BR112014027988B1 - BELT OR SLEEVE AND ITS TRAINING METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

belt or sleeve and respective formation method. The present invention relates to an industrial fabric, such as an endless belt or sleeve, for use in the production of nonwovens and a method for producing it. Industrial fabric is produced by spirally winding strips (16) of polymeric material, such as a strapping material or industrial tape material, and joining adjacent sides of the strips (16) of material by means of ultrasonic welding or spot welding techniques. laser. then the fabric can be perforated using a suitable technique to make it permeable to air and/or water.

Description

Descriptive Report REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS

[0001]. The present Application is a continuation in part of US Patent Application No. 12/635,367, filed December 10, 2009, which claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application No. 61/246,812, filed September 29 of 2009, US Provisional Patent Application No. 61/246,801, filed September 29, 2009, US Provisional Patent Application No. 61/147,637, filed January 27, 2009, and the Patent Application US Provisional No. 61/121,998, filed December 12, 2008.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

[0002]. All patents, patent applications, documents, references, manufacturer's instructions, descriptions, product drafts, and product documents for any product mentioned in this document are hereby incorporated by reference and may be used in the practice of the invention.

FUNDAMENTALS OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF INVENTION

[0003]. The present invention relates to endless fabrics and, more specifically, to industrial fabrics used in the production of non-woven products. More specifically, the present invention relates to support members, such as straps or sleeves, used in the production of patterned or marked non-woven products. Furthermore, the present invention can be used as a stretch and/or sleeve used in the production of nonwovens by processes such as airlaid, melt blowing, direct extrusion of continuous filaments and hydroentanglement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR TECHNIQUE

[0004]. Processes for producing non-woven products have been known for many years. In one, a fiber batt or web is treated with streams or jets of water to make the fibers entwine with each other and improve the physical properties, such as strength, of the web. These water jet treatment techniques have been known for decades, as seen in the disclosures in US Patents 3,214,819, 3,508,308, and 3,485,706.

[0005]. In general terms, this method involves interweaving elementary fibers together through the action of water jets under pressure, which act on the fibrous structure like needles and make it possible to reorient part of the fibers that make up the network in the direction of thickness.

[0006]. This technology has been extensively developed to date and is used not only to produce the structures known as "continuous filament" or "hydroentangled" structures for textile use, but in particular for applications in the medical fields and in hospitals, for scrubbing, filtering and wrapping. of sachets, and the articles obtained can be regular and homogeneous, as can be seen in the disclosure of US Patent No. 3,508,308, and, if necessary, comprise designs resulting from the reorientation of fibers, which is essential for aesthetic purposes, as seen in the disclosure of US Patent No. 3,485,706.

[0007]. As for products of the "continuous filament" or "hydroentangled" type, it has long been known that the final properties of the product can be adapted by producing material mixtures, for example, combining various networks composed of fibers of different types, for example , by natural, artificial or synthetic fibers, or even nets in which the fibers are previously mixed (networks of the “continuous filament” type, etc.) with reinforcements that can be incorporated into the non-woven structure.

[0008]. French patents FR-A-2,730,246 and 2,734,285, which correspond respectively to US patents 5,718,022 and 5,768,756, describe solutions that make it possible to successfully treat hydrophobic fibers or mixtures of these fibers with other hydrophilic fibers or even nets composed entirely of natural fibers through water jets.

[0009]. In general terms, according to the teachings of these documents, the treatment involves treating a basic network composed of elementary fibers of the same type or different types by compressing and moistening said basic network and then intermingling the fibers by means of at least a block of continuous jets of water under high pressure that act on said basic network.

[00010]. For this purpose, the basic mesh is positively advanced over an endlessly moving porous support and is guided to the surface of a perforated rotating cylindrical drum, inside which a partial vacuum is applied. The basic net is mechanically compressed between the porous support and the rotating drum, both of which advance at substantially the same speed. Immediately downstream of the compression zone, a curtain of water is directed against the mesh and successfully passes through the porous support, the compressed basic mesh and the support perforated drum where a vacuum source removes excess water.

[00011]. The elementary fibers are continuously intermingled, still in the rotating cylindrical drum, submitting the compressed and moistened net to the action of at least one block of high pressure water jets. In general, the connection is carried out by means of several successive blocks of water jets that act on the same face or, alternatively, against the two faces of the network; the pressure inside the blocks and the velocity of the discharged jets varying from one block to the next and usually progressively.

[00012]. It is important to note that, as seen in FR2734285, the perforated cylinder/drum may comprise randomly distributed micro perforations. If necessary, after the initial bonding treatment, the fibrous non-woven structure can be subjected to a second treatment applied to the opposite face.

[00013]. In the process of producing continuous filament or hydroentangled non-woven products, it is generally desired to impart a pattern or mark to the finished product, thereby creating a desired design on the product. This pattern or mark is typically developed using a second process, different from the non-woven sheet forming and winding processes, in which an embossed/patterned cylinder is used. These rolls are typically expensive and operate on the principle of compressing certain areas of the fibrous web in order to create the desired patterns or marks. However, there are several disadvantages to using a different process to create the pattern or mark on the non-woven product. For example, a high initial investment in calendering rolls would be required, which could limit the length of production cycles that can be economically justified by a producer. Second, higher processing costs would occur due to a separate standardization or marking stage. Third, the final product would have a higher material content than necessary to maintain the caliper (thickness) of the product after compression in the calendering stage. Finally, the two-stage process would lead to less volume in the finished product than desired due to compression under high pressure during calendering. Prior art non-woven products made with these known patterning processes do not have clear or well-defined embossed parts and therefore the desired patterns are difficult to see. Furthermore, the embossed parts of prior art embossed non-woven products are not dimensionally stable and their embossed parts tend to lose their three-dimensional structure when subjected to tension after a certain period of time depending on the application.

[00014]. US Patents 5,098,764 and 5,244,711 disclose the use of a support member in a more recent method to produce nets or non-woven products. The supporting members have a topographic feature configuration as well as an aperture matrix. In this process, an initial fiber network is placed over the topographic support member. The support member with the fibrous mesh over it passes under jets of high pressure fluid, typically water. The water jets cause the fiber to weave and interlace with each other in a specific pattern based on the topographical configuration of the support member.

