U.S. patent application number 12/790305 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-16 for fabric including low-melting fiber.
This patent application is currently assigned to WOONGJIN CHEMICAL CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Hoo-Sung CHANG, Sung-Gun Kim.
Application Number | 20100317248 12/790305 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42931891 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100317248 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHANG; Hoo-Sung ; et
al. |
December 16, 2010 |
FABRIC INCLUDING LOW-MELTING FIBER
Abstract
Fabrics including a low-melting fiber are provided. In an
embodiment, the fabric includes a regular fiber and a low-melting
fiber. The low-melting fiber is directly included in either warps
or wefts or both. Alternatively, a blended or plied fiber of the
regular fiber and the low-melting fiber is included in either warps
or wefts or both. The low-melting fiber has a fusion rate of 30 to
100%. The fabric has a yarn slip length of 0.1 to 2.5 mm.
Inventors: |
CHANG; Hoo-Sung; (Seoul,
KR) ; Kim; Sung-Gun; (Daegu, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
WOONGJIN CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
Gyeongsangbuk-do
JP
|
Family ID: |
42931891 |
Appl. No.: |
12/790305 |
Filed: |
May 28, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
442/200 ;
442/181; 442/202; 442/301 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D10B 2501/00 20130101;
D03D 15/47 20210101; Y10T 442/3154 20150401; Y10T 442/30 20150401;
D10B 2401/062 20130101; D03D 15/00 20130101; D10B 2401/041
20130101; D10B 2503/03 20130101; Y10T 442/3171 20150401; Y10T
442/3976 20150401; D10B 2331/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
442/200 ;
442/202; 442/181; 442/301 |
International
Class: |
D03D 15/00 20060101
D03D015/00; D03D 15/12 20060101 D03D015/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 12, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0052568 |
Claims
1. A fabric including a regular fiber and a low-melting fiber
wherein the low-melting fiber is directly included in either warps
or wefts or both, or a blended or plied fiber of the regular fiber
and the low-melting fiber is included in either warps or wefts or
both, and wherein the low-melting fiber has a fusion rate of 30 to
100%.
2. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the fabric has a yarn slip length
of 0.1 to 2.5 mm.
3. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the fabric has an unweaving
strength (for a single yarn) of 0.2 to 3.5 Kg.
4. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the fabric has an unweaving
strength (for 5 mm) of 10 to 35 Kg.
5. The fabric of claim 3, wherein the fabric has an unweaving
strength (for 5 mm) of 10 to 35 Kg.
6. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the fabric has a bending length
of 3 to 10 cm.
7. The fabric of claim 3, wherein the fabric has a bending length
of 3 to 10 cm.
8. The fabric of claim 5, wherein the fabric has a bending length
of 3 to 10 cm.
9. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the regular
fiber to the low-melting fiber is from 50:50 to 75:25.
10. The fabric of claim 1, further including a flame retardant
fiber.
11. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the low-melting fiber is a
conjugate fiber in which a low-melting polyester resin is included
in a sheath and a flame retardant polyester resin is included in a
core.
12. A fabric including a flame retardant fiber and a low-melting
fiber wherein the low-melting fiber is directly included in either
warps or wefts or both, or a blended or plied fiber of the flame
retardant fiber and the low-melting fiber is included in either
warps or wefts or both, and wherein the low-melting fiber has a
fusion rate of 30 to 100%.
13. The fabric of claim 2, wherein the fabric has an unweaving
strength (for a single yarn) of 0.2 to 3.5 Kg.
14. The fabric of claim 2, wherein the fabric has an unweaving
strength (for 5 mm) of 10 to 35 Kg.
15. The fabric of claim 13, wherein the fabric has an unweaving
strength (for 5 mm) of 10 to 35 Kg.
16. The fabric of claim 2, wherein the fabric has a bending length
of 3 to 10 cm.
17. The fabric of claim 13, wherein the fabric has a bending length
of 3 to 10 cm.
18. The fabric of claim 15, wherein the fabric has a bending length
of 3 to 10 cm.
19. The fabric of claim 2, wherein the weight ratio of the regular
fiber to the low-melting fiber is from 50:50 to 75:25.
