U.S. patent number 3,734,813 [Application Number 05/003,950] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-22 for high frequency-weldable material.
Invention is credited to Gerhard Pohl.
United States Patent |
3,734,813 |
Pohl |
May 22, 1973 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
HIGH FREQUENCY-WELDABLE MATERIAL
Abstract
A high frequency-weldable material for use in the manufacture of
a composite material containing said weldable material comprises a
structure which is permeable to gas, vapor and liquid and which is
free of a tendency to rustle when subjected to deformation, and
discrete particles arranged on at least one boundary surface of
said structure and consisting of a thermoplastic synthetic resin,
which is adapted to melt and to produce a high frequency-welded
joint under the action of a high-frequency field and to resist the
action of detergents and dry-cleaning agents.
Inventors: |
Pohl; Gerhard (Gieben,
DT) |
Family
ID: |
27430844 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/003,950 |
Filed: |
January 19, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
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Jan 25, 1969 [DT] |
|
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P 19 03 667.0 |
Mar 15, 1969 [DT] |
|
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P 19 13 209.3 |
Jul 16, 1969 [DT] |
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P 19 36 199.0 |
Jun 10, 1969 [DT] |
|
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P 19 29 352.8 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/162;
156/272.2; 156/275.3; 156/290; 156/553; 156/274.8; 156/283;
156/380.9; 428/194; 428/317.5; 428/317.9; 428/475.5; 428/479.3;
428/292.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C
65/4855 (20130101); B32B 5/18 (20130101); D06M
10/006 (20130101); B29C 65/04 (20130101); B29C
66/234 (20130101); D06M 17/08 (20130101); B29C
66/026 (20130101); B29C 65/4875 (20130101); B29C
65/526 (20130101); D06M 23/18 (20130101); B29C
66/1122 (20130101); B29C 66/436 (20130101); B29C
65/4815 (20130101); B32B 37/00 (20130101); B29C
66/7294 (20130101); B32B 37/1207 (20130101); B29C
65/486 (20130101); B32B 5/024 (20130101); B32B
5/022 (20130101); B32B 5/026 (20130101); B32B
5/26 (20130101); B29C 44/5636 (20130101); B29C
66/727 (20130101); D06M 17/04 (20130101); B32B
5/22 (20130101); Y10T 428/31739 (20150401); B32B
2310/12 (20130101); Y10T 156/1737 (20150115); Y10T
428/24529 (20150115); B29C 65/488 (20130101); Y10T
428/31779 (20150401); B32B 2310/024 (20130101); B32B
2266/0264 (20130101); Y10T 428/24793 (20150115); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B32B 2266/0278 (20130101); B32B
2264/0264 (20130101); Y10T 428/249986 (20150401); Y10T
428/249984 (20150401); Y10T 428/249924 (20150401); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2075/00 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2077/00 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2027/06 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2067/00 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2829/00 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2031/04 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2033/08 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2033/04 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2027/08 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2001/00 (20130101); B29C
66/71 (20130101); B29K 2029/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B29C
44/34 (20060101); B29C 44/56 (20060101); B29C
65/00 (20060101); B29C 65/04 (20060101); B29C
65/48 (20060101); D06M 17/04 (20060101); D06M
23/00 (20060101); D06M 17/00 (20060101); D06M
17/08 (20060101); D06M 23/18 (20060101); D06M
10/00 (20060101); B32b 007/14 (); B32b
005/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;161/88,146,148,150,156,162,170,227,228,159 ;260/78R
;156/73,272,273,283,290,291,380,553 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Powell; William A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A high frequency weldable material for use in the manufacture of
a composite material containing said weldable material, said
weldable material comprising a thin, web-like structure which is
permeable to gas, vapor and liquid and which is free of a tendency
to rustle when subjected to deformation, and discrete particles
arranged in a line pattern on at least one boundary surface of said
structure and consisting of a thermoplastic synthetic resin
resistant to the action of detergents and drycleaning agents and
which is adapted to melt and to produce a high-frequency welded
seam under the action of a high-frequency field for joining said
structure to a layer adjacent thereto.
2. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said structure
consists of a single layer.
3. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said structure
consists of at least two layers.
4. A material as set forth in claim 1, which consists of a
composite.
5. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said line pattern
defines parallelogram fields having equal pairs of sides of equal
length.
6. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said particles are
disposed within said structure between two opposite boundary
surfaces thereof.
7. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said structure
consists of a continuous web.
8. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said structure
consists of a fibrous structure.
9. A material as set forth in claim 8, in which said structure
consists of a textile fabric.
10. A material as set forth in claim 8, in which said weldable
material consists of a thin sheet of matted fibers.
11. A material as set forth in claim 10, in which said fibers
consist of cellulose.
12. A material as set forth in claim 11, in which said structure
consists of cellulose.
13. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said structure
consists of a foam structure.
14. A material as set forth in claim 13, in which said structure
consists of polyurethane foam sheeting.
15. A material as set forth in claim 1, in which said synthetic
resin consists of a polyamide.
16. A material as set forth in claim 15, in which said synthetic
resin consists of a copolyamide.
17. A material as set forth in claim 16, in which said synthetic
resin consists of a ternary copolyamide.
18. A material as set forth in claim 17, in which said ternary
copolyamide consists of Nylon 6/6, 6/12.
19. A material as set forth in claim 1, which comprises another
layer adjoining at least one boundary surface of said
structure.
20. A material as set forth in claim 19, which comprises additional
layers adjoining said structure on opposite sides thereof and in
which said structure is symmetrically disposed with respect to said
additional layers.
21. A material as set forth in claim 19, in which said structure
and said other layer are joined to form a composite.
22. A material as set forth in claim 19, which comprises two
additional layers adjoining opposite boundary surfaces of said
structure and joined thereto to form a composite.
23. A material as set forth in claim 1, which comprises at least
one upholstery layer adjoining said structure.
24. A material as set forth in claim 23, which comprises
high-frequency-welded seams between said structure and said
upholstery layer in profiled portions thereof, said structure and
said upholstery layer having portions which are free of said high
frequency-welded seams and differ in shape from said profiled
portions.
