EP2425050A2

EP2425050A2 - Method for producing a textile complex including decorative patterns, and complex thus produced

Info

Publication number: EP2425050A2
Application number: EP10727043A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sylvain Antheme; Stéphane Bertrand
Original assignee: Chomarat Textiles Industries SAS
Current assignee: Chomarat Textiles Industries SAS
Priority date: 2009-04-27
Filing date: 2010-04-27
Publication date: 2012-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2030-04-27
Also published as: US20120058315A1; EP2425050B1; WO2010125295A2; FR2944809B1; WO2010125295A3; FR2944809A1; TN2011000533A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for making a textile complex (10) including a textile web (11) and an upper coating layer (12) having an irregular surface condition, and comprising decorative patterns (8, 9, 58) applied onto the upper coating layer (12), characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: preparing a decorative multilayer complex (1) comprising at least three basic layers, i.e. a substrate layer (5), a colored layer (4), a heat-fusible layer (2), by cutting the colored layer (4) and the heat-fusible layer (2) along the outlines (6) of the decorative patterns (8, 9) without cutting the substrate layer (5) and then removing the fractions of said colored (4) and heat-fusible (2) layers outside the pattern areas (8, 9); arranging said prepared multilayer complex (1) on the upper coating area (12) of the textile complex (10) by means of the surface thereof with the heat-fusible layer (2); applying temperature and pressure conditions that trigger the adhesion of the heat-fusible layer (2) to the upper coating layer (12) of the textile complex; subjecting the assembly to a processing (27) resulting in a structured and regular surface condition of the upper coating layer.

Description

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A TEXTILE COMPLEX INCLUDING DECORATIVE PATTERNS AND COMPLEX THUS MANUFACTURED

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to technical textiles, and more particularly to coated textiles including decorative patterns, or more generally markings. It finds a particular application for coated textiles for use in the field of leather goods, furniture, clothing or automobile.

PRIOR TECHNIQUES

In general, coated textiles used in the field of leather goods are used in substitution or replacement of natural materials such as leather or the like. These materials have a particularly sensitive aspect, and must therefore be of irreproachable visual quality. Another quality sought for this type of material is good resistance to various mechanical stresses, including abrasion.

To date, coated textiles are known which are composed of a textile core coated with a top coating layer, typically based on polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, or thermoplastic polyolefins. For some applications, this coated textile generally undergoes a treatment step that allows to give it an irregular surface condition, to visually reproduce the grain of the leather.

Complementarily, and always for certain applications, the customization or decoration of the textile complex requires the printing of various decorative motifs in the broad sense. It may for example be marking different identification signs, logos or various figurative or verbal motifs.

The techniques employed to date to achieve this type of marking use screen printing methods. To do this, according to a conventional technique, the coated textile receives an ink layer which passes through the pores of a membrane stretched over a frame, and which is permeable at the regions where the patterns must be drawn. This screen printing technique, however, has many disadvantages when applied to the decoration of coated textiles with uneven surface conditions. Indeed, and in general, screen printing operations are cumbersome, complex and expensive, insofar as they require the use of fixed frames, on which are stretched partially porous membranes. They therefore require to perform printing operations on parts previously cut to the dimensions of the frames, which are then patched for finishing operations. The manufacturing processes require to work in a discontinuous manner, immobilizing the material to be marked during a whole printing cycle. Moreover, depending on the contrast between the color of the marking and the color of the upper coating layer of the textile, it may be necessary to operate the printing in several passes, in order to deposit a quantity of ink large enough to that the background color of the textile coating layer does not change the perception of the ink layer. The multiplication of these printing steps is of course at the expense of the cost of the overall marking operation.

