Patent ID: 7722743

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a felt belt having a support ( 40 , 43 ), which latter is embedded in a fiber matrix and is made up of at least two yarn layers ( 41 , 42 , 44 , 45 ) arranged one above another, of which at least one is embodied as a longitudinal yarn layer ( 41 , 44 ) made up of longitudinal yarns ( 13 , 14 , 47 ) extending in parallel fashion, and at least one as a transverse yarn layer ( 42 , 45 , 46 ) made up of transverse yarns ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 48 , 49 ) extending in parallel fashion, transverse yarns ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 48 , 49 ) being present that are continuous over the entire width of the felt belt, characterized by at least the following steps: a) for each longitudinal yarn layer ( 41 , 44 ), a first support module ( 16 ) is manufactured as follows: aa) a first auxiliary support web ( 5 ) is manufactured, at a width that is less than the width of the completed felt belt; ab) the first auxiliary support web ( 5 ) is brought together with yarns ( 13 , 14 ) which have the property of absorbing laser energy and of being able to be brought by means of laser energy at least superficially and at least partially to melting temperature; ac) the yarns ( 13 , 14 ) are joined to the first auxiliary support web ( 5 ) by the action of a laser beam; ad) before, during, or after application of the yarns ( 13 , 14 ), the first auxiliary support web ( 5 ) is wound in helical fashion to a width that, if applicable after trimming of the side edges, corresponds to the width necessary for manufacture of the completed felt belt; b) for each transverse yarn layer ( 42 , 45 , 46 ), a second support module ( 35 ) that completely covers the first one is manufactured as follows: ba) firstly, individual support module segments ( 17 , 18 , 19 ) are manufactured, having an extension in one direction that corresponds to the width necessary for manufacture of the completed felt belt; bb) the support module segments ( 17 , 18 , 19 ) are each made up of a combination of a second auxiliary support web ( 20 , 21 , 22 ) and yarns ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 48 , 49 ), attached thereon, that have the property of absorbing laser energy and of being able to be brought by means of laser energy at least superficially and at least partially to melting temperature; bc) the join between the second auxiliary support web ( 20 , 21 , 22 ) and the yarns ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 48 , 49 ) has been produced by the action of a laser beam on the yarns ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 48 , 49 ); bd) for manufacture of a support belt, the support module segments ( 17 , 18 , 19 ) are placed onto and against one another onto the first support module ( 16 ), one behind another in the latter's longitudinal direction, so that a second support module ( 35 ) is created having yarns ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 48 , 49 ) that extend transversely to the yarns ( 13 , 14 ) of the first support module ( 16 ); c) for manufacture of the felt belt, at least one nonwoven fabric layer ( 38 , 39 ) is needle-felted onto at least one side of the support modules ( 16 , 35 ), forming the fiber matrix.