TW201400663A - Industrial fabric including spirally wound material strips with reinforcement - Google Patents

Abstract

An industrial fabric such as an endless belt or sleeve for use in the production of nonwovens, and a method of making thereof are disclosed. The industrial fabric is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, and joining the adjoining sides of the strips of material using ultrasonic welding or laser welding techniques. The fabric may then be perforated using a suitable technique to make it permeable to air and/or water.

Description

Industrial fabric comprising a spirally wound material strip with reinforcing members (1) Cross-references to related applications

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/635,367, filed Dec. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/246,801, filed on Sep. 29, 2009, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/147,637, filed on Jan. 27, 2009, and filed on December 12, 2008 Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/121,998.

Reference attachment

All patents, patent applications, literature, references, manufacturer's instructions, descriptions, product specifications, and product specifications of any of the products referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

Technical field to which the invention belongs

The present invention is directed to several types of recycled fabrics, particularly industrial fabrics for the production of nonwoven fabric products. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a support (e.g., a belted cover) for producing a patterned or indicia nonwoven product. Furthermore, the invention can be used as a method for airlaid, melting, etc. The process of melt blowing, spunbonding and hydroentangling to produce non-woven belts and/or covers.

Background of the invention

Methods for making nonwoven products have been known for many years. In one method, a fiber batt or web is treated with a water stream or water jet to cause intertwining of the fibers and to improve the physical properties of the web, such as strength. Such techniques for treatment with water jets are known for decades, and are known from the disclosures of U.S. Patent Nos. 3,214,819, 3,508,308, and 3,485,706.

In general, this method involves the action of water injection under pressure to interlace the primary fibers, which acts like a needle for the fibrous structure and makes it possible for some of the fibers to be redirected to form a mesh in the thickness direction.

This technology has been widely developed and is not only used to produce "spunlace" or "hydroentangled" structures known as, for example, textiles, especially for medical applications and hospital applications, wiping, tea. The filtering and wrapping of the bag, as well as the article having the regularity and uniformity, which is known from the disclosure of U.S. Patent No. 3,508,308, and, if necessary, the design caused by the reorientation of the fiber, for aesthetic purposes, this is This is known from the disclosure of U.S. Patent No. 3,485,706.

As for "spunlace" or "hydroentangled" products, it has long been known that changing the final properties of the product can be achieved by producing a mixture of materials, such as a combination of multiple meshes composed of different types of fibers, for example, Natural, synthetic or synthetic fibers, or even nets, where the fibers are first incorporated into the nonwoven The reinforcement of the cloth structure is mixed ("spunbond" type mesh, etc.).

The use of water jets to successfully treat hydrophobic or hydrophobic fibers and other hydrophilic fibers is described in French Patent Nos. FR-A-2 730 246 and 2 734 285, each of which is assigned to U.S. Patent No. 5,718, 022 and U.S. Patent No. 5,768,756. A solution for a mixture of meshes or even completely composed of natural fibers.

In general, according to the teachings of these documents, the treatment involves treating a basic web composed of the same or different types of basic fibers, compressing and wetting the base web, and then using at least one continuous water spray rack at a high pressure acting on the base web. Mix the fibers underneath.

For this purpose, the base web advances forward on the moving circulating porous support and causes it to perforate the surface of the cylindrical drum to the interior where the partial vacuum is applied. The base web is mechanically compressed between a porous support that is substantially advanced at the same speed and a rotating drum. Just downstream of the compression zone, the water curtain is directed onto the mesh body and sequentially through the porous support, the pressed base mesh and the support perforated drum, wherein the vacuum source removes excess water.

Still on the rotating cylindrical drum, the basic fibers are continuously mixed, which is subjected to at least one water spray frame under high pressure by the compressed and wetted net. In general, it is used as a plurality of continuous water spray frames for the same side or alternatively acting on both sides of the net body to complete the bonding, and the pressure in the frame and the jetting speed of each frame are different, usually gradually changing. .

It is important to note that the perforated drum/drum can comprise randomly distributed microperforations as gathered by French Patent No. FR 2 734 285. If necessary, the fiber non-woven structure can be subjected to the application after the initial bonding treatment The second process added to the reverse side.

In the production of spunlace or hydroentangled nonwoven products, it is often desirable to impart a pattern or marking on the finished product to create the desired design on the product. This pattern or indicia is typically produced by secondary processing using an embossing/patterned flattening cylinder separately from the non-woven sheet forming and rolling process. These rollers are generally expensive and operate on the principle of compressing certain areas of the web to produce the necessary pattern or indicia. However, there are several disadvantages to using individual processes for patterning or marking on non-woven products. For example, a high initial investment would be required for flattening the drum, which may limit the length of production run that is economically determined by the producer. Second, there are higher processing costs due to individual patterning or marking stages. Third, after compression of the calendaring step, the final product will have a higher than necessary material content to maintain the paper thickness (thickness) of the product. Finally, due to the high pressure compression during the flattening, the two-stage process results in a finished product having a lower bulkiness (blocky) than desired. Prior art non-woven products made by these conventional patterning processes have no sharp and distinct raised portions, so that it is difficult to see the desired pattern. In addition, the raised portions of prior art embossed nonwoven products have no stable dimensions and, depending on the application, the raised portions tend to lose three-dimensional structure when subjected to pressure over a period of time.

No. 5,098,764 and 5,244,711 disclose the use of a support member in a method for producing a nonwoven web or product. The support has a skin feature configuration and a perforated array. In this process, the starting fiber web is placed on the skin support. The support on which the web is passed passes under a high pressure fluid jet, typically water. Water spray causes the fibers to blend and entangle into a specific pattern based on the skin configuration of the support.

The pattern of the skin features and the perforations of the support are important to the structure of the resulting nonwoven product. In addition, the support must have sufficient structural integrity and strength to support the web while fluidly ejecting the rearranged fibers and entangle them into a new arrangement to provide a stable fabric. The support must not undergo any actual deformation under the force of the fluid jet. Again, the support must have a means to remove a relatively large amount of entangled fluid in order to prevent the web from "flooding" which can interfere with effective entanglement. Typically, the support member includes drainage perforations which must be sufficiently small in size to maintain the integrity of the web and to prevent loss of fibers through the forming surface. In addition, the support should be substantially free of burrs, hooks or the like to prevent the entangled fiber nonwoven from being removed therefrom. At the same time, the support must be such that the fibers of the web being processed are not washed away under the influence of fluid ejection (i.e., good fiber retention and support).