Description
This invention is based on an object which has arisen because the
demand for consumer goods such as mattresses, quilts, side parts of
motor vehicles, room decorations, garments, mattress cover pads,
diamond-quilted covering featherbeds, side and rear parts of
easychairs, couches, couch seat covers, profiled backs of
upholstered furniture, to mention only some, has suddenly increased
so that the manual work must be eliminated which was previously
required, e.g., to make quilted seams. The invention is based on
the recognition that high-frequency seam welds are to be used
instead of manually made quilted seams because high-frequency
welding is an optimum method meeting the requirements which arise
when fabrics of all kinds consisting of textile fibers and
containing a filler or no filler must be profiled. In the
high-frequency field, only the dipolar plastics material which is
incorporated as a bonding material between the textile fabrics or
webs to be joined by welding is heated to its melting point and
subjected to pressure so that it begins to flow and will constitute
the so-called seam weld having a very high strength whereas the
sheets to be joined by welding are not subjected to an appreciable
temperature rise so that the properties possessed by the unjoined
sheets are not adversely affected, different from all other thermal
bonding processes. A bonding material is required because a number
of textile materials which are used can be welded only with
difficulty. This applies, e.g., to foamed plastics materials, such
as polyurethane foams, although polyurethane foams are of great
importance as a filler for cushions, pads, linings of motor vehicle
bodies, airplane cabins etc. so that dipolar plastics materials,
particularly synthetic resins, must be provided between the
so-called cold electrode or anode forming the so-called working
plate and the hot counterelectrode, which has the configuration of
the required seam weld, in order to ensure that the electron
current flowing in the high-frequency field between the anode and
cathode causes the dipoles contained in the dipolar plastics
material to become aligned. The weldability of a plastics material
in a high-frequency electric field depends on the welding factor,
which is equal to the product of the dielectric constant, which is
a measure of the insulation resistance of the dielectric, and the
difference between .pi./2 and the tangent of the phase angle
between current and voltage. The above-mentioned tangent of the
last-mentioned angle delta depends on the alignment of said
dipoles. If the product representing the welding factor is
sufficiently high, the losses of electric energy will be converted
into heat, which causes a melting of plastics materials,
particularly synthetic resins, which are used as dipolar
materials.
Hereinbefore, the physical processes have been stated which enable
the use of high-frequency welding for joining virtually all textile
fabrics in question by high-frequency seam welds so as to form
composite webs or composite bodies and particularly to impart a
profile thereto. Other requirements to be met arise because
consecutively arranged machines, cyclic and production line
processes are required for the sake of economy. As a result, only
relatively short periods of time are available for joining the
individual webs in a composite web. This requirement is also met by
high-frequency welding in a particularly high degree because the
electric energy loss which is converted into heat can be selected
as required without difficulty. Additional requirements arise
because of the desire for a high quality of the product. For
instance, the flexibility and grip of the starting textile fabrics
must not be adversely affected. More particularly, there must be no
embrittlement along the seam welds, regardless of whether these
seams form dots, lines or strips. Another requirement is at least
as important and resides in that the provision of such
high-frequency seam welds must no alter the laundering and
dry-cleaning properties of the products. For this reason, the
bonding materials must resist detergents and dry-cleaning agents.
Another requirement, which is just as important, resides in that
the products must be permeable to gas (air) and liquid (moisture,
vapor, sweat) so that garments made from such products will not
distract from the comfort of the wearers thereof. The
last-mentioned processing involves another requirement, which
resides in that the bonding substances must be selected so that the
layers in question may be joined by the processor himself so that
this joining need not be effected where the material is made. For
instance, if a manufacturer of garments desires to make a man's
jacket having a predetermined, fitting shape, which should be
durable, the product which supports the jacket fabric and imparts
shape to it and holds it in shape must be adapted to be cut in the
garment factory so that a conventional ironing operation is
sufficient to stiffen and reinforce the outer fabric as may be
desired. The above remarks do not fully define the requirements to
be met and the technical objects based thereon. The listing is to
be concluded by a reference to a particularly important
requirement, which resides in that the required economy must be
ensured in spite of the fact that the product is of optimum
quality. It will be outlined below that this requirement can also
be met by the invention.
Based on known materials which can be high frequency-welded, all
objects mentioned above are accomplished according to the invention
in that the material comprises a support, which is rustleproof and
permeable to air and moisture and which carries particles of
synthetic thermoplastic resins, such as polyamides, which resist
washing and dry-cleaning and which are adapted to establish a bond
under the action of high-frequency energy. As a result, the
particles of synthetic resin may be provided on and fixed to the
support in such a manner that they are discrete particles in the
form of dust, powder, grains or agglomerates and assist the welding
in dependence on the size and form of electrodes which are
subjected to the high-frequency field. A number of advantageous
possibilities reside in the arrangement of the particles in a
geometrically ordered dot pattern. For instance, the particles may
be arranged to form a preferably ordered line pattern, which may
surround fields forming parallelograms having equal pairs of sides
(rhombi).
It has already been pointed out that polyamides meet the
requirements to be fulfilled as regards the resistance to
detergents and dry-cleaning agents. Modified polyamides have the
same property and additional properties, e.g., a high wear
resistance. Modified polyamides are formed by a co-extrusion of a
plurality of different types of homopolyamide granules to form
so-called block copolyamides, which have melting temperatures and
other properties lying in accordance with a virtually linear
function between those of the homopolyamides forming these modified
polyamides. The macromolecules comprise long blocks of the
individual polymeric components; the length of these blocks depends
on the degree of polymerization of the homopolyamides which are
employed. Because the short residence time at elevated temperatures
permits of only a slight conversion, these modified block
copolyamides are in part only a physical blend of the components.
True copolyamides of the type Nylon 6/6, 6/12 differ from the block
copolyamides in that they exhibit a statistical distribution of the
monomeric units in the macromolecule and are polyamides having
modified properties. The crystallinity is reduced because hydrogen
bridges cannot form to an appreciable extent. Depending on the
composition in percent, the melting point is lowered and reaches a
minimum in a eutectic mixture. Although such modified copolyamides
are relatively expensive, their use within the scope of the present
invention is still economical because surprisingly small amounts of
the modified polyamide are sufficient to provide for the required
bonding strength under the special conditions of high-frequency
welding.
Copolyamides consisting of polycondensation products of
hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid have proved particularly
desirable. The same applies to products of epsilon-aminocaproic
acid. Other suitable substances include polyamides of
7-aminoheptanic acid, 9-aminononanic acid, 10-aminodecanic acid,
11-aminoundecanic acid, as well as polyamides based on
dodecalolactam or polylaurinlactam.
The bonding material may be provided on one or both of the boundary
surfaces of the support. For instance, the bonding material
provided on a boundary surface of the support may be enclosed
between the latter and, e.g., a textile fabric or another layer
which seals and covers the support, e.g., by sheeting which is made
of various materials and which instead of a single covering layer
may consist of a plurality of layers or a composite material. If
the bonding material is provided on both boundary surfaces of the
support, it will be inherent in this embodiment that the bonding
material deposited on the support will be provided on each side of
the support between the latter and a covering layer of set of
layers.
The support may consist of a wide range of materials, preferably of
foams, including polyurethane ester foams, non-woven fabrics, woven
fabrics, bobinets, knitted fabrics, stitchable knitted fabrics,
needle-punched pile fabrics, textile fabrics having adhered tufts,
foam-bonded textile fabrics, cellulose, wadding and felt. The
non-woven fabrics may have been formed by mechanical, aerodynamic
and hydrodynamic methods as well as by spinning. Non-woven fabrics
include also flexible bonded non-woven fabrics as well as bonded
spun non-woven fabrics. These bonded non-woven fabrics may be
mechanically or adhesively bonded, e.g. with or without a bonding
agent, or they may consist of expanded or needle-punched non-woven
fabrics. Reference should also be made in this connection to
reinforced non-woven fabrics, which may be reinforced by arrays of
filaments or threads, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, nettings and
plastics material sheeting.
Covering layers may be joined by calendering on one or both
sides.
