U.S. patent application number 13/294620 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-16 for fabric construction and method of manufacturing.
The applicant listed for this patent is Edmund Jin. Invention is credited to Edmund Jin.
Application Number | 20130118209 13/294620 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48279336 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130118209 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jin; Edmund |
May 16, 2013 |
FABRIC CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING
Abstract
A method of constructing a warp knit fabric is disclosed. The
warp knit fabric is constructed using polyester yarn for both the
base yarn and the surface yarn. The resulting warp knit fabric is
napped on the top side of the fabric to form a fabric that is soft
to the touch.
Inventors: |
Jin; Edmund; (Fremont,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Jin; Edmund |
Fremont |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
48279336 |
Appl. No.: |
13/294620 |
Filed: |
November 11, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
66/194 ; 28/162;
28/165; 28/169 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06P 1/0032 20130101;
D10B 2403/0111 20130101; D06P 5/2055 20130101; D04B 21/04 20130101;
D06P 3/52 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
66/194 ; 28/162;
28/169; 28/165 |
International
Class: |
D04B 21/04 20060101
D04B021/04; D06C 7/00 20060101 D06C007/00; D06P 5/00 20060101
D06P005/00; D06C 13/08 20060101 D06C013/08 |
Claims
1. A method of constructing fabric, the method comprising: weaving
a polyester base yarn and a polyester surface yam using a warp knit
process to form a warp knit fabric having a top side and an
underside, wherein the top side is napped.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising napping the underside
of the warp knit fabric.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the warp knit
fabric under pressure to about 80.degree. C. and adding one or more
dyes.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: heating the warp knit
fabric with the dyes to about 130.degree. C., wherein the warp knit
fabric is allowed to absorb the dye for about 30 minutes; reducing
the temperature of the warp knit fabric to about 80.degree. C.,
wherein the about 80.degree. C. temperature is maintained for about
2 to about 2.5 hours to allow for dye absorption.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the finished
warp knit fabric to about 160.degree. C. after dyeing, moisture
removal and napping.
6. The method of claim 3 further comprising: removing moisture from
the fabric after dyeing; adding softeners to the fabric; and
heating the warped knit fabric to about 190.degree. C. to about
220.degree. C.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to fabric construction,
and more specifically to aspects of constructing fabric that feels
soft to the touch.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The standard and traditional cotton fabric is created by
weaving a tightly spun cotton yarn with a soft twist cotton yarn.
When woven, this allows soft twist yarns to be held in place by
tightly spun warp yarns. The conventional fabric product has been
prone to shrinkage and wrinkling. It is an object of the present
invention to provide a stable fabric product that does not shrink
or wrinkle, and is soft to the touch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A fabric that is soft to the touch is made using an
underlying base yarn to provide skeletal support, and a surface
yarn that has been subjected to a napping process. The base yarn is
a full drawn polyester yarn (also known as filament yarn). A
non-limiting example of a suitable base yarn is a multifilament
full drawn polyester yarn FDY 54D/24F (54 dernier/24 filament).
[0005] According to certain embodiments, the surface yarn is a
drawn texture polyester yarn DTY 75D/144F. Both the base yarn and
the surface yarn is made using polyester pre-oriented yarn or
partially oriented yarn that is warp spun at high speed.
[0006] The invention further discloses a method of constructing
fabric comprising weaving a polyester base yarn and a polyester
surface yarn using a warp knit process to form a warp knit fabric
having a top side and an underside, wherein the top side is napped.
The method of the invention may further comprise napping the
underside of the warp knit fabric. The method of the present
invention may also comprise heating the warp knit fabric under
pressure and adding one or more dyes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0007] According to certain embodiments, a fabric that is soft to
the touch is made using an underlying base yarn to provide skeletal
support, and a surface yarn that has been subjected to a napping
process. The base yarn is a full drawn polyester yarn (also known
as filament yarn). A non-limiting example of a suitable base yarn
is a multifilament full drawn polyester yarn FDY 54D/24F (54
dernier/24 filament).
[0008] According to certain embodiments, the surface yarn is a
drawn texture polyester yarn DTY 75D/144F. Both the base yarn and
the surface yarn is made using polyester pre-oriented yarn or
partially oriented yarn that is warp spun at high speed.
