1. Field of the Invention [0002] The field of the invention relates to process belts and more specifically, to process <BR> <BR> belts used in manufacturing processes, e. g. , the manufacture of pressed board or other paper products.

2. Background Information [0003] Generally, process belts are used in the preparation of pulp or materials in sheet or non-woven fabric, such as paper or board, in the Paper or Board Making Industry. Such process belts are typically woven wire fabric formed into continuous or endless belts by brazing or welding. For example, end sections of such process belts are generally brazed or welded together to form a brazed or welded seam between the end sections of the process belt, thereby introducing a local stiffness at the seam.

[0004] However, brazing or welding typically degrades the strength and malleability of the wires adjacent the brazed or welded seam due to elevated temperatures. The degradation can result in premature failure of such process belts at or near the brazed or welded seam, which generally requires the process belt to be removed, repaired and reinstalled on the paper process machine or to be replaced with a new process belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, of embodiments of the invention, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention wherein: [0006] FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of a process belt having a seam connecting a first end of the process belt to a second end of the process belt in accordance with principles of the invention; [0007] FIG. 2 is an enlarged illustrative view of the process belt shown in FIG. 1, which shows the seam in greater detail; [0008] FIG. 3 is an exaggerated side view of the seam shown in FIG. 2; [0009] FIG. 4 is an illustrative view of the seam shown in FIG. 2; [0010] FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of another seam in accordance with principles of the invention; [0011] FIG. 6 is an illustrative view of another seam in accordance with principles of the invention; [0012] FIG. 7 is an illustrative view of another seam in accordance with principles of the invention; [0013] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the seam shown in FIG. 7, which shows an enlarged section of the seam to better show certain portions thereof; [0014] FIG. 9 is an illustrative view of another seam in accordance with principles of the invention; [0015] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the process belt operatively engaged with a board processing machine; and [0016] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method in accordance with the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION [0017] FIGS. 1-4 show an embodiment of a process belt, generally indicated at 10, for use in a board processing machine or other paper converting machine (FIG. 10) to process a board stock or other paper product. The belt 10 is referred to as a"process belt"herein, but can be used in processing both paper or board, oriented strand board, pressed board or joists, depending on the desired process. The process belt 10 comprises a body portion, generally indicated at 12, separating a first end section 14 and a second end section 16. The first end section 14 and the second end section 16 form ends of the body portion 12. The body portion 12 is only partially shown in FIG. 1. The first end section 14 is operatively coupled to the second end section 16 by a seam, generally indicated at 17, such that the body portion 12, the first end section 14 and the second end section 16 are substantially continuous with one another and configured to operatively engage the board processing machine or other paper converting machine, as is further described below. The seam 17 can include at least one elongated resilient coupling filament 24 (FIGS. 2-4) to fixedly secure the first and second end sections 14,16 to one another.

[0018] FIG. 2 shows the process belt 10 and the seam 17 in greater detail. As illustrated, the body portion 12 comprises a first plurality of elongated resilient filaments 20 oriented in a vertical (or first) direction. The vertical direction can be referred to as a machine direction and each elongated resilient filament 20 can be referred to as a warp filament, for example.

The body portion 12 can also include a second plurality of elongated resilient filaments 22 oriented in a horizontal direction (a second direction) transverse to the vertical (or first) direction. The horizontal direction can be referred to as a cross machine direction and each elongated resilient filament 22 can be referred to as a shute or weft filament, for example.

[0019] The individual filaments 20,22 can be woven together, for example, using a weaving machine, or may be weaved manually, to form the body portion 12. Alternatively, a single beam loom or a double beam loom can be used depending on the type of weave pattern chosen for the belt 10. In the particular weave pattern of the seam 17 shown in FIG. 3, for example, each vertically extending filament 20 can be woven around each horizontally extending filament 22.