It has been mentioned hereinbefore that cellulose may be used as a
material for the support carrying the particles of synthetic resin
used as a bonding material. This is of great importance because it
enables the support to be made from all thin sheets of felted
fibers. Even a few fiber layers or only a single fiber layer will
be sufficient for an adequate fixation of the minute amounts of
particles of synthetic resin which are required in practice and for
such a reliable support thereof that the support can be sold as
such, particularly if it consists of wound-up fiber layers. The
thickness of the support may be as large as or smaller than the
largest dimension of a particle of synthetic resin provided on the
support. The required economy will be particularly obtained if the
fibers of the support consist of cellulose. The resulting support
has a cellulose-like structure or consists of cellulose.
Thin sheets of foam are just as important. The support can perform
the required functions even if it has a thickness of only 1.00-1.50
millimeters. The use of a smaller thickness is prevented only by
the fact that the handling becomes difficult in practice. Such thin
layers of plastics material may be produced by a peeling operation.
The means which are available have been used to make sheets of foam
which have the above-mentioned thickness of 1.00 millimeter and a
smaller thickness throughout their area. This does not preclude the
manufacture of even thinner foam layers by improved processes.
An upper limit is imposed by the requirement that the
high-frequency welding must be uniform. The upper limit which has
been numerically stated will vary with the high-frequency welding
technology so that the figures stated are based only on the present
state on the art in the fields concerned. The manufacture of a
support having the small thickness stated without impairing the
handling of the support, which must be considered a finishing
material, can be performed in a simple manner if the foam consists
of a polyurethane ester whereas, e.g., polyurethane ethers are less
suitable or may even be unsuitable. Nevertheless, a tender and
light-weight structure thus formed may be shipped well in the form
of rolls and may be used in machines without danger of damage and
may be handled in all other ways in question. It has been found,
above all, that extremely favorable results may be obtained in the
subsequent welding operation because a perfectly uniform
distribution of the plastics material over the surface in question
may be accomplished. The uniform distribution of the particles of
bonding material throughout the surface of the finishing material
results in perfectly uniform, homogeneous seam welds. If the
particles of plastics material are provided in a sufficiently dense
distribution, these seam welds will no longer have a structure
which can be recognized but will form the above-mentioned,
continuous, homogeneous weld layer, which has a desirable
durability and uniform response to the stresses applied.
Particularly great advantages will be obtained because each
particle of bonding material is used for welding whether it is
directly subjected to the thermal influences during the welding on
one boundary plane or on both boundary planes or between the two
boundary planes of the support consisting of a thin sheet of foam.
Although the particles of plastics materials which form dots or may
have been rolled to form platelets or lenticles have a thickness
which is virtually negligible relative to the other dimensions,
such particle in the form of a dot, platelet or lenticle is
entirely utilized for welding. As a result, an extremely small
amount of plastics material per unit of welding area is sufficient
so that the support on the one hand and the plastics material
carried by the support on the other hand enable a very high economy
to be achieved in the making and unwinding of he support and in the
making of the plastics material carried by the support and in the
operation of the machine used for these purposes.
Additional advantages are due to the fact that it is no longer
necessary to use dispersions, which have virtually restricted the
choice of plastics materials to PVA and/or PVC synthetic resins,
which resist neither laundering nor dry-cleaning, although this is
a great disadvantage. Besides, they can be dissolved by solvents,
different from plastics materials which resist laundering and
dry-cleaning and which can be applied directly without need to use
a dispersion.
It is known to provide dressing materials consisting of individual
layers joined by welding, preferably high-frequency welding, with
bonding material inserts or facings in different main forms. To
provide a so-called welding finish, non-woven fabrics have been
sprayed with synthetic resins in the form of dispersions of
synthetic resins consisting of polyvinylacetate and/or
polyvinyl-chloride so that a marketable product was obtained when
the dispersed particles of synthetic resin had been solidified.
Composite materials required to have one or more layers of
materials which have poor welding properties or which are adversely
affected by a welding operation resulting in proper seam welds were
made with the aid of machines for performing one or more needle
punching operations so that the polyurethane foams, which were
mainly used, were provided with an infinite number of stitch holes.
The resulting fabrics enabled or improved the welding of the layers
of dressing material in question. In a third process which has been
used, those layers which cannot readily be welded to other
materials were surface heat-treated at temperatures at which the
boundary surfaces in question were at least tacky or even resulted
in the formation of a joint which can be described as a welded
zone.
Papers, preferably in the form of tissue papers, which have been
impregnated or coated with a solution of polyvinylchloride, have
also been used in the high-frequency welding of foams. Tissue
paper, however, is not a rustle-proof support and lacks the
essentially required permeability to air and water (moisture,
sweat). An additional disadvantage resides in that the materials
are highly embrittled along the welded zones. The feeding of strips
and webs of paper involves a certain structural expenditure and a
risk of a lateral displacement of the material to be welded
relative to the bonding material. As a result, only straight-lined
welded zones can be formed in this way whereas ornaments and curved
welded zones cannot be obtained, unless the bonding material is
adhered to one of the materials to be welded.
It is known to use bonding material in powder form. In these
processes, the synthetic resin powder is introduced directly into
the zone of contact between the materials to be welded. As a
result, joining processes must be carried out immediately after the
manufacture of the materials to be welded whereas it has been
possible according to the invention to provide a support which
carries the particles of synthetic resin and which is available
wherever the processing operations require a subsequent
high-frequency welding, independently of the manufacture of the
materials to be welded. This practice meets the above-mentioned
requirement that the bonding material should be available whenever
and wherever it is needed. The above-mentioned synthetic resin
powders have been made only of polyvinylacetate (PVA),
polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyvinylpropionate,
polyvinylidenechloride, acrylic ester, and their copolymers. These
plastics materials resist neither detergents nor dry-cleaning
agents. The synthetic resins used in accordance with the invention
and consisting of modified polyamides, e.g., those described as
modified polyamides under the name Nylon 6/6, 6/12, resist
detergents and dry-cleaning agents and have other desirable
properties. Besides, the finishing materials and processes which
have been disclosed before are not entirely satisfactory from the
economic and/or technological aspects. The distribution of the
particles of synthetic resin cannot be fully controlled unless the
processes are employed which will be described hereinafter. The
non-woven fabrics which have been used are relatively expensive and
their cost cannot be adequately lowered even when they are made in
large quantities. Needle punching methods result in a considerable
reduction of the strength of the needle-punched fabrics and/or
layers because the penetration of the needles inevitably destroys
or at least loosens the structure of the material at the
penetration points. The surface heat-treating process may be
carried out with success only by highly experienced, skilled
persons which have had years of training and inevitably involves
considerable dangers in operation.
The difficulties mentioned above may be avoided in the process
according to the present invention, which is characterized in that
at least one rustle-proof support, which is permeable to air and
moisture, is provided with particles of thermoplastic synthetic
resins, such as polyamides, which are resistant to detergents and
dry-cleaning agents, the support is combined with at least one
additional layer to form a composite material, preferably in the
form of a web, and the material or web is shaped into a
three-dimensional, profiled material by means of electrodes which
are subjected to a high-frequency field. The desired distribution
is obtained in that particles of synthetic resin in the form of
dust, powder, grains and/or preferably agglomerates are arranged in
an array, preferably in the form of a dot or line pattern, and a
support is applied, preferably under pressure, to the array so that
the latter is transferred to a boundary surface with which the
support contacts the array. The particles of synthetic resin which
have been transferred to the support may be fixed to the latter.
