WOVEN PAPERMAKING FABRIC HAVING CONVERGING, DIVERGING OR MERGING TOPOGRAPHY

Provided are woven papermaking fabrics having a web contacting surface having protuberances formed from woven warp and shute filaments. The protuberances, which may be oriented in the machine direction (MD) converge, merge, or diverge and may be arranged to form a pattern. In certain instances, the protuberance may comprise a first MD oriented protuberance having an element angle from about 0.5 to about 15 degrees, a second MD oriented protuberance having an element angle from about −0.5 to about −15 degrees wherein the first and second protuberances converge at a convergence area to form a third MD oriented protuberance having an element angle from about −15 to about 15 degrees.