EP0679748A2 - Needled, patterned felt for use as floor covering - Google Patents

Abstract

A patterned needle felt floor covering comprises a needle felt into which a flat, at least partially coloured and/or patterned yarn system has been needle punched. Also claimed is the process of placing a coloured and/or patterned flat yarn system on a non-woven fibre batt or between two fibre batts and needle punching them together simultaneously or sequentially.

Description

The invention relates to a needle felt with a pattern as a floor covering according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for its production and its use.

Various methods are known from the prior art for producing patterned needle felts, which are used in particular as a floor covering.

Frequently, the essentially single-colored needle felts are patterned by printing the pattern onto the surface of the needle felt, for example using a flock print, or by applying it in another way in a separate operation. Multi-colored patterns can also be produced using this method. However, this type of patterning has the disadvantage, in particular in the case of floor coverings, that the pattern which is only applied to the surface can be rubbed off and the pattern can fade or even completely disappear, depending on the stress on the respective surface.

The so-called "two-fleece method" is also known from the prior art. This technique for producing needle felts uses two different colors Fleece laid on top of each other. When the needle felt is produced using the "two-fleece method", the different-colored fleece lying below is now drawn onto the surface of the felt using special pattern-forming needles. On the one hand, this process requires a great deal of machine work, since special machines are required, and on the other hand, only two-colored needle felts can be obtained by means of this process. Another disadvantage of the "two-fleece method" is that the manufacturer of the patterned needle felt is limited to the pattern options given by the needle felting machine: With the "two-fleece method" only line-shaped patterns can be produced.

In order to obtain patterned needle felts, special machines have also been developed in which - parallel to the pull-in direction of the needle felting machine - threads emerging from parallel, possibly partially swiveling tubes or thread guides are needled with the fleece. Using this method, on the one hand only longitudinal patterns can be produced, and on the other hand the mechanical effort is great. In addition, difficulties can arise with this method, since the threads move against one another, so that the pattern runs irregularly.

The object of the invention is to provide new needle felts with patterns for floor coverings and processes for their production, which allow the production of abrasion-resistant patterns of needle felts in a simple manner, without the manufacturer being limited to the number of colors or the type of pattern.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of the main claim and the method claim.

The needle felt at least partially has a flat thread system that has the desired pattern and color contains. Through the use of flat thread systems, the patterns are fixed relative to each other at certain locations of the thread system, so that there can be no undesired impairment of the overall pattern by a relative displacement of the individual patterns. The thread system is firmly incorporated into the needle felt by needling, so that wear on the surface does not lead to fading or to the disappearance of the pattern. The manufacturer has the option of determining the subsequent patterning of the carpet and the colors by the selection of the flat thread system, without being limited to a certain number of colors or to certain patterns by the felt manufacturing process. The needle felt essentially has a pattern corresponding to the colors and the pattern of the thread system, whereby the pattern threads can also cross. By needling the colored and / or patterned thread system with the needle felt, the stability of the needle felt can be increased in a simple manner and the needle felt can be further consolidated.

Very different thread systems can be used to pattern the needle felt. According to one embodiment, laid scrims can be used, whereby threads of different types, thicknesses and colors can also be used for the different thread systems. Depending on the desired pattern, the manufacturer is also free to use crossed or uncrossed scrims. Depending on requirements and / or patterns, the laid scrims can have openings of more or less size. So that the individual threads maintain their relative position to one another, it has proven to be advantageous to fix the laid scrim thermally and / or by gluing.

In a further preferred embodiment, a carrier substrate with pattern threads is preferably used as the flat, at least partially colored and / or patterned thread system. It can be different Materials are used. Base fabrics, foils and / or paper or nonwovens and sewing agents are particularly suitable as carrier substrates, but fabrics can also be used. In the context of this description, sewing active substances are understood to mean substances which are produced using the Malimo, Malipol, Maliwatt or related processes. The pattern threads are preferably knitted into the carrier substrates, in particular if the fabrics are base fabrics or films. However, depending on the carrier substrate selected, the pattern threads can also be connected to the carrier substrate by sewing, gluing, etc. If a sewing agent is used as the carrier system, it is advantageous if the pattern threads are already incorporated into this sewing agent during its manufacture.

In order to prevent the carrier substrate from interfering with the surface of the finished needle felt, the carrier substrate preferably has the color of the individual fibers forming the needle felt. However, it is also possible for the carrier substrate to be made at least partially from synthetic yarns with high shrinkage capacity, so that the fibers of the carrier substrate shrink during thermal treatment and to withdraw from the surface of the needle felt, or to use carrier substrates which are leached or etched have the finished needle felt removed. In this context, it is particularly advantageous and environmentally friendly if support substrates are used which are soluble in water or aqueous solutions. However, it is also possible to use carrier substrates which are soluble in organic solvents or to switch to carrier substrates which can be removed from the needled felt by etching.