Alternatively, the particles may be sintered to the support at the
same time or thereafter. If the support is to be covered with a
textile fabric, it will be sufficient to apply the fabric,
preferably by rolling, at elevated temperature to a boundary
surface of the support, which surface is provided with the plastics
material. This operation will result in a composite material. If
the support is to be provided with plastics material on both sides,
additional plastics material in the form of dust, powder and/or
grains or, if desired, in the form of small agglomerates, is formed
into an array, suitably after the application of plastics material
on the first boundary surface of the support, and that boundary
surface of the support which has not been provided with plastics
material during the first application thereof and which is opposite
to the surface previously provided with plastics material is
applied, preferably under pressure, to the array of plastics
material, whereby the latter is transferred. If the first
application of plastics material was carried out at elevated
temperatures or if treating operations have succeeded which have
resulted in elevated temperatures of the support, it will be
suitable to cool the support before the second application of
plastics material so that the plastics material on the side
provided therewith first will not be adversely affected until such
action must be taken intentionally during the final treatment of
the plastics material which has been applied. It has already been
stated that the first application of plastics material may be
carried out at a temperature above room temperature because during
the first application of plastics material the support is free of
plastics material which could be adversely affected by the heat
treatment. The plastics material applied in the second application
step may subsequently be fixed to the support or may be sintered to
the support at the same time or thereafter. It will be understood
that additional steps may be adopted to introduce particles of
plastics material into the support and to carry out the
above-mentioned heat treatments thereafter. However, the provision
of plastics material on the surface of the support has proved
entirely sufficient to enable the further treatments.
If the support provided with plastics material is moved at a speed
which is lower than the speed at which the support is moved during
the application of plastics material, a sickle-shaped gap will be
formed between the surface of any conveying and distributing rolls
which are employed and the material or web which has been provided
with plastics material. This sickle-shaped gap is desirable for
various reasons. The force of gravity acting in this sickle-shaped
gap causes a dropping of those particles which have not been
transferred to the material or web to which they have been applied
or pressed. This effect may be promoted in that vibration is
imparted to the conveying and distributing means. Such vibration
will be produced, e.g., if a conveying or distributing roll is
rapped. Such rapping is preferably rhythmic or periodic. A direct
contact between the conveying and distributing surface of rolls or
belts used for this purpose and the surface of the material or web
provided with plastics material is avoided so that the generally
ordered distribution of the plastics material will not be
changed.
If a support provided with plastics material on both sides and
materials or webs which are joined to the support on both sides
thereof are introduced into the same nip between the rolls of a
calender, preferably at elevated temperatures, in order to form a
composite material, the provision of plastics material on the
support may be immediately succeeded by the manufacture of the
composite material so that the elevated temperatures existing e.g.,
during the fixing and sintering operations may be economically
utilized in the manufacture of the composite material. What has
been said in connection with a joint on both sides of the support
will also be applicable if the support is covered only on one side
with additional materials in one or more layers.
With the reference to the above-mentioned processes, in which
synthetic resin in the form of discrete particles is applied in a
state of incipient or advanced or complete plasticization to the
support or a support web, certain modifications of the process will
be possible if the particles are to be transferred to supports in
the form of thin sheets, which may consist of only one layer of
fibers. For instance, the particles of synthetic resin which have
been transferred to the support may be spread by rolling to form
flattened islets, which penetrate into or through the support and
at least partly displace or replace material of the support and
preferably impart a structure to the surface of the support. If the
rolling does not spread the particles to such an extent that at
least one boundary surface of one islet lies in at least one
boundary plane of the support, particularly if the latter consists
of a web, so that the rolled islet is at least embedded in or forms
the support web in this portion, the islets at least on one side of
the support web will have the shape of lenticles so that a support
made by this process assumes the above-mentioned structured
appearance in dependence on the degree of distribution of the
roll-spread particles of plastics material. Owing to the higher
transparency and the altered reflectance of the platelets or
lenticles of synthetic resin the support appears to be covered by a
filmy filter paper having a honeycomb pattern. This appearance is
due to the fact that the particles have been subjected to
interrupted sintering and solidified in the form of glasslike
islets so that the particles have been slightly drawn in toward the
other boundary surface of the support. Smooth rather than
relieflike roll surfaces are used on the side of this other
boundary surface so that the latter is not affected by these
profiling and structuring operations but remains substantially
smooth. Due to this appearance, finishing materials made according
to the invention can be recognized even by the naked eye. The same
result will also be obtained if the particles are applied in a more
or less uniform distribution at room temperature rather than at
elevated temperatures and the heat treatment resulting in an at
least incipient sintering is carried out thereafter. It is also
possible to join the support web immediately after the particles of
plastics material have been transferred thereto and when the same
are still in a plastic state. Alternatively, the plastics material
may be subjected to at least one additional heat treatment between
the manufacture of the support web and the joining thereof to at
least one layer of the composite material to be made so that any
tendency of the support to bond to the layer contacted with it in
the formation of the composite material will be re-established in a
lower, equal or higher degree if such tendency had been produced by
the at least incipient sintering of the particles of plastics
material and has subsequently been reduced or even eliminated. Such
thermal aftertreatment will be particularly desirable if at least
one additional layer or web or another part of a composite is not
joined to the support immediately after the manufacture of the
finishing material proposed by the invention but at a later time,
e.g., after the material has been handled within the manufacturing
plant or sent from one plant to another. What has been said in
connection with at least one layer of the composite material will
also be applicable if any desired number of individual layers of
the same material are used to form a composite layer having a
larger thickness. The finishing material according to the invention
may thus be used to bond layers of any desired thickness so as to
form plates and bodies, in which the welded zones remain just as
flexible as the adjoining layers joined by the welded zone, or in
which stiffer zones and gradual transitions are provided, so that
the utility of the composite will be ensured or intentionally
increased. These effects will depend on the amount and/or nature of
the plastics material which is employed.
The above remarks made in connection with supports consisting of
thin or very thin layers of cellulose are also applicable to thin
or very thin layers of foam. It has been found that the support
will perform its function even when it has a thickness of only
1.00-1.50 millimeters, as has been stated above.
