CA2745116A1 - Industrial textile including porous braided yarns - Google Patents

Abstract

An industrial textile of woven or helical coil construction for filtration or conveyance, comprises cross-machine direction yarns at least some of which are braided yarns, each braided yarn comprising first and second sets of component yarns interconnected in a repeating braided pattern. The first set of the component yarns comprises at least three longitudinally extending tri-axial yarns, and the second set comprises at least four carrier yarns, each carrier yarn being braided with yarns selected from at least some of the tri-axial yarns and at least some others of the carrier yarns to form an outer layer having a profiled outer surface and defining a longitudinal internal core. The braided yarns can be weft yarns or stuffer strands, located either on the product side of the textile or to the interior of the textile structure.

Description

INDUSTRIAL TEXTILE INCLUDING POROUS BRAIDED YARNS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to industrial textiles for filtration and separation operations, in particular to industrial textiles which are woven or otherwise assembled from polymeric thermoplastic monofilament yarns. At least a portion of the component yarns, preferably the product supporting side yarns, are braided yarns, either woven into the structure by a weaving process, or interconnected with other yarns in a non-woven structure, or inserted into helical coils which are assembled such that they are interconnected by means of hinge yarns. The industrial textiles of the invention are particularly suitable for use in a papermaking process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The industrial textiles of the invention can be used for many filtration and conveyance applications, and are particularly suitable for use in papermaking and similar machines. In the discussion below, some of the features of the invention are described with particular reference to papermaking fabrics, but it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such fabrics, and is applicable to a wide range of filtration and conveyance operations.
In the papermaking process, a very dilute slurry of about 1% papermaking fibers together with a mixture of about 99% water and other papermaking components is ejected at high speed and precision from the slice opening of a headbox onto the paper side (PS) of a moving forming fabric. The fabric is guided and driven by a number of rolls over various drainage boxes and foils which assist in the removal of water through the fabric so as to leave behind a randomly dispersed, loosely cohesive network or web of papermaking fibers.
At the end of the forming section, this web is transferred to the press section, where further water removal occurs by mechanical pressures as the web is conveyed on or between a series of press fabrics and is guided through one or more nips. The now self-supporting but still very wet web is then transferred to the dryer section of the papermaking machine where the remaining water is removed by evaporation. The resulting paper product may then be subjected to various treatments before being finally wound onto a reel, cut to size and packaged for shipment.

It is widely recognized that the forming fabric plays a critical role in the initial formation of a paper web. Forming fabrics effectively form a paper sheet by capturing papermaking fibers and fines on the PS surface. A forming fabric must be rugged, so as to withstand over time the continuous moving contact to which its lower (machine side) surface is exposed as it is driven over the various stationary contact surfaces in the forming section. It must be stable, so that it does not crease or skew during operation. At the same time, it must provide an appropriate PS surface, which for smooth paper products is required to be very fine, upon which the individual fibers in the stock slurry are deposited, along with any added fines and fillers, so as to form a planar web which will eventually be consolidated into a continuous sheet following water removal in the downstream sections of the papermaking machine. The fineness of the fabric used in the papermaking process (i.e. the size of the yarns, their separation, the size of the openings in the mesh and number of support points per unit area provided by the fabric) will be dictated partly by the length of the papermaking fibers used in the stock and partly by the end use requirements of the paper product being formed. In even the finest forming fabrics, woven in multi layer weaves, the distance between the individual yams exceeds the length of the fines and at least a portion of the fibers by a substantial margin.

It is also known that increasing the fineness of the yams for the fabric, i.e.
by reducing their diameter, together with increasing the yam count, provides increased support for shorter papermaking fibers; however, this leads to problems in providing sufficient mechanical stability for the fabric. A further result of using smaller diameter yarns is that it can provide a more open fabric structure, so that the sheet will be dryer on leaving the couch at the end of the forming section.

