Machine for producing web material, in particular paper or paperboard, and method for treating a surface of a transport belt in a machine for producing web material

Abstract

Machine and method for producing web material. The machine includes at least one transport belt structured and arranged for transporting the web material, a plurality of rolls over which the at least one transport belt is guided, and a treatment apparatus, assigned to the at least one transport belt, composed of at least one treatment unit structured and arranged to roughing up a surface of the at least one transport belt. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

1 . A machine for producing web material, comprising: 
 at least one transport belt structured and arranged for transporting the web material;    a plurality of rolls over which the at least one transport belt is guided; and    a treatment apparatus, assigned to the at least one transport belt, composed of at least one treatment unit structured and arranged to roughing up a surface of the at least one transport belt.    
   
   
       2 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the web material 
 comprises paper or paperboard.    
   
   
       3 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one treatment unit is movable, in a direction transverse to a belt run direction, over and across the at least one transport belt.  
   
   
       4 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the least one treatment unit comprises a treatment element extending essentially over an entire width of the at least one transport belt.  
   
   
       5 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one treatment unit is composed of a treatment element rotatable about an axis of rotation.  
   
   
       6 . The machine in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the treatment element is rotatable about an axis of rotation extending essentially transversely to a belt run direction.  
   
   
       7 . The machine in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the treatment element is rotatable about an axis of rotation that is not parallel to a surface of the at least one transport belt.  
   
   
       8 . The machine in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the axis of rotation is essentially orthogonal to the surface.  
   
   
       9 . The machine in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the rotatable treatment element comprises an abrasive brush.  
   
   
       10 . The machine in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the abrasive brush comprises a steel brush.  
   
   
       11 . The machine in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the rotatable treatment element is structured and arranged to roughen the surface.  
   
   
       12 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one treatment unit comprises a beam-like treatment element.  
   
   
       13 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one treatment unit is structured and arranged to produce variable treatment characteristics.  
   
   
       14 . The machine in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the at least one treatment unit comprises a treatment element with a rough treatment surface.  
   
   
       15 . The machine in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the rough treatment surface includes surface regions of varying roughness.  
   
   
       16 . The machine in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the rough treatment surface is curved and a roughness of the rough treatment surface varies in a direction of curvature.  
   
   
       17 . The machine in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the treatment element comprises at least a portion of a cylinder rotatable about an axis essentially parallel to a direction transverse to a belt run direction.  
   
   
       18 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an apparatus for applying liquid to the surface of the at least one transport belt being associated with the at least one treatment unit.  
   
   
       19 . The machine in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the liquid comprises at least one of cleaning agent and lubricant.  
   
   
       20 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the treatment apparatus comprises at least one cleaning unit for cleaning the surface of the at least one transport belt after the roughing up of the surface.  
   
   
       21 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the treatment apparatus comprises a sensor arrangement for detecting a surface condition of the at least one transport belt.  
   
   
       22 . The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one treatment unit comprises two treatment units positionable on opposite sides of the at least one transport belt being structured and arranged to roughing up a web contacting surface of the at least one transport belt and a plurality of rolls contacting side of the at least one transport belt.  
   
   
       23 . A method for treating a surface of a transport belt for a machine for producing web material, comprising: 
 roughing up a surface of the transport belt.    
   
   
       24 . The method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the web material comprises paper or paperboard.  
   
   
       25 . The method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the roughing up occurs during a treatment phase when no web material is being transported by the transport belt.  
   
   
       26 . The method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the roughing up produces a surface roughness varying in a direction transverse to a belt travel direction.