         4 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 1 , wherein said parallel yarns extend in a cross machine direction.  
     
     
         5 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 1 , wherein said parallel yarns extend in a machine direction.  
     
     
         6 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 4 , wherein the parallel yarns extending in the cross machine direction comprise multi-strand yarns.  
     
     
         7 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 5 , wherein said parallel yarns comprise an array of spirally wound machine direction yarns.  
     
     
         8 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt further comprises at least one layer of batt.  
     
     
         9 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt comprises at least one layer of polymeric material.  
     
     
         10 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 9 , wherein a layer of said at least one layer of polymeric material is positioned on a face of the belt.  
     
     
         11 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 10 , wherein the layer is arranged to support a paper web.  
     
     
         12 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a supporting base;    a fibrous batt; and    at least one layer of polymeric material on a paper web-receiving surface of the belt,    wherein a plurality of fibers from the fibrous batt extend at least partly through said at least one layer of polymeric material.    
     
     
         13 . A paper machine belt comprising: 
 a supporting base;    a fibrous batt; and    at least one layer of polymeric material on a paper web-receiving surface of the belt,    wherein a plurality of fibers from the fibrous batt extend at least partly through said at least one layer of polymeric material.    
     
     
         14 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said plurality of fibers extend to the web-receiving surface of the polymeric material.  
     
     
         15 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 13 , wherein 1 to 200 fibers per square cm extend through said layer of polymeric material.  
     
     
         16 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 13 , wherein the belt has a surface roughness of 80 μm or less as measured with a contact stylus profilometer.  
     
     
         17 . The paper machine belt according to  claim 13 , wherein the batt fibers comprise at least one of microfibrillatable fibers or core/sheath bicomponent fibers.  
     
     
         18 . A method of making a paper machine belt having a paper-web receiving surface and an obverse face thereto, the belt comprising a supporting base, a fibrous batt and at least one layer of polymeric material, the polymeric material being provided on the paper web-receiving surface of the belt, the method comprises: 
 needling the belt, from said obverse face, such that fibrous batt is pushed, at least partially, through said polymeric material.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the belt is thermoformed after the needling is complete.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the belt is calendered immediately after being thermoformed.  
     
     
         21 . A paper machine belt produced by the method of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18  further comprising: 
 providing at least one layer having parallel yarns,    wherein a ratio of a volume of said parallel yarns in said at least one layer to a void volume in said at least layer is greater than 1:1.