[00015]. The pattern of topographic features and openings in the support member is fundamental to the structure of the resulting non-woven product. In addition, the support member must have sufficient structural integrity and strength to support a fibrous network while the fluid jets reorganize the fibers and interweave them into their new structure to produce a stable tissue. The support member must not suffer any significant distortion under the force of the fluid jets. In addition, the support member must have a means to remove relatively large volumes of the entanglement fluid in order to prevent “flooding” of the fibrous web, which would interfere with effective entanglement. Typically, the support member includes drainage openings that must be small enough in size to maintain the integrity of the fibrous web and prevent fiber loss through the forming surface. Furthermore, the support member should be substantially free of burrs, splinters or other such irregularities that interfere with the removal of the woven fibrous non-woven fabric. At the same time, the support member must be such that the fibers of the fibrous web being processed thereon are not removed under the influence of the fluid jets (i.e. good retention and support of the fibers).

[00016]. One of the main problems that occur during the production of non-woven fabrics is to obtain the cohesion of the fibers that make up the non-woven fabric in order to give the non-woven products the strength characteristics according to the application in question, and at the same time , maintain or check specific physical characteristics, such as volume, style, appearance, etc.

[00017]. The properties of volume, absorbency, strength, softness and aesthetic appearance are, in fact, important for many products when used for their intended purpose. To produce a non-woven product with these characteristics, a support member is usually constructed so that the sheet contact surface contains topographical variations.

[00018]. It will be appreciated that these support members (fabrics, belts, sleeves) can take the form of endless circuits and act in the manner of conveyor belts. It will also be realized that the production of non-woven fabrics is a continuous process advancing at considerable speeds. That is, elementary fibers or networks are continuously deposited onto a fabric/forming belt in the forming section, whereas a newly interwoven nonwoven fabric is continuously transferred from the support member to a subsequent process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[00019]. The present invention proposes an alternative solution to the problems addressed by the prior art patents/patent applications discussed above.

[00020]. The present invention proposes a belt or sleeve that acts in place of a traditional belt or sleeve and provides the desired physical characteristics, such as volume, appearance, texture, absorbency, strength and style, to non-woven products produced on it.

[00021]. It is, therefore, the main object of the invention to provide a support member for the direct extrusion of continuous filaments or hydroentanglement, such as a belt or sleeve with through gaps in a desired pattern.

[00022]. Another objective is to provide a belt or sleeve that can have a certain topography or texture on one or both surfaces produced using any of the means known in the art, such as, for example, sanding, engraving, embossing or water engraving. -strong. These and other objectives and advantages are possible thanks to the present invention. Other advantages are possible, such as, among others, better support and removal (without sticking) of the fibers compared to woven fabrics of the prior art, in addition to easier cleaning thanks to the absence of crossings of threads that bind the elementary fibers .

[00023]. If the belt/sleeve has a certain surface texture then a more efficient pattern/texture is transferred to the non-woven and this also results in better physical properties such as volume/absorbency.

[00024]. The present invention relates to an endless support member, such as a belt or sleeve, for supporting and transporting natural, artificial or synthetic fibers in a continuous filament direct extrusion or hydroentanglement process. The porous structures, belts or sleeves of the present invention exhibit the following non-exhaustive advantages compared to calendering technology: Fabric sleeves are a relatively more economical item with low capital investment in fixed equipment; patterning is carried out during the weaving process itself, thus eliminating the need for a separate calendering process; it is possible to obtain a lower material content in the final product because the gauge/thickness does not degrade with compression; the finished product can be produced in greater volume because it is not compressed in a calendering stage. For the producer of non-woven laminated goods, these process advantages also lead to the final product advantages of: more economical continuous filament or hydroentangled networks with desired patterns, marks or texture; the possibility to customize products as the size/duration of the production cycle for specific products is reduced; the production of products with better performance, such as products with greater volume, confer the characteristic of greater absorbency, which is of great value in consumer applications.

[00025]. In an exemplary embodiment, the endless belt or sleeve is made of strips of material that are spirally wound around two cylinders so as to touch side by side. The strips are securely connected together by a suitable method to form an endless loop of the desired length and width for the particular use. In the case of a sleeve, the strips may be wound around the surface of the same cylinder or mandrel approximately the size of the diameter and length in the DT of the drum on which the sleeve will be used. The strips of material used are commonly produced as industrial strapping material. Strapping material, especially plastic strapping material, is usually defined as a relatively thin plastic band used to secure or join objects together. To everyone's surprise, it was discovered that this type of plastic material has the proper characteristics to be the strips of material that form the inventive strap or sleeve.

[00026]. The difference in definition between strapping material (plastics) and monofilament is related to size, shape and application. Both the strapping material and the monofilament are made by extrusion processes that have the same basic steps of extrusion, uniaxial orientation and winding. Monofilament is generally smaller than strapping material and usually round in shape. Monofilament is used in a wide variety of applications, such as fishing lines and industrial fabrics, including textiles for papermaking. The strapping material is generally much larger than monofilament and always basically wider along a longer axis, and as such being rectangular in shape for its intended purpose.

[00027]. It is well known in the extrusion art that plastic strapping material is produced by an extrusion process. It is also well known that this process includes uniaxial orientation of the extruded material. It is also well known that there are two basic extrusion processes that use uniaxial orientation. One process is the extrusion and orientation of a broad sheet that is cut into individual straps. The other process is the extrusion of an individual strapping material that is oriented. This second process is very similar to the process for producing monofilaments, as is clear from the similarity in the equipment of both processes.

[00028]. One advantage of using strapping material over monofilaments is the number of turns required to produce a fabric. Monofilaments are generally considered to be strands of no more than 5 mm on their widest axis. Sizes of uniaxial monofilaments used for papermaking and the other uses mentioned above rarely exceed 1.0 mm at their widest axis. The strapping material used is usually at least 10mm wide and sometimes exceeds 100mm wide. The use of strapping material up to 1,000 wide is also contemplated. Suppliers of strapping material that can be used include companies such as Signode.

[00029]. Yet another advantage is the thickness relative to the tensile modulus. Prior art polyester (PET) films, for example, have a long axis (or machine direction - DM) tensile modulus of about 3.5 GPa. tensile modulus ranging from 10 GPa to 12.5 GPa. To get the same modulus with a film, a structure would have to be 3 to 3.6 times thicker.

