Structured fabric

Abstract

A fabric for 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 fabric for use in a papermaking machine, the fabric comprising:
 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 fabric of  claim 1 , wherein said long floats that are adjacent to each other form at least one MD float pattern within said weave pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The fabric of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one MD float pattern is a plurality of MD float patterns. 
     
     
         4 . The fabric of  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of MD float patterns are each one of identical and minor imaged. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric of  claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of MD float patterns are surrounded with said plain weave. 
     
     
         6 . The fabric of  claim 4 , wherein 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 fabric of  claim 1 , wherein each said long float floats across at least 3 CD yarns. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric of  claim 7 , wherein each said long float floats across at least 4 CD yarns. 
     
     
         9 . The fabric of  claim 8 , wherein each said long float floats across at least 5 CD yarns. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric 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 papermaking machine, comprising:
 a forming fabric; and   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 papermaking machine of  claim 11 , wherein said long floats that are adjacent to each other form at least one MD float pattern within said weave pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The papermaking machine of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one MD float pattern is a plurality of MD float patterns. 
     
     
         14 . The papermaking machine of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of MD float patterns are each one of identical and mirror imaged. 
     
     
         15 . The papermaking machine of  claim 14 , wherein each of said plurality of MD float patterns are surrounded with said plain weave. 
     
     
         16 . The papermaking machine of  claim 14 , wherein 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 papermaking machine of  claim 11 , wherein each said long float floats across at least 3 CD yarns. 
     
     
         18 . The papermaking machine 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, said 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 said fibrous web, then said forming fabric. 
     
     
         19 . A fabric for use in a papermaking machine, the fabric comprising:
 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, a number of adjacent long floats being one of equal to and greater than a number of weft yarns over which said long float of said MD yarns float over, said weave pattern being a plain weave apart from said long floats. 
   
     
     
         20 . The fabric of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of warp yarns in said weave pattern is equal to the plurality of weft yarns in the weave pattern.