U.S. patent application number 12/107283 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-22 for woven textile fabric with cotton/microdenier filament bundle blend.
Invention is credited to Derrick Lane Anderson, Arun Pal Aneja, Stephen Michael Hassell.
Application Number | 20090260707 12/107283 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41200103 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090260707 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Aneja; Arun Pal ; et
al. |
October 22, 2009 |
Woven Textile Fabric with Cotton/Microdenier Filament Bundle
Blend
Abstract
A fabric includes warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series of
repeat units. In the fabric, the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns
and the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles. Such a
fabric can provide desirable tactile properties for articles such
as sheets, pillowcases, blankets and the like.
Inventors: |
Aneja; Arun Pal;
(Greenville, NC) ; Hassell; Stephen Michael;
(Charlotte, NC) ; Anderson; Derrick Lane; (Rock
Hill, SC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MYERS BIGEL SIBLEY & SAJOVEC
PO BOX 37428
RALEIGH
NC
27627
US
|
Family ID: |
41200103 |
Appl. No.: |
12/107283 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
139/420R ;
5/482 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D10B 2503/06 20130101;
D03D 15/33 20210101; D10B 2331/02 20130101; D10B 2201/24 20130101;
D03D 15/00 20130101; D10B 2321/101 20130101; D03D 13/008 20130101;
D10B 2331/04 20130101; D10B 2505/08 20130101; D10B 2321/10
20130101; A47G 9/0238 20130101; D10B 2201/02 20130101; D10B 2321/02
20130101; D10B 2201/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
139/420.R ;
5/482 |
International
Class: |
D03D 15/00 20060101
D03D015/00; A47C 31/10 20060101 A47C031/10 |
Claims
1. A fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series
of repeat units, wherein: (a) the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns;
and (b) the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles.
2. The fabric defined in claim 1, wherein the warp and weft yarns
are interwoven in a sateen weave pattern.
3. The fabric defined in claim 1, wherein the thread count of the
fabric is greater than 280 threads/square inch.
4. The fabric defined in claim 1, wherein the warp and weft yarns
are interwoven in a plain weave pattern.
5. The fabric defined in claim 1, wherein the thread count of the
fabric is greater than 150 threads/square inch.
6. The fabric defined in claim 1, wherein the microdenier filament
bundles comprise filaments having a denier per filament of less
than about 0.7 denier.
7. The fabric defined in claim 1, wherein the microdenier filament
bundles include at least 100 microdenier filaments/bundle.
8. The fabric defined in claim 1, wherein the microdenier filament
bundles comprise polyester.
9. A bedding article that comprises the fabric defined in claim
1.
10. The bedding article defined in claim 9, wherein the article is
constructed such that more than 75 percent of a surface thereof
that is intended to contact skin is covered by cotton.
11. A fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series
of repeat units, wherein: (a) the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns;
(b) the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles; (c) the
warp yarns and weft yarns are interwoven in a sateen weave pattern;
and (d) the thread count of the fabric is greater than about 250
threads/square inch.
12. The fabric defined in claim 11, wherein the thread count of the
fabric is greater than about 300 threads/square inch.
13. The fabric defined in claim 11, wherein the microdenier
filament bundles comprise filaments having a diameter of less than
about 0.7 denier.
14. The fabric defined in claim 11, wherein the microdenier
filament bundles include at least 100 microdenier
filaments/bundle.
15. The fabric defined in claim 11, wherein the microdenier
filament bundles comprise polyester.
16. A bedding article that comprises the fabric defined in claim
11.
17. The bedding article defined in claim 11, wherein the article is
constructed such that more than 75 percent of a surface thereof
that is intended to contact skin is covered by cotton.
18. A fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series
of repeat units, wherein: (a) the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns;
(b) the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles; (c) the
warp yarns and weft yarns are interwoven in a plain weave pattern;
and (d) the thread count of the fabric is greater than 150
threads/square inch.
19. The fabric defined in claim 18, wherein the thread count of the
fabric is greater than 200 threads/square inch.
20. The fabric defined in claim 18, wherein the microdenier
filament bundles comprises filaments having a diameter of less than
about 0.7 denier.
