GB2135351A - Stretch fabric and method for its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

A stretch fabric comprises a covered elastomeric yarn of total denier at least 200 and has a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction and is capable of being moulded. The fabric is suitable for covering relieved surfaces such as the moulded inner panel of an automobile door. After weaving the fabric it is overfed onto a former 12 in a way so that the former can be removed from the loosely wrapped roll of the fabric. The roll is transferred to a hot water bath 16 for a hot relaxation treatment wherein it is pressed by a roller 15 against the side of the bath. After this treatment the fabric undergoes a hot stenter treatment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stretch fabric and method for its manufacture This invention relates to stretch fabrics.

It is, of course, well known to use stretch yarn, and, in particular, elastomeric core yarn to make stretch fabrics. We have now devised a new stretch fabric which is especially suitable for a particular end use to which stretch fabrics have not hitherto been adapted.

The invention comprises a stretch fabric comprising covered elastomeric yarn oftotal denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, and capable of being moulded.

The covered elastomericyarn maycomprise an elastomeric core covered with polyester, and may be airjettextured.

The fabric may be a woven fabric in which case it will have a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in the warp or well as in the weft direction.

Such a fabric-which can be produced by a method to be hereinafter described-is particularly adapted for covering moulded panels for example for interior trim of automobile doors. The fabric can be laid over a metal inner panel of a door-which may have quite deep relief features such as arm rests - and pressed on and adhesively bonded to the surfacewithout requiring any "tailoring". Similar treatment can be used for domesticfurniture and other like end uses where a relieved surface needs to be covered.

The invention also comprises a method for making a stretch fabric of covered elastomeric yarn of total denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, in which the fabric is finished by being subjected to a relaxation process at elevated temperature insufficient to deg rade the elastomeric yarn.

The relaxation process may comprise the step of subjecting the fabric to pressurewhilstloosely wrapped in roll form. The loosely wrapped roll may be made by overfeeding the fabric on to a former, and removing the former. The thus loosely wrapped roll may be repeatedly squeezed by lateral pressure.

The relaxation process may be carried out in hot water, at the boil, if desired.

The method may include a final stentering step, which may be a hot-stentering step to a desired width greaterthan the relaxed width but less than the width atfirstfabricated.

A stretch fabric and a method for making the same according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the single Figure isa schematicflowdiagram.

The fabric is, in this example, woven in a plain weave from airjettextured polyester wrapped elas tomeric core yarn. Particularly attractive effects for upholstery, especiallyfor automobile trim, are obtained using heavieryarns, not necessarily the sameweights inwarp andweft, butin different colours, say black and white, or brown and white.

After weaving, the fabric is overfed (it having already a degree of stretch) onto a former 12.

Overfeeding may be effected by withdrawing the fabric 11 from a beam 1 3On which it is supplied from the loom and feeding it by a nip roller arrangement 14.

The overfeeding is such that the former 12 can easily be removed from the loosely wrapped roll 15 of fabric 11.

The thus prepared, loosely wrapped roll 14 is transferred to a hot water bath 16-which is kept at or nearthe boil by an electric resistance heater 17-and which holds two rolls 15. A swinging arm 18 with a roller 19, oscillates from side to side and presses the rolls 15 repeatedly against the sides ofthe bath 16, squeezing the hotwater repeatedlythroughthe loosely wrapped fabric 11.

After this hot relaxation treatment in which the elastomeric core, and hence the fabric shrinks, the fabric 11 is placed on a hot stenter arrangement where it is expanded in width to a widerfabric 11 a and heat setting is effected by radiant heaters 21 before the fabric is rolled up at finished width 11 b.

The fabric has particular advantages in connection with upholstery and in particularwith motor vehicle interior trim in which the fabric is desired to conform to the contours of moulded door panels and the like over which it can be stretched without appreciable apparent distortion and adesivelysecured in position.

1. A stretch fabric comprising covered elastomeric yarn of total denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, and capable of being moulded.

2. A stretch fabric according to claim 1, ofwhich the covered elastomericyarn comprises an elastomeric core covered with polyester.

3. A stretch fabric according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the said covered elastomeric yarn is airjet textured.

