US 11,732,416 B2
Method of making a molded paper web
David A. Beck, Neenah, WI (US)
Assigned to GPCP IP HOLDINGS LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by GPCP IP Holdings LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/462,333.
Application 17/462,333 is a continuation of application No. 16/069,902, granted, now 11,136,719, previously published as PCT/US2017/015710, filed on Jan. 31, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/292,377, filed on Feb. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0395948 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. D21F 11/00 (2006.01); D21F 9/00 (2006.01); B31F 1/12 (2006.01); D21F 2/00 (2006.01); D21F 5/02 (2006.01); D21F 5/18 (2006.01); D21F 7/00 (2006.01); D21H 27/02 (2006.01); D21F 11/14 (2006.01); B31F 1/14 (2006.01); D21F 1/66 (2006.01); D21F 9/04 (2006.01); D21F 11/06 (2006.01)
CPC D21F 11/006 (2013.01) [B31F 1/126 (2013.01); B31F 1/14 (2013.01); D21F 1/66 (2013.01); D21F 2/00 (2013.01); D21F 5/028 (2013.01); D21F 5/18 (2013.01); D21F 7/00 (2013.01); D21F 9/003 (2013.01); D21F 9/046 (2013.01); D21F 11/06 (2013.01); D21F 11/14 (2013.01); D21H 27/02 (2013.01)] 65 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of making a molded paper web, the method comprising:
(A) forming a nascent web from an aqueous solution of papermaking fibers;
(B) dewatering the nascent web to form a dewatered web having a consistency from about ten percent solids to about seventy percent solids;
(C) moving the dewatered web on a transfer surface;
(D) transferring the dewatered web from the transfer surface to a molding roll at a molding nip formed between a backing roll and the molding roll, the dewatered web being transferred to the molding roll as the transfer surface moves through the molding nip, the molding roll including (i) an interior, (ii) an exterior, (iii) a plurality of channels connecting the interior with the exterior, and (iv) a permeable patterned surface on the exterior of the molding roll, the permeable patterned surface being permeable to air and having at least one of a plurality of recesses and a plurality of projections; and
(E) molding the dewatered web over a molding zone of the molding roll to form a molded paper web, the molding including drawing a vacuum over the molding zone by applying a vacuum in the interior of the molding roll to cause air to flow through the permeable patterned surface, the plurality of channels, and into the interior of the molding roll, wherein the molding nip is located within the molding zone such that the dewatered web is transferred from the transfer surface to the permeable patterned surface of the molding roll and papermaking fibers of the dewatered web are (i) drawn into the permeable patterned surface by the vacuum applied in the molding zone and (ii) redistributed on the permeable patterned surface by the least one of the plurality of recesses and the plurality of projections in order to form the molded paper web.