Coater belt and a coating station including such a coater belt

A coating station for a paper machine, comprising a supporting belt for carrying and supporting a web to be coated through the coating station, and a coating unit for applying a coating material on a surface of the web facing away from the supporting belt, without any substantial external compressive pressure being present in the coating station between the supporting belt and the web supported thereby during its path through the coating station, and wherein said supporting belt comprises an endless base member and at least a first surface layer, which is arranged on the base member on a side thereof facing the web and which defines a web-contact surface, wherein:

• said surface layer is an impermeable coating comprising at least a first material and a particulate filler material distributed in said first material;
• said particulate filler material on said web-contact surface promotes a release of said web from said coater belt at a point of release in said coating station;
• said web-contact surface having a roughness in the range from 0.2 to 2 microns for preventing marking of said web;
• and
• said web-contact surface picks up said web at an entrance side of the coating station and holds said web against said coater belt during its path through said coating station.

An improved coating station for coating a paper web, said coating station being of the type having a coating unit for applying a coating material on a surface of the web and a backing roll around which the web passes while being coated by the coating unit, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a coater belt for carrying and supporting the web through the coating station, said belt running around said backing roll and comprising an endless base member and at least a first surface layer, said first surface layer being on an outer surface of said belt and facing said web and defining a web-contact surface, said belt being arranged to operate without any substantial compressive contact pressure between itself and the web during its path through the coating station;
• said surface layer being an impermeable coating comprising a first material and a particulate filler material distributed in said first material;
• particles of said particulate filler material residing on the web-contact surface promoting a release of said web from the coater belt at an exit side of the coating station;
• said web-contact surface further having a roughness in the range from 0.2 to 2 microns for preventing marking of the web;
• wherein
• said web-contact surface picks up said web at an entrance side of said coating station and holds said web against said coater belt during its path through said coating station.