20. The fabric of claim 2, wherein the low-melting fiber is a
conjugate fiber in which a low-melting polyester resin is included
in a sheath and a flame retardant polyester resin is included in a
core.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to fabrics including a
low-melting fiber, and more particularly to fabrics including a
low-melting fiber whose fusion rate is controlled to achieve both
shape stability and environmental stability simultaneously.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In recent years, the application of fabrics has been
extended to industrial and living goods as well as clothes. The
living goods are exemplified by screens. General applications of
screens are window blinds and projectors. Screens for window blinds
are fabric products that are installed in houses, hotels,
restaurants and other buildings to protect people's private lives
and block sunlight from entering the windows. A typical screen for
a window blind is produced by cutting a fabric to a predetermined
width and rolling the cut fabric on a roll. The screen is designed
in such a way that the roll is fixed to the window and the fabric
rolls down to cover the window or rolls up to secure a field of
view when a user rotates the roll. Such screens may be called by
different names, such as roll screens, panel screens or vertical
blinds, according to the shape (e.g., roll or panel) of fabrics
employed.
[0003] Screen fabrics should be imparted with stiffness because
they have a large width when actually used. Various efforts have
been made to impart stiffness to screen fabrics. As an example, a
method is known in which a polyurethane resin is coated on the
surface of a screen fabric to impart stiffness to the screen fabric
while ensuring the inherent flexibility of the fabric.
[0004] However, the method essentially involves an additional
coating process. Another problem of the method is indoor
environmental pollution because the screen fabric is installed
indoors and the coating material is classified as a volatile
organic compound (VOC) in view of its characteristics.
[0005] The inventors of the present invention have focused on the
fact that polyester fibers are used in various applications,
including industrial materials as well as clothes such as men's
business suits and shirts, for their advantages, for example, high
strength, good chemical resistance, high melting point of 250 to
255.degree. C., which implies good heat resistance, and sufficient
elasticity against elongation and bending.
[0006] However, since polyester has a relatively high melting
point, the curing of polyester fiber structures generally requires
the use of an aqueous solution of formaldehyde (i.e. formalin), an
organic solvent-based adhesive, or a hard resin (e.g., a phenolic,
melamine or urea resin). The organic solvent-based adhesive does
not penetrate into fabrics, resulting in poor adhesion to the
fabrics and leaving a rough feeling after use. Further, the
adhesive is very volatile, contains a number of substances harmful
to humans and gives off toxic gases, which cause environmental
problems.
[0007] In order to solve these problems, many proposals have been
made, for example, a technique in which a woven fabric including a
low-melting fiber is thermally processed to fuse the low-melting
fiber to the fabric, thus eliminating the need for coating. This
technique can solve the problems of prior art coating methods but
fails to review the control of the physical properties of the
fabric depending on the fusion rate of the low-melting fiber. Thus,
the fabric cannot be applied to various products and does not
possess physical properties suitable for use in desired
applications.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0008] The present invention has been made in an effort to solve
the problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present
invention to provide a highly stable fabric that does not release
any volatile substances.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
fabric whose physical properties are controllable depending on the
fusion rate.
[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
fabric that can achieve stiffness suitable for use as a screen
material while ensuring the inherent flexibility.
[0011] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide optimum physical properties of a fabric that can
simultaneously satisfy both flexibility and stiffness of the
fabric.
Technical Solution
[0012] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a fabric including a regular fiber and a low-melting fiber
wherein the low-melting fiber is directly included in either warps
or wefts or both, or a blended or plied fiber of the regular fiber
and the low-melting fiber is included in either warps or wefts or
both, and wherein the low-melting fiber has a fusion rate of 30 to
100%.
[0013] In an embodiment, the fabric has a yarn slip length of 0.1
to 2.5 mm.
[0014] In an embodiment, the fabric has an unweaving strength (for
a single yarn) of 0.2 to 3.5 Kg.
[0015] In an embodiment, the fabric has an unweaving strength (for
5 mm) of 10 to 35 Kg.
[0016] In an embodiment, the fabric has a bending length of 3 to 10
cm.
[0017] In an embodiment, the weight ratio of the regular fiber to
the low-melting fiber is from 50:50 to 75:25.
[0018] In an embodiment, the fabric further includes a flame
retardant fiber.
[0019] In an embodiment, the low-melting fiber is a conjugate fiber
in which a low-melting polyester resin is included in a sheath and
a flame retardant polyester resin is included in a core.
[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a fabric including a flame retardant fiber and a
low-melting fiber wherein the low-melting fiber is directly
included in either warps or wefts or both, or a blended or plied
fiber of the flame retardant fiber and the low-melting fiber is
included in either warps or wefts or both, and wherein the
low-melting fiber has a fusion rate of 30 to 100%.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS
[0021] The fabrics of the present invention do not undergo an
additional coating finish that causes the release of volatile
substances. Therefore, the fabrics of the present invention are
effective as environmentally friendly industrial materials.
