Embossed fabrics and method of making the same

In a machine for making paper and paper-related products or nonwoven textiles, said machine having an industrial process fabric in the form of an endless loop which functions in the manner of a conveyor in making the paper and paper related products or nonwoven textiles thereon, said industrial process fabric being selected from the group consisting of papermaker's fabrics, pulp forming fabrics, and engineered fabrics used to manufacture nonwoven fabrics, the improvement comprising an industrial process fabric having:

• a non-laminated substrate or non-laminated base fabric having a nominal thickness along a plane;
• a pattern embossed upon the substrate which is a result of an in-plane deformation of the substrate;
• said substrate being compressed in the area defining the pattern;
• and
• said substrate having a pattern side having the pattern which is conveyed to sheet carried thereon and an opposite relatively smooth side.

In a machine for making paper and paper-related products or nonwoven textiles, said machine having an industrial process fabric in the form of an endless loop which functions in the manner of a conveyor in making the paper and paper related products or nonwoven textiles thereon, said industrial process fabric being selected from the group consisting of papermaker's fabrics, pulp forming fabrics, and engineered fabrics used to manufacture nonwoven fabrics, the improvement comprising an industrial process fabric having:

• a non-laminated substrate or non-laminated base fabric having a nominal thickness along a plane;
• a pattern embossed upon the substrate which is a result of an out-of-plane deformation;
• said nominal thickness of the substrate being increased in the area defining the pattern due to displacing the substrate during embossing;
• and
• said substrate having a pattern on one side having the pattern which is conveyed to sheet carried thereon comprising a cavity with a corresponding protuberance on an opposite side as a result of the out-of-plane deformation.