Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PAPERMAKING BELT HAVING A THREE DIMENSIONAL SURFACE PATTERN
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to the apparatus for producing images disposed upon a
products,
particularly papermaking belts that make a product which has a three an image
disposed thereon
that presents a three dimensional effect to the observer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Absorbent paper products are a staple of everyday life. Absorbent paper
products are
used as consumer products for paper towels, toilet tissue, facial tissue,
napkins, and the like. The
large demand for such paper products has created a demand for improved
aesthetics and
functional benefits in absorbent paper products, and as a result, has driven
the need for novel
methods for providing these visual effects and benefits to absorbent paper
products.
Visual effects may be provided on an absorbent paper product by a number of
techniques.
For example, a pattern may be embossed onto the surface of a paper web as it
is being converted.
Alternatively, a pattern may be molded directly onto the surface of a paper
web using a patterned
papermaking belt. Patterns provided onto the surface of paper products not
only provide the
consumer with a positive visual appearance both at the time of purchase and
during use, but may
also provide a number of functional advantages. For example, a highly textured
surface as can be
provided by embossing or by the use of textured belts may increase the
softness, absorbency, or
caliper of a paper product.
With the advent and growth of the computer imaging industry there has been a
rapid
saturation of consumers with three dimensional computer graphics, images, and
effects. Without
being limited by theory, it is thought that consumers perceive the use of such
three dimensional
effects as denoting a product or good that is technologically advanced, in
addition to providing an
interesting visual experience to the consumer. As a result, many consumers
prefer goods that
provide such a three dimensional effect.
Accordingly, there exists the need to provide a means for providing an
absorbent paper
product having an aesthetically pleasing surface pattern having a three
dimensional effect.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating a method of creating surface
patterns for
cellulosic fibrous structure products.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of an exemplary image. The image being a
"checkerboard."
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an exemplary resultant image of Fig. 2 after a
"triangular tile"
image modification algorithm has been applied.
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an exemplary resultant image of Fig. 3 after a
"bulge" image
modification algorithm has been applied.
Fig. 5 is an expanded top plan view of the image of Fig. 4 by the region
labeled 5.
Fig. 6 is a top plan view of an exemplary resultant image of Fig. 5 after
vectorization.
Fig. 7A is a fragmentary top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a
papermaking
belt.
Fig. 7B is a cross sectional view of the papermaking belt of Fig. 7A taken
along line 7B-
7B.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a papermaking belt for making a fibrous
structure
product. The papermaking belt has a machine direction, a cross machine
direction orthogonal
and co-planar with the machine direction, and a Z-direction mutually
orthogonal to both the
machine and cross machine directions. The papermaking belt comprises a
framework and a
reinforcing element. The framework has a structure formed by a first layer
wherein the first layer
comprises a plurality of deflection conduits that correspond to a resultant
image and extend in the
Z-direction, where the resultant image being the product of at least one image
modification
algorithm. Further, at least one of the image modification algorithms is a
beta image
modification algorithm such that the beta image modification algorithm is a
three dimensional
image modification algorithm.
In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a framework for a
papermaking
belt. The framework has a photosensitive resin that has been exposed to
actinic radiation through
a mask comprising an image. The image is the product of at least one image
modification
algorithm. The at least one image modification algorithm is a beta image
modification
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algorithm. The beta image modification algorithm is a three dimensional image
modification
algorithm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DEFINITIONS
As used herein, "paper product" refers to any formed, fibrous structure
products,
traditionally, but not necessarily, comprising cellulose fibers. In one
embodiment, the paper
products of the present invention include tissue-towel paper products.
As used herein, "fibrous structure" or "fibrous structure product" refers to
products
comprising paper tissue or paper towel technology in general, including, but
not limited to,
conventional felt-pressed or conventional wet-pressed fibrous structure
product, pattern densified
fibrous structure product, starch substrates, and high bulk, uncompacted
fibrous structure product.
Non-limiting examples of tissue-towel paper products include disposable or
reusable, toweling,
facial tissue, bath tissue, table napkins, placemats, wipes, and the like.