Papermaking fibers are increasingly derived from recycled materials, and such fibers are generally shorter in length than fibers obtained from virgin sources, e.g. 0.5 - 1.5mm for recycle fibers, in contrast with 2 - 4mm for virgin. Papermaking stocks increasingly contain

2 significant percentages of such recycled fibers which must be supported by the mesh of the fabric upon which they are deposited if they are to provide benefit in the papermaking process. Increased support for the papermaking fibers can at present only be provided by decreasing the cross-sectional area of the yams from which the fabric is woven, and increasing the mesh (i.e. the density or number of yarns in each fabric direction). A fine mesh will provide more support points for the papermaking fibers, but will also result in a woven structure that is less rugged than a comparable fabric that is woven using larger yams. Thus, the use of finer yarns in these fabrics has resulted in thinner textile structures which are less mechanically stable and have reduced wear capability in comparison to more coarsely woven fabrics having larger yams, leading to the need to find other means of providing the required stability and wear capability.

In modern high speed papermaking machines in which the forming fabrics can be moving at speeds of I O0kph, or more, the minor pressure component perpendicular to the fabric surface exerts a significant level of force on the forming fabric, which can cause excessive impingement derived drainage of the stock over the initial portion of the forming section.
This pressure component (the "impingement pressure"), which is minor on some machines but of increasing significance in many newer machines, and the turbulent forces created by stationary drainage elements, combined with the increased use of particulate fillers and shorter papermaking fibers, have the undesirable effect of reducing first pass retention (i.e.
the amount of fines and fillers retained in the sheet) and increasing the embedment of the initial layers of the embryonic web into the PS surface of the forming fabric.

It is also well known that impingement drainage can cause sheet marking, low retention by the forming fabric of papermaking fibres, fines and fillers (i.e. low first pass retention), and plugging (i.e. sheet sealing) of the paper side layer of the forming fabric.
Unless the structure of the forming fabric is designed to allow it to manage and control impingement drainage, further increases in machine speed and/or paper making machine efficiency may be limited or, in the case of gap formers, tied directly to improvements in forming shoe or forming board construction.

3 Similarly, for other industrial filtration purposes as noted above, impingement drainage will have adverse effects on the efficiency of the filtration fabric in achieving the particular purpose for which it is being used. The shorter the fibers, and the lower the fiber support from the fabric, the lower the filtration efficiency.

The future demands of the paper industry will undoubtedly be towards ever lighter basis weight sheets which will be required to be made with ever decreasing fiber lengths due to recycling, at much greater paper machine speeds in order to reduce manufacturing costs. In order to achieve this, finer papermaking fabric structures will be required than are currently available, which will be woven or otherwise assembled using yarns of increasingly smaller cross-sectional area. The resulting fabric structures will be thinner and less stable than those woven using relatively larger size yarns. If such increases in paper machine speeds and the mechanical design of the newer high speed paper machines are to be accommodated, this will require much greater fabric stability, especially in the cross machine direction, in order to produce a uniform basis weight sheet of paper.

There is therefore a need for a novel fabric structure that is designed to meet these new requirements, and the problems of decreased fiber lengths, and to overcome the disadvantages, discussed above, of the use of finer yarns. The present invention seeks to address these issues.

It has now been discovered that round or flat multi-yarn braids, comprised of relatively small diameter monofilaments of either circular or other cross-sectional shapes, can be woven or inserted into industrial textiles to provide enhancements to various fabric properties, particularly fiber support depending on the structure into which they are incorporated. The fabrics including braided yarns according to the invention are particularly advantageous for use in the forming section of a papermaking machine, but also provide significant advantages for a wide variety of intended applications.

For example, braided yarns woven as weft or cross-machine direction (CD) yarn material into the PS of a forming fabric or through-air dryer (TAD) fabric can provide a very fine paper forming surface in which the distance separating the individual yarn components is

4 much shorter than has previously been possible in woven structures formed entirely from single, interwoven monofilaments. Having such a fine structured paper side including the braided yams provides further consequential advantageous options. For example, a non-marking pin seam can now be provided for a forming fabric, because the braided yarns will cushion or mask the product from discontinuities resulting from the presence of such a seam.
In addition, the increased exposed surface area of the braids now makes it possible to bond nonwoven scrims or webs onto the PS using suitable adhesives.