[0022] In addition, the fabrics of the present invention provide
optimum physical properties that can simultaneously satisfy both
flexibility of fabric and stiffness suitable for use as screen
materials. As a result, the fabrics of the present invention
possess physical properties suitable for use in desired
applications.
[0023] Furthermore, the physical properties the fabrics according
to the present invention can be appropriately controlled according
to intended applications by varying the fusion rate of the
low-melting fiber.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the principle of
how to measure the unweaving strength of a single yarn of a fabric
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the principle of
how to measure the unweaving strength of 5 mm of a fabric according
to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional scanning electron
microscope (SEM) images of fabrics produced in Example Section;
and
[0027] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional scanning electron microscope
(SEM) image of a fabric produced in Comparative Example
Section.
BEST MODE
[0028] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It
should be noted that whenever possible, the same reference numerals
will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer
to the same or like parts. In describing the present invention,
detailed descriptions of related known functions or configurations
are omitted in order to avoid making the essential subject of the
invention unclear.
[0029] As used herein, the terms "about", "substantially", etc. are
intended to allow some leeway in mathematical exactness to account
for tolerances that are acceptable in the trade and to prevent any
unconscientious violator from unduly taking advantage of the
disclosure in which exact or absolute numerical values are given so
as to help understand the invention.
[0030] The term "fabrics" is used herein to refer to all woven
fabrics, knitted fabrics, felt fabrics, plaited fabrics, non-woven
fabrics, laminated fabrics, molded fabrics and webs.
[0031] In an embodiment, the present invention provides a fabric
including a regular fiber and a low-melting fiber in a mixed state.
Any kind of the regular fiber may be used without limitation in the
fabric. As non-limiting examples of the low-melting fiber, there
may be used sheath-core type conjugate fibers and split type
conjugate fibers. The low-melting fiber may be used singly in warps
and/or wefts. Alternatively, a blended and/or plied fiber of the
low-melting fiber and a regular fiber may be used.
[0032] For example, the low-melting fiber may be a flame retardant
polyester filament in which a low-melting polyester resin is
included in a sheath and a flame retardant polyester resin is
included in a core. The flame retardant polyester resin may be
selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene terephthalate
resin, a polybutylene terephthalate resin and a combination
thereof. The low-melting polyester resin may contain isophthalic
acid, terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol
moieties.
[0033] The flame retardant polyester resin may have a melting point
of 220 to 260.degree. C. and the low-melting polyester resin may
have a melting point of 110 to 220.degree. C. The low-melting
polyester resin having a melting point lower than 110.degree. C.
may be problematic in terms of shape stability. The low-melting
polyester resin having a melting point higher than 220.degree. C.
may adversely affect the flame retardant polyester resin of the
core. The weight ratio of the sheath to the core is preferably from
10:90 to 30:70. If the sheath is less than 10% by weight,
deterioration in the thermal adhesion of the low-melting fiber is
caused. Meanwhile, if the sheath exceeds 30% by weight (i.e. the
content of the core is too low), the fiber characteristics of the
polyester is considerably deteriorated and it is difficult to
expect sufficient flame retardancy.
[0034] Preferably, the flame retardant polyester resin is one that
is copolymerized with a phosphorus flame retardant. Preferably, the
phosphorus flame retardant may be represented by Formula 1:
##STR00001##
[0035] wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently a
C.sub.1-C.sub.18 alkyl group, an aryl group, a monohydroxyalkyl
group or a hydrogen atom, R.sub.3 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.18 alkyl group
or an aryl group, and n is an integer from 1 to 4.
[0036] The phosphorus flame retardant is preferably present in an
amount such that the concentration of phosphorus (P) atoms in the
polyester resin is from 5,000 to 10,000 ppm. If the phosphorus (P)
content is less than 5,000 ppm, sufficient flame retardancy is not
exhibited. Meanwhile, if the phosphorus (P) content exceeds 10,000
ppm, the melt viscosity of the polyester resin is low, resulting in
poor workability and physical properties upon spinning.