One of the major problems that arise during the production of nonwovens is to achieve agglomeration of the fibers that make up the nonwoven to provide strength properties of the nonwoven product in accordance with the contemplated application while maintaining or imparting specific physical properties, such as bulk, hand (hand) ), appearance, and so on.

The properties of bulkiness, absorbency, strength, softness and aesthetic appearance are indeed important for many products when used for the intended purpose. In order to produce a nonwoven product having such characteristics, the support member is often constructed such that the sheet contact surface has a skin change.

It should be understood that the supports (fabrics, belts, sleeves) may function in the form of a circulating loop in the manner of a conveyor belt. It should be further understood that non-woven production is a continuous process that advances at a relatively fast rate. Basic fiber The mesh or web is continuously deposited on the forming fabric/belt in the forming section while the newly entangled nonwoven fabric is continuously transferred from the support to the subsequent process.

Summary of invention

The present invention provides an alternative solution to the problem addressed by the prior art patent/patent application described above.

The present invention provides improved nonwoven belts or sleeves for replacing conventional belts or sleeves, as well as imparting desired physical properties such as bulkiness, appearance, texture, absorbency, strength and feel to the nonwoven fabric product being fabricated thereon.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a spunlacing or hydroentangled support, such as a belt or sleeve that penetrates the aperture in a desired pattern.

Another object is to provide a belt or sleeve that may have a skin or texture on one or both sides, which may be made by methods known in the art, such as sanding, engraving, embossing or etching. The above and other advantages are provided by the present invention. Other advantages, such as, but not limited to, improved fiber support and release (no shuttle) over prior art woven fabrics, as well as easier cleaning because no yarn overlap is provided that would jam the staple fibers.

If the belt/sleeve has a surface texture, the pattern structure/texture is transferred more efficiently to the non-woven fabric, and also produces better physical properties such as bulkiness/absorbability.

This invention relates to a cyclic support, such as a belt or sleeve, for supporting and transporting natural, synthetic or synthetic fibers in a hydroentangled or hydroentangled process. The porous structure, belt or sleeve of the invention has the following advantages Non-limiting advantages of the flattening technique: fabric sleeves are relatively inexpensive items and there is no significant capital investment in fixed equipment; patterning is done during the entanglement process, which eliminates the need for individual flattening processes; A lower material content is achieved because the paper thickness/thickness is not degraded by compression; a fluffy finished product can be produced because it is not compressed during the flattening stage. For manufacturers of non-woven roll-shaped shipments, these process advantages lead to the following advantages: the desired pattern, the mark or the texture of the spunlace or the hydroentangled net is lower; the product can be customized because The scale/length of production runs for a particular product is reduced; products with higher production efficiency, for example, products with high loftiness give higher absorption characteristics, which is extremely valuable in consumer applications.

In an exemplary embodiment, the endless belt or sleeve is formed from a strip of material that is spirally wound around the two rollers in an edge-adjacent manner. The strips are tightly attached to one another in a suitable manner to form a loop of the necessary length and width for a particular application. In the case of a sleeve, the strips can be wound around the surface of a single drum or mandrel that is about the diameter and CD length of the drum on which the sleeve will be used. The strip of material used is often made into an industrial strapping material. Bundles, particularly plastic strap materials, are often defined as relatively thin plastic strips used to secure or clamp objects together. Surprisingly, it has been found that such plastic materials have suitable characteristics for the material strip to form the belt or sleeve of the present invention.

The difference in the definition of (plastic) straps and monofilaments depends on the size, shape and application. Both the strap and the monofilament are extruded, uniaxially oriented and wound. The extrusion process of the same basic steps is made. The monofilaments are generally smaller in size than the straps and are often circular in shape. Monofilaments are used in a wide variety of applications, such as fishing lines and industrial fabrics, including paper machine fabrics. The strap is generally much larger in size than the monofilament and is generally wider along the major axis, and likewise shaped as a rectangle for the desired purpose.

As is known for the extrusion technique, the plastic strap is produced by an extrusion process. It is also well known that this process involves the 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 wide sheet of material sewn into individual straps. Another process is to squeeze individual bundles that are oriented. This second process is very similar to the process of making a monofilament, as evidenced by the similarity of the equipment in the two processes.

For monofilaments, the advantage of using a strap material is the number of spiral turns required to produce the fabric. Monofilaments are often considered to have yarns of no more than 5 mm on the largest axis. The size of the single-axis monofilament used in paper machine clothing and other applications described above rarely exceeds 1.0 mm at the maximum axis. The strap material used is often at least 10 mm wide and sometimes more than 100 mm wide. It is conceivable that straps with a width of up to 1000 mm can also be used. Suppliers of strap materials that can be used include companies such as Signode.

Yet another advantage is the thickness relative to the tensile modulus. Prior art polyester (PET) films, for example, have a tensile modulus of about 3.5 GPa in the long axis (or machine direction, MD). PET strap (or ribbon) materials have a tensile modulus of 10 GPa to 12.5 GPa. In order to achieve the same modulus with a film, the structure must have a thickness of 3 to 3.6 times.

Thus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the present invention is The spirally wound ribbon is formed into a single or multi-layered fabric, belt or sleeve. The fabric, belt or sleeve can have a flat, smooth front and bottom surface. The belt or sleeve can also be textured in some manner by any method known in the art (e.g., sanding, engraving, embossing, or etching). The belt or cover may be opaque to air and/or water. The belt or sleeve is also porous or permeable to air and/or water by some mechanical or thermal (laser) tool.

In another exemplary embodiment, the ribbon is formed to have an interlocking profile. The belt or sleeve is formed by spirally winding the interlocking strips and greater than just the integrity of the parallel and/or vertical sides of adjacent ribbons. The belt or sleeve may also be impermeable or porous to air and/or water.