As used herein, "image" refers to any figure, drawing, or other visual
representation in
any coordinate system. In one embodiment, an image can be a simple geometric
figure which
may be selected from, but not limited to: rectangles, squares, circles,
triangles, ovals, polygons,
quadrilaterals, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, an image can
be a random
non-geometric shape.
As used herein, "resultant image" refers to the consequent image after an
image
modification algorithm has been applied to an image.
As used herein, "image modification algorithm," also known to those of skill
in the art as
a "filter", refers to an algorithm that performs one or more mathematical
operations on the
mathematical expression of the image. The modified (operated on) image is
referred to as a
resultant image. Exemplary mathematical operations that may be used as image
modification
algorithms include, but are not limited to, rotations, reflections and
translations. For instance, a
transformation performed in a two dimensional (sometimes referred to by those
of skill in the art
as "Euclidean") plane can move every point of the image by a fixed distance in
the same direction
or even shift the origin of the coordinate system to a new point. For example,
if v is a fixed
vector, then the translation Tv(p) about another vector p can be described
mathematically as:
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7'o(p) = p + v
An image modification algorithm may have one or more adjustable parameters or
variables that
affect the extent to which the mathematical operation may affect the resultant
image (such as p in
the above example). As a result, one image modification algorithm may be
adjusted to provide
different resultant images by changing the parameters, such as p, selected for
each image
modification algorithm.
As used herein, "resolution" refers the measure of sharpness of an image
expressed as the
total number of pixels, or points of color, per unit area (i.e. the number
density of pixels) in the
image.
As used herein, "raster image" also known to those of skill in the art as a
"bitmap" refers
to a data file or structure representing a grid of pixels in an image. Without
wishing to be limited
by theory, it is thought that the quality of a raster image is limited by the
resolution and the type
of information in each pixel (so called "color depth"). For example, an image
sampled at 640 x
480 pixels (therefore containing 307,200 pixels) may not appear as clear as an
image sampled at
1280 x 1024 (1,310,720 pixels) in the same area.
As used herein, "vector image" refers to images that may be comprised of one
or more
individual, scalable geometric objects, such as curves and polygons, which may
be defined by a
mathematical function. A non-limiting example of a vector image which can be
described by a
geometric object is a circle. One embodiment of a circle that may be defined
by a geometric
object may be expressed by the function:
f(r)=L(x-h)2 +(y-k)21 1/2
where h and k are the x- and y-coordinates of the center of the circle in a
Euclidian plane and r is
the radius of the circle. Thus, a circle with radius of 5 units around the
origin (x- and y-
coordinates of 0) may be described as:
= [x2 + y2] 1/2
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Without wishing to be bound by theory, because a vector image may be defined
mathematically,
it is thought that it is possible to freely change any number of parameters
without causing a loss
of resolution as the image is modified or scaled to a larger size. For
example, the circle with a
radius of 5 units as described above can be scaled to a circle of radius 10
units by simply altering
the radius (a parameter):
= [x2 + y2] 1i2
Alternatively, the circle may be scaled and translated so that it has a radius
of 6 units and is no
longer centered about the origin, but centered about the x-coordinate -2 and
the y-coordinate +3:
6=[(x+2)2 + (y 3) 2 ]i/2
A vector image may be distinguished from a raster image in that vector images
represent an
image through the use of geometric objects such as curves and polygons while
raster images are
represented using pixels.
As used herein, "vectorize" or "vectorizing" refers to the process of
converting any raster
image to a vector image. It is known in the art that raster images which have
been vectorized can
be rescaled without quality loss. A nonlimiting example of a method for
converting a raster
image to a vector image is to replace the pixels in a raster image with
geometric objects to form a
vector image. This conversion can be done manually or using a software package
such as Adobe
I1lustratorTM, Core1DRAWITM, and Adobe StreamlineTM. Without being limited by
theory, many
software packages trace lines around a raster image and assign geometric
objects to the traced
outline of the raster image. An example of a method for converting a raster
image to a vector
image is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,331.