Further, braids woven or otherwise interconnected into a press felt base can provide improved anchoring of the batt fibers which are typically needled into the base fabric so as to provide positive attachment to that structure, as the braids will enhance entanglement of the batt fibers during the needling process. In addition, braided yarns may be useful in masking the interference pattern that is inherent with multiaxial designs.

Braids can also be used to "stuff' or reduce the air permeability of dryer fabrics, in particular those which are constructed by interengagement of a plurality of helical coils using hinge pins which are passed through channels where adjacent coils are interengaged.
The braided yams are inserted in the so-called stuffer position of these spiral fabrics, so as to provide any required reduction in their air permeability.

DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART

The use of compound yarn structures, such as twisted or cabled yarns, in the construction of filtration and papermaking fabrics is known. For example, US 3,158,984, US
3,351,205 and US 3,510,005 (all to Butler et al.) disclose various filtration fabrics including yams comprised of twisted strands or filaments, secured together in a cabled or similar construction. Similarly, US 4,105,495 (Pai) discloses the use of filaments which are twisted about each other or about a central core yarn, to provide a stretch resistant fabric. Other examples of fabrics using yarns comprising twisted filaments include EP 934769 (Haasmas);
and US 6,699,367 (Gstrein et al.).

5 For press fabrics, it is also known from US 5,049,425 (Essele) to construct a porous pintle from a braided, knitted or ply twisted yarn; and US 5,087,327 (Hood) discloses a composite yarn comprised of an at least partially soluble core about which a layer of monofilaments is either braided, knitted, or helically wound. It is also known from US
5,005,610 (Davenport) to use braided yarns as the MD component in a press fabric.

It is known from US 4,650,709 (Lefferts) to use braided or woven tubes within the coils of a spiral or helical coil type fabric so as to improve the uniformity of the air permeability of the fabrics; and US 5,772,848 (Dutt) discloses a resin impregnated ENP or calender belt having a base fabric layer in the form of a braided structure. US 5,899,134 (Klein et al.) discloses an axially stable tubular braided fabric.

Further, US 6,790,796 (Smith et al.) discloses a forming fabric for nonwovens manufacture which includes striated or twisted/braided multistrand rough-surface yarns in the PS to prevent slippage of the web.

US 5,077,116 (Lefkowitz) suggests the construction of a forming fabric having a nonwoven surface sheet adhered to a base fabric layer, such that fluid flow passageways in the nonwoven layer would be smaller than those in the base fabric layer and allow passage of fluid from the sheet contact surface through to the base fabric. However, the suggested construction has been found to be unworkable in practice.

EP 1,255,892 (Senellart) discloses an industrial fabric wherein at least the MD yarns are multicomponent yarns including at least one thermofusible strand having a melting point that is lower than that of the remaining strands of the yarn; the multicomponent yarns may be of a knit, plied/twisted or braided construction.

However, none of these references suggests the use of braided yarns in the manner of the present invention, as described further below.

6 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide an industrial textile for conveying a product in a machine direction, having a product supporting surface and comprising at least one set of cross-machine direction yams interconnected with at least one set of transverse yams, wherein at least some of the cross-machine direction yams comprise braided yams, each braided yam comprising first and second sets of component yams interconnected in a repeating braided pattern, wherein (i) the first set of the component yams comprises at least three longitudinally extending tri-axial yams; and (ii) the second set of the component yams comprises at least four carrier yarns, each carrier yam being braided with yams selected from at least some of the tri-axial yams and at least some others of the carrier yams to form an outer layer having a profiled outer surface and defining a longitudinal internal core.