Moreover, and from a technical point of view, screen printing gives results of very questionable quality, and in particular when it is desired to produce articles having a seed surface state or generally irregular. Indeed, the graining operation is done more generally by the passage of the textile complex under a cavity having the inverted graining pattern, which is applied with temperature and pressure conditions to be able to form the upper layer of coating of the complex. . To work continuously, this is usually done using a calender which one of the rollers has the desired graining pattern, as well as appropriate heating means. However, it is generally found that the application of a certain temperature and a pressure causes phenomena of modification of the colors of the markings obtained by serigraphy, or even the appearance of bubbles emerging between the upper face of the coating layer. and the screen printing ink layer. These phenomena result in an unfavorable visual aspect. In addition, the inks used for screen printing have a lower resistance to abrasion and bending, which causes a degradation in time of the decorated articles. One of the objectives to be solved by the invention is to eliminate these disadvantages, by making it possible to produce patterns combining at the same time good visual qualities with better mechanical performances, of resistance to abrasion in particular, and this by allowing the realization of patterns of shapes, geometries and colors very varied. Another objective is to simplify the operations of the manufacturing process, aiming at eliminating the cutting and / or splicing operations, which render the current process discontinuous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention therefore relates to a method of manufacturing a textile complex conventionally comprising a textile core and a top coating layer, and which has an irregular surface condition, that is to say not perfectly plan. This complex has decorative patterns reported on the upper layer of coating.

According to the invention, the method is characterized in that it comprises the following steps consisting first of all in preparing a multilayer transfer complex, comprising a support layer, on which the cut decorative motifs, arranged in an orientation, rest. symmetrical to their future arrangement on the textile complex, each decorative pattern having at least one colored layer, in contact with the support layer, and a heat-sealing layer, intended to come into contact with the upper coating layer.

In a subsequent step, the multilayer complex thus prepared is placed on the upper coating layer of the textile complex, by affixing the face of the multilayer complex having the heat-sealing layer on the coating layer. Then, in a subsequent step, pressure temperature conditions are applied causing the heat-sealing layer to adhere to the upper coating layer of the textile complex. Then, after removing or removing the support layer of the multilayer decorative complex, is deposited a layer of varnish that covers the upper coating layer and the decorative patterns. Finally, to finish, the assembly is subjected to a treatment giving a structured and irregular surface state to the upper coating layer. In other words, the invention consists in producing the patterns on a transfer intermediate which comprises a support layer on which the different patterns are present, in an inverted configuration. The apparent face of this decorative complex is then applied to the coated textile, to stick to it under the effect of heat and pressure. Then, the support layer, which was used to maintain the different patterns relative to each other, is removed by peeling to allow the possibility of performing different finishing operations, including graining.

In this way, patterns are obtained that are particularly strong, since they adhere very firmly to the coating layer covering the textile, and therefore can withstand the subsequent embossing steps with greater strength, graining or the like. The assembly thus has a better resistance to abrasion, in comparison with the known techniques of marking by screen printing.

In practice, it is possible to achieve this transfer complex according to different operating modes, depending on the applications.

Thus, in a first case, the preparation of the transfer complex consists of a multilayer complex comprising at least a support layer, a colored layer and a heat-sealing layer, to cut the colored layer and the heat-bonding layer only according to the contours of the decorative patterns to be made, without cutting the support layer. This preparation is continued by eliminating the fractions of the colored layer and the fusible layer, located outside the zones of the patterns.

In another case, the preparation consists, from a complex having at least three elementary layers, namely a holding layer, a heat-sealing layer and a printable decorative layer, to print the printable decorative layer to form the colored layer, then cut the color layer and the fusible layer according to the contours of the decorative patterns, without cutting the holding layer. Then, it is possible to proceed in several ways, depending on the materials and applications. Thus, the fractions of the colored layer and the layer can be eliminated. heat-bonding, outside the pattern areas, and then covering the remaining areas of the colored layer with the support layer, to finally eliminate the holding layer. This gives a transfer complex applicable to the coated textile. It is also possible to perform these operations in the reverse order, covering the entire printed layer to then remove the holding layer and the fractions of the colored layer and the fusible layer, outside the pattern areas.

Thus, in this second case, it is possible to deposit patterns having a total variety of colors, by printing on demand, a suitable color layer, for example by an inkjet process.

Advantageously, in practice, the adhesion of the heat-sealing layer to the upper coating layer of the textile complex can be done by a transfer step including exposure to a heat source, calendering, and then cooling.

