Cloth molding process

A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:

• applying a pattern to a mold surface;
• heating said mold;
• drawing the cloth into said heated mold, the cloth including a fabric layer having a fiber heat-fixable at a set temperature, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the elastic composition layer including a thermoplastic film layer, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the heat-fixable fiber set temperature and the film layer softening temperature;
• heating the cloth to at least the greater of the heat-fixable fiber set temperature and the film layer softening temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth;
• and
• cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber and the film layer to the shape of the mold.

A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:

• applying a pattern to a mold surface;
• heating the mold;
• drawing the cloth into the heated mold, the cloth including a fabric layer having a fiber heat fixable at a set temperature, and an elastic composition layer composition including a flexible foam layer and a thermoplastic mold being at least the greater of the heat-fixable fiber set temperature and the film layer softening temperature;
• heating the cloth to at least the greater of the film layer softening temperature and the heat-fixable fiber set temperature including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth;
• transferring the cloth into a mold having a temperature less than the lower of the heat-fixable fiber set temperature and the film layer softening temperature;
• and
• cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber and the film layer to the shape of the mold.

A process for forming a cloth-covered item comprising the steps of:

• drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the cloth including a fabric layer having a fiber heat-fixable at a set temperature, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the temperature of the mold being at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature;
• heating the cloth to at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth;
• transferring the cloth into a mold having a temperature less than the heat-fixable fiber set temperature;
• cooling the cloth;
• and
• pouring a liquid foam composition into the mold, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the cloth to the shape of the mold and filling the back side of the molded cloth with foam.

A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:

• bonding a flexible foam layer to a thermoplastic film layer, the foam layer and film layer forming an elastic composition layer;
• bonding the foam layer to a fabric layer having a fiber heat-fixable at a set temperature, the cloth comprising the foam layer, film layer and fabric layer;
• preheating the cloth to at least the greater of the film layer softening temperature and fiber set temperature;
• drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the film layer softening temperature and the fabric layer set temperature;
• heating the cloth in the mold to at least the greater of the film layer softening temperature and the fiber set temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth;
• transferring the cloth in a mold having a temperature less than the lower of the film layer softening temperature and the fabric layer set temperature;
• and
• cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the fabric layer and the film layer to the shape of the mold.

A process for forming cloth-covered items comprising the steps of:

• bonding a flexible foam layer to a thermoplastic film layer, the foam layer and film layer forming an elastic composition layer;
• bonding the foam layer to a fabric layer having a fiber heat-fixable at a set temperature, the cloth comprising the foam layer, the film layer and the fabric layer;
• preheating the cloth to a temperature of at least the greater of the heat-fixable fiber set temperature and the film layer softening temperature;
• drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the heat-fixable fiber set temperature and the film layer softening temperature;
• heating the cloth to at least the greater of the film layer softening temperature and the heat-fixable fiber set temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth;
• transferring the cloth into a mold having a temperature less than the lower of the fiber set temperature and the film layer softening temperature;
• cooling the cloth;
• and
• pouring a liquid foam composition into the mold, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the fabric layer and the film layer to the shape of the mold and filling the back side of the molded cloth with foam.