21. The fabric defined in claim 18, wherein the microdenier
filament bundles include at least 100 microdenier filaments.
22. The fabric defined in claim 18, wherein the microdenier
filament bundles comprise polyester.
23. A bedding article that comprises the fabric defined in claim
18.
24. A fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series
of repeat units, wherein: (c) the warp yarns comprise
cotton-containing yarns; and (d) the weft yarns comprise
microdenier filament bundles.
25. The fabric defined in claim 24, wherein the warp yarns comprise
a 60/40 blend of polyester/cotton.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed generally to woven
fabrics, and more particularly to woven textile fabrics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Textile fabrics are employed in a number of applications,
including clothing, upholstery, draperies, bedding and the like.
Some textile fabrics are employed in bedding applications (such as
sheets and other bedding articles) and the like that may contact
the skin directly. Properties that are typically desirable in such
a textile fabric include "hand" (which is the tactile impression
that the fabric provides), softness, flexibility and drape.
[0003] Some textile fabrics for bedding applications are woven from
100 percent cotton yarns, which typically provide the desired
tactile properties. However, other fabrics used in bedding
applications often employ yarns that are intimate blends of cotton
and other materials, such as cotton and polyester. A typical
intimate yarn is formed of both cotton and polyester fibers that
are combined at the beginning of the yarn-manufacturing process,
with the result being a yarn that is a relatively homogenous
combination of cotton and polyester. Blends of fibers are used to
impart properties not possible in fabrics of a single fiber. For
example, polyester is often blended with cotton because it adds
durability and increases resistance to wrinkling. The cotton
component contributes comfort through moisture absorption and
softness. The result is often a compromise of the features of each
fiber employed.
[0004] Also, with fabrics used in bedding, the thread count (tc),
which is the number of total threads in a square inch of material,
is often of interest to the consumer, as a higher thread count
fabric is typically perceived to be of higher quality. However, in
high thread count fabrics (for example, fabrics having a 300 tc or
higher), there is a tendency for fabrics of intimate blends to
"pill" when woven into the sateen weave pattern often preferred by
consumers at high thread counts. "Pilling" is a function of one end
of individual fibers slipping and protruding from their twisted
bundles when the fabric is abraded. With 100 percent cotton yarns,
the fibers are relatively weak, and those that slip and protrude
from the bundle tend to simply break off or fall away. However,
with intimate yarns the stronger polyester fibers that eventually
protrude do not easily break off, and they thus tend to provide an
anchoring location for the cotton fibers. The clinging polyester
fibers tend to attract other cotton fibers and roll up, or "pill"
under further abrasion. The tendency is exacerbated in sateen
weaves, as longer floats of cotton are exposed for abrasion. As a
result, these high thread count sateen fabrics are typically
offered only in 100 percent cotton. Intimately blended fabrics are
relegated to twills and plain weave constructions of lower thread
counts.
[0005] Less common are non-intimately blended fabrics. For example,
a fabric may be made of 100% cotton warp and 100% polyester weft.
The polyester wefts can comprise either spun yarns (made from
twisting discrete, short lengths of fiber) or continuous filament
yarns (made from bundles of small continuous filaments). The latter
yarns are typically made of filaments much greater than 1.0 denier
per filament, and are often made with yarns of 4.0 denier per
filament, as is the case with typical 150 denier yarns of 36
filaments. The problems in all cases utilizing 100% polyester wefts
is the deleterious effect on fabric hand and the propensity of the
polyester yarns to pill.
[0006] In view of the foregoing, it may be desirable to provide
additional textile fabrics that may be suitable for use in bedding
and other applications, and in particular fabrics with non-cotton
yarns that can be used at high thread counts without pilling and
that actually improve the tactile properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] As a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to a fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a
series of repeat units. In the fabric, the warp yarns comprise
cotton yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament
bundles. Such a fabric can provide desirable tactile properties for
articles such as sheets, pillowcases, blankets and the like.
[0008] As a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
also directed to a fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven
in a series of repeat units, wherein the warp yarns comprise cotton
yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles. In
this fabric, the warp yarns and weft yarns are interwoven in a
sateen weave pattern. The thread count of the fabric is greater
than about 250 threads/square inch. This blended fabric can provide
desirable tactile properties at a high thread count without the
pilling that has been characteristic of other high thread count
blended sateen fabrics.