4. A stretch fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 3, being a woven fabric.

5. A method of making a stretch fabric of covered elastomericyarn oftotal denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, in which the fabric is finished by being subjected to a relaxation process at elevated temperature insufficientto deg rade the elastomericyarn.

6. A method according to claim 5, in whch the relaxation process comprises the step of subjecting thefabricto pressure whilst loosely wrapped in roll form.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Stretch fabric and method for its manufacture This invention relates to stretch fabrics. It is, of course, well known to use stretch yarn, and, in particular, elastomeric core yarn to make stretch fabrics. We have now devised a new stretch fabric which is especially suitable for a particular end use to which stretch fabrics have not hitherto been adapted. The invention comprises a stretch fabric comprising covered elastomeric yarn oftotal denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, and capable of being moulded. The covered elastomericyarn maycomprise an elastomeric core covered with polyester, and may be airjettextured. The fabric may be a woven fabric in which case it will have a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in the warp or well as in the weft direction. Such a fabric-which can be produced by a method to be hereinafter described-is particularly adapted for covering moulded panels for example for interior trim of automobile doors. The fabric can be laid over a metal inner panel of a door-which may have quite deep relief features such as arm rests - and pressed on and adhesively bonded to the surfacewithout requiring any "tailoring". Similar treatment can be used for domesticfurniture and other like end uses where a relieved surface needs to be covered. The invention also comprises a method for making a stretch fabric of covered elastomeric yarn of total denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, in which the fabric is finished by being subjected to a relaxation process at elevated temperature insufficient to deg rade the elastomeric yarn. The relaxation process may comprise the step of subjecting the fabric to pressurewhilstloosely wrapped in roll form. The loosely wrapped roll may be made by overfeeding the fabric on to a former, and removing the former. The thus loosely wrapped roll may be repeatedly squeezed by lateral pressure. The relaxation process may be carried out in hot water, at the boil, if desired. The method may include a final stentering step, which may be a hot-stentering step to a desired width greaterthan the relaxed width but less than the width atfirstfabricated. A stretch fabric and a method for making the same according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the single Figure isa schematicflowdiagram. The fabric is, in this example, woven in a plain weave from airjettextured polyester wrapped elas tomeric core yarn. Particularly attractive effects for upholstery, especiallyfor automobile trim, are obtained using heavieryarns, not necessarily the sameweights inwarp andweft, butin different colours, say black and white, or brown and white. After weaving, the fabric is overfed (it having already a degree of stretch) onto a former 12. Overfeeding may be effected by withdrawing the fabric 11 from a beam 1 3On which it is supplied from the loom and feeding it by a nip roller arrangement 14. The overfeeding is such that the former 12 can easily be removed from the loosely wrapped roll 15 of fabric 11. The thus prepared, loosely wrapped roll 14 is transferred to a hot water bath 16-which is kept at or nearthe boil by an electric resistance heater 17-and which holds two rolls 15. A swinging arm 18 with a roller 19, oscillates from side to side and presses the rolls 15 repeatedly against the sides ofthe bath 16, squeezing the hotwater repeatedlythroughthe loosely wrapped fabric 11. After this hot relaxation treatment in which the elastomeric core, and hence the fabric shrinks, the fabric 11 is placed on a hot stenter arrangement where it is expanded in width to a widerfabric 11 a and heat setting is effected by radiant heaters 21 before the fabric is rolled up at finished width 11 b. The fabric has particular advantages in connection with upholstery and in particularwith motor vehicle interior trim in which the fabric is desired to conform to the contours of moulded door panels and the like over which it can be stretched without appreciable apparent distortion and adesivelysecured in position. CLAIMS

1. A stretch fabric comprising covered elastomeric yarn of total denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, and capable of being moulded.

2. A stretch fabric according to claim 1, ofwhich the covered elastomericyarn comprises an elastomeric core covered with polyester.

3. A stretch fabric according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the said covered elastomeric yarn is airjet textured.

4. A stretch fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 3, being a woven fabric.

5. A method of making a stretch fabric of covered elastomericyarn oftotal denier at least 200 and having a recoverable stretch of at least 40% in each direction, in which the fabric is finished by being subjected to a relaxation process at elevated temperature insufficientto deg rade the elastomericyarn.

6. A method according to claim 5, in whch the relaxation process comprises the step of subjecting thefabricto pressure whilst loosely wrapped in roll form.