Appeal No. 2003-0814
Application No. 09/888,756
Trokhan discloses that a preferred method for forming an
improved papermaking belt having a textured backside involves
use of a woven element which is constructed of strands of
differing ultraviolet light transmission characteristics. The
woven element is constructed in such a manner that the strands
on top of the resinous woven element transmit ultraviolet light
to high degree, while strands on the bottom or the backside do
not transmit, but instead absorb ultraviolet light. This causes
the ultraviolet light to be transmitted throughout the photo
sensitive resin network except in the portion of the network
which lies under the bottom strands. As a result, the
photosensitive resin which lies under the bottom strands is not
cured, and can be removed during the final steps set out above,
leaving a series of depressions in the backside of the
papermaking belt under the absorptive strands. See column 30,
lines 43-61.
The aforementioned disclosure of Trokhan is a description
of how the papermaking belt is formed. The papermaking belt is
generally comprised of two primary elements: a solid polymeric
resin framework 32 and a reinforcing structure 33, both of which
are first seen together in FIG. 4. The resin framework 32 has a
first surface 34 for contacting the fiber webs to be dewatered,
a second surface 35 opposite the first surface 34 for contacting
the dewatering machinery employed in the dewatering operation,
and conduits 36 extending between the first surface 34 and the
second surface 35 for channeling water from the fiber webs which
rest on the first surface 34 to the second surface 35 and to
provide areas into which the fibers of the fiber web can be
deflected and rearranged. See column 19, lines 14-31. The
portion of the resin framework 32 which is exposed on the top
surface of the papermaking belt and which comprises a solid
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