EP3959366A1

EP3959366A1 - Knitted velour fabric

Info

Publication number: EP3959366A1
Application number: EP20712513.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matthias ESCHLER
Original assignee: Schoeller Textil AG
Current assignee: Schoeller Textil AG
Priority date: 2019-04-24
Filing date: 2020-03-17
Publication date: 2022-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 2040-03-17
Also published as: CH716114A1; EP3959366C0; TW202106940A; US20220213626A1; EP3959366B1; WO2020216532A1

Abstract

A knitted velour fabric (10) is proposed, which has a top side and a bottom side (11), wherein the top side comprises a pile and the bottom side (11) comprises a warp-knit made from at least one pile material (3) and a base material. The at least one pile material (3) in the warp-knit is in the form of at least one pile yarn (3) and the base material in the warp-knit is in the form of at least one base yarn (1, 2). Furthermore, the pile includes the at least one pile material. The at least one pile material of the pile has individual fibrils with a fineness of at most 2 dtex per fibril.

Description

Flat velor knitted fabric

Technical area

The invention relates to the technical field of velor goods, in particular imitations of suede, and the production of flat velor goods. State of the art

Suede is used in large quantities in the clothing, furniture and construction industries, as well as in vehicle construction for the interior of motor vehicles. Despite its good durability, natural leather has some disadvantages. For example, the use of natural leather can be problematic for allergy sufferers. Furthermore, the production of natural leather represents a relatively large burden on the environment and is increasingly viewed critically by consumers from an ethical point of view or even rejected entirely.

For these reasons, artificial suede imitations based on microfiber textiles are increasingly being produced and used in a variety of ways. The advantage of such imitations is, among other things, that they can be made relatively hard-wearing, easy to clean, allergy-neutral and antistatic. In order to achieve such properties, however, a complex and expensive manufacturing process is necessary, which means that many imitation suede are as expensive as natural leather.

One of the most widespread imitation suede is known in Europe under the trade name Alcantara ^® , which in the USA as Ultrasuede ^® and in Japan as

Ecsaine ^® is called. This is a polyester and polyurethane-based microfiber fabric on a non-woven basis, which was used in the early 1970s in Japan was developed. In the manufacture of Alcantara ^® , bicomponent staple fibers (polyester with polystyrene in the jacket) around 50 mm long are used as the starting material. The fiber bales are prepared in the bale openers and fed to a non-woven material crem pel. These sort the fibers and place them on a conveyor belt. Then 5 several layers are created in the layer. A multi-stage, mechanical needling process forms the consolidated base nonwoven. In a chemical / thermal process, the polystyrene jacket is now detached from the polyester filament. This process step in particular is a major burden for the environment. Without the polystyrene jacket, the PES filament breaks down into thin individual fibrils, which form a very dense and breathable surface. In order to fix the fibers in the textile, the nonwoven is impregnated with polyurethane in an immersion bath. In the next step, the nonwoven is split into several layers (top, middle and backing). The middle layer later represents the premium quality. Finally, the surface is roughened, which ensures the typical velvety or suede-like feel. Due to the complex production process, Alcantara ^{® has} no cost advantage compared to the production of natural leather. The industrial production of imitation suede has the advantage over natural leather, however, that a uniform and reproducible quality can be achieved.

Imitation suede are also known as so-called "sea island fleeces". Here, a starting material consisting of a sea component and an island component is used. The imitation suede is achieved by selective release of the sea component using alkaline solutions. The island component that remains ultimately forms the pile of the imitation suede.

Presentation of the invention

Sea-Island fleeces are relatively complex to manufacture. Furthermore, the alkaline release of the sea component limits the choice of material for the island component considerably, as this must not be attacked, dissolved, modified and / or damaged by the alkaline solution. For example, certain polyesters are not suitable as island components because they hydrolyze relatively quickly under basic conditions.

It is therefore the general object of the invention to further develop the state of the art in the field of imitation suede and preferably to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art.

In some embodiments, a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric for suede imitation leather is provided, which can be produced in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner.

In some embodiments, a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric for imitation suede is provided, which can be produced in a more environmentally friendly manner than has been possible up to now by means of conventional methods.