[0020] A first plurality of looped segments 26 can be attached to the first end section 14 of the process belt 10, for example, by weaving, bonding or welding. For example, each looped segment 26 can include a first end 28, a second end 30 (FIG. 3) and a looped section 32 extending between the first and second ends 28,30. The looped section 32 can be configured to form a coupling filament receiving opening 33 therein (FIG. 3) configured to receive the coupling filament 24 therethrough. The first and second ends 28,30 can be attached to the first end section 14 of the process belt 10, for example, by weaving (FIG. 3) or bonding, such as welding or fusing, so that the looped section 32 and the coupling filament receiving opening 33 outwardly extend away from the first end section 14. The weaving can be performed manually or mechanically.

[0021] Similarly, a second plurality of looped segments 34 are attached to the second end section 16 of the process belt 10, for example, by weaving or bonding such as welding or fusing. For example, each looped segment 34 can include a first end 36, a second end 38 (FIG. 3) and a looped section 40 extending between the first and second ends 34,36. The looped section 40 forms a coupling element receiving opening 41 therein (shown in substantial alignment with the coupling element receiving opening 33 shown in FIG. 3). The first and second ends 34, 36 are attached to the second end section 16 of the process belt 10, for example, by weaving (FIG. 3) or bonding such as welding or fusing, so that the looped section 40 outwardly extends away from the second end section 16.

[0022] During manual weaving of the looped segments 26,34, the looped segments 26,34 may be distinguished from one another with markings, such as being painted different colors, for example. The distinguishing markings can help ensure that a sufficient number of looped segments 26 and 34 are attached to respective end portions 14,16 of the belt 10.

[0023] To effect weaving of the looped segments 26,34 into respective end sections 14, 16 of the belt 10, holes may need to be formed in the existing belt 10. Such holes, which may be formed with a drill, an awl, a plasma arc cutter or other tool capable of forming a hole in the belt 10, can allow ends 28,30 or ends 34,36 of the respective looped segment 26,34 to be woven into the belt 10, as described above, about the horizontally extending filaments 22.

Such holes may also be formed by displacing the filaments 20,22 to create a space with no need to drill or cut the belt 10 in any manner.

[0024] Alternatively, in another embodiment, one or both of the first and second ends 28, 30 of the looped segment 26 can be bonded, for example, by welding or fusing, to either the vertically extending filaments 20 or the horizontally extending filaments 22. Also, the first end 28 can be bonded or fused to the second end 30 after the looped portion 32 has been formed. The first and second ends 34,36 of the looped segment 32 can also be bonded or fused to the vertically extending filaments 20, to the horizontally extending filaments 22 or to one another.

[0025] Each individual vertically extending filament 20, each horizontally extending filament 22 and the at least one elongated resilient coupling filament 24 can be made from carbon steel, stainless steel or other sufficiently hardened material, for example, into solid filaments as shown in FIG. 4. The filaments 20,22, 24 can have equal or different sized diameters. Alternatively, each individual filament 20,22, 24 can include a plurality of filaments braided or twisted together to form a braided or twisted filament. Filaments 20, 22,24 can include different twist patterns, for example, a left-handed twist or a right-handed twist, to increase durability of the belt 10. Combinations of solid and braided or twisted filaments can also be used for the filaments 20,22, 24.

[0026] Each filament 20,22 and 24 can be coated, for example, to reduce corrosion and/or abrasion, through a coating process. The coating may be a low friction and contaminant resistant protective coating, for example, and may include brass or some other hardening (corrosion and abrasion resistant) material. The low friction and contaminant resistant protective coating can be applied by conventional coating techniques, such as dipping or continuously running the filaments through a bath. Alternatively, a batch dipping can be used.

[0027] FIGS. 2-4 show the looped segments 26,34 in greater detail. As illustrated, the looped sections 32 and 40 can be aligned with one another such that the at least one elongated resilient coupling filament 24 can be received through the openings 33,41 (FIG. 3). End portions (not shown) of each coupling filament 24 can be bent in a cross machine direction (opposite to the side of the belt 10, which engages rollers during operation) to help axially position the coupling filament 24 in the horizontal or cross machine direction.

