US 11,752,688 B2
Manufacturing process for papermaking belts using 3D printing technology
James E. Sealey, II, Belton, SC (US); Byrd Tyler Miller, IV, Easley, SC (US); Justin C. Pence, Anderson, SC (US); Taras Z. Andrukh, Greenville, SC (US); and Shane Ervin Hayes, Anderson, SC (US)
Assigned to STRUCTURED I, LLC, Great Neck, NY (US)
Filed by STRUCTURED I, LLC, Great Neck, NY (US)
Filed on Apr. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/862,784.
Application 15/959,925 is a division of application No. 14/961,249, filed on Dec. 7, 2015, granted, now 10,099,425, issued on Oct. 16, 2018.
Application 16/862,784 is a continuation of application No. 15/959,925, filed on Apr. 23, 2018, granted, now 10,675,810.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/240,924, filed on Oct. 13, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/088,095, filed on Dec. 5, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2020/0262134 A1, Aug. 20, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 64/106 (2017.01); D21F 1/00 (2006.01); D21F 11/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/112 (2017.01); B29C 64/118 (2017.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 64/112 (2017.08) [B29C 64/106 (2017.08); B29C 64/118 (2017.08); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); D21F 1/0027 (2013.01); D21F 1/0063 (2013.01); D21F 11/006 (2013.01); B29L 2031/733 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for making a three-dimensional papermaking belt configured for use in forming, pressing, drying or molding of fibrous web, wherein the process comprises forming the belt by 3D printing of a polymeric material having a plurality of vacuum breaking zones configured to limit an amount of paper fibers pulled through open areas formed in the belt above the vacuum breaking zones, wherein each vacuum breaking zone comprises a crisscross pattern of material disposed within a respective one of the open areas.