As used herein, "industrially usable format" refers to any file type that can
be used as a
template for the creation of any article of manufacture. Nonlimiting examples
of articles of
manufacture include, but are not limited to: a patterned belt, emboss roll, or
print roll. Examples
of industrially usable formats include, but are not limited to: Computer Aided
Design or CAD
(*.dwg or *.dxf) format and Adobe I1lustratorTM (*.ai) format.
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As used herein, "fibrous structure" as used herein means an arrangement of
fibers
produced in any papermaking machine known in the art to create a ply of paper.
"Fiber" means
an elongate particulate having an apparent length greatly exceeding its
apparent width. More
specifically, and as used herein, fiber refers to such fibers suitable for a
papermaking process.
The present invention contemplates the use of a variety of paper making
fibers, such as, natural
fibers, synthetic fibers, as well as any other suitable fibers, starches, and
combinations thereof.
Paper making fibers useful in the present invention include cellulosic fibers
commonly known as
wood pulp fibers. Applicable wood pulps include chemical pulps, such as Kraft,
sulfite and
sulfate pulps; mechanical pulps including groundwood, thermomechanical pulp;
chemithermomechanical pulp; chemically modified pulps, and the like. Chemical
pulps,
however, may be preferred in tissue towel embodiments since they are known to
those of skill in
the art to impart a superior tactical sense of softness to tissue sheets made
therefrom.
Pulps derived from deciduous trees (hardwood) and/or coniferous trees
(softwood) can be
utilized herein. Such hardwood and softwood fibers can be blended or deposited
in layers to
provide a stratified web. Exemplary layering embodiments and processes of
layering are
disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,994,771 and 4,300,981.
Additionally, fibers derived from non-wood pulp such as cotton linters,
bagesse, and the
like, can be used. Additionally, fibers derived from recycled paper, which may
contain any or all
of the pulp categories listed above, as well as other non-fibrous materials
such as fillers and
adhesives used to manufacture the original paper product may be used in the
present web. In
addition, fibers and/or filaments made from polymers, specifically hydroxyl
polymers, may be
used in the present invention. Non-limiting examples of suitable hydroxyl
polymers include
polyvinyl alcohol, starch, starch derivatives, chitosan, chitosan derivatives,
cellulose derivatives,
gums, arabinans, galactans, and combinations thereof. Additionally, other
synthetic fibers such
as rayon, lyocel, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene fibers can be
used within the scope
of the present invention. Further, such fibers may be latex bonded. Other
materials are also
intended to be within the scope of the present invention as long as they do
not interfere or counter
act any advantage presented by the instant invention.
As used herein, "Machine Direction" or "MD" means the direction parallel to
the flow of
the fibrous structure through a papermaking machine and/or product
manufacturing equipment.
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As used herein, "Cross Machine Direction" or "CD" means the direction
perpendicular to,
and coplanar with, the machine direction of the fibrous structure and/or
fibrous structure product
comprising the fibrous structure.
As used herein, "Z-direction" means the direction normal to a plane formed by
machine
direction and cross machine directions.
Process for Producing a 3-D Ima2e
Fig. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of one embodiment of the present
method for
developing three dimensional surface patterns for fibrous structure products.
Referring to Fig. 1,
a first image 10 is provided by the user. This first image 10 may be provided
by any means
known in the art. In an exemplary embodiment, the first image may be created
using a software
program that will be performing the image modification algorithm(s), by hand
(outside of a
computer), or by using a computer software program that can be different from
the one that will
be applying the image modification algorithm to the first image 10. In one
embodiment, a first
image 10 may be drawn by hand outside of the computer. If the first image 10
is drawn by hand,
then one of skill in the art may appreciate that an optical scanner may be
used to scan such a
hand-drawn image into an image file format. The software can then apply the
image
modification algorithms to the resulting image file. If the first image 10 is
drawn using a
different software program than what will be used to perform image
modification algorithms,
then that image could be saved in an image file format that will be usable by
the software that
will perform the image modification algorithms. Nonlimiting examples of image
files are jpeg
(.jpg) or tiff (.tiff) files.