[00030]. Thus, the invention, according to an exemplary embodiment, consists of a fabric, belt or sleeve produced in the form of a single-layer or multi-layer structure from spirally wound tapes. The fabric, strap, or sleeve can have flat, smooth top and bottom surfaces. The strap or sleeve may also be textured in some way using any of the means known in the art, such as, for example, sanding, etching, embossing or etching. The strap or sleeve can be impermeable to air and/or water. The belt or sleeve can also be perforated by some mechanical or thermal means (laser) so that it becomes permeable to air and/or water.

[00031]. In another exemplary embodiment, the tape is formed such that it has a profile for interconnection. The belt or sleeve is produced by spirally winding these interconnectable tapes and has more integrity than it would have by simply abutting parallel and/or perpendicular sides of adjacent tape strips. This strap or sleeve can also be air and/or water impermeable or perforated to make it permeable.

[00032]. Although the above embodiments refer to a single layer of spirally wound tape strips, it may be advantageous to use strips of various geometries that form a belt or sleeve of two or more layers. Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment, the belt or sleeve may have two or more layers, where the strips may be formed so that the two or more layers mechanically interconnect or bond together by other known means by those skilled in the art. Again, the structure can be impermeable or perforated to become permeable to air and/or water.

[00033]. Another exemplary embodiment concerns a multi-layer structure produced using the concept of a "welding strip" used to further improve the integrity of the belt or sleeve. The structure can be waterproof or perforated to become permeable to air and/or water.

[00034]. The various innovative features that characterize the invention are indicated, in particular, in the attached Claims, which form part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operational advantages and the specific objectives obtained by its use, reference should be made to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which preferred but non-limiting embodiments of the invention are presented, and the attached drawings, in which corresponding components are identified by like reference numbers.

[00035]. Although the terms "fabric" and "fabric structure" are used, the terms "fabric", "belt", "belt", "sleeve", "support member" and "fabric structure" are used interchangeably for describe the structures of the present invention. Similarly, the terms "strapping material", "tape", "strip of material" and "strip of material" are used interchangeably throughout the description.

[00036]. In this specification, the term “comprise” may mean “include” or may have the meaning commonly assigned to the term “comprise” in US patent law. The term “consists in essence of”, if used in the Claims, has the meaning ascribed to it in United States patent law. Other aspects of the invention within its scope are given in the description below and will become apparent on reading this.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00037]. The attached drawings were included to provide a better understanding of the invention and are incorporated into this descriptive report, constituting part of it. The drawings contained in this document illustrate different embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

[00038]. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fabric, strap or sleeve in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

[00039]. FIG. 2 illustrates a method by which the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention can be produced;

[00040]. FIGs. 3(a) to 3(i) are cross-sectional views in the width direction of various embodiments of the strip of material used to make the inventive fabric, belt or sleeve;

[00041]. FIGs. 4(a) to 4(d) are cross-sectional views in the width direction of various embodiments of the strip of material used to make the inventive fabric, belt or sleeve;

[00042]. FIGs. 5(a) to 5(c) are cross-sectional views in the width direction of various embodiments of the strip of material used to make the inventive fabric, belt or sleeve;

[00043]. FIGs. 6(a) to 6(d) are cross-sectional views in the width direction of various embodiments of the strip of material used to make the inventive fabric, belt or sleeve;

[00044]. FIGs. 7(a) to 7(d) are cross-sectional views in the width direction of various embodiments of the strip of material used to make the inventive fabric, belt or sleeve;

[00045]. FIGs. 8(a) to 8(c) are cross-sectional views in the width direction of various embodiments of the strip of material used to make the inventive fabric, belt or sleeve;

[00046]. FIG. 9 is a bar graph illustrating the advantages of using a uniaxially oriented material (strap/tape) compared to a biaxially oriented material (film) and an extruded material (molded part);

[00047]. FIGs. 10(a) to 10(d) illustrate steps involved in a method by which the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention can be produced;

[00048]. FIGs. 11(a) and 11(b) are schematic diagrams of an apparatus that may be used to produce the fabric, belt or sleeve in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

[00049]. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus that can be used to produce the fabric, belt or sleeve in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

[00050]. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a fabric, strap or sleeve in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

[00051]. FIG. 14 illustrates an apparatus used in manufacturing a fabric, belt or sleeve in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; and

[00052]. FIGs. 15 and 16 are schematic views of different types of apparatus for producing non-woven webs using support members of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00053]. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. However, the present invention may be embodied in a number of different ways, and it is not intended to be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these stated embodiments are given so that the present disclosure will be more detailed and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[00054]. The present invention proposes a continuous support member, such as an endless belt, for use in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 15, for example. The non-woven support member acts in place of a traditional fabric support member and imparts texture, style and desired volume to the non-woven products produced thereon. The support member of the present invention can decrease fabrication time and costs associated with producing nonwovens.

[00055]. FIG. 15 illustrates an apparatus for continuously producing non-woven fabrics using a support member in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus of FIG. 15 includes a conveyor belt 80 which actually acts as a topographic support member in accordance with the present invention. The belt continuously moves counterclockwise around a pair of separate rollers, as is known in the art. On the belt 80, a fluid ejector block 79 is disposed, which connects several lines or groups 81 of holes. Each group has one or more rows of very fine diameter holes, each about 0.007 inches in diameter with 30 of these holes per inch. Water is fed to the groups 81 of orifices under a predetermined pressure and expelled from the orifices in the form of very fine, substantially columnar and non-divergent streams or jets of water. The ejector block is fitted with pressure gauges 88 and control valves 87 to regulate the fluid pressure in each line or group of orifices. Below each row or group of holes, a suction box 82 is disposed to remove excess water and keep the area free from undue flooding. The fiber web 83 that will be formed into the non-woven product is fed to the conveyor belt, or topographic support member, of the present invention. Water is sprayed through a suitable nozzle 84 onto the fibrous web in order to pre-wet the incoming web 83 and help control the fibers as they pass under the fluid ejector blocks. A suction slit 85 is positioned below this water spout to remove excess water. The fibrous mesh passes under the fluid ejector block in a counterclockwise direction. The pressure at which any given group 81 of orifices operates can be defined independently of the pressure at which any one of the other groups 81 of orifices operates. Typically, however, the group 81 of orifices closest to the spray nozzle 84 operates at a relatively low pressure, for example, 100 psi. This helps to accommodate the net reaching over the surface of the supporting member. As the net moves counterclockwise in FIG. 15, the pressures at which the groups 81 of orifices normally operate increase. It is not necessary for each successive group 81 of orifices to operate at a higher pressure than its clockwise neighbor. For example, two or more groups 81 of adjacent holes can operate at the same pressure, after which the next successive group 81 of holes (counterclockwise) can operate at a different pressure. Very typically, the operating pressures at the end of the moving belt, where the net is removed, are higher than the operating pressures where the net is initially fed to the conveyor belt. Although FIG. 15 illustrate six groups 81 of holes, this number is not decisive but will depend on the weight of the net, the speed, the pressures used, the number of rows of holes in each group, etc. After passing between the fluid ejector block and the suction blocks, the now formed non-woven fabric passes over an extra suction slit 86 to remove excess water. The distance from the lower surfaces of the groups 81 of holes to the upper surface of the fibrous web 83 typically ranges from about 0.5 inches to about 2.0 inches; a range from about 0.75 inches to about 1.0 inches being preferred. It will be noticed that the net cannot be so close to the block that it touches it. On the other hand, if the distance between the lower surfaces of the holes and the upper surface of the mesh is too great, fluid flows will lose energy and the process will be less efficient.