Apparatus for carrying out the stated processes comprise a supply
container for particles of synthetic resin, and conveying and
distributing means which succeed said container and have a surface
structure which comprises cuplike recesses and/or bosslike
projections, which recesses and projections have a size, shape and
arrangement selected in accordance with the size, shape and
distribution of the particles and according to the invention are
characterized in that a movable backing member is associated with
the conveying and distributing means and has a boundary surface
which faces the conveying and distributing means and contacts the
material which is supported by the conveying and distributing means
and which is to be provided with the particles, said backing member
contacting said material under a pressure which is sufficient to
cause the particles to be carried along mechanically. The conveying
or distributing means may consist of a surface-structured roll or a
surface-structured belt. At least in the region in which they
receive the particles from the supply container, the conveying and
distributing means are at room temperature or a temperature below
room temperature so that a tendency of the plastics material,
particularly of the synthetic resin, to become tacky at higher
temperatures will be suppressed. Such tendency might disturb the
transfer from the supply to the surface structure. On the other
hand, it may be suitable to provide heating means in the region in
which the particles are applied to the material to be provided
therewith, unless the temperature rise due to radiation, heat
conduction or heat convection is sufficient. For the fixation and
any sintering of the particles, near-by heat generators are
required which can induce a tackiness to such a degree that the
particles are sufficiently transferred to the support to be
provided therewith. It may be suitable to provide an endless
conveyor belt which removes the material provided with plastics
material from the conveying and distributing means and to provide
additional treating means, such as infrared radiators, hot air
tunnel ovens, cooling devices or the like along said endless
conveyor belt. The support, which consists, e.g. of foam so that it
has a low strength, is desirably supported by the conveyor belt
which forms at the same time an abutment for taking up the jet
pressure of hot air, which is blown against the surface of the
support provided with particles of plastics material. This hot air
induces a superficial or complete sintering of the particles. If
the support must be provided with particles of synthetic resin on
both boundary surfaces, additional surface-structured conveying and
distributing means for the particles of synthetic resin to be
applied to the rear side of the support will be provided, which
additional means contact the support on that boundary surface to
which plastics material has not yet been applied. In this case it
is also desirable to provide an endless conveyor belt, which
removes the support provided with plastics material from the
conveying and distributing means, and additional treating means,
such as infrared radiators, heat-supplying and heat-dissipating
means, tunnel ovens or the like, which are disposed along said
endless conveyor belt. This endless conveyor belt will prevent an
overstressing of the support when the latter has not yet been
reinforced by additional layers. The second conveyor belt is
desirably succeeded by one or more calenders, which serve to face
the support with additional materials, such as nettle cloth, woven
cotton fabrics or foam sheeting, if the support itself consists, as
mentioned above, of non-woven fabrics, wadding, felt, woven
fabrics, bobinets, plaited fabrics, knitted fabrics, netting,
needle-punched pile fabrics, fabrics having adhered tufts, flock
textile fabrics and/or other coated textile fabrics, or of paper,
paperboard, plastics material sheeting, preferably synthetic resin,
or of leather, artificial leather and other materials.
The reference made hereinbefore to calenders and calendaring
processes does not suggest a change in the high-frequency welding
properties of the novel material. These calendering treatments
serve only to join the support formed according to the invention to
an additional layer. The support is still provided with the
particles of synthetic resin which are required and suitable for
high-frequency welding. However, the support having this property
and provided with at least one additional layer is subjected to a
subsequent high-frequency welding treatment so as to assume the
desired profiled shape. In general, the support is not joined to
only one additional layer but to a plurality of said layers and at
least one layer is adjoined by a filler. Such filler may be
provided between two layers, one of which has been joined to the
support by a calendering treatment. Such composite body may then be
supplied to consecutively arranged machines and high-frequency
equipment for a continuous and sequential shaping of the composite
web to impart the desired profile thereto.
Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained
with reference to drawings which diagrammatically illustrate
apparatus for the manufacture of materials and composites made
according to the invention by the described processes, as well as
the material or web and additional layers or webs combined with the
material or web to form a composite.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of apparatus for manufacturing a
composite web according to the invention, which web consists of the
support for specially shaped particles of synthetic resin, and of
two layers applied to both sides of the support, which constitutes
an intermediate layer. Such composite web is then subjected to
further processing and a desired profile is imparted thereto by
high-frequency welding.
FIG. 2 shows another, simplified and smaller apparatus for the
manufacture of a specially designed web for supporting particles of
synthetic resin. An additional device is provided which enables the
manufacture of a composite comprising such support web and a layer
applied thereto.
FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a web according to the
invention.
FIG. 4 shows also diagrammatically another embodiment of the
web.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view showing an engraved roll,
such as has been shown in FIG. 1 as items 2 and 6 and provided with
an engraved pattern 21 or 62 and in FIG. 2 as item 12.
FIg. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing an apparatus according to the
invention for use in a process in which a moving support web for
the particles of synthetic resin is to be provided on both boundary
surfaces with said particles of synthetic resin in an array and
distribution which are prescribed by the engraved patterns of the
two rolls serving to apply such particles.
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention in which there are no thermal treating means intended to
ensure the distribution of the particles on the web to be provided
therewith but the transfer of the particles to the receiving
support web is effected in a strictly mechanical way by
brushing.
FIG. 1 shows a roll 1, which consists of a thin sheeting of
cellulose or foam. This sheeting is to be processed to form a
bonding material core or facing according to the invention. For
this purpose, a set of two rolls 2, 3 is provided. The first of
these rolls constitutes a conveying and distributing means. To this
end, surface 21 of the roll 2 is structured in that it has numerous
depressions and bosslike projections. The depressions have the
shape of small cups having such a size, shape and depth that each
cup can receive at least one particle of a ternary copolyamide of
the type Nylon 6/6, 6/12 consisting of a commercially available
modified polyamide in the form of dust, powder or grains. A supply
of the synthetic resin powder is contained in a hopper 4 disposed
above the roll 2. The hopper 4 contains a wiping doctor 41, which
in cooperation with the surface structure 21 of the roll 2 ensures
that the depressions will be filled with synthetic resin and the
surplus will be wiped off when the roll rotates in the direction of
the arrow shown in the drawing. The roll 2 comprises a cylindrical
shell, which is mounted on rollers so that the cavity of such
drumlike roll may accommodate a stationary pipe, which has
perforations through which, e.g., compressed air can be supplied,
which flows out toward the hopper 4 so that the structure 21 is
cooled as it moves past the outlet opening of the hopper 4. By this
action, the tackiness of the particles of plastics material can be
temporarily eliminated so that the depression of the structure 21
can be filled without difficulty. Instead of cup-shaped
depressions, bosslike projections may be provided and be spaced
such distances apart that each projection adjoins a depression
which can accommodate one or more grains of synthetic resin. Such
aggregations of the grains may have been formed artificially by
agglomeration. In such case, the wiping doctor 41 is suitably
replaced by a rolling doctor, which in addition to a heavy core may
carry a resiliently yielding cover, which promotes the doctoring of
the synthetic resin into the structure 21. The contact pressure
roll or press-forming roll 3 is disposed opposite to the roll 2.
The roll 3 is mounted on an axle 31, which is engaged by a yoke 32,
which is acted upon by a spring 33, which bears on a stationary
abutment 34. The cylindrical rings 35 are fitted on the end
portions of the axle 31 and are guided between the sliding shoes
36, 37. In this way, a contact pressure or forming pressure is
applied to the support web 11, which consists of cellulose or foam
and has been introduced into the nip 38, 39 between the rolls 2 and
3. Another stationary pipeline may be provided in the cavity of the
drumlike roll 2 near the common point of contact between the rolls
2 and 3 and support web 11 of cellulose or foam and this additional
pipeline may comprise perforations which face said common point of
contact. If this second pipeline is connected to a source of hot
air, the temperatures at the point of contact will be higher than
those at the remaining portions of the roll 2. As a result, the
particles of synthetic resin which have been received are somewhat
tacky so that they adhere to the web 11 of cellulose or foam and
are carried along by the same, which is thus provided with
particles of synthetic resin in the desired distribution. These
measures, however, are only supplemental. Because the web 11 of
cellulose or foam is subjected to the contact pressure exerted by
the roll 3, elements of the web 11 of cellulose or foam enter the
depressions or the spaces between the bosslike projections. These
elements of the web 11 contact the particles of synthetic resin and
carry the latter along mechanically in an entirely sufficient
degree.
