EP0842792B1 - Painted, flexible, temporary decorative surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The surface is formed from a non-woven air-permeable material, e.g. from random micro-fibres (A) of about 10 microns in diameter. The material is not transparent but allows air to pass through it, so it down not offer greater resistance to wind. The material is decorated by micro-jets of a very fluid ink whose droplets do not block the holes between the fibres, so that they continue to allow air to pass through.

Description

The present invention relates to a decorative surface painted, flexible, temporary, especially intended for display stretched outside such as decorations in front of buildings, signs.

Such decorative surfaces in the form of large polychrome decorations, informative or advertising, made on textile supports stretched vertically on scaffolding or directly on buildings are more and more installed in the towns. In the same way we also realize signs giant or banners to report temporary events. They are generally and often incorrectly called "Painted tarpaulins", a generic term kept in the description below.

• la résistance mécanique des bâches,
• la reproduction graphique sur les bâches.

The realization of these "painted tarpaulins" poses mainly two types of problems:

• the mechanical resistance of the tarpaulins,
• graphic reproduction on tarpaulins.

The forces exerted by the wind and supported by the tarpaulins grow with their surface, their degree airtightness and exposure of their site pose. More particularly the effects of depressions can, transmit bad efforts in bad weather tear off at the anchor points of the tarpaulins, located at their periphery. Furthermore, these achievements being temporary, some manufacturers, for reasons of economy, bet on the low probability of experiencing a storm and neglect these risks.

• des bâches textiles résistantes enduites de PVC (figs. 1A et 1B),
• des tissus résistants et très légers armés ou non, type « toile de spy », habituellement utilisés sur les voiliers de compétition.
• des résilles de fils résistants, enduites de manière continue par un film plastique,
• des textiles résistants, du genre résille ouverte, bloquée par une enduction,
• des tissus résistants plus ou moins ouverts, non bloqués par une enduction (figs. 2A et 2B).

In the current state of the art, regarding their production, professionals use the following materials:

• resistant tarpaulins coated with PVC (figs. 1A and 1B),
• resistant and very light fabrics, armed or not, such as "spy cloth", usually used on racing yachts.
• resists of resistant threads, continuously coated with a plastic film,
• resistant textiles, of the open mesh type, blocked by a coating,
• resistant fabrics more or less open, not blocked by a coating (figs. 2A and 2B).

• Les trois premiers types de bâches présentent des surfaces continues non perméables à l'air, elles doivent donc nécessairement être très résistantes.
• Les deux derniers types de bâches, créés spécialement pour diminuer les effet du vent, présentent une surface percée par la multiplicité des ouvertures résultant du tissage lâche (par exemple : 22 % d'ouvertures sur le textile représenté fig.2A)

It should be noted that:

• The first three types of tarpaulins have continuous surfaces that are not breathable, so they must necessarily be very resistant.
• The last two types of tarpaulins, specially created to reduce the effect of the wind, have a surface pierced by the multiplicity of openings resulting from loose weaving (for example: 22% of openings on the textile shown in fig.2A)

• peinture directe au pinceau,
• sérigraphie,
• peinture au pistolet manuel,
• application d'éléments prédécoupés, le plus souvent en feuilles de vinyle coloré adhésivé,
• micro-jets d'encre par machines automatiques par exemple en quadrichromie.

For the graphic reproduction on the tarpaulins we currently proceed by:

• direct brush painting,
• screen printing,
• manual spray painting,
• application of precut elements, most often in colored adhesive vinyl sheets,
• ink micro-jets by automatic machines, for example in four colors.

• les deux premières techniques de reproduction déposent des films de peinture ou d'encre relativement épais, constituant des surfaces imperméables à l'air sur les bâches, car les peintures obturent généralement les ouvertures des bâches.
• la peinture au pistolet classique et manuel outre qu'elle ne permet pas économiquement des reproductions graphiques complexes, projette des gouttelettes relativement grosses qui obturent une grande partie des pores des bâches perméables.
• d'une façon générale, la peinture ou les encres épaisses forment des films tendus entre les fibres de la bâche ; ces films bouchent les orifices et diminuent la perméabilité de la bâche.
• l'application d'éléments prédécoupés en vinyle coloré rend la bâche complètement imperméable aux endroits sur lesquels sont appliqués ces éléments.
• la technique par « micro jets d'encres » à micro gouttelettes projetées automatiquement avec précision permet de laisser libres les éventuelles ouvertures des bâches en leur conservant leur perméabilité à l'air car l'encre utilisable avec de tels appareils doit être extrêmement fluide de sorte que les micro gouttelettes ne peuvent se déposer que sur les fibres du tissu de la bâche. Mais dans ce cas on a l'inconvénient de diminuer la fidélité de la reproduction puisque la surface graphique est diminuée de la surface des ouvertures du tissu de la bâche.

