Fibrous web formed on a structured fabric

Abstract

A fibrous web including a fibrous construct having at least one formed surface feature. The surface feature including a topographical pattern reflective of a weave pattern in a fabric used in a papermaking machine. The fabric including a single layer of yarns arranged in a repeating weave pattern, each weave pattern including a plurality of warp yarns substantially oriented in a machine direction (MD) defining MD yarns; and a plurality of weft yarns substantially oriented in a cross machine direction (CD) defining CD yarns. The MD yarns each having at least one long float within the weave pattern. Each long float being adjacent to at least one other long float of an MD yarn. The weave pattern being a plain weave apart from the long floats.

1 . A fibrous web, comprising:
 a fibrous construct having at least one formed surface feature, said surface feature including a topographical pattern reflective of a weave pattern in a fabric used in a papermaking machine, the fabric including:
 a single layer of yarns arranged in a repeating weave pattern, each said weave pattern including:
 a plurality of warp yarns substantially oriented in a machine direction (MD) defining MD yarns; and 
 a plurality of weft yarns substantially oriented in a cross machine direction (CD) defining CD yarns, said MD yarns each having at least one long float within said weave pattern, each said long float being adjacent at least one other long float of an MD yarn, said weave pattern being a plain weave apart from said long floats. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The fibrous web of  claim 1 , wherein within said weave pattern said long floats that are adjacent to each other form at least one MD float pattern within said weave pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The fibrous web of  claim 2 , wherein within said weave pattern said at least one MD float pattern is a plurality of MD float patterns. 
     
     
         4 . The fibrous web of  claim 3 , wherein within said weave pattern said plurality of MD float patterns are each one of identical and mirror imaged. 
     
     
         5 . The fibrous web of  claim 4 , wherein within said weave pattern each of said plurality of MD float patterns are surrounded with said plain weave. 
     
     
         6 . The fibrous web of  claim 4 , wherein within said weave pattern each of said plurality of MD float patterns touch each other forming a continuous MD float pattern with said plain weave defining the balance of said weave pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The fibrous web of  claim 1 , wherein within said weave pattern each said long float floats across at least 3 CD yarns. 
     
     
         8 . The fibrous web of  claim 7 , wherein within said weave pattern each said long float floats across at least 4 CD yarns. 
     
     
         9 . The fibrous web of  claim 8 , wherein within said weave pattern each said long float floats across at least 5 CD yarns. 
     
     
         10 . The fibrous web of  claim 1 , wherein the papermaking machine is an ATMOS™ papermaking machine that includes:
 a dewatering fabric, a fibrous web is dewatered through the dewatering fabric, the dewatering fabric and the fabric being on opposite sides of the fibrous web; and 
 a permeable belt in contact with a portion of the fabric, there being an airflow in a direction such that the airflow first passes through said permeable belt, then the fabric, then the fibrous web, then said dewatering fabric. 
 
     
     
         11 . A fibrous web obtainable by a process in a papermaking machine, the process comprising the steps of:
 discharging a fibrous slurry between a forming fabric and a structured fabric; and   removing moisture from said fibrous slurry through at least one of said forming fabric and said structured fabric to thereby form the fibrous web, said structured fabric being a single layer structured fabric of yarns arranged in a repeating weave pattern, a fibrous web being formed between said forming fabric and said structured fabric, each said weave pattern including:
 a plurality of warp yarns substantially oriented in a machine direction (MD) defining MD yarns; and 
 a plurality of weft yarns substantially oriented in a cross machine direction (CD) defining CD yarns, each of said MD yarns having at least one long float within said weave pattern, each said long float being adjacent at least one other long float of an MD yarn, said weave pattern being a plain weave apart from said long floats. 
   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein within said weave pattern said long floats that are adjacent to each other form at least one MD float pattern within said weave pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein within said weave pattern said at least one MD float pattern is a plurality of MD float patterns. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein within said weave pattern said plurality of MD float patterns are each one of identical and mirror imaged. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein within said weave pattern each of said plurality of MD float patterns are surrounded with said plain weave. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein within said weave pattern each of said plurality of MD float patterns touch each other forming a continuous MD float pattern with said plain weave defining the balance of said weave pattern. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein within said weave pattern each said long float floats across at least 3 CD yarns. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the papermaking machine is an ATMOS™ papermaking machine including a permeable belt in contact with a portion of said single layer structured fabric, the fibrous web being between said single layer structured fabric and said forming fabric, there being an airflow in a direction such that the airflow first passes through said permeable belt, then said single layer structured fabric, then the fibrous web, then said forming fabric. 
     
     
         19 . A fibrous web obtainable by a process in a papermaking machine, the process comprising the steps of:
 discharging a fibrous slurry between a forming fabric and a structured fabric; and   removing moisture from said fibrous slurry through at least one of said forming fabric and said structured fabric to thereby form the fibrous web, the fibrous web having at least one surface feature, said surface feature including a topographical pattern reflective of a weave pattern in said structured fabric used in a papermaking machine, said structured fabric including a single layer of yarns arranged in a repeating weave pattern, each said weave pattern including:
 a plurality of warp yarns substantially oriented in a machine direction (MD) defining MD yarns; and 
 a plurality of weft yarns substantially oriented in a cross machine direction (CD) defining CD yarns, said MD yarns each having at least one long float within said weave pattern, each said long float being adjacent at least one other long float of an MD yarn, said weave pattern being a plain weave apart from said long floats. 
   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein within said weave pattern said long floats that are adjacent to each other form at least one MD float pattern within said weave pattern. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the papermaking machine is an ATMOS™ papermaking machine including a plurality of pressing zones through which the fibrous web travels.