# US 2008/0185115 A1 · Paper machine clothing with auxetic fibers and/or yarns

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2008/0185115 A1
- Document ID: US20080185115A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/672,158
- Filed: 2007-02-07
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-07
- Inventors: Antony Morton; Josef Hubert Walkenhaus
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080185115A1

## CPC

- D21F 7/083: {Multi-layer felts}
- D21F 1/0027: {Screen-cloths}
- D21F: PAPER-MAKING MACHINES; METHODS OF PRODUCING PAPER THEREON

## Abstract

A paper machine includes a clothing carried by a plurality of rolls. At least one of the rolls is movable to exert a selected tension load on the clothing. The clothing includes auxetic fibers. By moving one of the rolls to exert a selected tension and/or press load on the clothing, a thickness of the auxetic fibers is modified to become thinner under a lesser load or thicker under a greater load.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A paper machine clothing, comprising at least one layer of fibers, at least some of said fibers being auxetic fibers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The paper machine clothing of claim 1, wherein said clothing comprises one of a press fabric, a forming fabric, a drying fabric and a belt.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The paper machine clothing of claim 2, wherein said clothing comprises a press fabric including at least one base layer, and batt fiber coupled with said base layer, said batt fiber including at least one of auxetic particles and said auxetic fibers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The paper machine clothing of claim 3, wherein said batt fiber is at least one of physically and chemically coupled with said base layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The paper machine clothing of claim 4, wherein said batt fiber is physically coupled with said base layer via needling.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The paper machine clothing of claim 1, wherein said auxetic fibers have one of a circular and flattened cross section.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The paper machine clothing of claim 1, wherein said auxetic fibers have a Poisson's ratio of between 1:2 to 1:5 when subjected to tensile loading.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The paper machine clothing of claim 1, further including a plurality of yarns, at least some of said yarns being auxetic yarns.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The paper machine clothing of claim 8, wherein said clothing includes a base layer, and at least some of said yarns are physically coupled with said base layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The paper machine clothing of claim 9, wherein said yarns extend in a machine direction of said clothing and are needled to said base layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The paper machine clothing of claim 1, wherein said auxetic fibers are comprised of an auxetic polymeric material.

### Claim 12

A paper machine, comprising a clothing carried by a plurality of rolls, at least one of said rolls being movable to exert a selected load on said clothing, said clothing including auxetic fibers which become thicker in cross section as said load increases.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The paper machine clothing of claim 12, wherein said clothing comprises one of a press fabric, a forming fabric, a drying fabric and a belt.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The paper machine clothing of claim 13, wherein said clothing comprises a press fabric including at least one base layer, and batt fiber coupled with said base layer, said batt fiber including said auxetic fibers.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The paper machine clothing of claim 14, wherein said batt fiber is physically coupled with said base layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The paper machine clothing of claim 15, wherein said batt fiber is physically coupled with said base layer via needling.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The paper machine clothing of claim 12, wherein said auxetic fibers have one of a circular and flattened cross section.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The paper machine clothing of claim 12, wherein said auxetic fibers have a Poisson's ratio of between 1:2 to 1:5 when subjected to tensile loading.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The paper machine clothing of claim 12, further including a plurality of yarns, at least some of said yarns being auxetic yarns.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The paper machine clothing of claim 19, wherein said clothing includes a base layer, and at least some of said yarns are physically coupled with said base layer.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The paper machine clothing of claim 20, wherein said yarns extend in a machine direction of said clothing and are needled to said base layer.

### Claim 22 (depends on 12)

The paper machine clothing of claim 12, wherein said auxetic fibers are comprised of an auxetic polymeric material.

### Claim 23

A method of operating a paper machine, comprising the steps of:
carrying a clothing with a plurality of rolls, said clothing including auxetic fibers; and
moving one of said rolls to exert a selected load on said clothing, thereby modifying a thickness of said auxetic fibers to become one of thinner under a lesser load and thicker under a greater load.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of operating a paper machine clothing of claim 23, wherein said clothing comprises one of a press fabric, a forming fabric, a drying fabric and a belt.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The paper machine clothing of claim 23, wherein said clothing includes a plurality of yarns, at least some of said yarns being auxetic yarns.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The paper machine clothing of claim 25, wherein said clothing includes a base layer, said yarns extending in a machine direction of said clothing, at least some of said yarns being needled to said base layer.