In further embodiments, a flat velor knitted fabric for velor imitations of leather is provided which is soft to the touch, antistatic, hard-wearing, easy to clean and / or allergy-neutral. In some embodiments, a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric for velor imitations of leather is provided which has a high tear resistance and / or good fastness properties, in particular rubbing, dyeing, light, perspiration and washing fastness.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the general object is achieved by a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric. The two-dimensional velor knitted fabric has an upper side and a lower side, the upper side comprising a pile. The underside comprises a knitted fabric made of at least one pile material and a base material. Alternatively, the underside can also consist of a knitted fabric made of exactly one pile material and one base material. The at least one pile material in the knitted fabric is a pile yarn and the base material formed in the knitted fabric as a ground yarn. Furthermore, the pile has the at least one pile material. However, the pile can also consist of the at least one pile material. The pile material of the pile also has individual fibrils with a maximum fineness of 2 dtex per fibril. A fineness of a maximum of 2 dtex in the fiber pile provides a good surface quality for the velor knitted fabric. Typically, the proportion of the individual fibrils based on the total proportion of the fibrils can be at least 50%, in particular at least 80%, preferably at least 90%.

The person skilled in the art understands that the pile material can typically be arranged both in the pile and in the knitted fabric of the flat velor knitted fabric. The knitted underside of the flat velor knitted fabric ensures that the individual fibrils of the pile cannot be released from the velor knitted fabric and are firmly anchored in the velor knitted fabric through the stitches in the knitted fabric. An additional adhesive, such as an additional polyurethane coating on the underside, as is customary in the prior art, can thus be dispensed with. Compared to known velor goods, in particular fleece-based velor goods, the knitted fabric is significantly more stable and tear-resistant due to the knitting.

In comparison with known in the art Velourslederimitat Alcantara ^®, the inventive surface velor knitted fabric made in accordance with the same weight, thickness and width either comparable or even better results (appearance, feel, Restkrumpf, Hitzekrumpf, perspiration, friction and water fastness, tensile strength, elongation at break ). For example, the flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention achieves a wet rub fastness of 4 in accordance with DIN EN ISO 1 1 640 or DIN EN ISO 1 05-X1 2, while the comparison product only achieves a value of 3. The inventive flat velor knits also points compared with Alcantara ^® to a softer feel and increased air permeability. In some embodiments, the ground yarn and the pile yarn are preferably not identical. For example, the base yarn can have a different fineness than the pile yarn or the base material can be different from the pile material.

In some embodiments, the at least one ground yarn can comprise a flat yarn and / or the at least one pile yarn can comprise or consist of a textured yarn.

The person skilled in the art understands that the term knitted fabric, as is customary in this technical field, denotes a textile fabric in which a loop formed by means of a yarn is looped into another loop. The essentially regularly distributed stitches that are produced in this way can be formed using a single yarn or a plurality of yarns. Thus, a knitted fabric differs from a fleece, in which a loose accumulation of fibers is solidified, in particular by heat, chemical or water needling, and therefore does not have any regular entanglements like a knitted fabric.

The individual fibrils of the pile are separate fibrils. Thus, these are relatively movable independently of one another.

The fineness is specified in tex or decitex (dtex) in accordance with the standards ISO 1 1 44 and DIN 60905. One dtex corresponds to 0.1 tex or 1 g per 1 0 000 meters.

In some embodiments, the at least one base yarn has a fineness of at most 5 dtex, in particular 3 dtex, preferably 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril. The pile yarn can have a fineness of a maximum of 1 dtex, preferably a maximum of 0.3 dtex per individual fibril. A particularly good surface quality of the pile is achieved by means of a pile yarn with a fineness of a maximum of 0.3 dtex. The coordinated fineness of the ground yarn and the pile yarn creates a particularly high quality Achieved velor knitted fabric which, compared to the velor goods known in the prior art, in particular fleece-based velor goods, has a similarly velvety surface. However, the production of the velor knitted fabric according to the invention is significantly more time and cost efficient. In further embodiments, the knitted fabric has a combined interlacing. The combined laying comprises at least one laying of the ground yarn and one laying of the pile yarn. By using a combined lay-up, in particular different lay-ups, the stability, in particular in the longitudinal direction, of the flat velor knitted fabric can be increased. In some embodiments, the combined lay-up comprises at least two lay-ups of the ground yarn and one lay of the pile yarn. At least two layers of the base yarn are preferably different from one another, as a result of which a particularly dense knitted fabric can be achieved, which anchors the individual fibrils of the pile particularly firmly. Such a velor knitted fabric is therefore particularly stable and durable. In further embodiments, at least one layer of the base yarn consists of a satin layer and / or at least one layer of the base yarn consists of a fringe layer. Preferably, one laying of the base yarn consists of a satin laying and one laying of the base yarn consists of a fringe laying. The laying of the fringes can block the laying of the pile yarn so that the pile yarn does not give way when the pile is roughened and the pile can thus be produced particularly effectively.