A further advantageous development provides for the use of a fleece with a knitted base fabric and pattern threads. Such fleeces with acted Basic knitted fabrics and pattern threads are produced with the composite rustling machine with a nonwoven device, in that a basic knitted fabric is knitted into a nonwoven which stabilizes the nonwoven. The desired pattern threads can be simultaneously acted on, and this overall system is then used as a flat, at least partially colored and / or patterned thread system. It is advantageous in this embodiment that threads of very low thread thickness can be used for the basic knitted fabric knitted in the nonwoven fabric, which practically no longer apply to the surface of the subsequent needle felt or can no longer be seen.

In order to achieve a visually appealing pattern and to ensure that the pattern threads are visible on the surface after needling, yarn thicknesses of 50 to 3500 tex, preferably 200 to 2500 tex, have proven to be particularly advantageous in the non-needled state. Different single-colored pattern threads as well as pattern threads patterned in themselves can be used in a needle felt. So that the pattern formed by the pattern threads is visible on the surface of the needle felt and that the threads of the carrier substrate are sufficiently tear-resistant but are not visible on the surface of the needle felt. For this purpose, the sample threads should have on average at least 20 times the average thickness of the individual fibers of the cotton-like fleece. The yarn count of the threads of the carrier substrate is expediently on average 5 to 25 tex.

When choosing the fibers for the basic knitted fabric, it is generally advantageous if the fibers are easy to knit. So that the threads of the basic knitted fabric are not visible on the surface of the needle felt, it has proven to be advantageous to use yarns that are not bulky and inconspicuous. Relatively thin continuous filaments and monofilaments, preferably transparent ones, are preferred. Such fibers are not only suitable for basic fabrics, but also for other carrier systems.

In general, when selecting the sample threads used, it should be taken into account that they are easy to needle. Fiber yarns with little composite are particularly suitable. Preferably, twisted yarns and single yarns are used, which can be produced by any twisting or spinning process. However, it is also possible to use continuous yarn. In general, the fiber composite of the fiber yarn should be so good that the yarns can still be pulled off the spool.

By using a thread system with a repeating pattern repeat, preferably from a single pattern, it is achieved that the least partially colored and / or patterned thread system does not necessarily have to have the same width as the cotton-like fleece of individual fibers if both are needled together. Due to the repeating pattern repeat, it is also possible to place different webs of thread lying next to one another on or under the cotton-like fleece of individual fibers or between at least two fleeces, and after needling, the needle felt has the periodically repeating pattern in the desired manner. These features are also advantageous in that it is not necessary to keep the at least partially colored and / or patterned thread systems on the otherwise very wide rolls that are necessary.

A fluctuation in the color intensity of the pattern threads can be achieved by statistically distributing the pattern threads when needling over the entire thickness of the needle felt: the pattern thread lies on the surface at some points of the needle felt, at other points on the bottom of the needle felt Side of the felt, or it is covered by a top and bottom layers of pure needle felt covered in different thicknesses. If desired, however, uniform shining through of the pattern threads can be achieved by the pattern threads running essentially parallel to the surface of the needle felt.

A particularly advantageous development of the invention provides that the flat thread system can be provided with certain properties by mechanical and / or chemical treatment and / or by means of additives, which the subsequent needle felt then also has, at least partially, and not the patterning to serve. It is possible, for example, that the flat thread system has been treated with antibacterial, flame retardant and / or fungicidal. It can also have antistatic properties. In addition to chemical treatment, this can be done by incorporating metallized polyamide fibers and / or metallic fibers into the flat thread system.

The fact that a knitted fabric is used as a flat thread system without additional pattern threads, it is possible in a simple manner, for. B. to achieve a more rectangular or square pattern of the carpet without additional pattern threads have to be knitted into the pattern-forming knitted fabric. However, other patterns are also possible. According to this embodiment, the knitted fabric itself effects the patterning. In general, thicker threads are used for such pattern-forming knitted fabrics than is the case with the knitted fabrics serving as a carrier substrate. The knitted fabrics are dyed in the desired color, or threads of the desired color are used in the manufacture of the knitted fabric. The threads used should be easy to knit. When selecting the threads, the needlability must also be taken into account.

The needle felts with a pattern can be produced using various methods. In principle, the at least partially flat, at least partially colored and / or patterned thread system is placed on or under at least one cotton-like fleece of individual fibers or between two or more cotton-like fleeces of individual fibers, and this system is then needled. In principle, the needling can be done in one or more work steps. Instead of using cotton-like, not yet needled nonwovens of single fibers, one or more already more or less pre-needled nonwovens or even felts can be used on, under or between which the thread system is then placed and the entire system is needled. It is also possible, for example, to first needle a layer of the cotton-like fleece at least slightly, and then to lay on the flat thread system and needle it again. Subsequently, further layers of the fleece can be put on and needled again with the overall system and so on. The use of pre-needled nonwovens, on which the flat thread system is then placed, is advantageous in that the nonwoven warps less when needling than the flat thread system, so that the needled pattern is not impaired.

The process can be carried out with nonwovens of different masses, different laying angles and different thicknesses. The method can be carried out, for example, with longitudinal fiber webs, transverse fiber webs, carded webs and random fiber webs. Depending on the desired properties of the needle felt and the pattern to be achieved, the individual fibers of the cotton-like fleece and the fibers of the flat thread system can have different finenesses, lengths, cross-sectional shapes, crimps, preparations, stiffnesses, strengths, strains, etc.

