CA1307658C

CA1307658C - Piled fabric having piles of different shrink properties

Info

Publication number: CA1307658C
Application number: CA000603842A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Hans Raab
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-06-29
Filing date: 1989-06-23
Publication date: 1992-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-22
Also published as: DE3821857A1; JPH074337B2; DE3821857C2; ES2015158A6; WO1990000209A1; EP0422086B1; JPH04501586A; DE58904293D1; EP0422086A1

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In a process for the manufacture of a plushlike cleaning cloth of piled material in which a trimming of thermoplastic pile fibres is anchored into a base of thermoplastic fibres at a temperature of 423 to 433 K (150 to 160°C) by welding, pile fibres with such differing properties with regard to melting temperature and shrinking temperature are employed over the entire surface such that a first portion of the pile fibres shrinks at welding temperature whereas a second portion of the pile fibres either does not shrink at all or shrinks to a lesser extent than the first portion.
The first portion of the pile fibres preferably comprises approximately 60%
of the total and, owing to its crimped, tougher structure, displays an increased scraping effect.

Description

`` I 3~7658 The present invention relates to a process for the manufaeture of a plushlike cleaning cloth of piled material, in which a trimming of thermoplastic pile fibres is anchored into a base of thermoplastic fib~es at a temperature of 423 to 433 K ( 150 to 160C) by weldin~. Due to the employment of thermoplastic fibres, rather than cotton ones, such cleaning cloths ha~e a considerably improved cleaning effect, even without the addition of chemicals. They are particularly useful in the cleanin~ of sanitary facilities. The powerful cleaning effect is based on the scraping effect produced by the thermoplastic pile fibres. The invention is based on the process described in German utility model 81 19 60~l, which applies to a cover of piled material used on the carriers of painters' rollers.
The present invention improves the cleaning power of a plushlike cleaning cloth of piled material manufactured according to the process described above. In accordance with the present invention, the improvement is achieved by employing pile fibres with such different properties with regard to melting temperature and shrinking temperature over the entire surface that, during the manufacture of the trimming, a first portion of the pile fibres shrinks at the welding temperature and a second portion of the pile fibres either does not shrink at that temperature or shrinks to a lesser extent than the first part.
In this way, a cleaning cloth is obtained whose trimming exhibits heavily shrunk pile fibres distributed over its 0ntire surfsce. These produce a more intensive scraping effect, because of their shrunk, i.e, criMped structure, than the other pile fibres which have smoother, less shrunk fibres or whose fibres have not shrunk at all. The latter, however, ensure that sufficient water absorption occurs via capillary action. The increased scraping effect produced by the first lot of shrunk pile fibres is caused by the fact that when these come to rest on the surface to be cleaned, durin~ a wiping action, then in a few areas they lie inclined to or even across the direction of wiping, owin~, to their irregular, crimped nature. The smooth, second lot of fibres, on the other hand, which have either not shrunk at all or shrunk to a lesser extent, are oriented in the direction of wipin~.
It has proven preferable for the first portion of the pile fibres to comprise approxiMately 60~ of the total. The remaining 40qo of the fibres ``; 1 307658 which haYe not shrunk, or have shrunk to a lesser extent, are sufficient to ensure water storaee via capillary action.
It is preferable, furthermore, that all pile fibres of the t~imming be cut to a uniform len~th before they are anchored into place at welding temperature. In this way, the first lot of pile fibres which have shrunk a lot will all be equally shorter than the pile fibres which have either not shrunk at all, or shrunk to a lesser extent.
The border of a cleaning cloth manufactured according to the process of the present invention is provided with a seam, in the usual manner. The cleaning cloth can also, however, be made into a cleaning ~love. The cleaning cloth manufactured according to the process of the present invention can otherwise also be used as a covering for window cleaners, for instance in accordance with German patent specification No. 28 44 185, or for treating the coat of a horse after groomin~.
lS In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the product according to the present invention are illustrated.
Figure 1 shows an enlarged partial cross-section of the piled material, and Fieure 2 shows a top view of a clennin~ glove from which the visible surface has been partly cut away.
The basic structure of the piled material for a plushlike cleaning cloth consists of fabric 1 with warps 2 and wefts 3, made of thermoplastic material, preferably polyester fibres. Instead of the basic fabric, a piece of knitted or woven or nonwoven fabric can be used. The basic fabric 1 is equipped with a trimmin~ of thermoplastic fibres 4 and 5 in the usual way, for instance accordin~ to the double-plush process, whereby these ].2 to 18 mm lon~ pile fibres are anchored into the basic fabric and welded by means of infra-red irradiation or similar treatment, at a temperature of 423 to 433 K (15~ to 160C).
Pile fibres 4 of a first portion amounting to about 60% of the total, are distributed over the entire surface. These shrink considerably at welding temperature, a~ can be seen from the crimped form adopted by the pile fibres 4. ~ second portion of the pile fibres 5 exhibit melting and shrin~in~ t~mperature characteristics which are sufficiently different from those of pile fibres 4 to cause the former to either not shrink at all or PAT ~3592-1 ", .. . . .

` `` 1 307658 shrink to a lesser extent than pile fibres 4. The heavily shrunk pile fibres 4 are tougher than pile ~ibres 5 and, owing to their crimped nature, they exhibit an increased scraping effect.
In the cleaning ~love 6, shown in Figure 2, the visible cleaning S surface containin~ pile fibres 4 and 5 has been cut away in parts, revealing the basic fabric 1 of the lower cleaninK surface. In the vicinity of the opening of the cleaning glove 6, the cleaning surfaces are bound with a band 7, which is provided with a loop 6.

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Claims

1. A process for the manufacture of a plushlike cleaning cloth of pile material in which a trimming of thermoplastic pile fibers is anchored to a base of thermoplastic fibers, the pile fibers having different melting and shrinking temperatures and being distributed over the surface of the base during manufacture of the cloth with at least a first portion of the pile fibers shrinking at welding temperature, and a second portion shrinking not at all, or to a lesser extent than the first portion said process comprising:
(a) cutting the pile fibers to a uniform length;
(b) anchoring the pile fibers to the base by welding at a temperature of 150°C to 160°C; and (c) exposing the pile fibers to a temperature sufficient to cause shrinking of (at least) first said portion of pile fibers.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein said first portion of pile fibers comprises about 60% of the total amount of pile fibers present.

3. A plushlike cleaning cloth prepared by the process of either one of claims 1 or 2, and wherein a seam is provided along a border of the cloth and the cloth is in the form of a glove.