US 9982388

Here is a concise summary of US patent 9982388:

Title: Fabric for a machine to produce a fiber web and method of producing a fiber web

Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH

Inventor: Torsten Wich

Filing Date: 2015-08-13

Issue Date: 2018-05-29

Abstract: The patent describes a fabric designed for machines that produce fiber webs (such as paper, board, tissue, or pulp). This fabric is made from a flat woven base material that has a top and bottom side and two ends in the machine direction. The base material is folded into two layers, creating an "inside" and an "outside," with seam loops at the folds. The two ends are located underneath the bottom surface, either next to each other or overlapping. A key characteristic of this fabric is the inclusion of one or more additional "sheet-like plies." The patent also covers a method for producing a fiber web using such a fabric.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Fabric): This claim describes a fabric for a fiber web producing machine. The fabric consists of a flat woven base material that is folded into two layers. This folding creates an inside and an outside, with seam loops formed at the folds. The two ends of the flat woven base material are located underneath the bottom side surface, either touching or overlapping. The essential feature of this fabric, as claimed, is the addition of one or more separate sheet plies. Crucially, all of these sheet plies are positioned on the outside of the folded base material. Furthermore, these sheet plies can be made of a woven material or a non-woven component, such as a polymer film, a foam layer, a knitted structure, or a warp-knit structure.
• Claim 15 (Method): This claim describes a method for producing a fiber web. The method involves using a web-producing machine that is equipped with at least one fabric as described in Claim 1.

Uncertainty:
As of the current date, the patent US9982388B2 is active and is set to expire on 2036-03-11. It is currently involved in a PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case, IPR2025-01367, which has been filed and is in a pending-instituted status. No direct dockets for this patent were found in the CAFC 2026 dockets.