In some embodiments, the lay of the pile yarn consists of a satin lay or a velvet lay. The satin laying leads to a pile with shorter individual fibrils and the velvet laying leads to a pile with slightly longer individual fibrils. In further embodiments, the combined laying consists of a satin-fringed-satin laying or a satin-fringed-velvet laying. Such an essentially layered structure with a fringe arrangement enables a very high mesh strength and thus a velor knitted fabric with a higher resistance and tear resistance than a velor based on fleece. Compared to the inventive Alcantara ^® velor surface knitted fabric provides a significantly increased tensile strength (ISO 3341: 2000-05) in the transverse direction (1 026 N to 360 N).

The various interpretations are known to those skilled in the art. For example, a closed fringe arrangement, as can preferably be used in the present invention, has a 1-0 / 0-1 pattern. A satin laying shows in the closed form, a 1 -0 / 3-4 laying on. A velvet laying has a 1-0 / 4-5 laying in the closed form. The velvet laying and / or the satin laying is preferably used in the closed form.

The embodiments described above with a combined laying in combination with a base yarn with a maximum fineness of 3 dtex, preferably a maximum of 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril and a pile yarn with a maximum fineness of 1 dtex, preferably a maximum of 0.3 dtex, has proven to be particularly advantageous , since a velor knitted fabric with a very high stability can be achieved in this way. In the tensile strength test according to DIN 1 3935-1, an actual value of 424 (textile breakage) along the length and an actual value of 51 9 (textile breakage and textile breakage at the seam) across. In addition, excellent results are obtained when testing the wear behavior according to DIN EN ISO 1 2974-1. No breakage of the thread is observed even with over 50,000 tours.

In some embodiments, the knitted fabric has a stitch density of 150 to 800 stitches / cm ² , preferably 400 to 600 stitches / cm ² . For example, the knitted fabric can have 5 to 20, preferably 10 to 15, particularly preferably 1 3 wales / cm and / or 30 to 40, preferably 30 to 35, particularly preferably 33 courses / cm.

In some embodiments, the pile 250000-350000 individual fibrils per cm ² may have.

In further embodiments, the at least one base material and the at least one pile material consist of polyester. However, it is also possible to use polyamide or other synthetic fiber materials.

In some embodiments, the ground yarn has 30 to 35 dtex and 15 fibrils and the pile yarn has 70 to 80 dtex and 300 fibrils. The use of such a yarn combination makes it possible to provide a very tight knitted fabric with a very high density of the individual fibrils.

In further embodiments, the velor knitted fabric has a weight of 1 80 to 300 g / m ² , preferably 220 to 280 g / m ² . According to a further aspect of the invention, the general object is achieved by a method for producing a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric, in particular for producing a velor knitted fabric according to the invention. The procedure comprises the following steps:

a) providing at least one pile yarn made from a pile material and at least one base yarn made from a base material;

b) Knitting the pile yarn and the ground yarn with a knitting machine to form a raw knitted fabric made of pile yarn and ground yarn, the raw knitted fabric has a top and a bottom, and wherein the top comprises substantially pile yarn;

c) Roughening the upper side of the raw knitted fabric, the pile yarn being severed on the upper side of the knitted fabric and a pile being formed;

5 d) Setting up the pile.

The advantage of such a method compared to the prior art is, among other things, that the total number of process steps is significantly reduced compared to the production of fleece-based velor goods. All common knitting machines can be used as knitting machines. However, warp knitting machines, in particular tricot warp knitting machines, are preferably used.

The person skilled in the art understands that the upper side, which essentially comprises pile yarn, can mainly consist of pile yarn. In particular, the surface of the upper side of the raw knitted fabric can be formed from pile yarn, or consist of pile yarn or at least comprise pile yarn. 5 Typically, the pile can be erected by means of a second or several roughening processes. However, the pile can also be set up at least partially during step c). Step d) can thus take place together and / or after step c).

In some embodiments of the method according to the invention, the at least one base yarn has a fineness of at most 5 dtex, in particular 3 dtex, preferably from 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril and / or the pile yarn has a fineness of at most 1 dtex, preferably at most 0.3 dtex per fibril on. In further embodiments, the knitting in step b) takes place with a combined laying with at least two laying of the ground yarn and one laying of the pile yarn.