[0009] As a third aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to another fabric comprising warp and weft yarns
interwoven in a series of repeat units, wherein the warp yarns
comprise cotton yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier
filament bundles. In this fabric, the warp yarns and weft yarns are
interwoven in a plain weave pattern. The thread count of the fabric
is greater than about 150 threads/square inch. This fabric can
provide superior tactile properties in a less expensive, lower
thread count fabric.
[0010] As a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to a fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a
series of repeat units, wherein the warp yarns comprise
cotton-containing yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier
filament bundles. Such a fabric may be particularly suited for
institutional environments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention will now be described more fully
hereinafter, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are
shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms
and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth
herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this
disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the
scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the
drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Thicknesses and dimensions of some components may be exaggerated
for clarity.
[0012] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and
scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this
invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such
as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be
interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their
meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be
interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly
so defined herein.
[0013] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this
specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude
the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As
used herein the expression "and/or" includes any and all
combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0014] In addition, spatially relative terms, such as "under",
"below", "lower", "over", "upper" and the like, may be used herein
for ease of description to describe one element or feature's
relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in
the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative
terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the
device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted
in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned
over, elements described as "under" or "beneath" other elements or
features would then be oriented "over" the other elements or
features. Thus, the exemplary term "under" can encompass both an
orientation of over and under. The device may be otherwise oriented
(rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially
relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
[0015] Well-known functions or constructions may not be described
in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
[0016] As used herein, the term "plain weave" refers to a simple
"over 1/under 1 " weave pattern followed by both the warp and weft
yarns of the fabric. The term "sateen" refers to a satin weave
pattern generally produced by floating warp yarns over weft yarns
to form a non-diagonal pattern with the floats (in contrast to a
twill, which forms a diagonal pattern with its floats). The term
sateen is associated with satin weaves produced using cotton-system
spun yarns. Satin is the term commonly applied to these fabrics
made with continuous filament yarns. The present invention employs
both cotton-system and continuous filament yarns, and herein will
be referred to as a sateen fabric as cotton-system yarns dominate
the construction. Because more of the weft threads are exposed on
one surface, and more of the warp yarns are exposed on the opposite
surface, the resulting fabric can be much smoother on one or both
surfaces than if it were woven with a typical plain weave. Sateen
weaves may be formed with different length floats; for example,
sateen weaves may follow an "over 4/under 1," "over 6/under 1," or
other pattern, or may have even longer floats. An exemplary sateen
weave is described in A. K. Sen, Coated Textiles: Principles and
Applications (CRC Press 2001).
[0017] The fabric of the present invention comprises
cotton-containing warp yarns and yarns formed of microdenier
filament bundles as weft yarns. As used herein, the term
"cotton-containing" means yarns that have at least 40 percent
cotton, encompasses both cotton blends (e.g., a 60/40
polyester/cotton blend) and 100 percent cotton yarns (herein
"cotton yarns"). The warp yarns can be any cotton-containing yarns
typically employed in the production of textile fabrics. The cotton
yarns can be spun in any manner, including rotor, jet or ring.
Suitable cotton yarns are sized between about Ne 25/1 and 100/1,
with a 40/1 and 60/1 cotton count yarn being typical.
[0018] The weft yarns comprise yarns formed of microdenier filament
bundles. The size of the filament yarns is expressed in denier, a
direct numbering system that describes the linear densities of silk
and most manmade filament yarns (as measured in g per 9000 m of
yarn). The size of each individual filament, expressed as denier
per filament (dpf), equals the denier of the yarn bundle divided by
the number of filaments. As used herein, a "microdenier" filament
is a filament that is sized at less than one denier per filament;
typical microdenier filaments are sized at about 0.9 denier per
filament, 0.7 denier per filament, 0.5 denier per filament or even
less. The microdenier filaments are bundled into a yarn; for
example, a yarn may contain 100-300 or more microdenier filaments
per bundle. In some embodiments, the microdenier filaments are
formed of polyester. The microdenier filament bundles may be formed
by any technique known by those skilled in this art to be suitable
for the formation of microdenier filament bundles.
