Seamed papermaker's press felt with reinforced batt layer

Abstract

A papermaker's felt includes: a base fabric having a seam; and at least one batt layer overlying the base fabric, wherein the batt layer includes a flap that overlies the seam. The batt layer comprises multiple batt sublayers and at least one scrim layer, the scrim layer comprising a polyamide elastomer or a polyolefin elastomer.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A papermaker's felt, comprising:
 a base fabric having a seam;   at least one batt layer overlying the base fabric, wherein the batt layer includes a flap that overlies the seam;   wherein the batt layer comprises multiple batt sublayers and at least one scrim layer, the scrim layer comprising a polyamide elastomer or a polyolefin elastomer.   
     
     
         2 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 1 , wherein the scrim layer comprises a polyether block amide copolymer. 
     
     
         3 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one scrim layer is one scrim layer and the multiple batt sublayers comprise two batt sublayers. 
     
     
         4 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one scrim layer comprises at least two scrim layers and the multiple batt sublayers comprises at least three batt sublayers. 
     
     
         5 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base fabric is a woven fabric. 
     
     
         6 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 2 , wherein the polyether block amide copolymer is a material having a melting point of between about 115 and 165° C., a Shore D hardness of between about 20 and 60 D, and a density of between about 1.00 and 1.10 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         7 . A papermaker's felt, comprising:
 a base fabric having a seam;   at least one batt layer overlying the base fabric, wherein the batt layer includes a flap that overlies the seam;   wherein the batt layer comprises at least three batt sublayers and at least two scrim layers.   
     
     
         8 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 7 , wherein the scrim layers comprise a polyether block amide copolymer. 
     
     
         9 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base fabric is a woven fabric. 
     
     
         10 . A papermaker's felt, comprising:
 a base fabric having a seam;   at least one batt layer overlying the base fabric, wherein the batt layer includes a flap that overlies the seam;   wherein the batt layer comprises multiple batt sublayers and at least one scrim layer, the scrim layer comprising a polyether block amide polymer.   
     
     
         11 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one scrim layer is one scrim layer and the multiple batt sublayers comprise two batt sublayers. 
     
     
         12 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one scrim layer comprises at least two scrim layers and the multiple batt sublayers comprises at least three batt sublayers. 
     
     
         13 . The papermaker's felt defined in  claim 10 , wherein the base fabric is a woven fabric.