While the above specific embodiments are suitable for a single layer of spirally wound ribbon, the use of belts of various geometries having two or more layers of belts or sleeves has advantages. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment, the belt or sleeve may have two or more layers in which the belt may be formed such that the two or more layers are mechanically interlocked or are familiar to those skilled in the art. Attached together. The structure may also be impermeable or porous to permeate air and/or water.

Another exemplary embodiment fires a multilayer structure formed using the concept of "welding tape" to further improve belt or sleeve integrity. The structure may be impermeable or porous to permeate air and/or water.

The various features of the invention are pointed out with particularity in the scope of the appended claims. For a better understanding of the invention, the operational advantages of the invention, and the use of the invention The specific objects that have been achieved are described with reference to the accompanying description of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Fabrics, belts, belts, sleeves, supports and fabric structures are used interchangeably to describe the structure of the present invention when using the term fabric and fabric construction. Similarly, the terms strap, ribbon, and strip of material are used interchangeably throughout the description.

The term "comprising" is used in this disclosure to mean "including" or having the meaning of the term "comprising", which is often given by US patent law. If the term used in the patent application is "substantially composed of", it has the meaning given to them by the US patent law. Other aspects of the invention are described or apparent in the following disclosure (and within the scope of the invention).

10‧‧‧Industrial fabrics, belts or covers

12‧‧‧ inner surface

14‧‧‧ outer surface

15‧‧‧Upper surface

16‧‧‧Polymer strip

17‧‧‧ Lower surface

18‧‧‧First flat side

19‧‧‧Second flat side

20‧‧‧ device

22‧‧‧First processing drum

24‧‧‧Second processing roller

26‧‧‧Closed spiral

28‧‧‧ points

30‧‧‧Adhesive

32‧‧‧ Filling materials

End of 34, 36‧‧

42‧‧‧ upper surface

44‧‧‧ lower surface

46‧‧ ‧Tongue

48‧‧‧ trench

79‧‧‧Fluid spout manifold

80‧‧‧ conveyor belt

81‧‧‧ orifice pipeline or group

82‧‧‧Inhalation box

83‧‧‧Fiber

84‧‧‧Nozzles

85‧‧‧ suction slot

86‧‧‧Additional suction slot

87‧‧‧Control valve

88‧‧‧ pressure gauge

89‧‧‧Management

91‧‧‧Rotating drum cover

92‧‧‧mouth belt

93‧‧‧Fiber web

94‧‧‧storage tank

Section 95‧‧‧

96‧‧‧ Drying tank

97‧‧‧Control valve

98‧‧‧ pressure gauge

320‧‧‧ demonstration equipment

322‧‧‧fabrics, belts or covers

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a The drawings are presented to illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a fabric, belt or sleeve in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a method that can be used to construct a fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention; Figures 3(a) through 3(i) are along Cross-sectional views taken in the width direction of several material strip embodiments used to make the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention; Figures 4(a) through 4(d) are used to fabricate the fabric, belt of the present invention. Or a cross-sectional view of the plurality of strips of the sleeve in the width direction of the embodiment; Figure 5 (a) to Figure 5 (c) are cross-sectional views taken along the width direction of several material strip embodiments used to fabricate the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention; Figures 6(a) through 6 (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the width direction of the embodiment of the plurality of material strips used to make the fabric, belt or cover of the present invention; Figures 7(a) through 7(d) are used along A cross-sectional view taken in the width direction of several material strip embodiments of the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention; Figures 8(a) through 8(c) are used to fabricate the fabric, belt or cover of the present invention. A cross-sectional view of the number of strips in the width direction of the embodiment; the strip graph of Figure 9 illustrates the use of a uniaxially oriented material (tape/ribbon) over a biaxially oriented material (film) and extrusion Advantages of the material (molded part); Figures 10(a) to 10(d) illustrate steps involved in a method that can be used to construct the fabric, belt or cover of the present invention; Figures 11(a) through 11(b) are based on BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An illustration of a device that can be used in forming a fabric, belt or sleeve; FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of a device that can be used in forming a fabric, belt or sleeve in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; 13 is a cross-sectional view of a fabric, belt or sleeve in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 14 illustrates an apparatus for fabricating a fabric, belt or cover in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; and schematic views of FIGS. 15 and 16 The different types of devices used to produce nonwoven webs are used with the support members of the present invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. The present invention, however, may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the illustrated embodiments. Instead, the present embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

The present invention provides a continuous support, such as an endless belt for the apparatus of Figure 15. The non-woven support is used to replace the traditional woven support and to impart the desired texture, feel and bulkiness to the nonwoven product being fabricated thereon. The support of the present invention can reduce the manufacturing time and cost associated with producing nonwoven fabrics.

Figure 15 illustrates an apparatus for continuously producing a nonwoven fabric using the support of the present invention. The device of Figure 15 includes a conveyor belt 80 that is actually used as the skin support of the present invention. The belt is continuously moved in a counterclockwise direction about a pair of spaced rollers, as is known in the art. Disposed over the belt 80 is a fluid ejection manifold 79 that connects a plurality of orifice lines or groups 81. Each group has one or more rows of very small diameter orifices having an orifice diameter of about 0.007 inches each and 30 orifices per inch. Water is supplied to the group 81 of orifices at a predetermined pressure and is ejected from the orifice in the form of a very fine, substantially columnar, non-diverging stream or jet. The manifold is provided with a pressure gauge 88 and a control valve 87 for regulating the fluid pressure of each orifice line or group. Disposed under the orifice line or group is a suction box 82 for removing excess water and preventing excessive flooding of the area. The web 83, which will be formed as a nonwoven product, is fed to the skin support conveyor belt of the present invention. Water is sprayed onto the web through a suitable nozzle 84 to pre-wet into the mesh body 83 and assist when the fibers pass under the fluid ejection manifold Control the fiber. A suction slot 85 is placed underneath this water nozzle to remove excess water. The web passes under the fluid ejection manifold in a counterclockwise direction. The pressure set to operate at any given orifice group 81 can be independent of the pressure operating at any other orifice group 81. However, the orifice group 81, which is typically closest to the spray nozzle 84, operates at a relatively low pressure, such as 100 psi. This helps to deposit the incoming web onto the surface of the support. When the mesh passes in the counterclockwise direction of Figure 15, the pressure at the orifice group 81 is typically incremental. The pressure at the subsequent orifice group 81 is not necessarily higher than the adjacent group in the clockwise direction. For example, two or more adjacent orifice groups 81 can operate at the same pressure, and then the next subsequent orifice group 81 (in the counterclockwise direction) can operate at different pressures. Very typically, the working pressure at the end of the conveyor belt (the mesh body is removed here) is higher than the working pressure at the initial feeding of the mesh body. Although FIG. 15 illustrates six orifice groups 81, this number is not critical, but rather depends on the weight, speed, pressure of use, number of rows of holes in each group, and the like. After passing between the fluid ejection manifold and the suction manifold, the formed nonwoven fabric is passed over the additional suction slot 86 to remove excess water. The distance from the lower surface of the orifice group 81 to the upper surface of the web 83 is typically in the range of from about 0.5 inches to about 2.0 inches; preferably from about 0.75 inches to about 1.0 inches. Obviously, the mesh body cannot be too close to the manifold so that the mesh body is in contact with the manifold. On the other hand, if the distance between the lower surface of the orifice and the upper surface of the mesh is too large, the fluid flow will lose energy and the process will be inefficient.