The braided yams used in the fabrics of the invention can be constructed by conventional methods of industrial braid manufacture. They may include one or more core yarns running axially through the centre of the braid, but will preferably consist of at least three and, more preferably, at least six tri-axial yarns, which are those yarns of the braid which are oriented generally longitudinally along the axial direction but are located within the yarn structure.
In a two layer braid, the tri-axial yams are interconnected with at least four carrier yams which are wrapped in opposing directions about the braid. In yarn braiding, the carrier yams are those which are paid off from yarn spools that orbit or revolve around the axial center as the yarn is braided, while the tri-axial yarns are those oriented in the longitudinal or length direction of the braid. Generally there will be at least twelve carrier yarns used in combination with at least six tri-axial yams. Such an arrangement is referred to herein as 12C-6T, meaning there are twelve carrier yarns interconnected with six tri-axial yarns. The number of times the carrier yams are interconnected with the tri-axial yarns is referred to herein as the "pick count" and is expressed in PPI, or picks per inch. In the fabrics of the

7 invention, the PPI of the braided yarns will generally be at least twenty-five (i.e. the braid will have a minimum structure expressed as: 25 PPI-12C-6T, meaning twelve carrier yarns interconnected with six tri-axial yams at an interconnection rate of twenty-five interconnections per linear inch of braid). As many as twenty-four or more yarns in total may be used in the formation of a single braid for use in the fabrics of this invention.

In some embodiments of the invention, the braided yams can be provided as a three layer construction, in which a third set of component yams is wrapped or otherwise placed around the tri-axial yams, as a middle layer, and is secured in the selected position by an outer layer of carrier yarns which are braided to each other but not to the third set of yarns or the tri-axial yams.

The number of yarns selected for the braid will depend on factors including the intended end use for the fabric; for example, a higher number of tri-axial yarns will in general result in a stiffer structure providing a higher fiber support.

The finished braid may have an overall circular cross-sectional shape, or it may be flattened or generally rectangular; preferably the braid has a generally circular cross-sectional shape.
If flattened, the fabric manufacturer will generally wish to ensure that the yams lie generally flat in the weave of the fabric, without twists or kinks in their path.

The component yarns of the braid (i.e. the core, carrier and tri-axial yams) can be formed from any polymer such as is commonly used in monofilaments intended for use in industrial textiles. The component yarns can all be formed from the same polymer, or the tri-axial yams can be formed from a different polymer from the carrier yarns, or there can be differences between the yams of either set. For most applications, preferably the chosen polymer will be a polyester, such as PET, PEN, PBT and the like; or one or more polyamides, such as PA-6, PA-6/6, PA-6/10, etc. such as would commonly be used in industrial textiles. The component yarns may also have a bi-component structure, such as a conventional sheath-core construction, in which the outer sheath is comprised of a low-melt polymer adhesive and the core is comprised of a polymer having a higher melt point; other constructions are possible.

8 The use of a low melt polymer adhesive as a component yam of the braid would allow for the optional attachment of a nonwoven substrate such as a scrim, or another fabric structure, onto the surface of the braid and fabric of which it is a component. For most applications, such scrim is preferably constructed of nylon or PET, having a basis weight of at least 15 gsm; and is preferably secured to the fabric either by the use of bi-component yarns within the braids, as noted above, or by bonding to the braids and/or other yams in the fabric by means including, but not limited to, laser bonding, ultrasonic bonding, chemical bonding, heat activated bonding and mechanical entanglement. As a further option, the nonwoven scrim can include a thermoplastic heat activated adhesive component.

If braided yarns including one or more core yams are employed, the resultant braided structure will be expected to have advantageous mechanical properties and increased stiffness, and possibly lower outer diameter size variation.

Where the individual yarn components used in the braid have a circular cross-section, their diameter will generally preferably be in the vicinity of about 0.05mm, to result in an outside diameter of the braid similar to that found in modem industrial textiles, generally in the range of from about 0.4mm to about 1.0mm, with about 0.6mm being preferred.
However, during weaving, the generally circular cross-sectional shape of the braided yams will tend to become flattened and will spread as they are interlaced with the warp yams.
This effect may be exaggerated if the PS surface is calendered or if the fabric is passed through a heated roll nip.