An endless belt conveyor 51 is disposed below the means 1, 2, 3,
and 4. Additional means for treating the support web 11 are
disposed along the length of the belt 51. For this purpose, the
conveyor belt 51 is trained around pulleys 52, one of which is
driven. The conveyor belt is arranged so that the web 11 of
cellulose or foam can just pass between the bottom of the roll or
drum 2 and the upper course of the conveyor belt 51. In the
direction of travel of the web of cellulose or foam the roll or
drum 2 is succeeded by the infrared radiators 53, which transform
the particles received by the web 11 of cellulose or foam into a
state in which they are adhered and thus fixed. The radiators are
succeeded by a treating unit 54, e.g., in the form of a tunnel
oven. The web 11 of cellulose or foam lying on the conveyor belt 51
traverses the unit 54 in the length which is required for a
transformation of the web of cellulose or foam and the particles
into the desired state. For instance, streams of hot air 55 may be
directed onto the web and the particles at such a rate and
temperature that the particles of synthetic resin are at least
superficially sintered and may be completely sintered if this is
desired. Because elevated temperatures of the web 11 of cellulose
or foam are not desired during the further treatments, cold air
nozzles 56, 57 are provided, which cool the web 11 of cellulose or
foam and the particles of synthetic resin on one side of said web
to room temperature.
Plastics material is applied to the rear side by means of apparatus
6 comprising a hopper 61 for a further supply of particles of
synthetic resin, a doctor means 62, a roll 63 having a surface
structure 64, a contact roll or contact pressure roll 65, a belt
conveyor 66, infrared radiators 67 and a tunnel oven 68.
The final unit of the apparatus consists of a double calender 7
comprising calender rolls 71 and 72. In the tunnel oven 68, the
particles on both sides of the support 11 have become tacky so that
textile fabrics 81, 82 withdrawn from the rolls 83, 84 may be
introduced into the nip between the rolls 71, 72. The resulting
composite web has the desired properties and is then subjected to
further processing, particularly to profiling by high-frequency
welding with or without additional inserts, fillers, inserted or
applied pads, because only those particles of synthetic resin which
are disposed on the surface of the support 11 were used as bonding
material when the webs 81, 82 were joined by calendering. The web
of cellulose or foam is so thin that there are also particles
inside the layers of cellulose or foam in an amount which is
sufficient to enable them to act as bonding material during the
subsequent high-frequency welding.
In this specification, the term dot pattern describes a
distribution of the particles of synthetic resin in which these
particles, on a statistical average, form spaced apart dots. Such a
dot pattern will be automatically obtained as a loosely scattered
pattern if the synthetic resin is applied electrostatically, under
the action of high-voltage electrostatic fields. The field may be
controlled so that the resulting lines of force are such that the
electrostatically accelerated particles of synthetic resin form the
desired dot pattern when they impinge on and penetrate the support.
The support may be pretreated for this step, e.g., by moistening,
which may be effected by very fine water sprays or by steaming.
The provision of particles of synthetic resin inside a support does
not involve any difficulties because, as has been stated, the
supports must be permeable to air and moisture so that they always
have open pores, which can accommodate the particles of synthetic
resin inside the support layer, particularly if the same is very
thin but has an open profile. This is particularly the case with
cellulose, non-woven fabrics and other textile fabrics.
If the support is highly delicate, e.g., if it consists of a very
thin sheet of foam, it will be suitable to depart from the
embodiment shown by way of example and to move the web along a
vertical path. Such movement along a vertical or very steep path
also enables the application of the particles of synthetic resin on
both sides on the same level, e.g., by the electrostatic method
discussed hereinbefore, so that the endless supporting, guiding
and/or conveying belts discussed in conjunction with the
illustrated embodiment and required in conjunction with delicate
supports moved along a horizontal path may be eliminated. These
supports moving along steep paths may be provided with the
synthetic resin on different levels, of course, particularly when
it is deemed desirable to provide synthetic resin on one side of
the support first and then to subject said synthetic resin to
treatments which are suitably completed before particles of
synthetic resin are applied to the other boundary surface of the
web.
FIG. 2 shows a much smaller and simpler plant for the manufacture
of a support according to the present invention. The machine
according to FIG. 2 comprises a U-shaped frame 101, which is open
toward the foundation. The upper boundary surface of a web 103 of
the U-shaped frame carries a number of units disposed along the
path of a very thin web 104 consisting of cellulose or polyurethane
ester foam. This web has a thickness of 1.00-1.50 millimeters if it
consists of foam and will be much thinner if it consists of
cellulose. The devices carried by the upper boundary surface of the
table top formed by the web 103 of the frame 101 are preceded in
the path of the support web 104 by a tensioning and stretching
device 105, which ensures that the support web 104 will have a
perfectly flat and smooth configuration. The support web 104 is
supplied by the reversing rollers 106 to the first press-forming
roll 107, which is carried by the table top 102. The required
pressure is produced by the cylinder-piston unit 108, which
comprises a piston rod 110 connected to an axle 109 on which the
press-forming roll 107 is mounted. The latter contacts a
surface-structured intermediate roll 112, which rotates in the
direction of arrow 111 and is provided with cooling and heating
means which are not shown. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the
structuring consists of recesses, which are formed in the
peripheral surface of the roll 112 and have a size and distribution
to match a synthetic resin particle of medium size and the desired
distribution thereof. These lenticular recesses are disposed one
beside the other on the surface of the roll 112 and do not
substantially exceed in size that spherical cap which is formed on
an assumedly spherical particle of synthetic resin generally having
a size between 80 and 150 microns and faces the structured surface.
This statement does not exclude exceptions residing in the use of
smaller or larger particles. Such synthetic resin powder is placed
into a hopper 113, which is disposed above a structured roll 112.
Rolling and scraping doctors 114 are provided to restrict the rate
at which synthetic resin powder is supplied to the recesses in the
structured surface of the roll 112 to the total capacity of the
roll 112 on the assumption that there is virtually only one powder
particle in each recess. The roll is at a temperature which is
higher than room temperature and which is selected so that the
resulting operating conditions are such that a powder particle in a
recess in the surface of the roll 112 will remain in this recess
during the rotation of the roll. This will not involve difficulties
if the heated powder particle is sufficiently tacky. The support
web 104 enters a nip 115 between the rolls 107 and 112 and
subsequently covers the entire lower hemicylinder of the roll 112
inclusive of the powder particles of synthetic resin therein so
that the particles of synthetic resin received by the recesses
formed by the surface structure of the rolls will be unable to
leave their position even if there is a lack of adhesive forces
which could hold the particles in position. A press-forming roll
116 is also provided with cooling or heating means and operates
under such conditions that the combination of mechanical and
thermal actions results in a removal of the support 104 together
with the particles of synthetic resin from the roll 112. The
mechanical actions are again exerted by a piston-cylinder unit 117,
which by a piston rod 118 acts on the mounting for a shaft 119,
which carries the press-forming roll 116. The above-mentioned
cooling and/or heating means, not shown, are provided for exerting
the thermal actions. It appears suitable to maintain at the surface
of the roll 116 a somewhat higher temperature than at the
structured surface of the roll 112 so that there is an increased
safety that the particles of synthetic resin disposed in the
recesses of the structured surface of the roll 112 are in fact
transferred from the surface of the roll 112 to the support
104.