Figure 16 is a schematic illustration of a preferred apparatus for producing a nonwoven fabric using the support of the present invention. In this device, the skin support is a rotatable drum cover 91. The drum under the drum cover 91 rotates in the counterclockwise direction. The outer surface of the drum cover 91 contains the desired skin support configuration. Arranged around one portion of the periphery of the drum is a manifold 89 that connects a plurality of orifice strips 92 for applying water or other fluid to the web 93 placed on the outer surface of the curved sheet. Each orifice strip may contain one or more rows of very small diameter holes or perforations, the type of which is as previously described. Typically, for example, the nominal diameter of the perforations is approximately equal to 0.005 inches to 0.01 inches. It is obvious that other sizes, shapes and orientations can be used, if appropriate. Again, for example, up to 50 or 60 holes or more per inch. Water or other fluid is directed through the rows of orifices. In general, and as explained above, the pressure of each orifice group is typically incremented by the first group through which the web passes under the last group. The pressure is controlled by a suitable control valve 97 and the pressure is monitored by a pressure gauge 98. The drum train is coupled to a sump 94 where it can be vacuumed to remove water and to prevent flooding of the area. In operation, the web 93 is placed on the upper surface of the skin support prior to water being sprayed out of the manifold 89, as shown in FIG. The web passes under the orifice strip and forms a nonwoven product. The formed nonwoven fabric is then passed over the section 95 where there is no orifice strip in the device 95 but still has a vacuum. The dewatered fabric is unloaded by the drum and passed through a sequence of drying cans 96 and the dried fabric.

Referring to the structure of the support, belt or sleeve at this time, the support member may have a pattern composed of a plurality of through holes. These through-pores may contain, among other things, geometrical features to provide enhanced skin and bulkiness to a nonwoven product or mesh that is fabricated, for example, on a support, belt or sleeve. Other advantages of the support of the present invention include ease of the mesh body and improved pollution resistance Force, as well as reducing fiber picks. Another advantage is to avoid the limitations and needs of the weaving loom because the through holes can be placed in any desired orientation or pattern. The support member can also have a texture formed on one or both surfaces by any method known in the art (e.g., sanding, engraving, embossing, or etching).

It should be understood that the term "through the aperture" is synonymous with the term "through hole" and refers to any opening that passes completely through a support (eg, a belt or sleeve). Supports referred to herein include, but are not limited to, industrial fabrics, such as belts or belts, and sleeves or cylindrical belts that are specifically used to produce nonwoven fabrics. As previously mentioned, although preferred embodiments are described in terms of fabric and fabric construction, fabrics, belts, belts, sleeves, supports, and fabric structures are used interchangeably to describe the structure of the present invention.

The perspective view of Figure 1 illustrates an industrial fabric, belt or cover 10 of the present invention. The fabric, belt or cover 10 has an inner surface 12 and an outer surface 14, and is formed as a plurality of adjacent and interconnected loops by spirally winding a strip of polymeric material 16 (e.g., an industrial bundling material). The strip of material 16 is wound around the length of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 in a substantial longitudinal direction in a helical manner in which the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 can be constructed.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method by which a fabric, belt or sleeve 10 can be made. The apparatus 20 includes a first processing drum 22 and a second processing drum 24 that are each rotatable about a longitudinal axis. The first processing drum 22 and the second processing drum 24 are parallel to each other, and the distance between the two is determined by the total length of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 to be fabricated thereon (this is measured longitudinally around it). On the side of the first processing drum 22, it is provided to be mounted for rotation about an axis and to be level with the processing rolls 22 and 24. A supply spool that is translated in translation (not shown in the drawings). The supply spool accommodates a roll of material such as a strip of material 16 having a width of 10 millimeters or more. The supply spool is initially located at the left hand end of the first processing drum 12, for example, before moving to the right or the other side at a predetermined speed.

To begin the manufacture of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10, the open end of the polymeric strap material strip 16 is stretched from the first processing cylinder 22 to the second processing cylinder 24, around the second processing cylinder 24, and back to the first processing. The drum 22 forms a first weir closing spiral 26. To close the first weir closed helix 26, the open end of the strip of material 16 is joined at point 28 to the end of the first weir. As described below, the adjacent turns of the spirally wound material strip 16 are joined to each other by a mechanical and/or adhesive tool.

Thus, the continuation of the closure spiral 26 is achieved by rotating the first processing cylinder 22 and the second processing cylinder 24 in a common direction (as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2) while feeding the material strip 16 onto the first processing cylinder 22. . At the same time, the strip of material 16 newly wound on the first processing cylinder 22 continues to be joined (eg, mechanical and/or adhesive or any other suitable tool) to the material already on the first processing cylinder 22 and the second processing cylinder 24. Band 16 is created to create other turns of the closure spiral 26.

This process continues until the closed helix 26 has a desired width, which is measured along the axial direction of the first processing drum 22 or the second processing drum 24. At that time, the material strip 16 has not been wound on the first processing drum 22 and the second processing drum 24 is separated, and the closing spiral 26 made therefrom is unloaded by the first processing drum 22 and the second processing cylinder 24. To provide the fabric, belt or cover 10 of the present invention.

