EP0354884A2

EP0354884A2 - A textile product with flocking decoration

Info

Publication number: EP0354884A2
Application number: EP89830359A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Simona Puccini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-12
Filing date: 1989-08-10
Publication date: 1990-02-14
Also published as: IT8811706V0; IT215987Z2; EP0354884A3

Abstract

On a textile or similar product (22) there is formed a first uniform flocking decoration (21); on delimited zones of the surface of said uniform decoration an adhesive (25) is spreaded in order to form a second flocking decoration (27).

Description

The invention relates to a textile or similar product having a surface decorated with flocking.
The products of this kind presently known have a surface which is decorated with a uniform flocking, i.e. they are obtained by anchoring on the surface to be decorated a uniform layer of fibers which are oriented about perpendicularly to the said surface.
A first object of the invention is a textile or similar product having a different and more valuable flocking decoration of its surface.
A further object of the invention is a method for the manufacture of said product.
Still a further object of the invention is an apparatus for carrying out said method.
According to the invention, the product comprises a surface with a plurality of contiguous zones of flocked decorations, the decorations of the contiguous zones being different from one another.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the product has a surface with a uniform flocked decoration, on which a second different flocked decoration is formed in correspondence of delimited zones disposed according to a desired pattern. This embodiment is particularly suitable for an easy and fast production, as there is no need for a precise positioning of the zones of the second flocked decoration with respect to the uniform flocked decoration.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the product comprises at least a further flocked decoration. In this case an intermediate flocked decoration can be provided over the whole surface and at least a further decoration is superimposed at some locations of the first uniform decoration.
The invention also relates to a method for decorating a textile or similar product with a flocked decoration on the surface thereof, characterized in that the surface to be decorated is divided in a plurality of contiguous zones disposed according to a desidered decoration pattern, and that said contiguous zones are decorated with at least two different flocked decorations.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, on the surface of the product a first uniform flocked decoration is formed, and an adhesive is spread over defined zones of said uniformly decorated surface for forming a second flocked decoration superimposed said first uniform flocked decoration.
For carrying out of the method of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for the manufacture of a textile or similar product with a surface having a flocked decoration, characterized in that it comprises means for spreading an adhesive over delimitad zones of flocked surface of said product, means for carrying out a flocking of said product in correspondence of said delimited zones, and means for the removal of the surplus of fibers. In a possible embodiment, said means for spreading the adhesive comprise a relief cylinder cooperating with a pressing cylinder and with an adhesive feeding system.
The drawing shows a practical embodiment and also successive steps of the method of formation and the relevant apparatus, for a better understanding thereof. In the drawing:

Fig.1 is a rough representation of a portion of the decorated product according to the invention;
Figs.2, 3 and 4 show successive steps of the method of formation of the decorated product according to the invention; and
Fig.5 shows very roughly a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus suitable for the manufacturing of the product.

According to what is illustrated in Fig.1, the product has a uniform flocked surface 1 and an additional flocked decoration 3 formed on the uniform decoration 1.
To achieve this, a first flocking is carried out as indicated by 21 in Fig.2, on a support made of a textile or however of a flexible product 22, to form the surface 1 of Fig.1. Thereafter, an adhesive 25 is spread over desired zones of flocked surface 21 (Fig.3), to obtain the pattern at such spread zones. Subsequently, a second flocking is carried out to form the second flocked surface 27, and therefore the decoration 3 of Fig.1, which is placed onto flocked surface 21, i.e. the one indicated by 1 in Fig.1. The second flocking is accomplished through a uniform spreading of the fibres, but these get anchored, with an orientation due to electrostatic effect, only on the surfaces of adhesive 25, while at the uncovered zones of the flocked surface 21 the fibres do not become anchored and are able to be readily removed and recovered to bring them in circulation again, the removal being possibly obtained by a suitable brushing and/or suction system. The spreading of the adhesive 25 may be carried out by pressing more or less the uniform flocking 21, according also to the length of the fibres of such flocking 21 and also depending on a more or less accentuated relief appearance, which is to be obtained for the decoration zones 3 which are obtained with flocking 27.
In the diagram of Fig.5, numeral 31 designates a coil-reservoir for feeding the product 22, 21 (Fig.2) obtained by the first flocking; numeral 33 indicates a relief cylinder for spreading, i.e. printing the adhesive pattern in the zones 25, the adhesive being fed in the traditional way by a system like that indicated by 35; the operation of the printing cylinder for the spreading of the adhesive 33 is carried out with the aid of a pressing cylinder 37. Numeral 39 indicates an apparatus for carrying out the second flocking, followed by a group 41 for fixing the adhesive 25 and thus the second flocking 27; numeral 43 indicates a system for the removal of the surplus of fibres of the second flocking, so as to keep only the ones indicated by 27 anchored to the adhesive 25; said group may comprise brushing and/or pneumatic suction means; these means may be associated with each other to operate in combination, for example by placing the brushing means upstream or downstream to the suction means.
The product manufactured in this way is suitable for a number of uses, both for clothing, and interior design and also for the manufacturing of bags, suitcases and other.

Claims

1. A textile or similar product (22), comprising a surface with a plurality of contiguous zones (1, 3) of flocked decorations, the decorations of the contiguous zones being different from one another.

2. A product according to claim 1, characterized by a surface (21) with a uniform flocked decoration (1), on which a second different flocked decoration (3) is formed in correspondence of delimited zones disposed according to a desired pattern.

3. A product according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises at least a further flocked decoration.

4. A product according to claim 3, characterized in that an intermediate flocked decoration is provided over the whole surface and at least a further decoration is superimposed at some locations of the first uniform decoration.

5. A method for decorating a textile or similar product with a flocked decoration on the surface thereof, characterized in that the surface to be decorated is divided in a plurality of contiguous zones disposed according to a desired decoration pattern, and that said contiguous zones are decorated with at least two different flocked decorations.

6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that on the surface of the product a first uniform flocked decoration (22) is formed, and that an adhesive is spread over defined zones (25) of said uniformly decorated surface for forming a second flocked decoration (27) superimposed to said first uniform flocked decoration (22).

7. An apparatus for the manufacture of a textile or similar product with a surface having a flocked decoration, characterized in that it comprises means (33, 35, 37) for spreading an adhesive over delimited zones of flocked surface of said product, means (39, 41) for carrying out a flocking of said product in correspondence of said delimited zones, and means (43) for the removal of the fibres surplus.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said means for spreading the adhesive comprise a relief cylinder (33) cooperating with a pressing cylinder (37) and with an adhesive feeding system (35).