US 5,632,072 AGranted

Method for hydropatterning napped fabric

AssigneeInternational Paper Company

InventorsArlene T. Simon, J. Michael Greenway, Herschel Sternlieb, Jodie M. Siegel, Timothy J. Connolly, Duane A. Parker

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Abstract

An hydropatterning apparatus conveys a sheet of fabric through a patterning station along a machine direction on a conveyor, preferably a drum, having a support surface formed with a pattern of raised or solid areas and lowered or void areas, and has one or more manifolds of hydrojet nozzles disposed above the conveyor for directing a continuous curtain of fluid downwardly to impact on the fabric so that properties of the fabric become altered in correspondence to the pattern of the support surface. The hydropatterning technique is used to emboss the screen pattern into the nap of napped fabric in order to produce aesthetically pleasing surface textures and patterns in the napped fabric, such as a fur-like surface texture. The technique can also be used for displacement of yarn or fiber to obtain three-dimensional effects such as ribbing, wavy lines, checkering, geometric or floral designs, or lacework.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A method for hydropatterning a pattern in a fabric comprising the steps of:

conveying a sheet of fabric in a machine direction supported on a support surface which is formed with a pattern of raised or solid areas and lowered or void areas interspersed therein, and
directing a curtain of fluid from a fluid jetting source downwardly to impact on the fabric as it is conveyed on the patterned support surface,
wherein said fabric is a napped fabric comprising fibers bonded or woven into a mat with loose ends of the fibers forming a napped side of said fabric, said napped side being placed in contact against the patterned support surface with an opposite side of said fabric facing away from the patterned support surface toward the fluid jetting source, and said directing step includes directing said fluid curtain against the opposite side of the fabric facing toward the fluid jetting source such that a visual or physical property of the napped side of the fabric in contact with the patterned support surface becomes altered in correspondence to the pattern of raised or solid areas and lowered or void areas of the support surface due to the impact of the curtain of fluid on the fabric against the support surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/381,282Filed 5 Jan 1995 · continuation
Priority: 14 Apr 1988
Granted: 27 May 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B29C 59/02
Surface shaping of articles, e.g. embossing; Apparatus therefor: by mechanical means, e.g. pressing
D04H 1/495
By fluid jet: for formation of patterns, e.g. drilling or rearrangement
D06C 23/00
Making patterns or designs on fabrics
B29K 2313/00
Use of textile products or fabrics as reinforcement

Family

Serial181,284Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Apr 1988
Serial411,491Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Jul 1989
Serial660,753Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Feb 1991
Serial190,765Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Feb 1994
US 4,995,151 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 4,960,630 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,632,072 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.