[0028] The looped segments 26,34 can be made from a sufficiently flexible material, such as soft stainless steel, or plasticized material, e. g. , a plastic, a synthetic, a thermoplastic or a polymer. Other flexible materials can also be used, such as metal wire, sewing wires, cables wire or high tensile wires. The sufficiently flexible material can be more flexible and softer than the hardened material used to form the filaments 20,22, 24. The sufficiently flexible material allows for formation of the looped sections 32,40 described above and may determine whether respective ends of the looped segments 26,32 are weaved, bonded or fused to the belt 10 or bonded or fused to one another.

[0029] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, a process belt 110 can have a seam 117 formed into a castellated configuration. For example, the belt 110 includes a plurality of the body portions 12, as described above. Each body portion 12 has a first set of the elongated resilient filaments (not shown) oriented in a vertical (or first) direction located in a middle portion 121 and respective edge portions 123,125. Each body portion 12 also has a second set of the elongated resilient filaments (not shown) oriented in a horizontal (or second) direction. The vertically and horizontally extending filaments can be substantially similar in construction and operation as the filaments 20,22, respectively, described above.

[0030] Adjacent body portions 12 can be operatively connected to one another by the seam 117 to form a continuous belt 110. The seam 117 is substantially similar in configuration and operation as the seam 17, and includes the looped segments 26,32.

Because the edge portions 123,125 do not operatively connect adjacent body portions 12 together at the same plane as the middle portion 121, the seam 117 can be referred to as castellated.

[0031] In this embodiment, one or more (e. g. , three) coupling filaments 24 can be provided to cooperate with the looped segments 26,32 to one another. For example, the middle portion 121 of one body portion 12 can be operatively connected to a corresponding middle portion of another body portion 12 and each edge portion 123,125 of the one body portion 12 can be operatively connected to corresponding edge portions 123,125 of the other body portion 12. In this regard, the middle portion 121 and edge portions 123,125 of one body portion 12 substantially act as a first end section 14 and the middle portion 121 and edge portions 123,125 of an adjacent body portion 12 substantially act as a second end section 16.

[0032] The middle portion 121 or the edge portions 123,125 can include equal or different numbers of individual filaments 20,22 of equal or different diameters. Each edge portion 123,125 may extend about 4-8 inches in width in the cross machine direction of the belt 110 and about 6-18 inches in length in the machine direction of the belt 110. Other numbers of filaments and configurations are possible for each portion 121,123, 125 and the number and configuration of each group may differ from portion to portion of the different body portions 12.

[0033] Although FIG. 5 shows three castellated seams 117, more or less seams 117 can be used in the belt 110. The castellated seam 117 allows for independent replacement of a particular body portion 12, without having to replace the entire belt 110. The castellated seam 117 also can reduce localized stress of the belt 110 during a board processing machine or other paper converting machine operation, which can increase the life of the belt 110. For example, if one body portion 12 becomes worn or damaged after repeated use, the body portion 12 could be replaced without having to replace the entire belt 110.

[0034] The seam 117 can be used to replace the seam 17 shown in FIG. 1. The castellated seam 117 allows for independent replacement of a particular portion of the seam 117, without having to replace the entire seam. For example, if one edge portion 123 or 125 would become worn or damaged after repeated use, the edge portion 123 or 125 could be replaced leaving the middle portion 121 and the other edge portion unrepaired/unreplaced.

[0035] In either seam 17 or 117, the coupling filament 24 can form a continuous seam between the end sections 14,16 so that the belt 10,110 can be continuous or endless. To help increase the strength of the continuous seam, more than one coupling filament 24 can be used to form the continuous seam between the end sections 14,16, as described above, depending on the process.

[0036] Seams 17,117 have been described above as having looped segments 26 and 32 that cooperate with one or more coupling filaments 24. FIGS. 6-9 illustrate alternative ways of attaching first and second ends 28,30 and 34,36 of looped segments 26,32 to a respective end section 14,16 of a process belt.

[0037] For example, FIG. 6 shows a portion of a seam 217, which is variation of the seam 17, attached to one end section 14 of a process belt 210. The belt 210 is of the woven type with a plurality of vertically extending filaments 220 woven about a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 222. Different weave patterns or alternative configurations of the belt 210 could also be used.

