Industrial fabric and method of welding seam area using ultrasonic welding

摘要

The invention relates to ultrasonic welding of industrial fabrics. Specifically, the invention relates to methods for ultrasonically welding the seam area of industrial fabrics using a textured horn and/or anvil. The fabric edges are overlapped as woven or one or both edges can have some warp or weft yarns raveled out. The method involves ultrasonically bonding the overlapped fabric edges, reducing the caliper of the two stacked edges to match the body caliper of the fabric itself. The bonded area can then be perforated using laser or other mechanical means to produce a seam having the same woven texture and permeability (air and/or water) as the body of the fabric.

主权项

1. A method for seaming an industrial fabric having a plurality of warp yarns with a plurality of weft yarns and having a length and a width, the method comprising the steps of:
overlapping a first edge of the fabric with a second edge of the fabric by a predetermined distance, wherein the warp yarns and the weft yarns are not bound either at the first edge or at the second edge; placing at least a portion of the overlapped area between an ultrasonic horn and an anvil; and welding the portion of the overlapped area by applying ultrasonic energy, wherein a fabric contacting surface of the horn and/or anvil is textured or patterned.