EP3959366B1 - Knitted velour fabric - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to the technical field of velor goods, in particular imitations of suede, as well as 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 trim 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 completely.

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 designed to be relatively hard-wearing, easy to clean, allergy-neutral and antistatic. However, in order to achieve such properties, a complex and expensive manufacturing process is necessary, which means that many imitation suede are as expensive as natural leather.

One of the most common suede imitations is known in Europe under the trade name Alcantara ^® , which is referred to as Ultrasuede ^® in the USA and Ecsaine ^® in Japan. This is a fleece-based microfiber fabric based on polyester and polyurethane, which was already in use at the beginning of the 1970s Japan was developed. When producing Alcantara ^{® ,} approximately 50 mm long bicomponent staple fibers (polyester with polystyrene in the sheath) are used as the starting material. The fiber bales are prepared in the bale openers and fed to a nonwoven card. These sort the fibers and place them on a conveyor belt. Several layers are then created in the layer. A multi-stage, mechanical needling creates the solidified base nonwoven. The polystyrene jacket is now separated from the polyester filament in a chemical/thermal process. This process step in particular represents a major burden on 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 fabric is impregnated with polyurethane in an immersion bath. In the next step, the nonwoven material is split into several layers (top, middle and bottom layer). The middle layer later represents the premium quality. Finally, the surface is roughened, which ensures the typical velvety-soft or suede-like feel. Due to the complex production, Alcantara ^® has no cost advantage compared to the production of natural leather. However, the industrial production of imitation suede has the advantage over natural leather in that a uniform and reproducible quality can be achieved.

Imitation suede is also known as so-called “Sea-Island fleeces”. A starting material consisting of a sea component and an island component is used. The imitation suede is achieved by selectively releasing the sea component using alkaline solutions. The remaining Icelandic component ultimately forms the pile of the imitation suede.

Presentation of the invention

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

Flat velor knitwear, for example, is used in US 5 91 6 273 A , CN 108 004 667 A and JP 201 1 069031 A disclosed.

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

In some embodiments, a flat velor knit fabric for imitation suede is provided that can be produced in a time- and cost-efficient manner.

In some embodiments, a flat velor knitted fabric for imitation suede is provided, which can be produced in a more environmentally friendly manner than has previously been possible using conventional methods.

In further embodiments, a flat velor knitted fabric is provided for imitation suede that is soft to the touch, antistatic, durable, easy to clean and/or allergy-neutral.

In some embodiments, a flat velor knitted fabric for imitation suede is provided, which has high tear resistance and/or good fastness properties, in particular fastness to rubbing, color, light, perspiration and washing.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the general object is achieved by a flat velor knitted fabric according to claim 1. The flat velor knitted fabric has a top and a bottom, with the top having a Flor includes. 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 base yarn. Furthermore, the pile has the at least one pile material. However, the pile can also consist of at least one pile material. The pile material of the pile also has individual fibrils with a fineness of a maximum of 2 dtex per fibril. A fineness of a maximum of 2 dtex in the fiber pile ensures a good surface quality of the velor knitted fabric. Typically, the proportion of individual fibrils based on the total proportion of 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 by the stitches in the knitted fabric. This means that there is no need for an additional adhesive, such as an additional polyurethane coating on the underside, as is usual in the prior art. Compared to well-known velor goods, especially fleece-based velor goods, the knitted fabric is significantly more stable and tear-resistant.

In comparison to the ^Alcantara® imitation suede known from the prior art, the flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention achieves either comparable or even better values (look, feel, residual shrinkage, heat shrinkage, sweat, friction and water fastness, tensile strength, elongation at break) with the same weight, thickness and width ). For example, the flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention achieves a wet rubbing fastness of 4 in accordance with DIN EN ISO 11640 or DIN EN ISO 105-X12, while the comparison product only achieves a value of 3. The flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention also has a softer feel and increased air permeability compared to ^Alcantara® .

In some embodiments, the base 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 base yarn may comprise or consist of a plain yarn and/or the at least one pile yarn may comprise or consist of a textured yarn.

The person skilled in the art understands that the term knitted fabric, as is common in this technical field, refers to a textile fabric in which a loop formed by a yarn is looped into another loop. The essentially regularly distributed stitches created in this way can be formed using a single yarn or multiple yarns. This means that a knitted fabric differs from a fleece, in which a loose collection 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 fibrils that are separated from each other. These are therefore relatively movable independently of each other.

The fineness is specified in tex or decitex (dtex) in accordance with the ISO 1144 and DIN 60905 standards. One dtex corresponds to 0.1 tex or 1 g per 10,000 meters.

