Woven materials with incorporated solids and processes for the production thereof

1. A process for producing a woven material with an incorporated particulate solid, the woven material having inherent woven characteristics, the process comprising:

a. entraining an active particulate solid in a gaseous carrier;

b. disposing a first face of a woven material in the path of a stream of the gaseous carrier and active entrained particulate solid;

c. maintaining a pressure drop across the woven material from the first face to a second face of said woven material, thereby to incorporate at least some of the active entrained particulate solid in the gaseous carrier within the weave of the woven material; and

d. fixing the active incorporated particulate solid, wherein the inherent characteristics of the woven material is substantially maintained and the active incorporated particulate solid is able to react with external matter in contact with the woven material after the active incorporated particulate solid is fixed.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the direction of the pressure drop across the woven material is controlled.

3. The process according to claim 2 wherein the direction of the pressure drop across the woven material is controlled through the use of slats positioned beneath the woven material.

4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the woven material has a weight of less than or equal to about 20 oz/yd 2 .

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the woven material has a weight of about 3 oz/yd 2 to about 7 oz/yd 2 .

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate solid has odor-adsorbing properties.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate solid has moisture management properties.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate solid has ultraviolet protection properties.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate solid is activated carbon, silica gel, activated alumina, aluminum trihydrate, pot ash, baking soda, paramethoxy 2-ethoxyethylester cinnamic acid, zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the active particulate solid is activated carbon.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the particulate solid is incorporated in an amount of about 10 g/m 2 to about 70 g/m 2 .

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure drop is effected by applying suction to the second face of the woven material.

13. The process according to claim 12 , comprising providing a supply zone, wherein the stream of gaseous carrier and entrained particulate solid are supplied directly to the first face of the woven material, and a suction zone for applying suction to the second face of the woven material.

14. The process according to claim 13 , wherein at least some of any remaining entrained particulate solid is recirculated.

15. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the gaseous carrier and entrained particulate solid are substantially free of fibrous material.

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate solid is thermally fixed in the woven material.

17. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the thermal fixing is induced by the application of infra-red energy to the woven material.

18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate solid is fixed in the woven material with the aid of a chemical binder.

19. The process according to claim 1 further comprising controlling the pressure drop to provide a substantially uniform distribution of the particulate solids across the woven material.

20. The process according to claim 19 wherein the controlling comprises altering the pressure distribution perpendicular to the woven material and across at least one of a width and a length of the woven material.

21. The process according to claim 1 wherein the direction of the pressure drop across the woven material is controlled through the use of butterfly valves positioned beneath the woven material.

22. The process according to claim 1 wherein the woven material is maintained in a relaxed state throughout at least a portion of the process for producing a woven material with a particulate solid incorporated therein.

23. The process according to claim 22 wherein the woven material comprises a plurality of gaps and the relaxed state is achieved by minimizing expansion of the gaps throughout at least a portion of the process.

24. The process according to claim 22 wherein the woven material is maintained in the relaxed state through use of picker fingers.

25. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the incorporated particulate solid comprises at least 70% of the combined weight of the woven material and the particulate solid.

26. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the incorporated particulate solid comprises about 1% to about 70% of the combined weight of the woven material and the particulate solid.

27. A process for producing a woven material with an incorporated particulate solid, the woven material having inherent woven characteristics, the process comprising:

a. entraining an active particulate solid in a gaseous carrier;

b. disposing a first face of a woven material in the path of a stream of the gaseous carrier and active entrained particulate solid;

c. maintaining a pressure drop across the woven material from the first face to a second face of said woven material, thereby to incorporate at least some of the active entrained particulate solid in the gaseous carrier within the weave and on the first face of the woven material; and

d. fixing the active incorporated particulate solid, wherein the inherent characteristics of the woven material is substantially maintained and the active incorporated particulate solid is able to react with external matter in contact with the woven material after the active incorporated particulate solid is fixed.

28. A process for producing a woven material with incorporated particulate solid, the woven material having an inherent woven characteristics, the process comprising:

a. entraining an active particulate solid in a gaseous carrier;

b. disposing a first face of a woven material in the path of a stream of the gaseous carrier and active entrained particulate solid;

c. maintaining a pressure drop across the woven material from the first face to a second face of said woven material, thereby to incorporate at least some of the active entrained particulate solid in the gaseous carrier on the first face of the woven material; and

d. fixing the active incorporated particulate solid, wherein the inherent characteristics of the woven material is substantially maintained and the active incorporated particulate solid is able to react with external matter in contact with the woven material after the active incorporated particulate solid is fixed.