# US 10,865,521 B2 · Deflecting member for making fibrous structures

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- Number: US 10,865,521 B2
- Document ID: US10865521B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/794,026
- Filed: 2017-10-26
- Published: 2018-05-03
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-27
- Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Inventors: John Leslie Brent, Jr.; James Michael Singer; John Allen Manifold; Min Mao; Steven James Schroeck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865521B2

## CPC

- D21F 1/009: {Fibre-rearranging devices}
- B32B 3/16: secured to a flexible backing
- B32B 3/263: {characterised by a layer having non-uniform thickness}
- B32B 3/266: {characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12}
- B32B 3/30: characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)}
- B32B 7/09: by stitching, needling or sewing (by {mechanically connecting} fibrous layers {to another layer} B32B5/06)
- D03D 25/005: {Three-dimensional woven fabrics}
- D21F 1/0036: {Multi-layer screen-cloths}
- D21F 1/0063: {Perforated sheets}
- D21F 11/006: {Making patterned paper}
- D21F 11/145: {including a through-drying process}
- D03D 1/0094: {Belts (D03D1/0005 takes precedence)}
- D21F 5/181: {on Yankee cylinder}
- D21F 7/08: Felts
- D21F: PAPER-MAKING MACHINES; METHODS OF PRODUCING PAPER THEREON
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- D03D: WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS

## Abstract

A deflection member that includes a reinforcing member and a plurality of tiles fastened to the reinforcing member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A deflection member, the deflection member comprising a reinforcing member and a plurality of tiles fastened to the reinforcing member through stitching with thread, wherein at least one of the plurality of tiles is stitched to the reinforcing member around a perimeter of the tile.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The deflection member of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of tiles is additively manufactured.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tiles comprise pre-formed thread openings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member comprises woven filaments.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The deflection member of claim 4, wherein the woven filaments of the reinforcing member and the thread are made from the same type of material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The deflection member of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tiles is stitched to at least another of the plurality of tiles to create a multi-tile grouping before the plurality of tiles in the multi-tile grouping are stitched to the reinforcing member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The deflection member of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of tiles has a single tessellating shape, wherein the plurality of tiles are fastened to the reinforcing member to form a patterned framework in a tessellating pattern.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The deflection member of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of tiles has a first shape, and one or more of the plurality of tiles has a second shape, and the plurality of tiles are fastened to the reinforcing member to form a patterned framework in a tessellating pattern.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tiles are fastened to the reinforcing member to form a patterned framework of tiles, wherein the patterned framework has less than about 3 mm of distance between adjacent tiles.

### Claim 10

A deflection member, the deflection member comprising:
a. a fluid pervious reinforcing member, the reinforcing member comprising woven filaments; and,
b. a patterned framework comprising a plurality of tiles fastened to the reinforcing member by stitching with thread, the tiles comprising regularly spaced protuberances extending in a Z-direction;
wherein at least one of the plurality of tiles is stitched to at least another of the plurality of tiles to create a multi-tile grouping before the plurality of tiles in the multi-tile grouping are stitched to the reinforcing member.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The deflection member of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of tiles is additively manufactured.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The deflection member of claim 10, wherein the woven filaments of the reinforcing member and the thread are made from the same type of material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The deflection member of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of tiles is stitched to the reinforcing member around a perimeter of the tile.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The deflection member of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of tiles has a single tessellating shape, wherein the plurality of tiles are fastened to the reinforcing member to form a patterned framework in a tessellating pattern.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The deflection member of claim 10, wherein one or more of the plurality of tiles has a first shape, and one or more of the plurality of tiles has a second shape, and the plurality of tiles are fastened to the reinforcing member to form a patterned framework in a tessellating pattern.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The deflection member of claim 10, wherein the plurality of tiles are fastened to the reinforcing member to form a patterned framework of tiles, wherein the patterned framework has less than about 3 mm between adjacent tiles.