In some embodiments, the at least one base yarn has a fineness of a maximum of 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 using a pile yarn with a maximum fineness of 0.3 dtex. The coordinated fineness of the base yarn and the pile yarn results in a particularly high quality Velor knitwear is achieved, which has a similar velvety surface compared to the velor goods known in the prior art, in particular fleece-based velor goods. 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 laying. The combined laying includes at least one laying of the base yarn and one laying of the pile yarn. By using a combined laying, in particular different laying, the stability, especially in the longitudinal direction, of the flat velor knitted fabric can be increased.

In some embodiments, the combined lay comprises at least two lays of the base yarn and one lay of the pile yarn. Preferably, at least two layers of the base yarn are different from each other, which means that a particularly dense knitted fabric can be achieved, which anchors the individual fibrils of the pile particularly firmly. This makes such velor knitted fabric 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 lay of the base yarn consists of a satin lay and one lay of the base yarn consists of a fringe lay. The fringing can block the laying of the pile yarn so that the pile yarn does not move away when it is roughened to form the pile and the pile can therefore be produced particularly effectively.

In some embodiments, the lay of the pile yarn is a satin lay or a velvet lay. The satin laying results in 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-fringe-satin laying or a satin-fringe-velvet laying. Such an essentially layered structure with a fringe arrangement enables a very high stitch strength and thus a velor knitted fabric with a higher resistance and tear resistance than a fleece-based velor. In comparison to Alcantara ^®, the flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention delivers a significantly increased tearing force (ISO 3341: 2000-05) in the transverse direction (1026 N compared to 360 N).

The various layings are known to those skilled in the art. For example, a closed fringe lay, as can preferably be used in the present invention, has a 1 -0/0-1 lay. A satin lay in the closed form has a 1 -0/3-4 lay. A velvet laying has a 1 -0/4-5 laying in the closed form. Velvet laying and/or 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 fineness of a maximum of 3 dtex, preferably a maximum of 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril and a pile yarn with a fineness of a maximum of 1 dtex, preferably a maximum of 0.3 dtex, has proven to be particularly advantageous , as this allows a velor knitted fabric with a very high level of stability to be achieved. In the tear strength test according to DIN 13935-1, an actual value of 424 (textile breakage) is achieved along the length and an actual value of 519 (textile breakage and textile breakage at the seam) across. In addition, outstanding results are obtained when testing the wear behavior according to DIN EN ISO 1 2974-1. This means that no breakage of the thread is observed even after over 50,000 tours.

The knitted fabric has a stitch density of 400 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 13 wales/cm and/or 30 to 40, preferably 30 to 35, particularly preferably 33 courses of stitches/cm.

In some embodiments, the pile may have between 250,000 and 350,000 individual fibrils per cm ² .

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 base 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 enables the provision of 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 180 to 300 g/m ² , preferably 220 to 280 g/m ² .

1. a) Bereitstellen mindestens eines Florgarns aus einem Flormaterial und mindestens eines Grundgarns aus einem Grundmaterial;
2. b) Wirken des Florgarns und des Grundgarns mit einer Wirkmaschine zu einer Rohmaschenware aus Florgarn und Grundgarn, wobei die Rohmaschenware eine Oberseite und eine Unterseite aufweist und wobei die Oberseite im Wesentlichen Florgarn umfasst;
3. c) Rauen der Oberseite der Rohmaschenware, wobei das Florgarn an der Oberseite der Maschenware durchtrennt und ein Flor ausgebildet wird;
4. d) Aufstellen des Flors.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the general object is achieved by a method according to claim 8 for producing a flat velor knitted fabric, in particular for producing a velor knitted fabric according to the invention. The procedure includes the steps:

1. a) providing at least one pile yarn made of a pile material and at least one base yarn made of a base material;
2. b) Knitting the pile yarn and the base yarn with a knitting machine to form a raw knitted fabric made of pile yarn and base yarn, the raw knitted fabric has a top and a bottom and wherein the top essentially comprises pile yarn;
3. c) roughening the top of the raw knitted fabric, thereby cutting the pile yarn at the top of the knitted fabric and forming a pile;
4. d) Setting up the pile.

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

The person skilled in the art understands that the top, which essentially comprises pile yarn, can consist mainly of pile yarn. In particular, the surface of the top side of the raw knitted fabric can be formed from pile yarn, or consist of pile yarn or at least comprise pile yarn.

Typically, the pile can be set up using a second or several roughening processes. However, the pile can also be set up at least partially during step c). Step d) can therefore 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 a maximum of 5 dtex, in particular 3 dtex, preferably of 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril and/or the pile yarn has a fineness of a maximum of 1 dtex, preferably a maximum of 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 base yarn and one laying of the pile yarn.

In some embodiments, the raw knitted fabric is dyed using strand dyeing before the pile is erected and optionally then dried.