The first image 10 may then be modified using an alpha image modification
algorithm 20.
By convention herein, an alpha image modification algorithm 20 may be a two
dimensional
image modification algorithm. An alpha image modification algorithm 20 can be
repeated any
number of times with any combination or sequence of image modification
algorithms to create a
variety of resultant images. An alpha image modification 20 may be performed
using any
suitable software package. Nonlimiting examples of suitable software packages
for performing
two dimensional image modifications include: Adobe PhotoshopTM, Adobe
I1lustratorTM, Adobe
After EffectsTM, Cinema 4DTM, MayaTM, 3D Studio MaxTM, Lightwave 3DTM, the
like, and
combinations thereof. Examples of two dimensional image modification
algorithms include, but
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are not limited to: tile (which replicates a single object any number of
times), kaleidoscope
(which divides an image into smaller parts, replicates the smaller parts and
then rotates the
replicated parts), blur (which diffuses the pixels which comprise a raster
image), the like and
combinations thereof. The terms given as examples are those from the Apple
MotionTM software
package. It should be understood by those of skill in the art that the terms
used to describe two
dimensional image modification algorithms can be purely arbitrary when
compared to the actual
mathematical operation(s) that are used because similar image modification
algorithms may have
different names in different software packages.
The image that results from the first image 10 modification algorithm 20 may
be further
modified by applying a beta image modification algorithm 30. Alternatively, in
one embodiment,
the first image 10 may be modified by applying a beta image modification
algorithm 30 without
having been modified by an alpha image modification algorithm 20. By
convention, a beta image
modification algorithm 30 is a three dimensional image modification algorithm.
It is believed
that the image that results from an alpha image modification algorithm 20 may
be modified by
any number of additional alpha image modification algorithms 20 before being
modified by a
beta image modification algorithm 30. Without being limited by theory, it is
thought that a beta
image modification algorithm 30 can be visually differentiated from two-
dimensional image
modification algorithms because three-dimensional image modification
algorithms create an
apparent difference in scale or sense of depth. Further, in one embodiment, a
beta image
modification algorithm 30 applied to an image causes the resultant image have
a "falloff effect"
at the edges of the resultant image. A falloff effect may be described as
having the appearance of
the edges gradually dropping off in the z-direction. Examples of three
dimensional imaging
software packages include, but are not limited to: Cinema 4DTM, MayaTM, Apple
MotionTM, 3D
Studio MaxTM, the like, and combinations thereof. Within Apple MotionTM,
examples of three
dimensional image modification algorithms include, but are not limited to:
black hole (which
creates a hole in the image having a falloff effect at the resultant edges of
the image around the
circle), bulge (which creates a circle in the image and maps the pixels within
the circle from a
Cartesian coordinate system onto a polar coordinate system), disc warp (which
chooses a section
of an image, rotates that section, and then creates a falloff effect at the
edges of that section), the
like and combinations thereof.
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Once the beta image modification algorithm 30 is applied, the resultant image
may be
converted from a raster image to a vector image 40 using any means known in
the art. The vector
image 40 may be converted to an industrially usable format 50. The
industrially usable format 50
may then be used as a template to make a papermaking belt 52, embossing
ro1155, or pattern for a
print roll 58 as described infra. The process describing the construction of a
papermaking belt is
described in the "Papermaking Belt" section below. The resultant image can
then be provided to
a fibrous structure product 60.
Fig. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a first image 10. In the exemplary
embodiment the
first image 10 is a checkerboard having squares 9 with a solid color fill that
are arranged
diagonally from one another. The first image 10 may be created by hand drawing
or by using any
software drawing applications as discussed supra. In the exemplary embodiment,
the
checkerboard is created using the "checkerboard" function in the Apple
MotionTM software
program.
Fig. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of the image first image 10 of Fig. 2 after
an alpha
image modification algorithm 20 has been applied to the first image 10. In
this exemplary
embodiment the alpha image modification algorithm 20 is a "triangular tile"
algorithm used in
the Apple MotionTM software package. In the exemplary embodiment, the alpha
image
modification algorithm 20 divides the checkerboard pattern into smaller pieces
and rotates those
pieces to form a first resultant image 300.