In some embodiments, the raw knitted fabric is dyed by means of rope dyeing before the pile is erected and optionally then dried. In further embodiments, the knitting in step b) takes place with a knitting machine with a set count of E20 to E32, i.e. 20 to 32 needles per inch (8 to 1 2.6 needles per centimeter). A fineness of E28 is preferred. Such a close effect has proven to be particularly advantageous for the surface properties and the stability of the pile. In other embodiments, the knitting in step b) takes place with a combined laying, the laying (s) of the ground yarn being overlaid by the laying of the pile yarn. It can thus be ensured that the surface of the upper side of the raw knitted fabric consists essentially of pile yarn, as a result of which only the pile yarn is severed during the subsequent roughening and the formed pile thus essentially consists of pile material. In general, the pile typically consists of the pile material, which can optionally also be colored with dyes.

In further embodiments, the combined laying comprises one laying of the pile yarn and at least two laying of the ground yarn.

In some embodiments, at least one laying of the base yarn consists of a satin laying and / or at least one laying of the base yarn consists of a fringe laying and / or the laying of the pile yarn consists of a satin laying or velvet laying.

In further embodiments, the combined laying consists of a satin-fringed-satin laying or a satin-fringed-velvet laying. In the case of the satin fringed satin Laying is done using a first guide rail with a 1 -0 / 3-4 layer of the base material, a second guide rail with a 0-1 / 1 -0 layer of the base material and a third guide rail with a 3-4 / 1 -0 layer of the pile material. In the case of the satin-fringed-velvet laying, the first and second laying rails are identical to the satin-fringed-satin laying, but the third laying rail has a 4-5 / 1 -0 laying of the pile material.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of a flat velor knitted fabric according to one of the embodiments described here for the production of imitation leather.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 a shows a combined laying of a flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 b shows the combined laying of FIG. 1 a as a single laying.

FIG. 2a shows a combined laying of a flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention according to a further embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2b shows the combined laying of FIG. 2a as a single laying.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the underside of a flat velor knitted fabric according to a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the upper side of a raw knitted fabric for producing a velor knitted fabric according to the invention. FIG. 5 shows a photograph of the cross section of a flat velor knitted fabric according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a photograph of the pile of a flat velor knitted fabric according to an embodiment of the invention. Ways of Implementing the Invention FIG. 1a shows a combined lay-up of a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric according to the invention with two lay-ups of the base yarn 1 a, 1 b and 2a, 2b and one lay-up of the pile yarn 3a, 3b. 5 individual yarns are shown for each laying. The combined laying consists of a satin-fringe-satin laying. The first guide rail acts as a closed satin layer (see 1 a, 1 b), the second guide rail has an open fringe layer (see 2a, 2b) and the third guide rail in turn has a closed satin layer (see 3a, 3b). The open fringing of the base yarn blocks the satin laying of the pile yarn, which means that the pile yarn cannot escape during the subsequent roughening and thus an optimal surface quality of the pile can be provided with high effectiveness.

In FIG. 1 b, the combined laying from FIG. 1 a is shown, but for a better overview only one single yarn is shown per laying.

FIG. 2a shows a combined lay-up of a flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention with two lay-ups of the base yarn 1 a, 1 b and 2a, 2 b. In addition, the combined laying comprises a further laying of the pile yarn 3a, 3b. 5 individual yarns are shown for each laying. In contrast to the combined laying shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the combined laying consists of a satin-fringe-velvet laying. By comparison with the combined laying in Figures 1 a and 1 b it becomes clear that after roughing the raw knitwear, ie after cutting through the velvet laying of the pile yarn, a pile with longer individual fibrils is created than with a satin-fringe-satin laying.

