Seam for an industrial fabric and seaming element therefor

A method of making a seam for a nonwoven industrial textile having a finished caliper C, a first seamable edge, a second seamable edge, a first substantially planar outer surface, and a second substantially planar outer surface, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a first and second seaming element together for joining the first seamable edge and the second seamable edge, each of the first and second seaming elements including:
• an elongate body having a first end and a second end in an X direction;
• a first lateral edge region and a second lateral edge region in a Y direction, the second lateral edge region having an inner surface;
• and a thickness T in a Z direction which is substantially equal to C,
• the elongate body having optical properties so as to be transparent to an incident laser energy/radiation and comprising a laser-weldable polymeric film on at least a portion of the inner surface of the second lateral edge region, the layer of laser-weldable polymeric film being laser energy absorbent, and
• each of the first lateral edge regions having at least one extension member that defines a longitudinal channel between the first end and the second end;
• (b) laser welding at least part of the layer of laser-weldable polymeric film of the first seaming element to the first and second substantially planar outer surfaces proximate the first seamable edge such that the at least one extension member extends outwardly from the first seamable edge;
• (c) laser welding at least part of the layer of laser-weldable polymeric film of the second seaming element to the first and second substantially planar outer surfaces proximate the second seamable edge such that the at least one extension member extends outwardly from the second seamable edge;
• and
• (d) bringing the at least one extension member of the first seaming element into engaged alignment with the at least one extension member of the second seaming element and securing the two seaming elements together.

A method of making a seam for a woven industrial textile having a first seamable edge and a second seamable edge, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a first and second seaming element together for joining the first seamable edge and the second seamable edge, each of the first and second seaming elements including:
• a U-shaped elongate body having a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge region and a second lateral edge region, the second lateral edge region having an inner surface,
• the U-shaped elongate body having optical properties so as to be transparent to an incident laser energy/radiation and comprising a laser-weldable polymeric film on at least a portion of the inner surface of the second lateral edge region, the layer of laser-weldable polymeric film being laser energy absorbent, and
• (b) laser welding the inner surface of the second lateral edge region of the first seaming element to surfaces of yarns at and proximate the first seamable edge such that an at least one channeled protrusion extends outwardly from the first seamable edge;
• (c) laser welding the inner surface of the second lateral edge region of the second seaming element to surfaces of yarns at and proximate the second seamable edge such that the at least one channelled protrusion extends outwardly from the second seamable edge;
• and
• (d) bringing the at least one channelled protrusion of the first seaming element into engaged alignment with the at least one channelled protrusion of the second seaming element and securing the two seaming elements together.

A method of making a seam for a woven industrial textile having a first seamable edge and a second seamable edge and a finished caliper C, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a first and second seaming element together for joining the first seamable edge and the second seamable edge, each of the first and second seaming elements including:
• a U-shaped elongate body having:
• first and second ends in an X direction;
• a first lateral edge region and a second lateral edge region in a Y direction the second lateral edge region having an inner surface;
• and a thickness T in a Z direction which is substantially equal to C;
• and at least one channelled protrusion;
• the U-shaped elongate body having optical properties so as to be transparent to an incident laser energy/radiation and comprising a laser-weldable polymeric film on at least a portion of the inner surface of the second lateral edge region, the layer of laser-weldable polymeric film being laser energy absorbent,
• (b) laser welding the inner surface of the second lateral edge region of the first seaming element to surfaces of yarns at and proximate the first seamable edge such that the at least one channelled protrusion extends outwardly from the first seamable edge;
• (c) laser welding the inner surface of the second lateral edge region of the second seaming element to surfaces of yarns at and proximate the second seamable edge such that the at least one channelled protrusion extends outwardly from the second seamable edge;
• and
• (d) bringing the at least one channelled protrusion of the first seaming element into engaged alignment with the at least one channelled protrusion of the second seaming element and securing the two seaming elements together.