Fig. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of the first resultant image 300 of Fig. 3
after a beta
image modification algorithm 30 is applied. In this exemplary embodiment the
beta image
modification algorithm is a three dimensional image modification algorithm.
Specifically, the
image modification algorithm is a "bulge" algorithm used in the Apple MotionTM
software
package. In the exemplary embodiment, the beta image modification algorithm 30
identified a
circular area within the first resultant image 300 and mapped the points from
a Cartesian
coordinate system within the circular area onto a polar coordinate system
within the circular area
to yield a second resultant image 400.
Fig. 5 is a magnified view of Fig. 5 taken within the area defined as 5. As
can be seen in
Fig. 5, the border lines 510 that define the shapes of the pattern appear to
be grainy and are not
crisp due to any scaling or rotation from the image modification algorithms
only operating on
pixels and not on geometric objects.
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Fig. 6 is a view of Fig. 5 once the image of Fig. 5 has been converted from a
raster image
to a vector image 40 using the automatic vectorization feature in the Apple
MotionTM software
package. As can be seen in Fig. 6, once vectorized, the border lines 510 that
define the shapes of
the pattern are crisp because the image modification algorithm was able to
operate on a geometric
object rather than operating on pixels. As discussed supra, vectorizing an
image defines that
image in terms of mathematical functions that can be scaled and manipulated
without a loss of
image data.
Pauermakin2 Belt Havin2 a Three Dimensional Ima2e Thereon
The images produced according to the process of the present invention may be
applied to
the surface of the fibrous structure product by any means known in the art.
For example, the
rasterized and/or vectorized images as produced by the process described
herein can be applied
via the application of ink to the surface of a fibrous structure product.
Suitable processes for
applying ink to a roll and then from the roll to the fibrous structure product
by printing include,
but are not limited to lithography, letter press, gravure, screen printing,
intaglio, and flexography.
The method for transferring an image of the present invention to a print roll
or other printing
mechanism may be done using any method that is known in the art. An exemplary
embodiment
of using ink to create surface patterns on fibrous structure products is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
7,037,575.
Alternatively, the images may be imparted to a fibrous structure product by
embossing.
The present invention images may be transferred to an embossing roll using any
means known in
the art. Knob to knob embossing is well known in the art as illustrated by
commonly assigned
U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,459. The images may also be imparted to the fibrous
structure product by
nested embossing as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,162. In addition, the
images may be
imparted to the fibrous structure product by dual ply lamination embossing as
illustrated by U.S.
Pat. No. 5,468,323.
Patterned Belt
Patterned belts can also be used to apply images to fibrous structure
products. Processes
for using patterned belts to make fibrous structure products that have images
disposed thereon
include, but are not limited to those processes disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,301,746, U.S. Pat. No.
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3,974,025, U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,065, U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,239, and U.S. Pat.
Application No.
60/855576.
Fig. 7A is an exemplary embodiment of a portion of a papermaking belt 100
produced
according to the present invention. The papermaking belt 100 may be used as a
through air
drying belt, a forming wire, a backing wire for a twin wire former, a transfer
belt, or, with
appropriate batting, as a press felt, etc. Except as noted, the following
discussion is directed to
through air drying belt although the foregoing executions are contemplated to
be within the scope
of the invention.
The papermaking belt 100 has a machine direction, a cross machine direction,
and a
thickness extending in a Z-direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the
machine and cross
machine directions that may receive a slurry of fibers that form the fibrous
structure product.
Without being limited by theory, it is thought that deflection conduits within
the framework mold
the slurry of fibers as the fibrous structure product is formed. As a result,
the arrangement of the
deflection conduits within the framework may be used to impart an image as
described herein
onto the surface of the fibrous structure product. The papermaking belt 100
comprises two
primary components: a framework 120 and a reinforcing element 130. The
framework 120 may
comprise any suitable material, including, without limitation, a resinous
material (such as a
photosensitive resin), a plastic, a metal, metal-impregnated polymers, a
molded or extruded
thermoplastic or pseudo-thermoplastic material, and in one embodiment
comprises a cured
polymeric photosensitive resin.
Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 7A taken along lines 7B-7B showing
the
relationship of the belt 100, framework 120, and reinforcing element 130 in
the machine direction
and the Z-direction.
The reinforcing element 130 may comprise a woven fabric as is known in the
art. The
reinforcing element 130 may be fluid-permeable, fluid-impermeable, or
partially fluid-permeable
(meaning that some portions of the reinforcing element may be fluid-permeable
while other
portions thereof may not be). Examples of the reinforcing element include, but
are not limited to,
a woven element, a felt, a mesh wire, or combinations thereof.
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Exemplary Method of Making a Patterned Belt
The papermaking belt 100 according to the present invention may be made by
curing a
photosensitive resin through a mask. A mask may be made using any means known
in the art.
Nonlimiting examples of methods for making masks for photoradiation purposes
are described in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,877,810, 4,374,911, 6,783,898 and U.S. Pat. App. No.
2004/0126710 Al. In
one embodiment, an image produced according to the present invention that is
in an industrially
usable format 50 may be used as a template to form the mask. In one
embodiment, the
industrially usable format 50 may be saved as an Encapsulated Postscript (or
*.eps) file format
and then opened using a software printing program such as, but not limited to,
Wasatch
SoftRIPTM, that may take the resultant image from the *.eps file and repeat
the resultant image
over a user-specified length and width. The software printing program will
then print the image
onto a transparent surface to form a mask having first regions which are
transparent to actinic
radiation and second regions which are opaque to the actinic radiation. In one
embodiment, the
printing can be done in one step by transferring the ink to a transparent film
using a printer such
as, but not limited to a Hewlett PackardTM Design Jet 5000.
The regions in the mask which are transparent to the actinic radiation will
form like
regions in the photosensitive resin which cure and become the framework 130 of
the
papermaking belt 100. Conversely, the regions of the mask which are opaque to
the actinic
radiation will cause the resin in the corresponding positions to remain
uncured. Uncured resin
may be removed during the beltmaking process and does not form part of the
papermaking belt
100. Because the mask will determine what the surface of the belt will look
like, the mask may
be patterned according to any image that may be created as discussed supra.
The belt of the present invention may be formed by a process comprising the
following
steps: First, providing a coating of a liquid curable material. In one
embodiment, the liquid
curable material comprises a first layer. In one embodiment the liquid curable
material is a
photosensitive resin. The coating can be applied by any means known in the
art. In one
embodiment the coat is provided by dispensing liquid curable material through
a nozzle. The
thickness of the coating can be controlled by, for example, a roll, a bar, a
knife, or any other
suitable means known in the art. In one embodiment the coating of liquid
curable material is
supported by a forming surface, the coating having a first thickness. Second,
providing a source
of actinic radiation to cure the liquid curable material. In one embodiment,
the source of actinic
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radiation may be a lamp having a bulb capable of providing light at the
appropriate wavelength to
cure the liquid curable material. Third, providing a mask having a pre-
selected pattern of
transparent regions and opaque regions that correspond to an image produced
according to the
present invention therein and positioning the first mask between the coating
of the curable
material and the source of curing radiation so that the opaque regions of the
first mask shield
areas of the coating from the curing radiation while the transparent regions
of the first mask cause
other areas of the coating to be unshielded. Fourth, curing the unshielded
areas of the coating by
exposing the coating to the actinic radiation through the mask having an image
thereon. The
shielded areas of the coating uncured. Fifth, removing substantially all
uncured liquid curable
material from the partly-formed first layer to leave a hardened or semi-
hardened material
structure. Sixth, removing substantially all uncured liquid curable material
from the cured layer
to leave a hardened material or semi- hardened material structure that
corresponds to the negative
tone of the image described infra.