Advantageously, the cooling can be carried out while the textile complex and the multilayer complex are under pressure. This makes it possible in particular to ensure optimum adhesion, since when the cooling is done under constraints, it limits the creation of detachment zones of the marking elements.

In practice, the choice of thicknesses and materials of the different layers make it possible to carry out various finishing steps and in particular graining, which can be applied, manually or automatically. Thus, it is possible to subject the assembly to a treatment giving a structured surface state to the upper coating layer of the textile complex. The effects of extra thicknesses due to the additions of the multilayer complex are greatly reduced or even canceled during these finishing operations, whereby the multilayer complex is as integrated in the upper surface of the coating layer of the coated textile.

In practice, it is also possible to use coated textiles which, prior to the process of the invention, have undergone a printing operation, which has given them an original visual appearance, on which will be superimposed decorative patterns made according to the invention. It is thus possible to position the decorative patterns in a chosen manner with respect to the original printing of the coated textile.

Thus, on the complex produced according to this method, it is observed at the level of the decorative patterns, that it comprises above the textile coating layer, a first layer of heat-sealing polymer covered with a second layer based on a colored polymer, optionally covered over a layer of varnish.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The manner of carrying out the invention, as well as the advantages which result therefrom, will emerge from the description of the embodiments which follow, with the aid of the appended figures in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view summary of a sample of the multilayer complex used to decorate a coated textile, shown after cutting the contours of the patterns, and according to a first operating mode; FIG. 2 is a summary perspective view of the multilayer film of FIG.

1, shown after stripping; FIG. 3 is a summary perspective view of a sample of a complex used to ensure the production of a multilayer complex according to a second operating mode, and shown after cutting out the contours of the patterns; Figure 4 is a brief perspective view of the complex of Figure 3, shown after placement of the support layer; FIG. 5 is a brief perspective view of a sample of the multilayer complex obtained from the complex of FIG. 4, shown at the time of stripping; FIG. 6 is a summary perspective view showing the multilayer complex of FIG. 2 or 5 placed on a coated textile, before exposure to heat; Figure 7 is a schematic summary perspective view of an installation on which are performed the various operations of the method according to the invention; Figure 8 is a partial schematic sectional view of a textile complex according to the invention at a decorative pattern. Of course, the dimensions and in particular the thicknesses of the different layers composing the various associated objects, whether it be the multilayer decoration complex or the coated textile, are given for illustrative purposes only. They can be clearly different from the thicknesses observed for real products, and have therefore been exaggerated to allow the representation of the invention and its comprehension.

MANNER OF REALIZING THE INVENTION

As already explained, the invention relates to a coated textile decoration process, which uses a multilayer complex to define patterns which are then transferred to the coated textile.

Such a multilayer complex is shown in FIG. 1. This complex 1 comprises a first support layer 5, which can typically be made based on a polyester-type polymer, and more particularly on polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This support layer 5 can thus advantageously be transparent and have its upper face (that is to say the one facing the other layers of the complex), which is adhesive. More specifically, this face has received an adhesive such as an acrylic adhesive which allows this support layer 5 to be glued and then peeled off repetitively. In the present case, this adhesive-coated face allows the support layer 5 to be peelable, that is to say dissociable from the other layers of the multilayer complex 1. The other face of the support layer 5 carries an anti-adhesion treatment , so that it can be detached easily, whereby the multilayer complex 1 can be rolled up before use and then easily unrolled. Typically, this support layer 5 has a thickness of between 75 and 150 microns, and more precisely of the order of one hundred micrometers.

The multilayer complex 1 also comprises a colored layer 4, which can typically be based on a colored polyurethane film. In the form illustrated, this colored layer 4 is associated with a second colored layer 3 that is typically white or the like, which has an opacifying power, so that the colored layer 4 will not have its color disturbed by the background on which the color will be transferred. pattern. Typically, the opacifying layer 3 has thicknesses of the order of a few tens of microns, typically between 15 and 40 microns, and more precisely close to 30 microns.

