Dryer felt with encapsulated, bulky center yarns

A method of making a dryer felt having encapsulated, bulky center yarns, the method comprising the steps of:

• weaving a multiple-plane fabric having at least a base plane, a top plane and an intermediate plane positioned between said base plane and said top plane, said base plane being defined by a first plurality of cross machine direction yarns, said top plane being defined by a second plurality of cross machine direction yarns, and said intermediate plane being defined by a third plurality of cross machine direction yarns, wherein a plurality of the yarns of said third plurality are encapsulated yarns so as to provide a soft, bulky intermediate plane;
• and selecting encapsulated yarns each of which includes a straight, twistless monofilament core that has no turns about its axis per unit of length, and a sheath surrounding the full length of said core, said monofilament core being a bundle of filaments treated with a heat resistant resin.

A dryer felt having a face surface and a back surface, said dryer felt comprising:

• a machine direction and cross machine direction yarns interwoven in a binding relationship to provide a multiple-plane fabric having at least a base plane, a top plane and an intermediate plane positioned between said base plane and said top plane, said base plane being defined entirely by a first plurality of said cross machine direction yarns, said top plane being defined entirely by a second plurality of said cross machine direction yarns, and said intermediate plane being defined entirely by a third plurality of said cross machine direction yarns, only said third plurality being encapsulated yarns, each of said encapsulated yarns comprising a monofilamemt core and an encapsulating sheath surrounding the full length of said core, said sheath defining a soft, bulky outer surface which, when woven into said fabric, acts to prevent shifting of said encapsulated yarns in said fabric, wherein said encapsulated yarns reduce fabric permeability and add bulk to the fabric while contributing to fabric stability, said machine direction yarns being interwoven with said first plurality of cross machine yarns to define said back surface on said base plane and interwoven with said second plurality of cross machine direction yarns to define said face surface of said top plane.