Whatever the nature of the cover:

• the first two reproduction techniques deposit relatively thick paint or ink films, constituting air-impermeable surfaces on the tarpaulins, because the paints generally seal the openings of the tarpaulins.
• conventional and manual spray painting, apart from economically making complex graphic reproductions, projects relatively large droplets which seal a large part of the pores of permeable tarpaulins.
• in general, the paint or thick inks form films stretched between the fibers of the sheet; these films block the openings and reduce the permeability of the sheet.
• the application of pre-cut elements in colored vinyl makes the tarpaulin completely waterproof in the places to which these elements are applied.
• the technique using “micro ink jets” with micro droplets projected automatically with precision makes it possible to leave any openings of the tarpaulins free while retaining their air permeability because the ink usable with such devices must be extremely fluid so that the micro droplets can only be deposited on the fibers of the fabric of the tarpaulin. But in this case there is the drawback of reducing the fidelity of the reproduction since the graphic surface is reduced by the surface of the openings of the fabric of the tarpaulin.

In summary, in the current state of the art, the painted tarpaulins such as decorations, signs, with a definition satisfactory graphics, are airtight and those that are breathable, have graphics with lessened contrasts.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these disadvantages and proposes to create a painted tarpaulin or surface decorative painted, with excellent definition graphic while being very breathable to avoid undergo and transmit significant efforts in terms of fasteners.

To this end, the invention relates to a decorative surface of the type defined above, characterized as specified by the wording of claim 1.

The “non-woven” material has a similar structure felts or products used to make filters. These flexible, permeable, nonwoven materials available large width and fire resistant, have a thickness about 1 to 2 mm and an aerated three-dimensional microstructure as opposed to loose fabrics, fishnets and textile grids comparable to two-dimensional structures.

The structure of a nonwoven material of the type "Filter" is a sheet made up of a multitude of micro-fibers, with a diameter of about 10 microns, distributed so random oriented in all directions, intertwined. These fibers occupy the volume of the sheet, leaving passages allowing fluids to cross the water table facing each other. But such a sheet is not transparent. A ray of light cannot pass through it because it does not offer, statistically, of straight passage going from one face to the other of the tablecloth (regardless of the inclination radius relative to the tablecloth). But this tablecloth is translucent, light passing through it in multiple diffractions, according to paths very schematically similar to those of fluids to be filtered.

Non-woven materials can be composed so that their permeability characteristics, their resistance to fire, as also those of their mechanical resistance, are adapted to the invention by modification of their composition and / or their method of manufacture. For example, there is a nonwoven manufacturing technique which strengthens their resistance in one of the two directions of their plan, this specialization can be useful for some tarpaulins.

By automatic projection of micro-droplets (ink micro-jets) using extremely fluid inks, ink jets are formed with micro droplets. These micro droplets cling to the apparent surface of the fibers of the non-woven material web.

Such micro droplets are not deviated from their trajectory, also they attach to the fibers as and as they meet them. This gives a front view an extremely continuous aspect (for the trace produced by a same color inkjet).

The traces left by the jets of the different colored inks overlap depending on the shades of the drawing to be made.

In other words, thanks to "non-transparency" of the web of nonwoven material, the ink droplets statistically always meet a fiber on their trajectory and create a point of color.

We will therefore have in front view the impression of a trace identical to that which the micro-jet would leave on a flat surface, for example a sheet of paper.

Due to their extremely small dimensions, these micro-jets only hang on or attach to a fiber without forming a veil between several fibers. Therefore, it there is no risk of partial blockage of the free passages between the fibers because after the passage of the micro-jet, the structure the sheet of nonwoven material is fully preserved, the only changes are the color spots fibers.