The method can also be used for felting needle machines with different movement mechanisms and directions of movement of the needles, arrangements of the needles, stitch depths, stitch densities, stroke frequencies and hole diameters of the needle plate. The manufacturer is also free to choose the needles, for example in terms of type, fineness, shape and arrangement, as well as the number of barbs.

If it is desired that the carrier substrate only serves to fix the pattern threads during the needle felt production, then such a material can be selected that can be etched out or removed from the needle felt after the production process. It is also possible to use a needle technique in the manufacture of the needle felt, which needles the mesh from the visible side of the needle felt.

The process can of course also be carried out using fleece with a knitted base fabric and pattern threads. The method can also be combined with the previously known patterning possibilities and pattern methods of the needle felting machine, such as the two-fleece method.

The needle felt produced in this way can then be subjected to further manufacturing and finishing steps and / or cut into tiles or shaped, for example, into molded parts.

The needle felts with patterns can also be used for other purposes, for example for interior cladding in vehicles.

Figur 1

ein gewirktes Trägersubstrat mit eingewirkten Musterfäden gemäß einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform der Erfindung,

Figur 2

einen Nadelfilz, der das gwirkte Trägersubstrat mit Musterfäden aus Figur 1 umfaßt.

Further advantages and refinements of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Figure 1

a knitted carrier substrate with knitted pattern threads according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2

a needle felt, which comprises the knitted carrier substrate with pattern threads from FIG. 1.

A knitted carrier substrate, the basic knitted fabric 11, is shown to scale in FIG. It is formed from the warp threads 12 and the weft threads 13. On a statistical average, the thickness of the yarn from which the carrier substrate is made is 16 tex. The filament endless yarn used thus has sufficient tear strength, and the base fabric is sufficiently dimensionally stable to fix the pattern threads 14 in place. However, the thread size was chosen so thin that the basic knitted fabric does not appear in the later needle felt. The yarn used in this embodiment is transparent to white.

The pattern threads 14 used are differently colored pattern threads with a yarn size of 2000 tex. To ensure good needling, they are made of fiber yarn with little composite. These pattern threads 14 are knitted into the basic knitted fabric 11. Many intersection points 16 are formed by the pattern threads, so that a repeating pattern having a diamond pattern is created, which additionally contributes to stabilizing the knitted carrier substrate with the pattern threads being knitted. The flat basic knitted fabric is made up of almost square units linked by edges with an average edge length of approx. 0.8 cm.

FIG. 2 shows a needle felt 21 to scale, which was produced using the knitted carrier substrate with pattern threads 17 from FIG. 1. The pattern threads 14 and the crossing points 16 can be seen. The individual fibers can also be seen 22, from which the needle felt 21 is essentially made. In the present exemplary embodiment, the individual fibers are gray and have an individual fiber strength of 0.17 to 15 tex. The basic knitted fabric 11, consisting of the warp threads 12 and the weft threads 13, is not visible on the surface of the needle felt 21. The visible pattern threads 14 and the non-visible base fabric 11 are needled in the needle felt 21. The pattern threads 14 not only run on the surface of the needle felt 21, but they are distributed over the entire thickness of the needle felt 21.

Claims (17)

Needle felt with pattern as a floor covering, characterized in that the needle felt at least partially comprises a flat, at least partially colored and / or patterned thread system needled with the needle felt. Needle felt according to claim 1, characterized in that the thread system is a scrim comprising pattern threads which can be fixed thermally and / or by gluing. Needle felt according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially colored and / or patterned flat thread system is a carrier substrate with pattern threads. Needle felt according to claim 3, characterized in that the carrier substrate is a basic knitted fabric. Needle felt according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the pattern threads are knitted into the carrier substrate. Needle felt according to claim 3, characterized in that the carrier substrate has the color of the individual fibers forming the needle felt. Needle felt according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat, at least partially colored and / or patterned thread system is a fleece with a knitted basic knitted fabric with or without pattern threads. Needle felt according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pattern threads are made of fiber yarn with little bond. Needle felt according to claim 1, characterized in that the thread system has a repeating pattern repeat, preferably of individual patterns. Needle felt according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pattern threads are statistically distributed over the entire thickness of the needle felt. Needle felt according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pattern threads run essentially parallel to the surface of the needle felt. Needle felt according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat thread system serves not only as a sample carrier, but also as a carrier of other properties. Needle felt according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat thread system contains metallized polyamide fibers and / or metallic fibers. Needle felt according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a knitted fabric without additional pattern threads is used as the flat thread system. Process for the production of needle felts with pattern, characterized in that an at least partially colored and / or patterned flat thread system on or under at least one cotton-like Fleece of single fibers or between at least two fleeces is placed and that the fleece or fleece and the thread system are needled together in one or more operations simultaneously or in succession. A method according to claim 15, characterized in that at least one fleece has been at least slightly pre-needled beforehand. A method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that a fleece with a knitted basic knitted fabric and pattern threads is used as the at least partially colored and / or patterned flat thread system.

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