[00056]. FIG. 16 schematically illustrates a preferred apparatus for producing non-woven fabrics using support members of the present invention. In such apparatus, the topographic support member is a rotating drum sleeve 91. The drum under the drum sleeve 91 rotates counterclockwise. The outer surface of the drum sleeve 91 comprises the desired topographical support configuration. Around a part of the drum's periphery, a block 89 is arranged, which connects several groups of holes 92 for applying water or other fluid to a fibrous web 93 positioned on the outer surface of the curved plates. Each group of holes may comprise one or more rows of very fine diameter holes or openings of the type mentioned earlier in this document. Typically, openings are about 0.005 inches to 0.01 inches in nominal diameter, for example. Of course, other sizes, shapes and orientations can be used if suitable for the purpose. Also, there can be, for example, even 50 or 60 holes per inch or more if desired. Water or other fluid is directed through the rows of holes. In general, and as explained above, the pressure in each group of holes typically increases from the first group under which the fibrous web passes to the last group. Pressure is controlled by suitable control valves 97 and monitored by pressure gauges 98. The drum connects to a reservoir 94, to which a vacuum is drawn to help remove water and keep the area free from flooding. In operation, the fibrous web 93 is positioned on the upper surface of the topographic support member before the water ejector block 89, as seen in FIG. 16. The fibrous mesh passes under the groups of holes and is made into a non-woven product. The formed non-woven fabric then passes over a section 95 of apparatus 95 where there are no clusters of holes, but the vacuum is continued to be applied. The fabric, after drying, is removed from the drum and passed around a series of dry rollers 96 to dry the fabric.

[00057]. Turning now to the structure of the support members, straps or sleeves, the support members may have a pattern of several through gaps. Through gaps can include, among other things, geometric features that provide better topography and volume to non-woven products or mesh when produced, for example, on a support member, strap or sleeve. Other advantages of the present support members include easier removal from the mesh, better resistance to contamination and less fiber sticking. Yet another advantage is that they avoid the restrictions and need for a conventional loom as the through gaps can be positioned in any desired location or pattern. The support member may also have certain texture on one or both surfaces produced using any of the means known in the art, such as, for example, sanding, etching, embossing or etching.

[00058]. It will be appreciated that the term “through gap” is synonymous with the term “through hole” and represents any opening that passes through the entire support member, such as a strap or sleeve. A support member as mentioned herein includes, but is not limited to, industrial fabrics, such as belts or webbing, and sleeves or cylindrical webbing used specifically in the production of nonwovens. As mentioned earlier, although the terms "fabric" and "fabric structure" are used to describe preferred embodiments, the terms "fabric", "belt", "belt", "sleeve", "support member" and " fabric structure" are used interchangeably to describe the structures of the present invention.

[00059]. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fabric, belt or industrial sleeve 10 of the present invention. The fabric, belt or sleeve 10 has an inner surface 12 and an outer surface 14 and is shaped by spirally winding a strip of polymeric material 16, for example an industrial strapping material, in several turns in contact and mutually joined. The strip of material 16 spirals in a substantially longitudinal direction around the length of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 because of the helical style in which the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 is constructed.

[00060]. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method by which fabric, strap, or sleeve 10 can be manufactured. Apparatus 20 includes a first processing cylinder 22 and a second processing cylinder 24, each of which rotates about its longitudinal axis. The first process roller 22 and the second process roller 24 are parallel to each other and are separated by a distance which determines the overall length of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 that will be fabricated over them, as measured longitudinally around them. On the side of the first processing cylinder 22, there is a feed spool (not shown in the figures) pivotally mounted about an axis and displaceable in parallel with the processing cylinders 22 and 24. The feed spool accommodates a wound supply of the strip of material 16 with a width of 10 mm or more, for example. The feed spool is first positioned at the left end of the first processing cylinder 12, for example, before being moved continuously to the right or the other side at a predetermined speed.

[00061]. To begin fabrication, belt or sleeve 10, the beginning of the strip of polymeric strapping material 16 is extended in stretched condition from the first processing cylinder 22 to the second processing cylinder 24, around the second processing cylinder 24 and back to the first processing cylinder 22, thus forming a first turn of the closed spiral 26. To close the first turn of the closed spiral 26, the beginning of the material strip 16 is joined to the end of the first turn at point 28. discussed below, adjacent turns of the spirally wound strip of material 16 are joined together by mechanical and/or adhesive means.

[00062]. Therefore, the next turns of the closed spiral 26 are produced by rotating the first processing roller 22 and the second processing roller 24 in a common direction, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2, while feeding the strip of material 16 to the first processing cylinder 22. At the same time, the strip of material 16 newly wound on the first processing cylinder 22 is continuously joined to the strip already in the first processing cylinders 22 and second. 24, for example, by mechanical and/or adhesive means or any other suitable means to produce more turns of the closed spiral 26.

[00063]. This process continues until the loop 26 has a desired width, as measured axially along the first processing cylinder 22 or the second processing cylinder 24. At that point, the strip of material 16 has not yet been wound onto the first processing cylinders 22 and second 24 is cut, and the closed loop 26 produced therefrom is removed from the first 22 and second 24 processing cylinders to produce the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 of the present invention.

[00064]. Although a two-cylinder configuration is described in this document, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the strips can be wound around the surface of a single cylinder or mandrel to form the present fabric, belt or sleeve. A suitable size cylinder or mandrel can be selected based on the desired dimension of fabric, belt or sleeve to be produced.