Preferably, the braided yams represent between about 10% and 100% of the cross-directional (or weft) yarn components in the fabrics of the present invention, i.e. the braided yams may be inserted as every fourth, third or second CD yarn, or all the CD
yams can be braided yams. Where the braided yarns are incorporated in the entire body of the fabric, i.e.
not merely at specific regions such as seaming areas, preferably they are located on the intended PS or material conveying surface of the fabric and are woven into the fabric structure as weft yarns interlaced with MD oriented warp yams, and preferably are sufficient in number to present a surface area of at least 10% of the PS surface. The ratio of the

9 number of PS braided yams to MS yams will be determined by the fabric manufacturer in accordance with need and the desired end properties of the textile. In three-layer structures (i.e. fabrics constructed with three layers of weft yarns, such as are described by Danby et al.
in WO 09/103167), it may be preferred to locate the braided yams in the centre layer of weft so as to provide an increase in the Centre Plane Resistance (CPR) of the fabric.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a photograph showing one type of braided yam of the invention adjacent a part of a conventional forming fabric;

Figure 2 is a close-up photograph of the braided yarn shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a photograph showing the braided yam of Figures 1 and 2 in cross-section;
Figure 4 is a weave diagram for a 24-shed fabric in an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the warp yarns of a fabric of the invention woven to the weave pattern of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a weave diagram for a 12-shed fabric in an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the warp yams of a fabric of the invention woven to the weave pattern of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a graph showing the interrelationship of the number of picks per inch (PPI) for two embodiments of the braided yams of the invention in comparison to the void volume of the resulting yam;

Figure 9 is a photograph of part of a fabric woven according to the weave pattern of Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a close up photograph of the fabric shown in Figure 9; and Figure 11 is a photograph of the MS of a fabric woven according to the weave pattern of Figure 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE
DRAWINGS

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 1 is a photograph showing one type of braided yarn of the invention, shown adjacent a forming fabric to show the scale of the braided yarns in comparison to yarns currently used in conventional forming fabrics. Figure 2 is a close-up of the braided yarn shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a photograph showing the braided yarn of Figures 1 and 2 in cross-section, from which it can be seen that the yarn is coreless and hollow. In this embodiment, the individual yarns of the braid are comprised of polyamide-6.
Experimental forming fabrics were successfully woven in accordance with the invention, in which braided monofilament yarns were incorporated as weft yarns in their product side (PS) weave structure. Two fabric designs were woven, both of which were double layer constructions including two layers of weft yarns which were interwoven using either one or two systems of warp yarns; the PS well yarns in both designs were braided yarns according to the invention.

In the first weave design, shown in Figures 4 and 5, two systems of warp yarns were used.
Figure 4 is a weave diagram of a 24-shed pattern of an embodiment having two warp yarn systems and two weft yarn systems, one being the braided yarns of the invention, and the other being solid well monofilament yarns. The first PS warp yarn system interweaves with both the PS braided yarns, to hold them into the fabric structure, and with the MS well yarns. The second warp yarn system interweaves only with the MS well yarns.

Figure 5 is an illustration of one pattern repeat showing a cross-section of a fabric woven according to the weave diagram of Figure 4, taken along the warp yarns to show the interweaving of the two warp yarn systems with the PS and MS well yarns of the fabric according to the weave pattern.

The machine side layer (MS) was woven according to a simple over-3/under 1 design so as to provide a mesh (warp) x knock (weft) count of approximately 90 x 70 yams per inch; the PS had mesh x knock of 90 x 23 due to the presence of braided yams. In this design, the MS
well yams were monofilaments interwoven with both the MS and PS warp yams so as to tie the fabric structure together. The PS warp yams were interwoven according to the same pattern but inverted, so that they passed under three and over one of the braided yams and were interwoven with three of the MS well yams in each repeat.