Above the colored layers 3,4, the multilayer complex 1 comprises a heat-adhesive layer or film 2, of a thickness of the order of a few tens of microns, and typically between 20 and 60 microns, and preferably close to 30 microns. . This heat-sealing layer is made based on a polymer, for example of the copolyester type or the like, having a melting point of about 125 ^° C. Other heat-sealing materials may be employed depending on the chemical nature of the coating layer. .

In a first step of the process of the invention, this multilayer complex 1 is prepared by cutting out the contours 6 of the patterns to be transferred, taking into account that the heat-sealing layer 2 will then be affixed to the coated textile. The patterns must therefore be reversed at the time of cutting. Importantly, this cutting must be done only on the layers that will be transferred, that is to say on the heat-sealing layer 2 and the colored layer (s) 3,4. It is essential that the support layer 5 is not cut out, or at least only partially, so as to maintain its support function and ensure the relative positioning of the different patterns between them. The cutting is done using conventional tools to calibrate the cutoff depth.

In a subsequent step, as illustrated in Figure 2, the fusible layer 2 and the color layer (s) 3,4 are then removed outside the areas that will form the patterns 8,9. This so-called "stripping" operation makes it possible to keep on the support sheet 5 only the various patterns 8, 9 to be transferred. This stripping is possible thanks to the controlled adhesive power of the upper face of the support layer 5.

An alternative technique makes it possible to obtain an analogous result, and from a complex 101 illustrated in FIG. 3. Such a complex 101 comprises a printable decorative layer 103, which is for example based on polyurethane resin loaded with powders facilitating the retention of ink, when the printing is done by technologies " inkjet ". This layer 103 has capabilities to receive a decoration by various printing operations, and in particular from an "inkjet" type printing. This decorative layer is based on a heat-sealing layer 102 similar to the heat-bonding layer mentioned above. This heat-sealing layer 102 itself rests on a holding layer 107, which is typically based on polyester, a thickness of the order of one hundred microns. Insofar as the fusible layer 102 has intrinsic adhesion capabilities, the assembly with the holding layer is carried out without difficulty. This layer 107 has the main role to allow the handling of the assembly during printing operations, which allow as shown in Figure 3 and by way of example, to achieve the patterns 108,109.

In a subsequent step, the contours of the patterns are cut from the printed side, taking care to cut only the printed layer 103 and the fusible layer 102, and without cutting the holding layer 107, at least not in a proportion. which would cause the tearing during his coat.

In a subsequent step illustrated in Figure 4, the assembly is covered according to the arrow A of a support layer 105, similar to the support layer 5 described above.

Then, and as illustrated in FIG. 5, the holding layer 102 is peeled off according to the arrow P. In this way, the portions of the fusible layer 104 and the printed layer 103 which are external to the patterns are also eliminated, allowing stripping as mentioned above.

Of course, and in a non-illustrated variant, it is also possible to perform the stripping directly after the cutting of the contours of the patterns, and before the establishment of the support layer. In this case, the latter is put in place later, and rests directly on the top of the cut patterns. It is then necessary to eliminate the holding layer alone.

It is thus possible, as illustrated in FIG. 6, to arrange the multilayer complex 1 thus prepared at the zones where it is desired to carry out the transfer on the coated textile 10. More specifically, this coated textile 10 as illustrated in Figure 6, firstly presents a textile core 11 which can be made in different ways, by a fabric, a knit or even a nonwoven. Various combinations or combinations may also be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention. The upper face of this textile core 11 is covered with one or more layers of coating. This coating layer 12 may typically be based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU) or thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO), or alternatively different coating layers superimposed, depending on the applications.

In a particular embodiment which gives satisfaction in terms of graining stability, using textiles whose coating layer is based on polyvinyl chloride, a colored polyurethane layer is used, with a Young's modulus to 100% elongation between 50 and 100 kg / cm ² , and typically close to

63 kg / cm ² , and a hardness between 60 Shore A and 40 Shore D, typically close to 85 Shore A. Complementarily, the graining stability is improved when the heat-sealing layer is chemically compatible with the material of the colored layer. This is the case, for example, by the use of a heat-sealing layer based on co-polyester, and combined with a colored polyurethane layer based on polyester.

