Low permeability dryer fabric
AssigneeJWI Ltd.
InventorGarry E. Kirby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low permeability dryer fabric woven from monofilament plastic polymeric warp strands and weft strands in which at least some of the weft strands exhibit preferential softening under the influence of heat, said strands adapting to conform to mesh interstices and thereby restrict the passage of air through the fabric.
Claims15
A dryer fabric comprising a plurality of interwoven monofilament plastic polymeric warp and weft strands, at least some of said weft strands are stuffer strands formed of a material softened under the influence of controlled heat during a heat-setting treatment, said stuffer strands being selected from a deformable material which is more absorbtive of said controlled heat than are the remainder of said strands, so that said deformable material softens preferentially whereby said material becomes narrower at crossings of adjacent warp strands and correspondingly bulges between alternate warp strands to reduce the spaces in the interstitial areas formed by surrounding strands thereby lowering the permeability of said fabric, said deformable material retaining its solid property during deformation thereof.
A method of making a dryer fabric having reduced permeability, said fabric having a plurality of warp and weft strands with at least some of said weft strands being stuffer strands, said method comprising the steps of:
- (i) selecting said weft stuffer strands from a material that is softened and deforms under the influence of controlled heat, said stuffer strands being selected from a deformable material which is more absorbtive of said controlled heat than are the remainder of said strands, to soften preferentially and to become narrower at crossings of adjacent warp strands and correspondingly bulges between alternate warp strands, said deformable material retaining its solid property during deformation thereof;
- (ii) weaving all said strands together to form a fabric sheet;
- (iii) stretching said fabric sheet;
- and
- (iv) heating said fabric sheet to a desired temperature range where said stuffer strands will deform to a greater extent than the other strands of said fabric to reduce the interstitial areas formed by surrounding strands to thereby lower the permeability of said fabric.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.