FIG. 2b shows the combined laying of FIG. 2a, but only one single yarn 1a, 2a and 3a is shown per laying.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the underside 1 1 of a velor knitted fabric 10 according to the invention. The underside 11 comprises a knitted fabric made of a pile material, which is designed as a pile yarn 3, and of a base material, which is a first base yarn 1 and a second base yarn 2 is trained. Due to the very close effect, the pile yarn 3 is firmly anchored in the knitted fabric, so that the individual fibrils of the pile on the opposite side of the velor knitted fabric are firmly anchored in the knitted fabric and do not detach from the velor knitted fabric even without additional adhesive. A polyester yarn dtex 33F1 5 can be used as the base yarn and a polyester yarn dtex 78F300 as the pile yarn. In the figure 4 the top side 1 2 of a raw knitted fabric is shown according to an embodiment of the invention. The surface of the top 1 2 consists essentially of pile yarn 3, or is formed by this. Since the raw knitwear has not yet been roughened and thus the pile yarn has not yet been cut through, the pile has not yet been formed. The following table shows some relevant comparative values between the suede imitation Alcantara ^® known in the prior art and a two-dimensional suede knitted fabric according to the present invention:

Claims

1 . Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0), the velor knitted fabric (1 0) having an upper side and a lower side (1 1), the upper side comprising a pile and the lower side (1 1) comprising a knitted fabric made of at least one pile material and a base material, wherein the at least one pile material in the knitted fabric is designed as at least one pile yarn (3) and the base material in the knitted fabric is designed as at least one base yarn (1, 2) and wherein the pile comprises the at least one pile material, the at least one pile material of the pile having individual fibrils has a fineness of a maximum of 2 dtex per fibril. 0 2. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one

Ground yarn (1,

2) has a fineness of at most 5 dtex, in particular 3 dtex, preferably from 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril and / or the pile yarn (3) has a fineness of at most 1 dtex, preferably at most 0.3 dtex per fibril.

3. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to one of the preceding claims, 5 wherein the knitted fabric is a combined laying with at least one laying of the

Has ground yarn (1, 2) and a lay of pile yarn (3).

4. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to claim 3, wherein the combined laying has at least two laying of the base yarn (1, 2) and one laying of the pile yarn (3). 0 5. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein at least one

Laying of the basic yarn (1, 2) consists of a satin laying and / or wherein at least one laying of the basic yarn (1, 2) consists of a fringe.

6 flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the laying of the pile yarn (3) consists of a satin laying or a velvet laying.

7. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to claim 6, wherein the combined laying consists of a satin-fringed-satin laying or a satin-fringed-velvet laying.

8. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the knitted fabric has a mesh density of 1 50 to 800 meshes / cm ² , preferably from 400 to 600 meshes / cm ² .

9. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one base material and the at least one pile material consist of polyester.

1 0. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base yarn (1, 2) has 33 dtex and 15 fibrils and the pile yarn (3) has 78 detex and 300 fibrils.

1 1. Flat velor knitted fabric (1 0) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Velor knitwear (1 0) has a weight of 1 80 to 300 g / m ² , preferably 220 to 280 g / m ² .

1 2. A method for producing a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric comprising the steps: a) providing at least one pile yarn made from a pile material and at least one base yarn made from a base material; b) Knitting the pile yarn and the ground yarn with a knitting machine to form a raw knitted fabric made of pile yarn and ground yarn, the raw knitted fabric having a top side and a bottom side and the top side essentially comprising pile yarn; c) Roughening the top of the raw knitted fabric, the pile yarn on the

The top of the knitted fabric is severed and a pile is formed; d) Setting up the pile.

1 3. The method according to claim 1 2, wherein the at least one base yarn has a fineness of at most 5 dtex, in particular 3 dtex, preferably from 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril and / or the pile yarn has a fineness of at most 1 dtex, preferably at most 0.3 dtex per fibril.

1 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 2 or 1 3, wherein the knitting in step b) takes place with a combined laying with at least two laying of the ground yarn and one laying of the pile yarn.

1 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 2 to 1 4, wherein the raw knitted fabric before

The pile is dyed by means of strand dyeing.

1 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 2 to 1 5, wherein the knitting in step b) takes place with a knitting machine with a fineness of E28.

1 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 2 to 1 5, wherein the knitting in step b) takes place with a combined laying and wherein preferably the laying (s) of the base yarn is superimposed by the laying of the pile yarn.

1 8. The method of claim 1 7, wherein the combined laying comprises a laying of the pile yarn and at least two laying of the ground yarn.

1 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 7 or 1 8, wherein at least one laying of the base yarn consists of a satin laying and / or wherein at least one laying of the base yarn consists of a fringe and / or wherein the laying of the pile yarn consists of a satin laying or a Velocity consists.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 7 to 1 9, wherein the combined laying consists of a satin-fringed-satin-laying or a satin-fringed velvet laying.

21st Use of a two-dimensional velor knitted fabric according to one of Claims 1 to 1 1 for the production of imitation leather.