If a finishing material thus made is to be joined in the same
machine to another layer to form a composite material in such a
manner that the existing bonding tendency of the finishing material
is utilized or partly or completely re-established, that other
layer, which may consist, e.g., of a foam layer, may be withdrawn
from a roll, which has been wound on a reel 124, which is carried
by a mount 125 supported by the frame 101. That layer of the
composite material which is to be bonded to the finishing material
104 is designated 126 and moves around a deflecting and tensioning
roll 127 to the nip between the press-forming roll 116 and another
pressure roll 129 provided for this purpose. The tensioning roll
127 is under the influence of a tensioning lever 130, to which a
piston-cylinder unit or a tension spring 131 is pivoted. The
tensioning lever 130 is pivoted by an articulated joint 132 to one
end of a rocker lever 133, which is pivoted at 134 to the frame 101
or the piston-cylinder unit 117. The piston-cylinder unit 108 and
117 may obviously be replaced by biasing springs or biasing weights
which are adjustable as to spring stress or weight and/or lever
arm. A means for driving the entire arrangement is indicated at
135.
Cooling and/or heating are suitably effected by cooling and heating
liquids consisting, e.g., of liquid sols, oils, diphenyl,
polyglycols and other inert liquids. Alternatively, a direct
cooling, e.g., by Peltier elements, or directly acting heating
means consisting, e.g., of electric heating coils, steam pipes
etc., may be used.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing diagrammatically a web
according to the invention. Upper and lower facings are indicated
at 201 and 202, respectively. Fillers 203 and 204 in the form of
non-woven fabrics are disposed between the facings 201 and 202.
Such fillers may consist of all fiber materials having properties
enabling their use as fillers. These materials include particularly
natural and man-made fibers. In this connection, natural fibers
include plant and animal fibers and man-made fibers include fibers
of natural and synthetic raw materials. A support 205 for the
bonding material is also provided. The bonding material is
diagrammatically indicated by synthetic resin particles 251 of
modified polyamides. The intermediate layer 205 has been shown to
be divided into sections 252, 253, 254, in order to indicate that
as shown, e.g., at 252 the support for the particles 251 of
synthetic resin may consist of a foam layer, which may preferably
consist of foamed plastics material, such as polyurethanes.
Reference numeral 253 indicates that one or more layers of
non-woven fabric may be used to form the intermediate layer 205.
Particles of synthetic resin incorporated therein are indicated at
255. The section 254 illustrates that cellulose may be used as a
support for synthetic resin particles 256 consisting of modified
polyamides. Alternatively, a spun-bond fabric may be used, although
the same is not shown in the drawing. Any material may be used
which is capable of accommodating synthetic resin which is in a
suitable form and has been applied or incorporated, and of holding
said synthetic resin in position. A three-dimensional profile is
indicated at 271, 272 and formed by the application of
high-frequency electrodes at these points. The shaping of the
bonding layer 205 has not been shown in order to avoid a
disturbance of the showing of the sections consisting of different
materials. It will be understood that the three-dimensional profile
which is due to the high-frequency welds 271, 272 is formed also in
the bonding layer 205 so that the deformation affects the synthetic
resin particles 251, 255, 256 and the entire stack of layers 201,
203, 205, 204, 202. The simultaneous welding of the layers at 271
and 272 results in the three-dimensional profile. Before the
invention, such profile could be formed only by the provision of
quilted seams, particularly of ornamental quilted seams, at these
points. The function of the stitching threads is now performed by
the synthetic resin particles 251, 255, 256, etc. and
three-dimensional profiles are formed in a configuration which
corresponds to the arrangement and shape of the high-frequency
electrodes, which are not shown themselves. Outside the seam welds,
the fillers 203 and 204 remain in their original shape to form
resilient pads indicated at 201, 202, 203. The same high-frequency
welding may be utilized to seal the web 208 at 209 and to join the
filler layers 203 and 204 disposed there and the intermediate
bonding layer 205 by an integral, compressed seam. It will be
understood that trimming ribbons and other known means may be used
at 209 to impart a pleasing appearance to the web 200 in a section
thereof which is used, e.g., to make a quilt.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a bonding layer 310 is provided
on one side of a web 306, which on the opposite side is provided
only with an upper facing 301. A foam layer 311 and a filler layer
312 consisting of a non-woven fabric are disposed between the web
301 and the bonding layer 310. The bonding outer layer may consist
of foam, as is indicated by section 313, or of a non-woven fabric,
as is indicated by section 314, or of cellulose, as is indicated by
section 315, or of a spun-bonded layer, which is not shown. These
sections have been shown to succeed each other in the longitudinal
direction of the web only in order to facilitate the
representation. It will be understood that the bonding layer 310
may consist of individual layers which consist of the same
materials as the sections 313, 314, 315 etc. and which succeed each
other in a direction which is at right angles to the direction in
which the sections 313, 314, 315 etc. succeed. Regardless of the
composition of the bonding layer 310, it will also comprise applied
or embedded particles 316 or 315 of synthetic resin so that the
same requirements are met as in the web of FIG. 3 regarding the
shaping of the web into a three-dimensional profile, which is not
shown in FIG. 4. The invention extends the field of application of
finishing materials in general and enables the use of such
materials in composite materials having layers which are so
sensible to elevated temperatures that it was difficult or
impossible to use them in a composite material. Thorough tests have
shown that it is possible, e.g., to provide a composite material
containing a layer which consists of very fine downs and which is
fixed by seam welds which correspond to quilting seams and have
been made under pressures and temperatures which are relatively low
and harmless and which result in an arrangement of the downs in a
certain pattern, in which the downs have their full bulk resiliency
close to the seam welds so that they exhibit in the cushions
defined by the seam welds a behavior which was achievable before
only the provision of hand-stitched quilted seams corresponding to
the weld lines. The product thus gives the impression of being
hand-made. It has been stated, however, that the processes employed
permit of the use of consecutive machines in the manufacture of
quilts of a kind which previously could not be made by machine. The
above remarks made with reference to fine downs and other materials
of organic origin are also applicable to soft and fine-pored foamed
plastics materials. It is generally stated that the new finishing
material may be used for purposes for which it was not possible
before to use lines of machines in cyclic and quantity production
processes. These applications include, e.g., the manufacture of
seats, seat backs, door linings, side part linings for use by the
motor vehicles industry; side parts of easy chairs and couches,
seat cushions for easychairs and couches, back cushions for
easychairs and couches, complete couch seat covers in one piece,
couch backs in one piece, profiled backs for upholstered furniture
(these could be made before only by manual stacking), mattress
cover plates, mainly in one piece, with the usual quilting
ornaments, for use by the mattress industry; facings for use on
parts of furniture and wall surfaces, which facings comprise
weld-profiled sheetings, for use by manufacturers of furniture and
room decorations; mattress covers, health-promoting mattress cover
pads, diamond pattern covering featherbeds, covered blankets,
quilts filled with fibers, downs and feathers, blankets for daytime
use, pillows filled with washable synthetic fibers, for use by
manufacturers of bed goods; filled dressing gowns, anoraks and
sleeping bags, for use by garment makers; material for camping
purposes, comprising heat-insulating, upholstered tent walls, tent
flooring, tent mattresses, tent pads, tent sleeping bags, tent
blankets, tent partition walls, ceiling-like horizontal partitions,
facings for easychairs and chairs for use in tents, and wall and
ceiling linings for camping vans and other items therein. The above
listing does not claim to be complete but shows that finishing
materials according to the invention may be used in general for
welding any textile fabric or three-dimensional textile structure
regardless of the nature and composition of the fiber material. The
finishing material may also be used with natural leather,
particularly for upholstery purposes, also with artificial leather,
plastics material sheeting covered with textile fabrics, plastics
material sheeting alone, or the like. Besides, the welding to
paperboard, carton and other backings of textile or other character
without need for any preparatory work, or to metallic backings,
metal foil, sheet metal, metal plate and any combinations of such
material and structures which are formed thereby and attached to or
incorporated in or built around other structures, is not excluded.