[0038] Although the seam 217 includes looped segments 226,232, only looped segment 226 is shown in FIG. 6. Since looped segments 226,232 are substantially similar in construction and operation to looped segments 26,32, the description of looped segment 226 will suffice for looped segment 232.

[0039] One end 228 of the looped segment 226 is attached to the end section 14 of the belt 210, at a first horizontally extending filament 222. The opposite end 230 of the looped segment 226 is attached to the end section 14 of the belt 210, at a different horizontally extending filament 222 as the end 228. By attaching the ends 228,230 to different horizontally extending filaments 222, stress can be distributed and strain can be reduced on the seam 217 and the belt 210. To further distribute stress and reduce strain, adjacent looped segments 226 can have respective ends 230 attached to different horizontally extending filaments 222. In this manner, adjacent ends 230 of the looped segments 226 are staggered so that every other end 230 is attached to the same horizontally extending filament 222.

[0040] Alternatively, adjacent groups of looped segments 226 can have respective ends 230 contacted with different horizontally extending filaments 222, with looped segments of each group having an end 230 contacted with the same horizontally extending filament 222.

[0041] In this embodiment, ends 228,230 can be attached to one or more horizontally extending filaments 222 by weaving one or both of the ends 228,230 about one or more horizontally extending filaments 222 or by bonding, such as welding or fusing, to one or more horizontally extending filaments 222. Alternatively, the ends 228,230 can extend through holes formed between adjacent filaments 220,222 and can be bonded together, for example. In this configuration, the ends 228,230 need not be attached to the belt 210, but rather the attachment of the ends 228, 230 to the belt 210 can be effected by the engagement of the ends 228,230 with the filaments 220,222. For example, the ends 228,230 can be fixedly secured to either the belt 210, the filaments 220, the filaments 222 or to one another.

[0042] FIGS. 7-8 show a seam 317, which is variation of the seam 17, which operatively couples end sections 314,316 of a process belt 310. The belt 310 is of the woven type with a plurality of vertically extending filaments 320 woven about a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322. Different weave patterns or alternative configurations of the belt 310 could also be used.

[0043] FIG. 8 shows looped segments 326,332 of the seam 317 in greater detail, but only a portion of the looped segment 326 is shown. Since looped segments 326,332 are substantially similar in construction and operation to looped segments 26,32 described above, the description of looped segment 332 will suffice for looped segment 326.

[0044] Each looped segment 332 has ends thereof bonded, fused or connected together so that each looped segment 332 substantially forms a oo shape. Each looped segment 332 includes an end portion 334, a connecting portion 335 that connects one end of the end portion 334 to one end of an opposite end portion 336 and a connecting portion 337 that connects another one end of the end portion 336 to the other end of the end portion 334.

[0045] In this embodiment, the end portion 334 is formed to have a generally arcuate configuration to receive a coupling filament 24 therethrough. The end portion 334 receives a coupling filament 24 in a similar manner as described above with respect to coupling filament receiving opening 41, for example. The connecting portion 335 extends from the end portion 334 over a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322 before extending below a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322 away the coupling filament 24 to connect to one end of the end portion 336. The end portion 336 is formed to have a generally arcuate configuration to contact a selected horizontally extending filament 322. The connecting portion 337 extends from the end portion 336 over a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322 before extending below a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322 away the coupling filament 24 to connect to one end of the end portion 334.

[0046] When the connecting portion 335 extends from one end the end portion 334 over a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322, the connecting portion 337 extends below the same plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322 to connect to another end of the end portion 334. Similarly, when the connecting portion 335 extends below a plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322, the connecting portion 337 extends from one end of the end portion 336 above the same plurality of horizontally extending filaments 322. Because of this intersection, each looped segment 332 can be referred to as being in a oo shape.

[0047] To distribute stress and reduce strain on the belt 310, adjacent looped segments 332 can have respective end portions 336 contacted with different horizontally extending filaments 322, as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, adjacent groups of looped segments 332 can have'respective end portions 336 contacted with different horizontally extending filaments 322, with looped segments of each group having an end portion 336 contacted with the same horizontally extending filament 322.