In the second weave design, shown in Figures 6 and 7, only one warp yam system was used, in which the warp yams were interwoven with both the PS and MS well yams, passing over one PS braided well and beneath three MS monofilament well yams in the manner shown in cross-section in Figure 7. Figure 6 is a weave diagram of the 12-shed pattern of this embodiment; and Figure 7 is an illustration of one pattern repeat showing a cross-section of a fabric woven according to the weave diagram of Figure 6, taken along the warp yams to show the interweaving of the warp yams with the PS braided yarns and the solid monofilament MS well yarns. The PS mesh x knock was 90 x 23 as in the first design shown in Figures 4 and 5.

In both these experimental fabric weave patterns, the warp yams were rectangular 0.14 x 0.165 mm PET monofilaments and the well yams used in the MS weave were 0.22 mm diameter round PET monofilaments.

In the experimental fabrics, all of the PS well yams were braided yams having a 50 PPI
(picks per inch) construction, including 16 carrier yarns x 8 tri-axial yams, as shown in exemplary Figures 1, 2 and 3. In the braids used in the forming fabrics of the experiment, each individual tri-axial and carrier yam was the same and was a 0.06mm round polyamide (PA-6) monofilament. The braided yams were braided coreless on a horizontal braider. The outside diameter of the braids was approximately 0.60mm, and the braids had a void volume of approximately 72%. Variation in the void volume of braided yams as a function of their pick count is graphically represented in Figure 8, which is a graph showing the interrelationship of the number of PPI in the braided yams used in the present invention, in comparison to the void volume of the resulting yarn. In the graph, the data points associated with the yarns used in the fabrics and yarns of Figures 1 to 7 are shown as diamonds, while data points for comparison yarns designated 12C-6T are shown as squares.
Figure 8 shows that, as the PPI increases, the void volume of the resulting braid decreases.

For convenience, the following notation, as referred to previously, is adopted to describe the construction of the braided yarns used in the fabrics of this invention. The braided construction of Figures 1 to 7 can be described as:

50 ppi-16C-8T
Where 50 ppi = 50 picks per inch, 16C =16 carrier yarns (i.e. yarns from spools that orbit or revolve around the center of the braid during the braiding process), and 8T = 8 tri-axial yarns (i.e. the axial, or longitudinal yarns involved in the braid).

A 50ppi-16C-8T braided yarn thus has 24 yarns in total, i.e. 16 carrier yarns + 8 tri-axial yarns; and the PPI defines the braid density. In the experimental fabrics that were woven during trials, braids having a pick count as low as 25 PPI and as high as 200 PPI were used.
As in weaving, a relatively lower pick count is faster and more economical to produce than one having a comparatively higher pick count. The braid samples used in the experimental fabrics employed only one size of monofilament (0.06 mm); however, various sizes can be used in any carrier or tri-axial position (for example, relatively larger tri-axial yarns might be advantageous with respect to fabric stability or seam strength).

Figure 9 is a photograph of a fabric woven according to the pattern shown in Figures 4 and 5 using the 50 PPI-16C-8T braided yarns.

Figure 10 is a close up photograph of the fabric shown in Figure 9, illustrating the woven position of a braided yarn in that structure.

Figure 11 is a photograph of the MS of a fabric woven according to the pattern shown in Figures 6 and 7, showing a braided yarn in the fabric structure as seen from the MS.

Claims (29)

WE CLAIM:

1. An industrial textile for conveying a product in a machine direction, having a product supporting surface and comprising at least one set of cross-machine direction yarns interconnected with at least one set of transverse yarns, wherein at least some of the cross-machine direction yarns comprise braided yarns, each braided yarn comprising first and second sets of component yarns interconnected in a repeating braided pattern, wherein (i) the first set of the component yarns comprises at least three longitudinally extending tri-axial yarns; and (ii) the second set of the component yarns comprises at least four carrier yarns, each carrier yarn being braided with yarns selected from at least some of the tri-axial yarns and at least some others of the carrier yarns to form an outer layer having a profiled outer surface and defining a longitudinal internal core.