[00065]. The present method for producing a fabric, belt or sleeve 10 is quite versatile and adaptable to the production of industrial and/or non-woven fabrics, belts or sleeves of various longitudinal and transverse dimensions. In other words, the manufacturer, by practicing the present invention, is no longer required to produce a woven fabric of a suitable length and width for a given nonwoven production machine. Instead, the manufacturer only needs to separate the first processing cylinder 22 and the second processing cylinder 24 by the correct distance to determine the approximate length of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 and wind the material strip 16 over the processing cylinders first 22 and second 24 until closed spiral 26 reaches the desired approximate width.

[00066]. Furthermore, as the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 is produced by spirally winding a strip of polymeric strapping material 16, and it is not a woven fabric, the outer surface 12 of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 may be smooth and continuous, and it lacks the joints that prevent the surface of a woven fabric from being perfectly smooth. The fabrics, straps or sleeves of the present invention may, however, have geometric characteristics that provide better topography and volume to the non-woven product produced thereon. Other advantages of the present support members include easier removal from the mesh, better resistance to contamination and less fiber sticking. Yet another advantage is that they avoid the restrictions and need for a conventional loom as the through gaps can be positioned in any desired location or pattern. The fabric, belt or sleeve may also have some texture on one or both surfaces produced using any of the means known in the art, such as, for example, sanding, etching, embossing or etching. Alternatively, the fabric, strap or sleeve can be smooth on one or both surfaces.

[00067]. FIGs. 3(a) to 3(i) are cross-sectional views in the width direction of various embodiments of the strip of material used to produce the present fabric, belt or sleeve. Each embodiment includes top and bottom surfaces that can be flat (flat) and parallel to one another or can be profiled with the intent to suit a specific application. Returning to FIG. 3(a), the strip of material 16 has an upper surface 15, a lower surface 17, a first flat side 18 and a second flat side 19, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The upper surface 15 and the lower surface 17 can be flat (flat) and parallel to each other, and the flat first side 18 and the flat second side 19 can be angled in parallel directions so that the flat first side 18 of each strip of material 16 wound in a spiral touch the second flat side 19 of the immediately preceding turn of it. Each turn of the strip of material 16 is joined to its adjacent turns by joining their respective first 18 and second 18 flat sides together using an adhesive, for example, which may be a heat activated, room temperature cured (RTC) or applied hot, for example, or any other suitable means.

[00068]. In FIG. 3(b), the strip of material 16 has a transverse structure that allows a mechanical interconnection to join adjacent strips of material 16 in spirally formed fabric, belt or sleeve. Adjacent strips of material 16 may have the same or different sizes and/or profiles, but each has a connecting position, as illustrated in FIG. 3(b). Other examples of mechanical interconnect structures are illustrated in FIGs. 3(c) to 3(g), which illustrate the cross section of different strips of material 16. In each case, one side of the strip of material 16 is designed to mechanically interconnect or bond to the other side of the material. 16 adjacent material strip. For example, with reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3(g), the strip of material 16 has an upper surface 42, a lower surface 44, a tongue 46 on one side and a groove 48 on the other. Tongue 46 has dimensions corresponding to groove 48 so that tongue 46 in each spirally wound turn of strip 16 fits in groove 48 of the turn immediately preceding it. Each turn of the strip of material 16 is joined to its adjacent turns by securing the tabs 46 in the slots 48. The upper surface 42 and the lower surface 44 can be flat (flat) and parallel to each other, or non-planar and non-parallel depending on the application, or they can even be convex or concave rounded in the width direction, as illustrated in FIG. 3(f). Similarly, either side of the strip can be cylindrically shaped convex or concave with the same radius of curvature.

[00069]. FIG. 3(h) illustrates another embodiment of the present invention.

[00070]. In addition to a strip of extruded material with opposing hemispheres or profiles, as described above, several other shapes can be extruded or machined from rectangular extrusions to obtain corresponding edges with raised rails that can facilitate connection by mechanical and/or adhesive means . According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, such a structure is illustrated in FIG. 3(i). Alternatively, the strip of material may not require a left and right side to match or join together. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4(a), the cross-section of the strip of material 16 may have interconnecting grooves on its top or top surface, or otherwise, the strip of material 16 may have interconnecting grooves on its bottom surface or base, as illustrated in FIG. 4(b).

[00071]. FIG. 4(c), for example, illustrates the material strips of FIGs. 4(a) and 4(b) positioned for interconnection. The arrows in FIG. 4(c) indicate, for example, the direction in which each of the strips of material 16 should be moved to engage the slots and interconnect the two strips. FIG. 4(d) illustrates the two strips of material 16 after being interconnected or joined together. Although only two corresponding strips of material are illustrated in the exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated that the fabric, belt or final sleeve is composed of several interconnected strips of material. Of course, if strips of material are interconnected in a spiral-wound process, it is possible to form a sheet of material in the form of an endless loop. It will also be appreciated that, although mechanical interconnects are illustrated, the strength of the interconnects can be improved, for example, by thermal bonding, in particular by a technique known as selective bonding, as exemplified by a commercial process known as 'Clearweld' (see www.clearweld.com).

[00072]. FIG. 5(a) illustrates a cross-sectional view of a strip of material 16 with grooves at both the top and the base. FIG. 5(b) illustrates how two strips of material 16 with the cross-sectional shape illustrated in FIG. 5(a) can be interconnected. The interconnected structure results in grooves on both the top and bottom surfaces of the final product.

[00073]. With reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5(c), this illustrates the interconnection of the two strips of material 16 illustrated in FIG. 5(a) and in FIG. 4(b). This results in a sheet product with grooves on the bottom surface and a flat top surface. Furthermore, it is also possible to form a structure with grooves on the upper surface and with a flat lower surface.

[00074]. Another exemplary embodiment consists of a fabric, strap or sleeve made of strips of material 16 with knob-like or “positive” connections that produce stronger interconnections thanks to their mechanical design. Models have “positive” connections in the sense that the pins and pin receivers exert mechanical interference that requires considerable force to join the ribbons together or even to separate them. FIG. 6(a), for example, illustrates doorknob-like interconnect features on a strip of tape material 16 . FIG. 6(b) illustrates knob-like interconnect features on a strip of tape material 16 of opposite configuration, which are designed to interconnect to the structure illustrated in FIG. 6(a). FIG. 6(c) illustrates the different strips of tape material of FIGs. 6(a) and 6(b) positioned for interconnection. It should be understood here that the offset position of the top and bottom strips is in order to accommodate another strip of material 16 of opposite configuration. Finally, FIG. 6(d) illustrates these same strips after being pressed to form an interconnected structure. Several strips of tape material like these can be interconnected to form the final fabric, strap, or sleeve.