[0037] The fabric can be produced by weaving or knitting the
regular fiber with the low-melting fiber according to a
predetermined design. The fabric may include the regular fiber and
the low-melting fiber in a weight ratio of 50:50 to 75:25. On the
other hand, the regular fiber may be woven or knitted with a
blended or plied fiber of the low-melting fiber and another regular
fiber. In this case, the weight ratio of the regular fiber to the
low-melting fiber blended or plied with the regular fiber may be
from 70:30 to 0:100. The weight ratio 0:100 means that the
low-melting fiber is used singly without being blended or
plied.
[0038] The woven or knitted fabric undergoes a fusion process. The
fusion process makes the fabric stiffer. The fusion rate of the
low-melting fiber is a measure of the stiffness or shape stability
of the fabric imparted when the low-melting fiber is fused to the
other fiber. The fusion rate is measured by the following
procedure. First, the cross section of the woven fabric is cut
vertically (for example, in a weft direction when the low-melting
fiber is provided as weft). The fabric piece is fixed and its cross
section is observed using an electron microscope at a magnification
of 200.times.. Two hundred cross sections of the fabric piece are
chosen randomly. The number of the low-melting yarns fused to the
other fiber in each cross section is counted and is expressed as a
percent (%) of the number of the fused low-melting yarns.
[0039] The fusion rate of the low-melting fiber may be from 30 to
100%. Within this range, the fabric can be applied to various
fabric products. The fabric may have a yarn slip length of 0.1 to
2.5 mm, an unweaving strength (for a single yarn) of 0.2 to 3.5 Kg,
an unweaving strength (for 5 mm) of 10 to 35 Kg, and a bending
length of 3 to 10 cm.
[0040] The slip length of a warp (or weft) of a fabric means the
length when the warp (or weft) is partially shifted or pushed from
its original intersection with the weft (or warp) by a physical
force (e.g., friction) applied to the front or back surface of the
fabric. The shape stability of a regular fabric is ensured by a
physical binding force arising from a cover factor between the
warps and the wefts of the fabric. In contrast, the shape stability
of the fabric according to the present invention can be further
improved because the fusion rate of the warps and/or wefts is
ensured (see FIG. 4).
[0041] The yarn unweaving strength of the fabric means the force
needed to separate the warps or wefts from the fabric. That is, a
high yarn unweaving strength of the fabric means that the regular
fiber is strongly fused to the low-melting fiber. Accordingly, the
shape stability of the fabric is ensured when the fabric is used as
a screen or blind material despite its large width or length.
[0042] The fabric may have a bending length of 3 to 10 cm. The
bending length of the fabric can be evaluated by a suitable test
method, which will be described below. The bending length of the
fabric according to the present invention may be slightly different
from that of common fabrics. The fabric of the present invention
can ensure the inherent flexibility due to its sufficient
bendability. If the bending length is excessively long, the fabric
lacks flexibility, which makes it difficult to process in
subsequent steps and makes the fabric unsuitable for use in a
finished product (e.g., a blind).
[0043] When the fabric has physical properties within the ranges
defined above, the fabric is imparted with shape stability suitable
for use in screens and blinds. Further, the fabric encounters no
significant problems during rolling (the fabric should be rolled
when used as a blind material). In conclusion, the fabric of the
present invention can simultaneously satisfy shape stability
suitable for use as a screen material and the inherent flexibility,
which are physical properties contradictory to each other.
[0044] The fabric may further include at least one additive
selected from UV absorbers and processing aids. The UV absorbers
serve to improve the light fastness of the fabric and may be
benzotriazole and benzophenone compounds. Examples of processing
aids usable in the fabric include antistatic agents, water/oil
repellants, antifouling agents, antibacterial agents, water
absorbers and antislip agents, which are commonly used in the art.
It is to be understood that the addition of such well-known
processing aids is encompassed within the scope of the present
invention without departing from the substantial spirit of the
invention.
[0045] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a
fabric including a flame retardant fiber and a low-melting fiber.
The low-melting fiber may be directly included in either warps or
wefts or both. Alternatively, a blended or plied fiber of the flame
retardant fiber and the low-melting fiber may be included in either
warps or wefts or both. The physical properties and the fusion rate
of the fabric may be the same as those of the fabric according to
the previous embodiment, which is composed of a regular fiber and a
low-melting fiber.