The permeability of the sheet therefore remains practically fully preserved.

Graphic reproductions by ink jet micro-jets can be done for example in four colors; micro-jets move normally and successively on the surface of the tablecloth.

The traces of color left by the micro-droplets projected by the micro-jets then give an impression visual continuity to graphic reproduction allowing very high reproduction precision and very fine. Graphic accuracy is also improved because the projection of the jets is done in one direction constant (usually normal to the surface of the water table non-woven material) and micro-jets are unlikely to be deviated because the droplets are so fine that they don't not enough kinetic energy; when the droplets meet the surface of a fiber, they deposit there.

In other words, there is no lateral dispersion but only following a normal path to the apparent surface non-woven material.

According to the invention, it is also possible to make pieces cut from non-material sheets woven permeable and different shades and fix them on a base support also made of permeable nonwoven material. We keep the air permeability of the whole structure thus composed.

The different techniques can be mixed; he is possible to make drawings or colored surfaces only on a portion of permeable nonwoven material for cutting these surfaces in appropriate shapes and fix them on a sheet of basic nonwoven material itself already colored differently.

Another advantage of the colored surface according to the invention is to be able to be handled and wound up without destruction of the colored surface: In the case of a fabric having received an application of paint, as already indicated above, the paint forms films hung between several fibers; when the tarp is distorted, these films, generally dry and brittle, destroy themselves.

On the other hand, in the case of the surface according to the invention, as the fibers are dyed on the surface but that the paint does not form a film extending between several fibers, there is no breaking of the film and consequently no destruction of the image produced.

The color rendering is also excellent because although the colors are applied to the surface of the fibers, the visual impression given by a sheet of material not woven according to the invention, is that of a mass color, in depth. As the mass is silky but not shiny, this considerably improves the aesthetic effect of the surface colorful. This effect is further increased by the translucent character of the material of the sheet which diffuses the light in the mass and thus creates an illumination of colors "in the mass ".

Once the tarpaulin is made, the absence of shine of the surface according to the invention avoids accentuating the irregularities of the surface but on the contrary attenuates them.

• réduction des frais de réalisation des cadres supports par diminution de la prise au vent,
• réduction du poids des bâches (de plus de 50 %),
• réduction des coûts d'achat, de transport et de mise en oeuvre,
• augmentation de la qualité de la reproduction graphique,
• amélioration de l'aspect par suppression des brillances,
• augmentation de la sécurité,
• facilitation de la mise en oeuvre.

In general, the painted surface according to the invention offers multiple advantages:

• reduction in the costs of producing support frames by reducing wind resistance,
• reduction in tarpaulin weight (by more than 50%),
• reduction in purchasing, transport and implementation costs,
• increase in the quality of graphic reproduction,
• improved appearance by removing gloss,
• increased security,
• facilitation of implementation.

• la figure 1A est une vue à échelle agrandie (agrandissement x 4) d'une surface d'un tissu revêtu de PVC et formant une bâche enduite, imperméable.
• la figure 1B est une coupe longitudinale de la figure 1A,
• la figure 2A montre un tissu perméable agrandi 4 fois,
• la figure 2B est une coupe transversale schématique du tissu de la figure 2A,
• la figure 3 montre une vue en coupe d'une nappe de matière non tissée, agrandie vingt fois.
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe analogue à celle de la figure 3, d'une nappe non tissée, selon l'invention, représentée avec un agrandissement de deux cents fois.
• la figure 5 montre toujours la nappe selon l'invention avec un agrandissement de six cent fois.

The present invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1A is a view on an enlarged scale (enlargement x 4) of a surface of a fabric coated with PVC and forming a coated, waterproof tarpaulin.
• FIG. 1B is a longitudinal section of FIG. 1A,
• FIG. 2A shows a permeable tissue enlarged 4 times,
• FIG. 2B is a schematic cross-section of the fabric of FIG. 2A,
• Figure 3 shows a sectional view of a sheet of nonwoven material, enlarged twenty times.
• Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to that of Figure 3, of a nonwoven web, according to the invention, shown with an enlargement of two hundred times.
• Figure 5 always shows the sheet according to the invention with an enlargement of six hundred times.

