PROCESS BELT WITH FILLED SURFACE DEPRESSIONS

Abstract

A transport belt, in particular for machines for the production of web material such as paper or paperboard, the transport belt including a web material contact side having surface depressions, such that the surface depressions are filled with filler material to provide a substantially flat web material contact surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a transport belt according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of part of the transport belt from FIG. 1 looking in the direction II in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a representation of an alternative embodiment corresponding to FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A transport belt for machines for the production of web material such as paper or paperboard, comprising: a web material contact side having surface depressions,wherein the surface depressions are filled with filler material to provide a substantially flat web material contact surface.

2. The transport belt according to claim 1, wherein the surface depressions form, at least in some regions, a substantially regular pattern of depressions.

3. The transport belt according to claim 1, wherein the surface depressions form, at least in some regions, a substantially irregular pattern of depressions.

4. The transport belt according to claim 1, wherein the filler material differs in its surface properties from the material of the transport belt in which the surface depressions are formed.

5. The transport belt according to claim 2, wherein the filler material differs in its surface properties from the material of the transport belt in which the surface depressions are formed.

6. The transport belt according to claim 3, wherein the filler material differs in its surface properties from the material of the transport belt in which the surface depressions are formed.

7. The transport belt according to claim 4, wherein the filler material comprises polymer material, preferably silicone material or fluoropolymer material.

8. The transport belt according to claim 6, wherein the material of the transport belt, in which the surface depressions are formed, comprises polyurethane material.

9. The transport belt according to claim 7, wherein the material of the transport belt, in which the surface depressions are formed, comprises polyurethane material.

10. The transport belt according to claim 1, wherein the surface depressions are created by mechanical, thermal or chemical methods.

11. A method of manufacturing a transport belt for machines for the production of web material such as paper or paperboard, the method comprising: structuring a web material contact side of a transport belt with surface depressions, andfilling the surface depressions with a filler material to provide a substantially flat web material contact surface.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the surface depressions are created by at least one of mechanical, thermal or chemical methods.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the mechanical method of creating the surface depressions comprises grinding.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the thermal method of creating the surface depressions comprises embossing.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the chemical method of creating the surface depressions comprises etching.