[00075]. Another exemplary embodiment is a fabric, strap or sleeve made of strips of material 16 with grooves on both the upper and lower sides, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 7(a). These two strips of tape material 16 are designed to be joined together to obtain a positive interconnection, as illustrated in FIG. 7(b). It should be noted that both the top and bottom surfaces have grooves in their respective surfaces. Also, looking at FIGs. 7(a) and 7(b), those skilled in the art will realize that it is possible to combine three strips to produce a three-layer structure, or, if only two strips are used, the profile of the grooves in the top strip may be different on the sides Superior and inferior. Similarly, the profile of the grooves in the lower strip can be the same or different on both sides. As mentioned earlier, although the embodiments described in this document refer to a single layer of spirally wound tapes or strips, it may be advantageous to use strips with various geometries that form a belt of two or more layers. Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment, the belt can have two or more layers, where the strips can be formed so that the two or more layers mechanically interconnect. Each layer can be spirally wound in an opposite direction or slanted relative to the machine direction (MD) for added strength.

[00076]. FIG. 7(c) illustrates an interconnected structure that results in a grooved bottom surface and a flat top surface, whereas FIG. 7(d) illustrates an interconnected structure that results in a flat bottom surface and a grooved top surface, for example.

[00077]. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, many formats can be considered to produce positive interconnects as described in this document. For example, the previous few embodiments have focused on round knob-like protrusions and round receptacles. However, it is also possible to use other formats, such as trapezoidal, to achieve the same effect. An example of positive interconnection with this format is illustrated in FIG. 8(a). Alternatively, you can mix shapes to achieve a positive interconnection. An example of mixed formats is illustrated in FIGs. 8(b) and 8(c).

[00078]. The mechanical interconnection thus formed between adjacent strips of material as described in the above embodiments increases the ease with which a spirally wound fabric or base structure can be produced because, without such a connection, there is a risk that strips of Adjacent material shifts and separates during the process of producing the spirally wound fabric. By mechanically interconnecting adjacent turns, displacement and separation between adjacent turns is avoided. Furthermore, it is not necessary to rely solely on the strength of the mechanical connection for the strength of the joint as it is also possible to form thermal welds in the mechanically connected areas of the fabric. According to one embodiment of the invention, this is possible by depositing a dye with near infrared, infrared or laser absorption before connecting the male/female components together, thereafter exposing the mechanical connection to a power source of near infrared or infrared or laser that causes thermal welding of the mechanical connection without fusing the external material to the area of the mechanical connection.

[00079]. The strip of material described in the above embodiments may be extruded from any polymeric resin material known to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, polyester resins, polyamide, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyether ether ketone etc. Although industrial strapping material is attractive as a base material as it is uniaxially oriented, that is, as it has at least twice the tensile modulus of a biaxially oriented material (film) and up to ten times the modulus of a material extruded (molded), any other suitable material may be used. In other words, the resulting structure of a uniaxially oriented material requires less than half the thickness of a biaxially oriented material (film) and less than one-tenth the thickness of an extruded (molded) material. This feature is demonstrated in FIG. 9, which illustrates results for designing a part designed for a specific force and deformation for a fixed width. The equation used in this design problem is the relationship between stress and strain given below:

[00080]. The force (or load) remains constant across the width and deformation in this illustration. The equation demonstrates that the required thickness is inversely proportional to the material's modulus. This equation is representative of the problem of developing textile products for the production of nonwovens with dimensional stability, that is, the load is known, the maximum strain is known and the machine width is fixed. The result is illustrated in terms of the final thickness of the part required depending on the modulus of material used. Of course, uniaxial materials, such as strapping materials or tapes, have a significant advantage over molded films and polymers, as shown in FIG. 9. The present support members, straps or sleeves, however, are not limited to the uniaxial or biaxial orientation of the strapping material as one or both orientations can be used in the practice of the present invention.

[00081]. According to an exemplary embodiment, the strip of material or strapping material described in the above embodiments may include a reinforcing material to increase the mechanical strength of the structure as a whole. For example, the reinforcing material can be fibers, yarns, monofilaments or multifilament yarns which can be oriented in the machine direction of the fabric, sleeve or belt along the length of the strapping material. The reinforcing material can be included through an extrusion or pultrusion process, where the fibers or strands can be extruded or pultruded along the material making up the strip of material or strapping material. They may be fully embedded within the strapping material, or they may be partially embedded onto one or both surfaces of the strapping material, or both. The reinforcing fibers or yarns can be made of a high modulus material, such as, for example, aramids, including but not limited to Kevlar® and Nomex®, and can provide the strip of material or strapping material with more strength, modulus. tensile strength, resistance to laceration and/or cracking, resistance to abrasion and/or chemical degradation. In general terms, the reinforcing fibers or yarns can be made from thermoplastic and/or thermoset polymers. Non-exhaustive examples of suitable fiber materials include glass, carbon, polyester, polyethylene and metals such as steel. According to another embodiment, the melting temperature of said reinforcing fibers or yarns may be higher than the melting temperature of said strapping material or strapping material, or vice versa.

[00082]. Usually, the strapping material is fed in continuous lengths with the product having a rectangular cross section. It is a tough, general purpose, usually untreated polyester strip with very good handling characteristics that make it suitable for many industrial applications. It has excellent mechanical strength and dimensional stability as mentioned earlier, and does not fade with age under normal conditions. The strapping material has good resistance to moisture and most chemicals, and is resistant to temperatures from -70°C to 150°C or more. Typical cross dimensions of a strapping material that can be used in the present invention include, for example, 0.30 mm (or more) in thickness and 10 mm (or more) in width. Although the strapping material can be spirally wound, adjacent rolls of strapping material that have no interconnecting means to be held together may need to be welded or joined in some way. In such cases, laser welding or ultrasonic welding can be used to fix or weld the tapes or strips of material adjacent to each other in order to improve the properties in the cross-machine direction (“DT”), such as as resistance, and decrease the risk of separation of neighboring strips of material.