[0019] The warp and weft yarns may be interwoven with each other by
any technique known to be suitable for interweaving yarns.
Typically, the yarns are interwoven on a commercial loom. They may
be interwoven in a variety of weave patterns, including plain
weave, twill, satin and sateen weaves and their derivatives.
[0020] It has been discovered that, when woven with cotton and/or
cotton-containing warp yarns, microdenier filament bundles can
provide a blended fabric with exceptional hand, softness, drape,
appearance, absorption, and moisture transport. The flexibility and
suppleness of the microdenier filament bundles can contribute to
the improvement of these and other tactile properties.
[0021] A potential attribute of the present invention is that it
can be comparatively eco-friendly since it may require less water
and detergent vis a vis 100% cotton. Also, the drying time in such
a fabric may be faster compared to 100% cotton and, as such, can be
said to save energy, as it may require less heat.
[0022] Moreover, it has been discovered that the use of cotton
and/or cotton-containing warp yarns and microdenier filament
bundles as weft yarns can produce a fabric with little to no
pilling, particularly when woven in a sateen weave, even at high
(280+) thread counts. For example, a 300 tc fabric having a sateen
weave of the construction described in Table 1 has proven to have
excellent tactile properties.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Warp Yarns Cotton 60/1 cotton count Weft
Yarns Polyester Microdenier 0.5 dpf, 155 denier with 288 Filaments
filaments/bundle Weave 4:1 Sateen 300 tc
[0023] In a warp-faced sateen weave, much of the face surface of
the fabric presents the cotton yarns (for example, with a 4:1
sateen weave, approximately 80 percent of the face surface presents
cotton). As a result, the face surface has largely the feel of
cotton, yet retains the easy care and durability of a blend, and,
due to the predominant presence of the microdenier filament bundles
on the back surface, exhibits little to no pilling. In other
embodiments, other variations, such as the sateen weave pattern,
the size of the warp and/or weft yarns, and the density of the mesh
(e.g., 350 tc or higher), may also be employed.
[0024] The same concepts hold true, but in reverse, for a
filling-faced sateen weave wherein cotton filling yarns can float
above microfilament warp yarns.
[0025] As another example, plain weave fabrics may also benefit
from the use of microdenier filament bundles as weft yarns. A 200
tc plain weave fabric of the construction set forth in Table 2 can
exhibit improved softness over conventional blends of similar
thread count.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Warp yarns Cotton 40/1 Weft yarns Polyester
0.5 dpf, 75 denier with 144 filaments/bundle Weave Plain Weave 118
.times. 74
Similar results may be observed in plain weave fabrics in which the
weft yarns are 155 denier yarns (with 200, 300 or more
filaments/bundle). Similar results may also be observed in plain
weave fabrics in which the thread count is increased to 220 tc (for
a mesh of 118.times.92) or even higher. Those skilled in this art
will recognize other variations in which microdenier filament
bundles may be used, such as lower thread counts (e.g., 150
tc).
[0026] As a third example, plain weave fabrics may also employ
cotton/polyester blends as warp yarns and microdenier filament
bundles as weft yarns. An exemplary 200 tc plain weave fabric is
set forth in Table 3.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Warp yarns 60/40 polyester/cotton 40/1 Weft
yarns Polyester 0.5 dpf, 75 denier with 144 filaments/bundle Weave
Plain Weave 118 .times. 74
Such a fabric may be particularly useful in hospitality and health
care environments, in which durability and quicker drying may be
desirable. This fabric may have excellent hand and may not pill
substantially.
[0027] Those skilled in this art may also recognize that other
materials may be employed for the microdenier filament bundles. For
example, nylon, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid,
acrylic, modacrylic, rayon, lyocell, modal, acetate, spandex, and
olefin or any other man-made fiber may be used as a substitute for
polyester. Also, blends of materials formed into microdenier
filament bundles may be used, such as nylon and polyester.
[0028] The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and
is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although exemplary
embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in
the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are
possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing
from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention.
Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included
within the scope of this invention as defined by the claims. The
invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of
the claims to be included therein.
* * * * *