2. An industrial textile according to Claim 1, wherein the transverse yarns comprise machine direction yarns.

3. An industrial textile according to Claim 2, wherein the machine direction yarns are polymeric monofilaments.

4. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the industrial textile is a woven industrial textile and the transverse yarns are interwoven with the cross-machine direction yarns.

5. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the braided yarns are located predominantly on the product supporting surface.

6. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, comprising a multi-layer textile, wherein the braided yarns are located entirely within the interior of the textile.

7. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the braided yarns comprise at least 10% of the cross-machine direction yarns located on the product supporting surface.

8. An industrial textile according to Claim 7, wherein the braided yarns comprise at least 20% of the cross-machine direction yarns located on the product supporting surface.

9. An industrial textile according to Claim 8, wherein the braided yarns comprise at least 25% of the cross-machine direction yarns located on the product supporting surface.

10. An industrial textile according to Claim 9, wherein the braided yarns comprise at least 33% of the cross-machine direction yarns located on the product supporting surface.

11. An industrial textile according to Claim 10, wherein the braided yarns comprise at least 50% of the cross-machine direction yarns located on the product supporting surface.

12. An industrial textile according to Claim 11, wherein the braided yarns comprise 100% of the cross-machine direction yarns located on the product supporting surface.

13. An industrial textile according to Claim 1, wherein the transverse yarns comprise a set of spiral link coils, wherein each spiral link coil is interdigitated with and secured by a securing means to at least one adjacent spiral link coil, and at least one braided yarn is secured within the interior of the coil.

14. An industrial textile according to Claim 13, wherein the securing means comprises a pintle.

15. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the second set of the component yarns comprises at least twelve carrier yarns, each carrier yarn being braided with each of the tri-axial yarns and at least some others of the carrier yarns to form the outer layer having a profiled outer surface.

16. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, further comprising a third set of at least four component yarns wrapped around at least some of the triaxial yarns, wherein the carrier yarns comprising the second set of component yarns and forming the outer layer are braided only with selected other ones of the carrier yarns to secure the third set of component yarns in position around the triaxial yarns.

17. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 16, wherein the braided yarns have a cross-sectional shape selected from substantially circular, partly flattened and substantially oblong.

18. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 17, wherein the braided yarn has a longitudinal central hollow core.

19. An industrial textile according to Claim 18, wherein the braided yarn comprises at least one longitudinally oriented reinforcing yarn within the hollow core.

20. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the product supporting surface of the industrial textile comprises a nonwoven polymeric scrim bonded to selected ones of at least one of the sets of yarns.

21. An industrial textile according to Claim 20, wherein the nonwoven scrim is bonded to the selected ones of the yarns by a bonding means selected from laser bonding, ultrasonic bonding, chemical bonding, heat activated bonding and mechanical entanglement.

22. An industrial textile according to Claim 20 or Claim 21, wherein the nonwoven scrim is bonded to selected ones of the braided yarns.

23. An industrial textile according to any Claim 22, wherein at least one carrier yarn of each braided yarn comprises a thermoplastic bicomponent yarn in which a first component element melts at a lower temperature than the other, and the first component element comprises the bond with the nonwoven scrim

24. An industrial textile according to any of Claims 20 to 23, wherein the nonwoven scrim includes a thermoplastic heat activated adhesive component.

25. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 24, wherein at least some yarns of at least one of the first and second sets of component yarns of the braided yarns are constructed of a hydrolysis stabilized polymer.

26. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 24, wherein the yarns of the first and second sets of component yarns of the braided yarns are constructed of at least one of a thermoplastic polymer selected from a filament forming polyester, a polyamide, and at least one copolymer.

27. An industrial textile according to any one of Claims 1 to 26, comprising a papermakers fabric selected from a forming fabric, a press felt and a through-air dryer fabric.

28. An industrial textile according to Claim 27, comprising a press felt having a seam area, wherein the braided yarns are located at least adjacent the seam area.

29. An industrial textile according to Claim 28, wherein the braided yarns are located within seaming components at the seam area.