Method of dewatering wet web using an integrally sealed air press

US6083346A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Michael Alan Hermans · Neenah, US
• Shan Liang-Chen · Appleton, US
• Fung-jou Chen · Appleton, US
• Frank Gerald Druecke · Oshkosh, US
• Robert Irving Gusky · Appleton, US
• Frank Stephen Hada · Appleton, US
• Richard Joseph Kamps · Wrightstown, US
• Charles Robert Tomsovic · Omro, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 1997
• Grant date: Jul 4, 2000
• Expiry date: Oct 31, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC D): Textiles; Paper
• CPC primary: D21F11/14
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A tissue sheet is made using a modified wet pressing process employing an integrally sealed air press. After initial formation and conventional vacuum dewatering, the wet web is conformed to the surface contour of a relatively coarse fabric to give the web a textured surface. By creating a pressure differential across the web of at least 30 inches of mercury and an air stream through the web of at least 500 SCFM/in.sup.2, the air press noncompressively dewaters the wet web to a consistency of about 30 to about 40 percent prior to a Yankee dryer. The web is dried to substantially preserve its three-dimensional, throughdried-like texture. The resulting web has an exceptionally high degree of bulk and absorbency not previously found in wet-pressed products.