Although the arrangement of the two rollers is described herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the belt body can be wound around the surface of a single drum or mandrel to form the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention. An appropriately sized drum or mandrel can be selected based on the desired size of the fabric, belt or sleeve to be produced.

The process of the invention for making fabrics, belts or sleeves 10 is versatile and can be adapted to the production of non-woven fabrics and/or industrial fabrics or belts or sleeves of various lengthwise and transverse dimensions. That is, the manufacturer, by practicing the present invention, eliminates the need to manufacture a woven fabric of a length and width suitable for a given nonwoven fabric producing machine. Instead, the manufacturer only needs to separate the first processing drum 22 from the second processing drum 24 by an appropriate distance to determine the approximate length of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10, as well as the winding material strip 16 to the first processing cylinder 22 and the second processing. The drum 24 is up to the desired width until the closure spiral 26 has reached the desired width.

Moreover, since the fabric, belt or cover 10 is manufactured by spirally winding the ribbon of the polymeric strap material 16, and not the woven fabric, the outer surface 12 of the fabric, belt or sleeve 10 can be smooth and continuous, and without The knuckle makes the surface of the fabric imperfect and smooth. However, the fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention can have geometrical characteristics to provide enhanced skin and bulkiness to the nonwoven product being fabricated thereon. Other advantages of the support of the present invention include ease of loosening the mesh body, improved stain resistance, and reduced fiber cloth cleaning. Another advantage is that it avoids the limitations and needs of conventional weaving machines because the through-holes can be placed in any desired orientation or pattern. The fabric, belt or sleeve may also have a texture formed on one or both surfaces by any method known in the art (e.g., sanding, engraving, embossing, or etching). Alternatively, the fabric, belt or sleeve may be flat on one or both surfaces Sliding.

3(a) to 3(i) are cross-sectional views showing a plurality of material strips for producing the fabric, belt or cover of the present invention in the width direction. Each particular embodiment includes upper and lower surfaces that may be flat (planar) and parallel to each other, or have a certain profile that is intended to suit a particular application. Turning to Figure 3(a), in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the material strip 16 has an upper surface 15, a lower surface 17, a first flat side 18, and a second flat side 19. The upper surface 15 and the lower surface 17 may be flat (planar) and parallel to each other, and the first flat side 18 and the second flat side 19 may be inclined in a parallel direction such that the first flat of each spirally wound material strip 16 The side 18 abuts tightly against the second flat side 19 of the previous turn. The connection of the material strip 16 to the adjacent ring is to bond the first and second flat sides 18, 19 to each other by an adhesive. For example, the adhesive may be heat activated, room temperature curing (RTC) or hot melt. Adhesive, for example, or any other suitable tool.

In Figure 3(b), the cross-sectional configuration of the strip of material 16 enables mechanical interlocking of adjacent strips of material 16 for joining the fabric, belt or sleeve formed into a spiral. The adjacent material strips 16 may be the same or different in size and/or contour, but each have a locked position, as shown in Figure 3(b). Other embodiments of the mechanical interlocking structure are illustrated in Figures 3(c) through 3(g), wherein the cross-section of the individual material strips 16 is illustrated. In each case, one side of the strip of material 16 can be designed to mechanically interlock or connect with the other side of the adjacent strip of material 16. For example, referring to the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure 3(g), the strip of material 16 can have an upper surface 42, a lower surface 44, a tongue 46 on one side, and a corresponding groove 48 on the other side. . The tongue 46 has a corresponding size to the groove 48 such that each in the belt body 16 The tongue 46 on a spiral winding loop fits into the groove 48 of the previous turn. Each turn of material strip 16 is joined to the adjacent ring by a fixed tongue 46 in the groove 48. Depending on the application, upper surface 42 and lower surface 44 may be flat (planar) and parallel to one another, or non-planar and non-parallel, or even convex or concave in the width direction, as shown in Figure 3(f). Show. Similarly, the sides of the strip may be cylindrically convex or concave with the same radius of curvature.

Figure 3 (h) illustrates another embodiment of the present invention.

In addition to having an extruded material strip with opposing hemispheres or contours as described above, it can be extruded or machined into various other shapes by rectangular extrusions to have mating edges with raised tracks that promote mechanical and/or adhesive bonding. Adhesive method of bonding. Figure 3 (i) illustrates one such structure in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Alternatively, the strip of material may not need to be paired or joined to the right and left sides. For example, as shown in Figure 4(a), the strip of material 16 has interlocking grooves on the upper surface or front side, or interlocking grooves on the lower or bottom surface of the strip of material 16, as shown in Figure 4 ( b) shown.

For example, Figure 4(c) illustrates the strip of material disposed in Figures 4(a) and 4(b) that are interlockable. For example, the arrows of Figure 4(c) indicate the direction in which the various strips of material 16 are about to move to engage the grooves and interlock the two strips. Figure 4 (d) illustrates two strips of material 16 that have been interlocked or joined together. While the exemplary embodiment illustrates only two mating strips of material, it should be noted that the final fabric, belt or sleeve is formed from a plurality of interlocking strips of material. Obviously, if the strip of material is interlocked during the spiral winding process, a piece of material in the form of a circulating loop can be formed. It should also be noted that although mechanical interlocking is shown, the strength of the interlock can be used, for example, thermal bonding is improved, especially called selective adhesion. A combination of technologies, such as the business method known as 'Clearweld' (see www.clearweld.com).

The cross-sectional view of Figure 5(a) illustrates a strip of material 16 having grooves on the front and bottom surfaces. Figure 5(b) illustrates how the two strips of material 16 having the cross-sectional shape of Figure 5(a) are interlocked. The interlocking structure creates grooves in the front and bottom surfaces of the final product.

Please refer to the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 5(c), and FIG. 5(c) illustrates the interlocking of the two material strips 16 of FIGS. 5(a) and 4(b). This produces a sheet-like product with grooves and a flat front on the underside. Also, it is also possible to form a structure having a groove on the front side and a flat bottom surface.