In one embodiment, a backing film may be provided and positioned between the
forming
surface and the coating of a liquid photosensitive resin, to protect the
forming surface from being
contaminated by the liquid resin. If the papermaking belt having a reinforcing
element is desired,
the process may further include steps of providing a suitable reinforcing
element supported by the
forming surface, the reinforcing element having a paper facing side and a
machine facing side,
and depositing a coating of a liquid photosensitive resin to the paper facing
side of the reinforcing
element.
Products
The fibrous structure product may comprise a tissue-towel paper product known
in the
industry. Embodiment of these substrates may be made according U.S. Patent
Nos. 4,191,609,
4,300,981, 4,191,609, 4,514,345, 4,528,239, 4,529,480, 4,637,859, 5,245,025,
5,275,700,
5,328,565, 5,334,289, 5,364,504, 5,527,428, 5,556,509, 5,628,876, 5,629,052,
5,637,194, and
5,411,636; European Patent 677,612; U.S. Patent App. No. 2004/0192136A1 and
U.S.
Provisional Patent No. 60/855499.
In one embodiment, the fibrous structure product may be manufactured via a wet-
laid
paper making process. In other embodiments, the fibrous structure product may
be manufactured
via a through-air-dried paper making process or foreshortened by creping or by
wet
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microcontraction. In some embodiments, the resultant plies of fibrous
structure may be
differential density fibrous structure plies, wet laid fibrous structure
plies, air laid fibrous
structure plies, conventional fibrous structure plies, and combinations
thereof. Creping and/or
wet microcontraction are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,048,938, 5,942,085,
5,865,950,
4,440,597, 4,191,756, and 6,187,138.
In one embodiment, the fibrous structure product may be a paper towel product
or a toilet
tissue product having an image as produced by the process of the present
invention disposed
thereon. Paper towel products and toilet tissue products having images
disposed thereon are
described in U.S. Provisional Patent No. 60/855499.
Example: Making a Three Dimensional Image
One embodiment of creating an image in an industrially usable format that
could be used
for making a paper product with a three dimensional surface pattern according
to the present
invention includes the following components: An Apple MacTM computer with the
Apple
MotionTM and Adobe I1lustratorTM software packages installed.
The steps used to create a paper product with a three dimensional surface
pattern the
following steps are:
Creatinz the Three Dimensional Pattern
1. Launch the Apple Motion(TM) software package. Using the "library" tab,
choose the
"generators" option. From that option choose the "checkerboard" and drag it
onto the stage.
2. From the "library" tab choose the "Triangular Tile" effect located in the
"Image Units"
sub folder with the base image selected. Adjust the "angle" and "width"
parameters to produce
the desired effect.
3. From the "library" tab choose the "bulge" effect in the Distortion sub
folder with the base
image selected. Adjust the "amount" and "scale" parameters to produce the
desired effect.
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4. Go to the "file" tab and choose "export."
5. Change the export time from "movie" to "single frame" and export the frame
as an image
format (*.jpg / JPEG).
6. Close Apple MotionTM and launch Adobe I1lustratorTM
7. Import the exported 2D pattern into Adobe Illustrator by dragging the
exported file onto
the canvas from the file browser.
8. Select the image and in the upper toolbar, choose "live trace." Adjust the
parameters for
Live Trace. Leave all parameters at the default levels except disable the
"stroke" parameter,
choose "only" option in the "fill" parameter, and adjust the "edge tolerance"
parameter to
produce the desired effect.
9. Click on the image to select it and choose "expand" from the top toolbar.
10. From the file tab choose "export." When asked what kind of file to export,
choose the
AutoCad format (*.dwg).
11. With the CAD file in hand, a patterned belt as described above can be made
using any
means known in the art for making a mask.
All publications, patent applications, and issued patents mentioned herein are
hereby
incorporated in their entirety by reference. Citation of any reference is not
an admission
regarding any determination as to its availability as prior art to the claimed
invention.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly
limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise
specified, each such
dimension is intended to mean both the recited dimension or value and a
functionally equivalent
range surrounding that dimension or value. For example, a dimension disclosed
as "40 mm" is
intended to mean "about 40 mm".
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While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that are
within the scope of this invention.