It is also possible, as illustrated in FIG. 6, that this upper coating layer 12 has undergone a preliminary printing step by the deposition of a decorative layer 13 specific to the coated textile. This impression can be total or partial, and define for example other reasons specific to the coated textile. Different decoration or printing techniques can therefore be used, such as in particular rotogravure.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the method according to the invention therefore consists first of all in arranging, at a first station 21, the multilayer decoration complexes 31 with the cut-out patterns, facing the upper layer. coating of the coated textile 30. This multilayer complex may be deposited either by separate elements separated from each other, as shown in Figure 7, or by continuous scrolling of a continuous support layer supporting several successive patterns. Subsequently, the coated textile covered with the multilayer complex enters a second station 22 called "transfer station". In the first part 23 of this station, the textile assembly 30 / multi-layer complex 31 passes between two mats 35,36, having passed through an area including two rollers 33,34 facing each other allowing apply pressure on the two elements 30,31 to be assembled. In this first zone 23, heating means 38 are provided at the circuit of the upper belt 35, so as to ensure heating of the multilayer complex 31, and in particular of its heat-sealing layer. The temperature prevailing at this zone, on the coated textile upper face, may be a function of the chemical nature of the heat-sealing film. A temperature of between 120 and 180 ^° C., and close to 150 °, makes it possible to obtain good results with the copolyesters described above in the composition of the heat-sealing layer. To avoid degradation of the coated textile and in particular of its coating layer, the temperature can be maintained at levels well below the level of the circuit of the lower belt 36. The maintenance of an ambient temperature makes it possible to avoid the degradation of the coated textile.

At the outlet of the first part 23 of the transfer station, the textile assembly coated multilayer film passes between two rollers 41,42 of a shell 24, for applying a pressure promoting the intimate contact hot between the fusible layer and the upper face of the coated textile coating layer 30. This pressure can be typically of the order of a few Newtons to a few tens of Newtons per square centimeter. The air gap between the belts 35, 36 at the calender 24 can be adjusted very slightly less than the thickness of the coated textile, it being understood that the latter is much greater than the thickness of the multilayer decorative complex, unlike that which can appear in the figures which, it is recalled, are given as an indication.

After the passage between the rollers 41, 42 of calendering, the installation comprises a cooling zone 25, at which the temperature is maintained at a low level, typically at room temperature, below but also above the coated textile. This cooling is carried out under stress, that is to say that a pressure is maintained between the two mats 35,36 so that the heat-sealing layer, but also the colored layer and the coating layer of the coated textile , cool in staying in contact with each other, in order to avoid the creation of separation zones, or the appearance of bubbles.

At the exit of the transfer station 22, the machine 20 comprises a peeling station 26, at which the support layer 5 of the multilayer film is eliminated, by manual or automated means.

Subsequently, at a station 27, the coated textile receives a deposit of a layer of varnish to ensure in particular the protection against mechanical and / or external chemical attack, and also ensure the desired shine.

The coated textile can then undergo various finishing operations, and in particular, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a graining or hot-embossing operation. To do this and conventionally, the textile passes between two rollers 48,49, and its coated surface is brought into contact with a roller 48 having a surface state complementary to the desired surface state for the finished product. Complementary finishes are also possible before and / or after the hot embossing operation. It is thus possible to carry out a complementary printing, preferably before the embossing, and the deposition of the varnish layer.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the coated textile 50 comprises a textile core 11 covered with the upper coating layer 12 which has an irregular, i.e. non-planar, upper surface. The upper face 15 of the coating layer has at different locations printed patterns 53, 57 by operations prior to the method of the invention. In the specific areas 58 of the characteristic patterns, the colored layer 54 and the heat-sealing layer 52 of the multilayer complex partially rests on certain pre-printed patterns 57. A layer 55 of additional varnish covers the entire surface of the coating layer. , including the pre-printed patterns or patterns transferred according to the invention.

It follows from the foregoing that the process according to the invention has the advantage of allowing a marking which has a better abrasion resistance and a better quality of finish compared to the seed-coated textile known to date, and this with a more economical process.