It has been mentioned hereinbefore that layers or parts and/or
bodies of composite materials may also consist of foams or foam
bodies which are independent of the nature of the finishing
material, and that the new finishing material may be used on the
outer boundary surfaces of layers, parts and/or bodies as well as
in the form of intermediate layers, intermediate parts and/or
intermediate bodies.
It is inherent in the nature of the invention that the reference to
sintering temperatures includes temperatures at which the particles
are tacky. Specifically, higher temperatures which are below the
melting or sintering temperatures may be sufficient in special
cases to produce the technical results for which they are used.
It has been stated hereinbefore that polyamides are available which
have an excellent resistance to water and almost all conventional
solvents, and do not exhibit embrittlement or other signs of
ageing, e.g., as a result of a change in plasticizer content by
evaporation or otherwise, so that these polyamides may be used in
composite materials from which textile produces can be made which
do not tend to become as stiff as boards and which maintain their
textile hand even when worn for a prolonged time and when
dry-cleaned several times. This statement relates particularly to a
resistance to hydrocarbons (gasoline, benzene, xylene, etc.). and
chlorinated hydrocarbons (ethylene trichloride, carbon
tetrachloride, ethylene perchloride etc.). Composite materials made
according to the invention may be subjected to the action of acids
of low concentration and of alkaline solutions with negligible
effect. They are soluble in mixtures of lower alcohols (methanol,
butanol etc.) and water only when heated at the same time, and any
initially formed solution will be stabilized in 1:1 mixtures of
methanol and methylene chloride at room temperature when a
concentration of 20 percent has been reached. Such copolyamides
perfectly resist warm water and swell only slightly in boiling
water. Hence, they can be washed at temperatures up to 80.degree.
and perfectly resist all usual dry-cleaning processes.
FIG. 5 indicates how synthetic resin particles transferred to the
support, e.g., in a pattern corresponding to the engraved pattern
of the engraved rolls 2 and 6 in FIG. 1 and engraved rolls 12 in
FIG. 2 from a line pattern, which surrounds parallelogram fields
having equal side lengths. These fields are indicated at 501, 502,
503, 504 etc. in FIG. 5 and are not provided with particles of
synthetic resin. The fields 501, 502 etc. are surrounded by fields
510, 511, 512, 513, 514 etc. and 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, etc.
in the form of very narrow, elongated strips, which are provided
with particles. The mutually opposite sides of the parallelograms
have the same length so that the particles form the uniform pattern
of arrays shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention for use in a process in
which a moving support web 601 is to be provided with particles of
synthetic resin on both sides. The means used for this purpose are
generally similar to the engraved rolls 2 and 6 in FIG. 1. It is
apparent that hoppers 602 and 603 are provided for the particles of
synthetic resin to be applied to the support 601, which is moved in
a downward direction. Doctor means are indicated at 604, 605. These
wiping doctors may be replaced by rolling doctors. Openings 606,
607 of the hoppers are in register with annular rolls 608, 609,
which are supported at their inside periphery by supporting rollers
610, 611. Cooling air flows through the cavities of segment-like
ducts 612, 613 disposed between the outlet openings 606, 607 of the
hoppers 602, 603. In addition to the cooling air ducts 612, 613,
steam pipes 614, 615 are disposed in cavities 616, 617 of the
annular rolls 608, 609 so that the support web 611 passing through
the nip between the annular rolls 608, 609 is heated to a
temperature at which the particles of synthetic resin received at
606, 607 from the hoppers 602, 603 begin to plasticize. Due to this
arrangement, the powder particles of synthetic resin disposed in
the hoppers 602, 603 are received at relatively low temperatures in
the engraved pattern, not shown, on outside peripheral surfaces
618, 619 of the annular rolls 608, 609. Owing to this low
temperature, the particles are not tacky and readily enter the
engraved pattern provided to receive these particles. As a result,
the particles are distributed as is represented by the line pattern
of FIG. 5 if the engraved patterns, not shown, in the peripheral
surfaces 618, 619 are filled with particles of synthetic resin
whereas no particles are applied to parallelogram fields 501, 502,
503, 504 etc. disposed between the recesses formed by this engraved
pattern. In this condition the peripheral surfaces 618, 619 of the
rolls contact the support 601. As the annular rolls 608, 609 are
provided with pressure-applying devices indicated in FIG. 1 at
31-37 and the particles are very tacky because they begin to
plasticize under the action of the steam pipes 614, 615, the
particles are transferred to the boundary surfaces of the support
601 exactly in the intended distribution shown in FIG. 5. This
distribution is indicated by reference numbers 620, 621.
FIG. 7 shows a simpler apparatus for transferring particles to a
support 701 in an arrangement and distribution which is prescribed
by the engraved pattern of a roll 702. The apparatus comprises a
hopper 703 for the particles of synthetic resin and a wiping doctor
704. The particles of synthetic resin enter through an opening 705
of the hopper 703 the engraved pattern, not shown, of the roll 702
and are entrained by said pattern in the direction of arrow 706. A
first part of the particles falls out of the engraved pattern under
the action of gravity onto the upper boundary surface of the
support 701, which is advanced in the direction of arrow 707. Those
particles which do not fall under the action of gravity out of the
engraved pattern of the roll 702 are brushed out of the engraved
pattern of the roll 702 by bristles 708 of a brush having a drive
shaft 709 because the support 701 is disposed in the range 710 in
which the particles are brushed out.
The invention resides in each of the disclosed features thereof
which have been disclosed even though such feature may have been
described only in combination with other features, as well as in
any practicable combination of part or all of such features,
provided that the individual features and combinations of parts or
all of said features are technically desirable, practicable and
useful, although novel technical results which can be obtained may
not have been specifically described. All details which are
apparent from or have been described in the specification and/or
claims and/or shown in the drawings, and any desired combination of
such features, are considered to be described and claimed together
with their function or functions as well as with the functional
relation or relations which are inherent in combinations of parts
or all of said details.
* * * * *