Another exemplary embodiment is a fabric, belt or sleeve formed from a strip of material 16 having a knob-like interlock or "forced" lock that creates a strong interlock due to mechanical design. The "forced" interlocking of these designs means that the pins have mechanical interference with the receptacle of the latch and require considerable force to tie the ribbons together or to separate them. For example, Figure 6(a) illustrates the knob-like interlocking features in the individual ribbon strips 16. Figure 6(b) illustrates the knob-like interlock feature in the individual ribbon strip 16 having an opposite configuration designed to interlock with the structure of Figure 6(a). Figure 6(c) illustrates the individual ribbon strips of Figures 6(a) and 6(b) that are arranged to be interlockable. It should also be noted here that the staggered positions of the upper and lower ribbons are intended to accommodate another strip of material 16 of the opposite configuration. Finally, Figure 6(d) illustrates the same strip that has been pressed together to form an interlocking structure. The same number of strips of ribbon material can be interlocked together to form the final fabric, belt or sleeve.

Another exemplary embodiment is a fabric, belt or sleeve formed from a strip of material having grooves on the front and bottom surfaces, for example, as shown in Figure 7(a). The two strips of ribbon material 16 are designed to be joined together to form a positive interlock, as shown in Figure 7(b). It should be noted that the front and bottom surfaces each have a groove. Furthermore, referring to Figures 7(a) to 7(b), one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that three strips can be combined to create a three-layer structure, or if only two strips are used, the upper strip is The front and bottom surfaces of the trench may have different groove profiles. Likewise, the two sides of the trench of the lower strip may have different or identical groove profiles. As previously mentioned, although the specific embodiments described herein are suitable for a single layer spirally wound ribbon or tape, the use of a belt having a different geometry forming a belt composed of two or more layers has advantages. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment, the belt may have two or more layers in which the belt may be formed such that the two or more layers are mechanically interlocked. Each layer can be spirally wound in reverse or angularly for the MD to provide additional strength.

For example, Fig. 7(c) illustrates an interlocking structure that produces a grooved bottom surface and a flat front surface, and Fig. 7(d) illustrates an interlocking structure that produces a flat bottom surface and a grooved front surface.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, as noted above, a number of shapes can be considered for making a forced interlock. For example, the foregoing specific embodiments focus on circular knob-like projections and circular sockets. However, it is also possible to use other shapes (for example, trapezoids) to achieve the same effect. A forced interlocking embodiment of this shape is illustrated in Figure 8(a). Alternatively, several shapes can be mixed to achieve a forced interlock. An example of a mixed shape is shown in Figures 8(b) and 8(c).

As described in the above embodiments, the mechanical interlock formed between adjacent strips of material in this manner increases the ease with which the spirally wound base fabric or structure can be made, since adjacent materials are possible without locking. in Drift and separation during the process of making a spirally wound fabric. By mechanically interlocking adjacent spirals, adjacent spirals can be prevented from drifting and separating. In addition, in order to bond strength, it may not be necessary to rely solely on the strength of the mechanical lock, as thermal welding may also be formed in the mechanical locking zone of the fabric. According to one embodiment of the invention, this may result in mechanical locking heat by placing near-infrared or infrared or lasing of the absorbing dye on the locking male/female component and exposing the mechanical locking to near-infrared or infrared energy or a laser source. This is achieved by welding without melting the material outside the mechanical locking zone.

The strip of material described in the above specific embodiments can be extruded from any polymeric resin material known to those skilled in the art, such as polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyetheretherketone resin, and the like. . Although the industrial strap has its attractiveness as a substrate, if it is uniaxially oriented, that is, it has at least twice the tensile modulus of the biaxially oriented material (film) and the mold of the extruded material (molding). 10 times the number, any other suitable material can be used. That is, the structure produced by the uniaxially oriented material needs to be less than half the thickness of the biaxially oriented material (film) and less than one tenth of the thickness of the extruded material (molded). This feature is illustrated in Figure 9, where the results are shown for designing components that have been designed for a particular force and strain of a fixed width. The equation used for this design problem is the relationship between stress and strain as follows:

In this example, the force (or load), width, and strain remain the same. This equation shows that the necessary thickness is inversely proportional to the modulus of the material. This equation represents the problem of designing machine garments with dimensional stability and non-woven fabrics. That is, the load is known, the maximum strain is known, and the width of the machine is fixed. The results shown are based on the desired thickness of the component depending on the modulus of the material used. Clearly, uniaxial materials, such as straps or ribbons, are significantly better than films and molded polymers, as shown in FIG. However, the support, belt or sleeve of the present invention is not limited to the uniaxial or biaxial orientation of the strap, as any orientation or both orientations may be used in practicing the invention.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the material strip or strap material describing the above-described embodiments may include a reinforcing material to improve the mechanical strength of the overall structure. For example, the reinforcing material can be a fiber, yarn, monofilament or multifilament yarn that can be oriented along the length of the strap material in the MD of the fabric, sleeve or belt. The reinforcing material can be added by an extrusion or pultrusion process that can extrude or pult the fibers or yarns and the material from which the material strip or strap material is formed. They may be completely embedded in the strap material or may be partially embedded in one or both surfaces of the strap material, or both. The reinforcing fibers or yarns may be formed from high modulus materials, such as aromatic aramids, including (but not limited to): Kevlar® and Nomex®, as well as providing super strength, tensile modulus, and tear resistance. Crack and/or rupture, abrasion and/or chemical degradation resistance to the material tape or strap material. Generally, the reinforcing fibers or yarns can be made from thermoplastic and/or thermoset polymers. Non-limiting examples of suitable fibrous materials include glass, carbon, polyester, polyethylene, and metals such as steel. According to another specific embodiment, the reinforcing fiber or yarn may have a melting temperature higher than the melting temperature of the material strip or the strap material, or vice versa.

The strap is typically supplied with a product having a rectangular cross section in a continuous length. It is a tough, versatile, usually untreated polyester tape that has excellent properties. The different processing characteristics make it suitable for many industrial applications. As mentioned above, it has excellent mechanical strength and dimensional stability, and does not become brittle and aged under normal conditions. The strap is excellently resistant to moisture and most chemicals, and can withstand temperatures of minus 70 degrees C to 150 degrees C or more. Typical cross-sectional dimensions of the tape material that can be used in the present invention are, for example, a thickness of 0.30 mm (or more) and a width of 10 mm (or more). Although the straps can be spirally wound, adjacent strap coils that are not interlocked to hold together may need to be welded or joined in some manner. In this case, laser welding or ultrasonic welding can be used to secure or weld adjacent ribbons or materials together to improve cross-machine direction ("CD") properties, such as strength, and to reduce separation of adjacent material strips. risks of.