In further embodiments, the knitting in step b) is carried out with a knitting machine with a set fineness 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 beneficial for the surface quality and stability of the pile.

In other embodiments, the knitting in step b) takes place with a combined lay, whereby the lay(s) of the base yarn is superimposed on the lay of the pile yarn. It can thus be ensured that the surface of the top side of the raw knitted fabric essentially consists of pile yarn, whereby 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 be additionally colored with dyes.

In further embodiments, the combined lay has one lay of the pile yarn and at least two lays of the base yarn.

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

In further embodiments, the combined laying consists of a satin-fringe-satin laying or a satin-fringe-velvet laying. In the case of satin fringe satin laying The knitting takes place using a first laying rail with a 1 -0/3-4 laying of the base material, a second laying rail with a 0-1/1 -0 laying of the base material and a third laying rail with a 3-4/1 -0 laying of the pile material. In the case of satin-fringe-velvet laying, the first and second laying rails are identical to the satin-fringe-satin laying, but the third laying rail works with a 4-5/1-0 laying of the pile material.

A further 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 characters

• Figure 1a shows a combined laying of a flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention according to an embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 1b shows the combined laying of the Figure 1a as an individual laying.
• Figure 2a shows a combined laying of a flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention according to a further embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2b shows the combined laying of the Figure 2a as an individual laying.
• Figure 3 shows a top view of the underside of a flat velor knitted fabric according to a further embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 4 shows a top view of the top of a raw knitted fabric for producing a velor knitted fabric according to the invention.
• Figure 5 shows a photograph of the cross section of a flat velor knitted fabric according to an embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 6 shows a photograph of the pile of a flat velor knitted fabric according to an embodiment of the invention.

Ways of carrying out the invention

In the Figure 1a a combined laying of a flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention with two layings of the base yarn 1a, 1b and 2a, 2b and one laying of the pile yarn 3a, 3b is shown. 5 individual yarns are shown per individual laying. The combined laying consists of a satin-fringe-satin laying. The first laying rail creates a closed satin laying (see 1a, 1b), the second laying rail creates an open fringe laying (see 2a, 2b) and the third laying rail in turn creates a closed satin laying (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 the Figure 1b is the combined laying from the Figure 1a shown, however, for a better overview, only one individual yarn is shown per lay.

In the Figure 2a a combined laying of a flat velor knitted fabric according to the invention with two layings of the base yarn 1a, 1b and 2a, 2b is shown. In addition, the combined laying includes a further laying of the pile yarn 3a, 3b. 5 individual yarns are shown per individual laying. The combined laying is in contrast to that in the Figures 1a and 1b shown combined laying made of a satin-fringe-velvet laying. By comparing with the combined laying in the Figures 1a and 1b It becomes clear that after roughening the raw knitted fabric, ie after cutting the velvet layer of the pile yarn, a pile with longer individual fibrils is created than with a satin-fringe-satin layer.

The Figure 2b shows the combined laying of the Figure 2a , however, only one individual yarn 1a, 2a and 3a is shown per lay.

The Figure 3 shows a top view of the underside 11 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 designed as a first base yarn 1 and a second base yarn 2. Due to the very tight effect, the pile yarn 3 is firmly anchored in the knitted fabric, so that the individual fibrils of the pile on the opposite top side of the velor knitted fabric are firmly anchored in the knitted fabric and do not detach themselves from the velor knitted fabric, even without additional adhesive. For example, a polyester yarn dtex 33F15 can be used as the base yarn and a polyester yarn dtex 78F300 can be used as the pile yarn.

In the Figure 4 the top 12 of a raw knitted fabric is shown according to an embodiment of the invention. The surface of the top 12 essentially consists of pile yarn 3 or is formed by it. Since the raw knitted fabric has not yet been roughened and therefore the pile yarn on the top has not yet been cut, the pile has not yet been formed.