Claims

1 / A process for manufacturing a textile complex (10) comprising a textile core (11) and an upper coating layer (12), and comprising decorative patterns (8,9,58) reported on the upper layer of coating (12), characterized in that it comprises the following steps: to prepare a multilayer transfer complex (1), comprising a support layer (5), on which rest the decorative patterns cut, arranged in a symmetrical orientation to their future arrangement on the textile complex, each decorative pattern comprising at least one colored layer (4), in contact with said support layer (5), and a heat-sealing layer (2) intended to come into contact with the upper layer coating, arranging said prepared multilayer complex (1) on the upper coating layer (12) of the textile complex (10) by its side having the fusible layer (2);

applying temperature and pressure conditions causing the heat-sealing layer (2) to adhere to the upper coating layer (12) of the textile complex; removing the support layer (5) from the multilayer complex; depositing a layer of varnish (55) covering the upper coating layer and the decorative motifs to be subjected to a treatment (27) giving a structured and irregular surface state to the upper coating layer.

2 / A method according to claim 1, wherein the preparation of the multilayer transfer complex (1) consists of a complex comprising at least three elementary layers, namely:

A support layer (5),

• a colored layer (4), • a fusible layer (2), to cut the colored layer (4) and the fusible layer (2) according to the contours (6) of the decorative patterns (8,9), without cutting the layer support (5) and then eliminate the fractions of said colored (4) and heat-bonding (2) layers, outside the pattern zones (8, 9);

3 / A method according to claim 1, wherein the preparation of the multilayer transfer complex consists of a complex (101) comprising at least three elementary layers, namely:

A holding layer (107),

A heat-sealing layer (102),

A printable decorative layer (104), printing the printable decorative layer (104) to form the colored layer, and then cutting the colored layer (104) and the fusible layer (102) according to the contours (106) of the patterns decorative elements (8, 9), without cutting the holding layer (107), covering the colored layer of the support layer (105), then removing the holding layer (107) and the fractions of said colored layers (104) and fusible (102), outside the pattern areas (8,9);

4 / A method according to claim 1, wherein the preparation of the multilayer transfer complex, consists of a complex (101) comprising at least three elementary layers, namely: • a holding layer (107),

A heat-sealing layer (102),

A printable decorative layer (104), printing the printable decorative layer (104) to form the colored layer, and then cutting the colored layer (104) and the fusible layer (102) according to the contours (106) of the patterns decorative (8,9), without cutting the holding layer (107), then removing the fractions of said colored layer (104) and heat-bonding (102), outside the pattern zones (8,9), then to cover the layer colored with the support layer (105), and removing the holding layer (107).

5 / A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion of the heat-bonding layer on the upper coating layer of the textile complex is by a transfer step including:

- exposure to a heat source (23); a calendering (24); cooling (25).

6 / A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the cooling is carried out while the textile complex (10) and the multilayer complex (1) are under pressure.

A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step of printing the textile complex prior to the position of the multilayer decorative complex.

8 / textile complex (50) comprising a textile web (11) and an upper coating layer (12), having an irregular surface condition, and having decorative patterns (58) attached to the upper coating layer, characterized in that at the level of said patterns (8), it comprises above said coating layer (12), a first layer of a heat-sealing polymer (52), covered with a second layer based on a polymer colored (54).

9 / textile complex according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a layer of varnish (55) covering the upper coating layer (12) and the pattern areas (58).

10 / textile complex according to claim 9, characterized in that the upper coating layer (12) has a printing layer (53).

11 / textile complex according to claim 10, characterized in that the colored layer rests on an opacifying layer.

12 / multilayer decorative complex, for implementing the method according to one of claims 2 to 7, comprising

A support layer (5),

A colored layer (4),

• a heat-sealing layer (2). 13 / multilayer decorative complex, according to claim 12, comprising an opacifying layer interposed between the colored layer (4), and the heat-sealing layer (2).

14 / multilayer decoration complex, for the implementation of the method according to one of claims 3 to 7, comprising

A holding layer (107),

A heat-sealing layer (102).

A decorative layer for printing (104).