[0009] According to certain embodiments, the drawn texture
polyester yarn (DTY) is a false twisted texture yarn, also known as
a low stretch yarn is manufactured using Barmag and thermal
mechanical treatment advanced elasticizing equipment. The false
twisted drawn texture polyester yarn is "false twisted" by
combining two yarns with a degree of twist. After sizing, the two
yarns are unwound resulting in a curvature of the yarns that is
distinctive to DTY.
[0010] According to certain embodiments, the full drawn yarn (FDY),
also known as filament yarn, is a FDY yarn manufactured by Barmag.
The yarn is wound through melt spinning. Stretching during the
spinning process achieves a highly oriented, medium crystalline
filament.
[0011] According to certain embodiments, the weaving process
includes a first combing procedure where the underlying base yarn
is combed. There is a second combing where the surface yarn is
combed. For example, the combing can be performed by a high speed
warp knit machine such as a Karl Mayer HKS-4 high speed knit
machine. As a non-limiting example, the settings for the underlying
combing procedure can be inlay reed first guide bar GB 1: 1-1/1-2.
Similarly, the settings for the surface yarn combing can be inlay
reed second guide bar GB 2: 1-0/3-4 or 1-0/2-3. According to
certain embodiments, the weaving procedure uses 30 inch weave
harnesses. Each harness has 630 warp ends, according to certain
embodiments. The number harnesses used depends on the fabric width.
For example, a fabric width of 2.8 m is woven using 8 harnesses
denoted as 630*8. The rotation speed of the warp knit machine is
approximately 1,880 revolutions per minute.
[0012] According to certain embodiments, the dyeing of the greige
fabric includes the following procedures. The greige fabric is vat
dyed or cylinder dyed using high speed pressure dyeing. The dye
cylinder is an overflow cylinder. The dye cylinder is first heated
and the greige fabric is deposited in the dye cylinder. When the
cylinder is heated to approximately 80.degree. C., the appropriate
dyes and additives are deposited in the dye cylinder. The cylinder
is then heated to approximately 130.degree. C. at which point the
temperature and pressure in the cylinder is suitable for the greige
fabric to absorb the dye. The greige fabric absorbs the dye for
approximately 30 minutes. Next, the temperature of the dye cylinder
is reduced to approximately 80.degree. C. and the temperature is
maintained for 2 to 2.5 hours. This allows for dye absorption while
preserving the surface features of the fabric. Next, the
temperature of the dye cylinder is further reduced and the fabric
removed from the dye cylinder. The dyeing process is complete.
[0013] According to certain embodiments, after the dyeing process
is complete, moisture is removed from the fabric and softeners are
added to the fabric. The fabric is heated to 190.degree. C. to
220.degree. C. The working speed is approximately 35 yards per
minute.
[0014] According to certain embodiments, after moisture removal,
the fabric undergoes a napping process. A nap raising agent is
added to the fabric and the surface of the fabric is mechanically
napped by passing the fabric through raising machine several times.
For example, the surface of the fabric can be passed three to four
times through a Lianyungang Yirigyou 36-roller raising machine.
[0015] According to certain embodiments, as an optional step, the
other side of the fabric (the underside surface) may be
mechanically napped by passing the underside of the fabric through
a multi roller raising machine. The napping of the underside of the
fabric is option and is not required.
[0016] After napping either one surface or both surfaces of the
fabric, the fabric is heated to approximately to 160.degree. C. The
working speed is approximately 45 to 50 yards per minute. FIG. 1 is
a top view of one embodiment of the fabric.
[0017] The resulting fabric made suing the method described herein
is soft to the touch, is durable and resists shrinking. Such a
fabric can be used for a variety of consumer products. Examples
include bedding materials, bed sheets, comforters, apparel,
blankets, quilts, etc.
[0018] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention
have been described with reference to numerous specific details
that may vary from implementation to implementation. Thus, the sole
and exclusive indicator of what the invention is and what is
intended by the applicants to be the invention, is the set of
claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in
which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction. Any
express definitions set forth herein for terms contained in such
claims shall govern the meaning of such terms as used in the
claims. Hence, no limitation, element, property, feature, advantage
or attribute that is not expressly recited in a claim should limit
the scope of such claim in any way. The specification and drawings
are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a
restrictive sense.
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