The following table shows some relevant comparison values between the imitation suede Alcantara ^® known in the prior art and a flat velor knitted fabric according to the present invention: Comparative value ^Alcantara® Velor knitted fabric according to the invention standard Residual shrinkage 40°C Length [%] -2.0 -3 DIN EN ISO 6330 Residual shrinkage 40°C width [%] -2.5 -1 DIN EN ISO 6330 Heat shrinkage length [%] -2.0 -6.0 DIN EN ISO 6330 Heat shrinkage width [%] -2.0 -2.5 DIN EN ISO 6330 Wash 40°C 4-5 4-5 DIN EN ISO 105 C10 Sweat fastness alkaline 4-5 4.5 DIN EN ISO 105 E04 Sweat fastness sour 4-5 4-5 DIN EN ISO 105 E04 Fastness to rubbing dry 4-5 4-5 DIN EN ISO 105 X12 Fastness to rubbing wet 3 4 DIN EN ISO 105 X12 Water difficult authenticity 4 4-5 DIN EN ISO 105 E01 pilling 4-5 4-5 DIN EN ISO 12945 Abrasion test 50,000 tours Slightly scuffed surface, no holes formed No thread breakage, slight pile loss DIN EN ISO 12974-1 Tensile force length [N] 222 204 ISO 3341:2000-05 Tear force width [N] 360 1026 ISO 3341:2000-05 Elongation at break length [%] 89.8 80.5 ISO 3341:2000-05 Elongation at break width [%] 57.1 67.9 ISO 3341:2000-05 Force 10% Length [N] 18.6 65.7 DIN 53835-14:1992-11 Force 10% width [N] 1 16.0 89.2 DIN 53835-14:1992-11 Tear force length [N] 17.5 23.0 DIN EN ISO 13937 Tear force width [N] 13.0 11.9 DIN EN ISO 13937

Claims (15)

1. A planar velour knitted fabric (10), said velour knitted fabric (10) having an upper side and a lower side (11), said upper side comprising a pile and said lower side (11) comprising a knitted fabric of at least one pile material and a base material, said lower side being free of an adhesive, wherein the at least one pile material in the knitted fabric is formed as at least one pile yarn (3) and the base material in the knitted fabric is formed as at least one base yarn (1, 2) and wherein the pile comprises the at least one pile material, wherein the at least one pile material of the pile comprises individual fibrils with a fineness of at most 2 dtex per fibril, characterized in that said knitted fabric has a stitch density of 400 to 800 stitches/cm².
2. Planar velour knitted fabric (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one base 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. Planar velour knitted fabric (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the knitted fabric has a combined lapping with at least one lapping of the base yarn (1, 2) and one lapping of the pile yarn (3), wherein preferably the combined lapping has at least two lappings of the base yarn (1, 2) and one lapping of the pile yarn (3); and/or preferably at least one lapping of the base yarn (1, 2) consisting of a satin lapping and/or at least one lapping of the base yarn (1,2) consisting of a fringe lapping.
4. Planar velour knitted fabric (10) according to claim 3, wherein the lapping of the pile yarn (3) consists of a satin lapping or a velvet lapping, wherein preferably the combined lapping consists of a satin-fringe-satin lapping or of a satin-fringe-velvet lapping.
5. Planar velour knitted fabric (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the knitted fabric has a stitch density of 400 to 600 stitches/cm²; and/or wherein the velour knitted fabric (10) has a weight of 180 to 300 g/m², preferably 220 to 280 g/m2.
6. Planar velour knitted fabric (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one base material and the at least one pile material consist of polyester.
7. Planar velour knitted fabric (10) 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 dtex and 300 fibrils.
8. A method of manufacturing a planar velour knitted fabric with a stitch density of 400 to 800 stitches/cm² and a lower side being free of an adhesive according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of:

   a) providing at least one pile yarn of a pile material which has individual fibrils with a fineness of at most 2 dtex per fibril and at least one base yarn of a base material;

   b) warp-knitting said pile yarn and said base yarn with a warp-knitting machine to form a raw knitted fabric of pile yarn and base yarn, said raw knitted fabric having an upper side and a lower side, said upper side substantially comprising pile yarn;

   c) napping the upper side of the raw knitted fabric, whereby the pile yarn is cut at the upper side of the knitted fabric and a pile is formed;

   d) setting up the pile.
9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one base yarn has a fineness of at most 5 dtex, in particular 3 dtex, preferably of 2 to 2.5 dtex per fibril and/or the pile yarn has a fineness of at most 1 dtex, preferably of at most 0.3 dtex per fibril.
10. Method according to any one of claims 8 or 9, wherein the warp-knitting in step b) is carried out with a combined lapping with at least two lappings of the base yarn and one lapping of the pile yarn.
11. Method of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the raw knitted fabric is dyed by yarn dying prior to setting up the pile.
12. Method of any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the warp-knitting in step b) is performed with a warp-knitting machine having a fineness of 28 needles per 2,54 cm (E28).
13. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the warp-knitting in step b) is carried out with a combined lapping, and wherein preferably the lapping(s) of the base yarn is superimposed on the lapping of the pile yarn, wherein preferably the combined lapping comprises one lapping of the pile yarn and at least two lappings of the base yarn; and/or preferably wherein at least one lapping of the base yarn consists of a satin lapping and/or wherein at least one lapping of the base yarn consists of a fringe lapping and/or wherein the lapping of the pile yarn consists of a satin lapping or a velvet lapping.
14. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the combined lapping consists of a satin-fringe-satin lapping or a satin-fringe-velvet lapping.
15. Use of a planar velour knitted fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for the manufacture of imitation leather.

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