[00083]. Although uniaxial strapping material has the maximum modulus in MD, properties other than modulus may also be important. For example, if the modulus in the MD is too high for the strapping material, then the cracking and bending fatigue strength of the final structure may be unacceptable. Alternatively, the properties in the final structure DT can also be important. For example, with regard to PET materials and strips of material of the same thickness, unoriented strips can have a typical MD modulus of about 3 Gpa and strength of about 50 MPa. On the other hand, a biaxially oriented strip can have a MD modulus of about 4.7 GPa and a strength of about 170 MPa. It was found that by modifying the processing of a uniaxial strip for the modulus in the DM to be between 6 and 10 GPa and the resistance to be equal to or greater than 250 MPa, one obtains a strip with a resistance in the DT close to 100 MPa. Furthermore, the material can be less brittle, that is, it may not crack when repeatedly flexed and may process better when joining the strips. The bond between the strips can also resist separation during intended use in the production machine.

[00084]. One method of holding adjacent strips together, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, is to ultrasonically weld adjacent strips edge to edge while exerting lateral pressure to keep the edges in contact with each other. For example, one part of the welding device may hold a strip, preferably the strip that has already been spirally wound, against a support cylinder while another part of the device pushes the other strip, preferably the strip being wound, against the strip held in place. This edge-to-edge weld is illustrated in FIG. 11(a), for example.

[00085]. The application of ultrasonic gap welding results in a particularly strong bond. In contrast, ultrasonic welding in time mode or energy mode, which is also known as conventional ultrasonic welding, results in a bond that can be described as brittle. Therefore, it is concluded that a bond formed by ultrasonic gap welding is preferred to conventional ultrasonic welding.

[00086]. Another exemplary method of holding adjacent strips together, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, is to apply an adhesive 30 to the ends 34 and 36 of adjacent strips 16 and 16 and join them together, as illustrated in FIGs. from 10(a) to 10(d). It should be kept in mind that a filler 32 can be used to fill gaps or parts where the tapes do not make contact with each other.

[00087]. Another method of holding adjacent functional strips of material or strips together, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, is to use a "welding strip" made of the same basic material as the strip of material. For example, this welding strip is illustrated in FIG. 11(b) in the form of a thin material over and below the material strips. In this configuration, the weld strip provides a material to which the material strips are welded so that the assembled structure does not rely on edge-to-edge welding illustrated in FIG. 11(a). Using the strip welding method, edge-to-edge welding can take place; however, it is neither needed nor preferred. Using the welding strip method, a laminated or “sandwich” type of structure is formed with the horizontal surface of the material strip being welded to the horizontal surface of the welding strip, as shown in FIG. 11(b). It should be noted here that the welding strip does not need to be located at the same time above and below the material strips, the welding strip can be located either just above or just below the material strips. According to one aspect, the welding strip can also be the central part of the sandwich structure, with the strip of material being above and/or below the welding strip. Furthermore, the welding strip is shown thinner than the material strip and with the same width as the material strip merely by way of example. The welding strip may well be thinner or wider than the material strip and it may be the same thickness or thicker than the material strip. The welding strip can also be another piece of material strip instead of being a special material made exclusively for the purpose of the welding strip. The welding strip may also have adhesive applied to one of its surfaces to help hold it in place for the welding operation. However, if such an adhesive is used, it is preferable that it be partially applied to the welding strip rather than its entire surface, as partial application can promote a strong weld between similar materials (polyester with polyester, for example) of the material strip and welding strip when ultrasonic or laser welding.

[00088]. If the welding strip is made of an unoriented extruded polymer, it is preferable that it be much thinner than the material strip because an unoriented extruded welding strip is less able to maintain the dimensional stability of the final structure, as demonstrated earlier in this revelation. However, if the soldering strip is made of an oriented polymer, it is preferable that the soldering strip, together with the material strip, be as thin as possible. As mentioned earlier, the welding strip can be another piece of material strip. However, if this is the case, it is preferable that the thickness of the different materials is selected so that the total thickness of the sandwich or laminate is minimized. As mentioned earlier, the welding strip can be coated with an adhesive used to hold the structure together for further processing. According to one aspect, the adhesive welding strip can be used, for example, to create a structure that goes directly to a perforation step, which can be laser perforation without any ultrasonic binding for the laser perforation to produce welds points that can hold the sandwich structure together.

[00089]. Another method of holding adjacent strips of material together, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, is to hold the adjacent strips together using a laser welding technique.

[00090]. FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary apparatus 320 that may be used in the laser welding process in accordance with one aspect of the invention. In this process, the fabric, strap, or sleeve 322, as shown in FIG. 14 is to be understood as a relatively short part of the total length of the final fabric, strap or sleeve. Although the fabric, belt or sleeve 322 may be endless, it may be more practically mounted around a pair of cylinders, not shown in the figure, but known to those skilled in the art. In such a structure, apparatus 320 may be disposed on one of the two surfaces, most conveniently the upper surface, of fabric 322 between the two cylinders. Whether endless or not, fabric 322 can preferably be placed under an appropriate degree of tension during the process. Furthermore, to prevent sagging, fabric 322 may be supported from below by a horizontal support member as it moves through apparatus 320.

[00091]. Referring now more specifically to FIG. 14, fabric 322 is indicated moving upward through apparatus 320 as the method of the present invention is practiced. The laser heads that are used in the welding process can traverse the tissue in the DT or width “X” direction while the tissue moves in the MD or “Y” direction. It is also possible to configure a system where the fabric moves in three dimensions relative to a mechanically fixed laser welding head.

[00092]. The advantage of laser welding over ultrasonic welding is that laser welding can be carried out at speeds in the range of 100 meters per minute, whereas ultrasonic welding has a maximum speed of about 10 meters per minute. Adding a light-absorbing dye or dye to the edges of the strips can also help to focus the laser's thermal effect. Absorbers can be black ink or near infrared dyes that are not visible to the human eye, such as those used by “Clearweld” (see www.clearweld.com).

[00093]. After producing the final fabric, belt or sleeve and welding or otherwise joining the adjacent strips of fabric, belt or sleeve, it is possible to form, by means such as laser drilling, holes or perforations that allow the passage of fluids (air and/or water) across the fabric. It should be kept in mind that these through holes or perforations that allow fluid to pass through the fabric can be formed before or after the spiral wound or splicing processes. These holes or perforations can be formed by laser drilling, or any other suitable process to form holes/perforations, and can be of any size, shape, shape and/or pattern, depending on the intended use. An exemplary embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 13, which represents a section, in the cross-machine direction, of a fabric 180 of the present invention, where the strips of material 182 are provided, along their entire length, with several holes 84 for the passage of air and /or water.