Properties other than modulus may also be important, although uniaxial bundles are found to have a maximum MD modulus. For example, if the MD modulus is too high for the strap material, the ultimate resistance to cracking and flexural fatigue of the structure may be unacceptable. Alternatively, the CD properties of the final structure may also be important. For example, when referring to PET materials and strips of the same thickness, the non-oriented strips may have a typical MD modulus of about 3 GPa and an intensity of about 50 MPa. On the other hand, the biaxially oriented tape body may have an MD modulus of about 4.7 GPa and an intensity of about 170 Mpa. It has been found that the modification of the uniaxial tape is such that the MD modulus can be between 6 and 10 GPa and the intensity can be equal to or greater than 250 MPa, resulting in a tape having a CD strength of approximately 100 MPa. Furthermore, the material may be less fragile, that is, it will not break when repeatedly flexed, and it will be better processed when joining the strip. The engagement of the belt body is also resistant to separation during the intended use on the production machine.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, one method of holding adjacent strips together is to ultrasonically weld adjacent strips while providing a sideways pressure that maintains the edges in contact with one another. For example, a component of the welding device can hold a belt body (a belt that has been wound into a spiral is preferred) to hold down the support drum while another component of the apparatus pushes the other belt body (the belt being wound) Preferably, it is placed upward against the strip that remains downward. For example, Figure 11(a) illustrates this edge to edge welding.

The use of ultrasonic gap welding produces a particularly strong joint. In contrast, ultrasonic welding of processing time modes or energy modes, also known as conventional ultrasonic welding, produces joints that can be described as being fragile. Therefore, it can be concluded that the joint formed by ultrasonic gap welding is superior to conventional ultrasonic welding.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, another exemplary method of holding adjacent strips together is to apply adhesive 30 to the ends 34, 36 of adjacent strips 16, 16 and to join them. Figure 10 (a) to Figure 10 (d). It should be noted that the filling material 32 can be used to fill gaps or portions of the strip that are not in contact with each other.

According to one embodiment of the invention, another method of holding adjacent strips of material or functional strips together is to use a "welding strip" composed of the same base material as the strip of material. For example, the tape for welding shown in Fig. 11(b) is a thin material from the upper side of the material tape. In this configuration, the strip for welding provides material for the strip of material to be welded such that the combined structure does not depend on the opposite edge weld of Figure 11(a). With the welding tape method, the opposite edge welding can be produced; however, this is not necessary or preferred. Using the welding belt method, it can form "Sanming a structural structure or a laminated type structure in which the horizontal surface of the material strip is welded to the horizontal surface of the welding belt as shown in Fig. 11(b). It should also be noted here that the welding belt does not have to be located above the material strip and Hereinafter, since the welding tape may be located directly above or directly below the material tape, according to one aspect, the welding tape may also be the central portion of the sandwich structure and the material tape is above and/or below the welding tape. The strip is shown to be thinner than the strip of material and the same width as the strip of material is used for demonstration purposes. The strip for soldering can also be narrower or wider than the strip of material, and the same thickness as the strip of material, or even thicker. It can also be a special material for another piece of material, not just a welding tape. The welding tape can also have an adhesive applied to one side to assist in fixing the welding tape for the welding operation. However, if an adhesive is used, it is adhered. The best part of the agent is applied to the soldering tape instead of the entire surface, because in ultrasonic or laser welding, partial coating can promote similar materials for the material tape and the soldering tape (for example, polyester and poly Strong soldering of esters).

If the strip for soldering is made of an unoriented extruded polymer, the strip for soldering is preferably much thinner than the strip of material because the strip for non-oriented extruded soldering is less able to sustain the final illustration as disclosed in the present disclosure. The dimensional stability of the structure. However, if the soldering tape is made of an oriented polymer, the soldering tape and the material tape are preferably as thin as possible. As mentioned above, the strip for welding can be another strip of material. However, if this is the case, it is preferable to select the thickness of the individual materials to thereby minimize the total thickness of the sandwich structure or laminate. As also mentioned above, the soldering tape can be coated with an adhesive for holding the structure together for further processing. According to one aspect, a soldering tape with an adhesive, for example, can be used to establish a structure directly to the perforating step, which can be a laser Drilling, rather than any ultrasonic bonding, allows for laser drilling or laser perforation to create solder joints that hold the sandwich structure together.

According to one embodiment of the invention, another method of holding adjacent strips of material together is to weld adjacent strips using laser welding techniques.

Figure 14 illustrates an exemplary device 320 that can be used in a laser welding process in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. In this process, the fabric, belt or sleeve 322 as shown in Figure 14 should be understood as a relatively short portion of the overall length of the final fabric, belt or sleeve. Although the fabric, belt or sleeve 322 can be cycled, the most practical way is to mount it on a pair of rollers, which are not shown in the drawings, but are well known to those skilled in the art. In this configuration, the device 320 can be disposed between one of the two rollers on one of the two faces of the fabric 322 with the front side being most convenient. Whether or not it is a cycle, the fabric 322 is preferably placed with a suitable degree of tension during the process. Moreover, to prevent sagging, as the fabric 322 moves through the device 320, it can be supported underneath by a horizontal support.

Referring particularly to Figure 14, there is shown that the fabric 322 is moved through the device 320 in an upward direction when performing the method of the present invention. The laser head used in the soldering process can traverse the fabric along the CD or width "X" direction and the fabric can move in the MD or "Y" direction. It is also possible to provide a system in which the fabric moves in three dimensions for a mechanically fixed laser welding head.

The advantage of laser welding over ultrasonic welding is that laser welding can be done in the range of 100 m / min, while ultrasonic welding has a maximum speed of about 10 m / min. The addition of a light absorbing dye or ink absorber to the edge also helps to concentrate the thermal effects of the laser. The absorbent can be a black ink or a near-infrared dye that is invisible to the human eye, such as a "Clearweld" absorbent (Ref. Www.clearweld.com).