According to FIG. 1A, 1B a known tarpaulin is formed by weaving weft threads 1 and warp threads 2, which only appear with ghost lines since they are covered by a coating of plastic 3 (Figure 1B).

FIG. 2A shows a tarpaulin fabric formed of threads weft 10 and warp son 11 leaving gaps between them 13. Originally such a fabric is permeable. Permeability is the percentage of the unoccupied surface in plan, by wires 10, 11.

FIG. 2B shows, in section, the arrangement of the woven threads.

Figure 3 shows a schematic scale section enlarged (x 20) with a sheet of nonwoven material 20, the front face 21 received micro-drops of ink projected by automatic micro-jet machines.

Droplet penetration, due to the "opacity" of the nonwoven material web 20 lies in the surface layer e which, for example, is 0.5 mm.

Figure 4, which is a section similar to that of FIG. 3, of a sheet of nonwoven material according to the invention but enlarged two hundred times, shows that the fibers 22, randomly entangled, stained color ink 23.

In fact, and as already explained above, the tablecloth of nonwoven material being opaque, a jet of micro droplets (i.e. a set of micro droplets traveling on the trajectories parallel to each other and for example perpendicular on the surface of the water table), will always meet a surface of fibers 22 for depositing there. The kinetic energy very small droplets being extremely small, is not not sufficient for the droplets to ricochet off the fibers and be diverted. On the contrary, they are deposited on the first fiber encountered.

The enlarged view of figure 5 (enlargement six hundred times) shows the traces of color A, made on the fibers by micro ink droplets of color.

This enlarged figure also shows the very large volume B left free between the fibers. This volume gives permeability to the water table.

Recent automatic micro-jet machines ink ”deposit extremely fluid inks, in four colors, by four micro-jets successively and normally at the surface of the supports. In the case of the nonwoven used, the ink deposits are distributed on the micro-fibers, in the upper part of the nonwoven giving an impression of visual continuity with graphic reproduction while preserving the air permeability of the support. We can see on Figures 3, 4 and 5 sectional views, that the inks penetrate little in the thickness of the support and that they only deposit on micro fibers (in A, fig. 4 and 5) without practically the thicken the interstitial voids without blocking them (B fig. 4 and 5). Air permeability is therefore retained. The experience also shows (fig. 5) that unlike waterproof tarpaulins, these nonwovens allow a higher definition of inkjet reproductions, because there is no dispersion side of the jet but deposition of ink droplets at depth (about 0.5 mm) on micro fibers, following a path normal to the apparent surface of the nonwoven.

Another technique of graphic reproduction consists also to make cuts in quality nonwovens similar but different colors and to fix them on the initial support, without losing the air permeability of all.

It should be noted that one could also mix the techniques, for example using for some surfaces of graphic reproduction, significantly more waterproof applications air, concurrently with the inkjet. We will stay then in the field of the invention as long as the impermeable surfaces air will be less than the surfaces remaining permeable and produced by micro ink jets.

Since nonwovens of this type can be handled, rolled and folded, without altering the graphics, then assembled and made by seams, collages or even some by welding, we can make large areas decorative with high graphic quality at the same time that a weak catch in the wind.

In addition, "filter" type nonwovens have a very compatible, uniform, matt white visual surface inkjet, unlike tarpaulins coated with PVC which are semi-shiny, which constitutes a defect because the glosses accentuate surface irregularities.

Claims (3)

1. A temporary, flexible, painted decorative surface intended to be displayed taut outdoors, such as decorative panels in front of buildings, signs,
   characterised in that
   it comprises

   a base made from a non-woven material (20) permeable to air and fire-resistant, of a three-dimensional structure, made up of a plurality of randomly distributed micro-fibres (22) oriented in all the dimensions and interlaced, to occupy the entire thickness of the base,

   a design applied to the micro-fibres (22) of the base by automatically projecting micro-droplets of very fluid ink onto the visible surface of the fibres.
2. Decorative surface as claimed in claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the design is applied, at least partially, by fixing decorated surfaces onto the support, cut out from a blanket of the same non-woven base material permeable to air.
3. Decorative surface as claimed in claim 2,
   characterised in that
   colour is applied to the cut-out surfaces by automatically projected, very fluid ink.

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