[Mode for Invention]
[0046] The following examples explain methods for producing fabrics
according to the present invention and are not intended to limit
the present invention.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0047] A regular polyester fiber as warp was woven with a
sheath/core type conjugate fiber as weft by plain weaving to
produce a fabric. The conjugate fiber was composed of a plied fiber
of a low-melting polyester (30 wt %) as the sheath and a regular
polyester (70 wt %) as the core. The fabric had a warp density of
100 yarns/inch and a weft density of 100 yarns/inch. The woven
fabric was processed to adjust the fusion rate of the low-melting
polyester to 30%.
Examples 2-5
[0048] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that the fusion rates were adjusted to 50%, 70%, 90% and
100%.
Examples 6-10
[0049] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Examples 1-5,
except that the amount of the low-melting polyester was adjusted to
40 wt %.
Examples 11-15
[0050] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Examples 1-5,
except that the amount of the low-melting polyester was adjusted to
50 wt %.
Examples 16-20
[0051] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Examples 1-5,
except that the amount of the low-melting polyester was adjusted to
60 wt %.
Examples 21-25
[0052] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Examples 1-5,
except that the amount of the low-melting polyester was adjusted to
70 wt %.
Examples 26-30
[0053] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Examples 1-5,
except that the amount of the low-melting polyester was adjusted to
80 wt %.
Examples 31-35
[0054] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Examples 1-5,
except that the amount of the low-melting polyester was adjusted to
90 wt %.
Examples 36-40
[0055] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Examples 1-5,
except that the amount of the low-melting polyester was adjusted to
100 wt %.
Comparative Examples 1 and 2
[0056] Fabrics were produced in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that the fusion rates were adjusted to 10% and 20%.
Comparative Example 3
[0057] A fabric was produced in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that a regular polyester fiber was used instead of the
low-melting polyester.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Fabric structure Weft (Ply Fusion Properties
Warp rate, wt %) rate (%) Example 1 Regular fiber 30 30 Example 2
Regular fiber 30 50 Example 3 Regular fiber 30 70 Example 4 Regular
fiber 30 90 Example 5 Regular fiber 30 100 Example 6 Regular fiber
40 30 Example 7 Regular fiber 40 50 Example 8 Regular fiber 40 70
Example 9 Regular fiber 40 90 Example 10 Regular fiber 40 100
Example 11 Regular fiber 50 30 Example 12 Regular fiber 50 50
Example 13 Regular fiber 50 70 Example 14 Regular fiber 50 90
Example 15 Regular fiber 50 100 Example 16 Regular fiber 60 30
Example 17 Regular fiber 60 50 Example 18 Regular fiber 60 70
Example 19 Regular fiber 60 90 Example 20 Regular fiber 60 100
Example 21 Regular fiber 70 30 Example 22 Regular fiber 70 50
Example 23 Regular fiber 70 70 Example 24 Regular fiber 70 90
Example 25 Regular fiber 70 100 Example 26 Regular fiber 80 30
Example 27 Regular fiber 80 50 Example 28 Regular fiber 80 70
Example 29 Regular fiber 80 90 Example 30 Regular fiber 80 100
Example 31 Regular fiber 90 30 Example 32 Regular fiber 90 50
Example 33 Regular fiber 90 70 Example 34 Regular fiber 90 90
Example 35 Regular fiber 90 100 Example 36 Regular fiber 100 30
Example 37 Regular fiber 100 50 Example 38 Regular fiber 100 70
Example 39 Regular fiber 100 90 Example 40 Regular fiber 100 100
Comparative Example 1 Regular fiber 30 10 Comparative Example 2
Regular fiber 30 20 Comparative Example 3 Regular fiber Regular
fiber --
[0058] Test Methods
[0059] 1. Yarn slip length: Measured according to KSK0408
[0060] 2. Yarn unweaving strength
[0061] (1) Unweaving Strength for Single Yarn
[0062] Each of the fabrics was cut to a size of 7.times.7 cm.sup.2.
1 cm of a single yarn of the fabric sample was unwoven from the
sample and was fixed to a tensile tester (KSK 0520). The load
needed to unweave the remaining length (6 cm) of the yarn
completely from the sample was measured. All fabric samples had the
same texture density (100.times.100 yarns/inch.sup.2).
[0063] (2) Unweaving Strength for 5 mm of Fabric
[0064] Each of the fabrics was cut to a size of 7.times.7 cm.sup.2.
A hook was fixedly fitted into a position at a distance of 5 mm
below the center of the upper side of the sample. The hook was made
of a material having not undergone any deformation by a force of at
least 60 Kg. The hook and the sample were clamped to upper and
lower portions of a tensile tester, respectively. The load needed
to separate the yarns positioned above the hook from the sample was
measured. The load when the yarns were not separated from the
sample and the breakage of the sample occurred was regarded as
data. The maximum load value during the measurement was determined
as an unweaving strength for the 5 mm yarns. All fabric samples had
the same texture density (100.times.100 yarns/inch.sup.2).