[00094]. The inventive fabric, as mentioned above, can be used as a belt or process sleeve used in airlaid, melt blowing, direct extrusion of continuous filament or hydroentangling processes. The inventive fabric, belt or sleeve may include one or more extra layers on top of or below the substrate formed using the strips of material merely for functionality, not reinforcement. For example, an array of yarns in the MD can be laminated behind the belt or sleeve to create voids. Alternatively, the one or more layers can be formed between two layers of strapping material. The extra layers used can be any of woven or non-woven materials, DM or DT yarn matrices, spirally wound strips of woven material less than the width of the fabric, fibrous webs, films or a combination of these, and they can be bonded to the substrate using any suitable technique known to those of skill in the art. Needle punching, thermal bonding and chemical bonding are just a few examples. The inventive fabric, strap or sleeve may also have a coating on either side for functionality purposes. The texture on the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention can be produced before or after applying the functional coating. As mentioned above, texture on the fabric, strap or sleeve can be produced using any of the means known in the art, such as, for example, sanding, etching, embossing or etching.

[00095]. While preferred embodiments of the present invention and modifications thereof have been described in detail herein, it is understood that the invention is not limited to such precise embodiments and modifications and that other modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope or of the essence of the invention as defined in the appended Claims.

Claims (17)

1. Belt or sleeve, for use in the production of non-woven fabrics, said belt or sleeve being characterized in that it comprises: one or more strips of polymeric material wound in a spiral, wherein said one or more strips of polymeric material are of a strapping material or industrial tape material, wherein the strapping material or tape has at least twice the tensile modulus of a biaxially oriented material and up to ten times the modulus of an extruded material; industrial strapping or tape includes an MD oriented reinforcing material of the belt or sleeve selected from the group consisting of fibers, yarns, monofilaments and multifilament yarns wherein the reinforcing material is made of a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polymers, thermoset polymers, glass and carbon, and wherein the melting temperature of the strapping material or tape is lower than the melting temperature of the reinforcing material. 2. Belt or sleeve, according to Claim 1, characterized by being used in airlaid, melt blowing, direct extrusion of continuous filaments or hydroentanglement processes; and/or by the fact that said strapping material or industrial tape material has a thickness of 0.30 mm or more and a width of 10 mm or more. A strap or sleeve, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is permeable or impermeable to air and/or water; and/or by being permeable to air and/or water and by the fact that gaps or through holes are formed in said belt or sleeve using a mechanical or thermal means; and/or by the fact that said gaps or through holes are formed in a predetermined size, shape or orientation; and/or in that said gaps or through holes have a nominal diameter in the range of 0.005 inches to 0.01 inches or more. A belt or sleeve, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises one or more layers of woven or non-woven materials, yarn arrays in the DM or DT, spirally wound woven material strips with a width smaller than the width of the belt or sleeve, fibrous webs, films or a combination thereof; and/or by the fact that adjacent strips of polymeric material are mechanically interconnected; and/or in that said one or more layers are disposed on one or both sides of the strap or sleeve or between two layers of strapping material. A belt or sleeve, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it has, in said belt or sleeve, a certain texture on one or both surfaces; and/or by the fact that said texture is formed by sanding, engraving, embossing or cauterizing. A belt or sleeve, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said belt or sleeve is smooth on one or both surfaces. A belt or sleeve, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, on said belt or sleeve, at least two layers of strapping materials spirally wound in directions opposite one another or opposite to the MD; and/or by further comprising a functional coating on one or both sides of the strap or sleeve; and/or the fact that the functional coating has a certain texture on its upper surface. 8. A method for forming a belt or sleeve, for use in the production of non-wovens, as defined in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: spirally winding one or more strips of polymeric material around several cylinders, in that said one or more strips of polymeric material are of a strapping material or industrial tape material; and joining the edges of adjacent strips of material using a predetermined technique; wherein the strapping material or tape has at least twice the tensile modulus of a biaxially oriented material and up to ten times the modulus of an extruded material; and reinforcing said strapping material or industrial tape in the MD of the belt or sleeve with fibers, yarns, monofilaments or multifilament yarns, wherein the reinforcing material is made of a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polymers, thermoset polymers, glass and carbon, and wherein the melting temperature of the strapping material or tape is lower than the melting temperature of the reinforcing material. A method for forming a belt or sleeve, according to Claim 8, characterized in that said predetermined technique is laser, infrared or ultrasonic welding. A method for forming belt or sleeve according to Claim 8, characterized in that said strapping material or industrial tape material has a thickness of 0.30 mm or more and a width of 10 mm or more. A method for forming a belt or sleeve, according to Claim 8, characterized in that said belt or sleeve is produced to be permeable or impermeable to air and/or water; and/or by the fact that said belt or sleeve is produced to be permeable to air and/or water and by the formation of gaps or through holes in said belt or sleeve using a mechanical or thermal means; and/or by the fact that said gaps or through holes are formed in a predetermined size, shape or orientation; and/or in that said gaps or through holes have a nominal diameter in the range of 0.005 inches to 0.01 inches or more. A method of forming a belt or sleeve according to Claim 8, further comprising the step of: applying to an upper or lower surface of said belt or sleeve one or more layers of woven or non-woven materials, yarn arrays in DM or DT, spirally wound strips of woven material less than the width of the belt or sleeve, fibrous webs, films, or a combination thereof; and/or in that said one or more layers are disposed on one or both sides of the strap or sleeve or between two layers of strapping. A method for forming a belt or sleeve, according to Claim 8, characterized in that adjacent strips of polymeric material are mechanically interconnected. A method for forming a belt or sleeve, according to Claim 8, characterized in that said belt or sleeve is provided with a certain texture on one or both surfaces; and/or by the fact that said texture is formed by sanding, engraving, embossing or cauterizing. A method for forming a belt or sleeve, according to Claim 8, characterized in that said belt or sleeve is smooth on one or both surfaces. A method of forming a belt or sleeve according to Claim 8, characterized in that said belt or sleeve comprises at least two layers of strapping materials spirally wound in directions opposite to each other, or opposite to the MD . A method of forming a belt or sleeve according to Claim 8, further comprising the step of coating one or both sides of the belt or sleeve with a functional coating; and/or for further comprising the step of giving a certain texture to the functional coating.

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