Once the finished fabric, belt or sleeve and adjacent strips have been welded or joined in some way in the fabric, belt or sleeve, the fluid (air and/or water) may be provided by methods such as laser drilling. A hole or perforation from one side of the fabric to the other side of the fabric. It should be noted that through holes or perforations that allow fluid to flow from one side of the fabric to the other side of the fabric may be made before or after the spiral winding and joining process. The holes or perforations may be made by laser drilling or any other suitable hole/perforation fabrication process and may be of any size, shape, form and/or pattern depending on the intended use. Figure 13 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment drawn along the transverse or cross machine direction of the fabric 80 of the present invention having a plurality of holes for the passage of air and/or water throughout the length of the strip of material 82. 84.

As mentioned above, the fabric of the present invention can be used as a processing belt or sleeve for air laying, melt blowing, spinning bonding or hydroentangling processes. The fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention may comprise one or more additional layers on or under the substrate formed from the strip of material to provide functionality rather than reinforcement. For example, an MD yarn array can be laminated to the back of the belt or sleeve to create a void space. Alternatively, the one or more layers may be disposed between the two strap layers. The additional layers can be any of: woven or non-woven materials, MD or CD yarn arrays, spirally wound woven material strips having a width less than the width of the fabric, fiber webs, films, or combinations thereof, and Any suitable technique known to those of ordinary skill in the art is attached to the substrate. Needle punching, thermal bonding, and chemical bonding are just a few of the examples. The fabric, belt or sleeve of the present invention may also have a functional coating on both sides. Before coating the functional coating Alternatively, the texture on the fabric, belt or cover of the present invention can be made. As previously mentioned, the texture on the fabric, belt or cover can be made by any method known in the art, such as sanding, engraving, embossing or etching.

While the invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments of the present invention The spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

10‧‧‧Industrial fabrics, belts or covers

12‧‧‧ inner surface

14‧‧‧ outer surface

16‧‧‧Polymer strip

Claims (36)

A belt or sleeve for producing a nonwoven fabric, the belt or sleeve comprising: one or more spirally wound polymeric material strips, wherein the one or more polymeric material strips are an industrial strap or ribbon material. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt or sleeve is used in an air laid, melt blown, spunbond or hydroentangling process. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the industrial strap or ribbon material has a thickness of 0.30 mm or more and a width of 10 mm or more. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt or sleeve is permeable or impermeable to air and/or water. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 4, wherein the belt or sleeve allows air and/or water to pass through, and the through holes or holes in the belt or sleeve can be made of mechanical or thermal tools. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 5, wherein the through pores or holes are formed with a predetermined size, shape or orientation. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 6 wherein the nominal diameter of the through pores or holes is in the range of 0.005 inches to 0.01 inches or more. The belt or cover of claim 1, further comprising one or more layers of woven or non-woven material, an MD or CD yarn array, and a spirally wound woven material tape having a width smaller than a width of the belt or the sleeve. Fiber Web, film or a combination of them. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adjacent polymeric material strips are mechanically interlocked. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt or sleeve has a texture on one or both surfaces. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 10, wherein the texture is provided by sanding, engraving, embossing or etching. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or both surfaces of the belt or sleeve are smooth. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt or sleeve comprises at least two layers of strap material that are helically wound opposite each other or opposite the MD. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a functional coating on one or both sides of the belt or sleeve. The belt or sleeve of claim 8, wherein the one or more layers are disposed on one or both sides of the belt or sleeve or between the two belt layers. A belt or sleeve as claimed in claim 14 wherein the functional coating has a texture on the top surface. The belt or cover of claim 1, wherein the industrial strap or ribbon material comprises a reinforcing material oriented in MD of the fabric, sleeve or belt, selected from the group consisting of: Group: Fiber, yarn, monofilament and multifilament yarn. a fabric, belt or cover as claimed in claim 17 wherein The fibers, yarns, monofilaments, and multifilament yarns are made from materials selected from the group consisting of aromatic guanamines, thermoplastic polymers, thermoset polymers, glass, carbon, and steel. A method for forming a belt or sleeve for producing a nonwoven fabric, the method comprising the steps of spirally winding one or more strips of polymeric material around a plurality of rollers, wherein the one or more strips of polymeric material It is an industrial strap or ribbon material; and the edges of adjacent strips of material are joined by a predetermined technique. The method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined technique is laser, infrared or ultrasonic welding. The method of claim 19, wherein the industrial strap or ribbon material has a thickness of 0.30 mm or more and a width of 10 mm or more. The method of claim 19, wherein the belt or sleeve is such that air and/or water is permeable or impermeable. The method of claim 22, wherein the machine or the heat tool is used to make a plurality of through holes or holes in the belt or sleeve to allow the belt or sleeve to pass air and/or water. The method of claim 23, wherein the through pores or holes are formed with a predetermined size, shape or orientation. The method of claim 24, wherein the through pores or pores have a nominal diameter in the range of 0.005 inches to 0.01 inches or more. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of applying one or more layers of woven or non-woven material, MD or CD yarn array on the upper or lower surface of the belt or cover, the width being less than A spirally wound woven material strip of a belt or sleeve, a web, a film, or a combination thereof. The method of claim 19, wherein adjacent polymeric material strips are mechanically interlocked. The method of claim 19, wherein the belt or sleeve is provided with a texture on one or both surfaces. The method of claim 28, wherein the texture is provided by sanding, engraving, embossing or etching. The method of claim 19, wherein one or both surfaces of the belt or sleeve are smooth. The method of claim 19, wherein the belt or sleeve comprises at least two layers of strap material that are helically wound in opposite directions or opposite to the MD. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of applying a functional coating to one or both sides of the belt or sleeve. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more layers are disposed on one or both sides of the belt or sleeve or between the two strap layers. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of providing a texture to the functional coating. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of reinforcing the fabric with fibers, yarns, monofilaments or multifilament yarns, The industrial strap or ribbon material in the MD of the sleeve or belt. The method of claim 35, wherein the fibers, yarns, monofilaments or multifilament yarns are made of a material selected from the group consisting of aromatic decylamines, thermoplastic polymerizations. , thermoset polymers, glass, carbon, and steel.