[0065] 3. Bending Lengths of the Fabrics
[0066] Each of the fabrics was cut to a size of 7.times.7 cm.sup.2.
The sample was positioned on a platform in such a manner that one
end of the sample was parallel to the lengthwise direction of the
platform. The sample was moved forward in the lengthwise direction
of the platform. The sample protruded from the platform and was
bent down by its own weight. The end of the protruding portion of
the sample was free and the other portion of the sample was allowed
to slip on the platform by an appropriate pressure. When the front
end of the sample was bent down at an angle of 41.5.degree. with
respect to a horizontal plane passing through the line extending
from the front end of the platform, the length of the sample
protruding from the platform was two times that of the bending
length of the sample.
[0067] The test results of Examples 1-40 and Comparative Examples
1-3 are summarized in Table 2. As can be seen from Table 2, the
fabrics of Examples 1-40 showed better fused states than the
fabrics of Comparative Examples 1-3, and as a result, the yarns
were not readily separated from the fabrics of Examples 1-40. That
is, the fabrics of Examples 1-40 were stiffer than the fabrics of
Comparative Examples 1-3. These results lead to the conclusion that
the stiffness of the fabrics of Examples 1-40 can be controlled by
selectively varying the fusion rates and the blending rate of the
low-melting fiber according to desired applications. FIGS. 3 and 4
are cross-sectional scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of
two of the fabrics produced in Examples 1-40. FIG. 5 is a
cross-sectional scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of one of
the fabrics produced in Comparative Examples 1-3.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Slip Unweaving strength Bending length (Kg)
length Properties (mm) 1 yarn 5 mm (cm) Example 1 2.5 0.2 10 3
Example 2 2.1 0.9 10.9 3.4 Example 3 1.8 2.1 11.7 3.9 Example 4 1.2
2.5 18.3 4.3 Example 5 0.5 2.7 21.1 4.7 Example 6 2.5 0.3 10.2 5
Example 7 1.9 2.1 11.4 4.4 Example 8 1.2 2.4 15.1 5.1 Example 9 0.5
2.9 19.1 6 Example 10 0.4 3.1 22.5 6.9 Example 11 2.4 0.3 10.2 4.1
Example 12 1.7 2.2 13.4 4.6 Example 13 0.9 2.6 17.1 5.4 Example 14
0.4 3.2 23.5 6.2 Example 15 0.4 3.3 26.8 7.2 Example 16 2.2 0.5
10.6 4.2 Example 17 1.3 2.2 18.3 4.8 Example 18 0.6 2.7 21.4 5.7
Example 19 0.4 3.3 26.9 6.6 Example 20 0.3 3.4 29.4 7.3 Example 21
2.1 0.7 10.9 4.6 Example 22 1.2 1.9 19.3 5.3 Example 23 0.6 2.2
25.3 6.1 Example 24 0.3 3.1 31 7 Example 25 0.2 3.4 32.1 7.6
Example 26 2 0.7 11.2 5 Example 27 1.1 1.6 22.1 5.8 Example 28 0.5
2.6 30.1 6.5 Example 29 0.2 3.3 34.1 7.3 Example 30 0.1 3.4 34.8 8
Example 31 2.1 0.7 13.2 5.5 Example 32 0.9 1.9 25.4 6.2 Example 33
0.4 2.8 33.2 7.2 Example 34 0.2 3.4 34.5 8.2 Example 35 0.1 3.5 35
8.8 Example 36 1.9 0.8 14.3 6.1 Example 37 0.8 1.9 30.4 7 Example
38 0.2 3.1 34.2 8.3 Example 39 0.1 3.5 34.9 9.2 Example 40 0.1 3.5
35 10 Comparative Example 1 4.5 0.12 3.85 2.7 Comparative Example 2
4.3 0.15 5.76 2.9 Comparative Example 3 6.7 0.1 2.14 2.6
[0068] Although the present invention has been described herein
with reference to the foregoing embodiments and accompanying
drawings, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the
embodiments. Therefore, it will be evident to those skilled in the
art that various substitutions, modifications and changes are
possible, without departing from the spirit of the invention as
disclosed in the accompanying claims.
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