[0048] FIG. 9 shows a belt 410, which is substantially similar in construction and operation as the belt 10 shown in FIG. 1, but with certain vertically extending filaments 20 removed from the belt 410. Some vertically extending filaments 20 can be removed from the belt 410 to allow easier formation of the seam 17, for example. With some vertically extending filaments 20 removed, looped segments, such as looped segments 26,32 shown in FIG. 1, for example, can be attached to the belt 410. Ends of the looped segments can be woven about the plurality of horizontally extending filaments 22 to attach the looped segments to the belt 410. The removal of some vertically extending filaments 20 can eliminate the need to form holes in the belt 410 prior to attachment of the looped segments.

[0049] As illustrated, the vertically extending filaments 22 are grouped in groups of five filaments. In each group 412, every third and fifth vertically extending filament 22 (as shown left to right in FIG. 9) is removed from the belt 410, thus leaving the first, second and fourth vertically extending filaments 22 to form sufficient support in the machine direction for the belt 410. Other configurations are possible and can be used as well. For example, each group can include more or less filaments, each group can include equal or different numbers of filaments or different filaments from each group can be removed.

[0050] FIG. 10 shows the process belt 10 operatively engaged with a processing machine, which can be a board processing machine or other paper converting machine, generally indicated at 500, for example in a paper production facility. In general, the board processing machine 500 includes a plurality of belts suspended from a plurality of rollers, some of which can be driven, to effect transport of paper or board material or stock from one point in the production facility to another.

[0051] As illustrated in this embodiment, the board processing machine 500 is a pressed board machine configured to process press board. In this embodiment, the board processing machine 500 can include the process belt 10 trained around a series of processing rolls 502 and another process belt 504 which together pull a board product or other paper product (not shown) therethrough. The board product can include two or more board layers, which are to be joined to one another by a suitable adhesive in the board processing machine 500. The board layers are brought together at one end of the board processing machine 500 and are pulled across a hot roll 506 (or a series of hot plates) by the belts 10,102 to dry and/or to cure the adhesive which bonds the board layers together. A belt 508 operatively associated with the hot roll 506 can carry the finished board product to another part of the paper production facility.

[0052] The board processing machine 500 is not limited to pressed board machines, but can be any processing machine capable of exerting high machine speeds or high stresses onto the belt and requiring a high number of operational cycles. For example, the board processing machine 500 may be able to process oriented strand boards or joists in addition to pressed board.

[0053] FIG. 11 shows a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a process belt for use in a board processing machine to process a board stock or other paper product. The method starts at 600. At 602, a body portion of the process belt is formed to have a first end section and a second end section. The body portion can be formed in many ways, one of which includes positioning a first plurality of elongated resilient filaments in a first direction and positioning a second plurality of elongated resilient filaments in a second direction transverse to the first direction. The first plurality of elongated resilient filaments and the second plurality of elongated resilient filaments can be woven together in a conventional manner, for example, manually or mechanically, in any known weave pattern or may be bonded or fused together.

[0054] At 604, at least one first looped segment is attached to the first end section of the process belt and at least one second looped segment is attached to the second end section of the process belt. The first and second looped segments extend between the first end section and the second end section of the process belt and can be aligned to receive at least one coupling filament therethrough. The first and second looped segments can be attached to the first and second end sections of the process belt in various ways, for example, by weaving or bonding as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-9. Other ways of attaching the first and second looped segments to the respective first and second end sections of the process belt can be used as well.

[0055] At 606, at least one coupling filament operatively connects the first end section to the second end section. For example, the coupling filament can be inserted, for example, manually or mechanically, through the first and second looped segments to form a continuous seam between the first end section, the second end section and the body portion. That way, the first end section, the second end section and the body portion are substantially continuous with respect to one another. End portions of the coupling filament can be bent over a number of the first and second looped segments to fixedly secure the coupling filament within the first and second looped segments. At 608, the method ends.

[0056] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0057] Thus, the foregoing embodiments have been shown and described for the purpose of illustrating the functional and structural principles of this invention and are subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.