Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL FUR
s~cKGRouND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an artificial
fur. More particularly, the present inven-tion relates
to an artificial fur which is highly improved in the
appearance and touch of rising hairs.
2. Description oE the Prior Art
Genuine furs such as mink, fox, raccoon, and
sable are considered high-grade materials for the
production of Eashion garments because of their
excellent appearance, luster, and touch. Various
technical researches and proposals have heretofore been
made with a view to developing artificial furs having
properties similar to those of genuine furs. Relatively
advanced new techniques concerning artificial furs are
disclosed, for example, in Canadian Patent No.
1,13~,630, issued January 4, 1983. Even according to
these techniques, however, it is very difficul-t to
duplicate the excellent appearance and touch of genuine
furs, and no satisfactory results have been obtained.
The inventors have made some effective
proposals. For example, they proposed in U.S. Patent
No. 4,415,611 an artificial fur having a structure in
which "under fur'1 and "guard hairs" are formed by pile
fibers fixed tightly to a ground construction and the
top end porti.ons o:E the guard hairs are gradually
tapered, and a method for producing this fur from a pile
cloth. In this artificial Eur, a plurality of "guard
hair fibers" and a plurality oE "under fur fibers" are
gathered at the roots thereof in the form of yarns.
These roo-ts are integrally connected to the ground
construction. According to the technique proposed in
this U.S. patent, however, pile fiber bundles having the
tops separated from one another and comprising of "guard
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.,,~ ,,~ ~i
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hair Eibers" and "under fur fibers" are formed from pile
yarns of the pile clo-th. For this purpose, fibers not
tightly held on the ground construction should be
separated and removed by a raising operation. Accord-
ingly, the ratio of utilization of the material cloth is
low, and khere is a risk of damage of pile fibers.
~he inventors Eurther researched the subject
and found a method in which slippage removal of fibers
constituting pile yarns is utilized, as disclosed in
Canadian Patent No. 1,176,0~6, issued October 16, 1984.
According to this method, the inventors succeeded in
solving the problems of reduction of the ra-tio of
utilization of fibers and damage oE fibers, which are
involved in the technique of U.S. Patent No. 4,415,611.
The fundamental idea of this method is -to prepare an
artificial fur by applying tension on pile yarns having
a first group of fibers to be formed into guard hairs
and a second group of shorter fibers to be formed into
under fur, along the length of the pile yarns, to cause
a slipping phenomenon among the pile yarn-constituting
fibers without substantial breakage of the first group
of fibers to be formed into guard hairs and to break -the
continuity of the pile yarns, whereby a pile cloth as
the material for the manufacture of an artificial fur,
which comprises a number of pile fiber bundles having
root portions tightly held to the ground construction in
the form of gathered yarn-like bundles and top end
portions separated from one another, is prepared;
subjecting the pile cloth to a brushing action -to remove
free fibers having root portions not tightly held to the
ground construction and being mingled in the pile fiber
bundles and to simultaneously open the top end portions
of the fibers constituting -the respective pile fiber
bundles; and, i:E necessary, backing the ground
construction with an adhesive such as a synthetic resin
to ensure holding of the pile fibers by the ground
construc-tion.
In the artificial fur prepared according -to
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this method, the first group of fibers to be Eormed into
guard hairs have a larger fineness and a longer fiber
length than the second group of fibers to be formed into
under fur, and the top end portions of the first group
of Eibers are gradually thinned and sharpened.
Accordingly, this arti:Eicial fur has an appearance and
-touch quite similar to those of a genuine fur. However,
since the first and second groups of fibers cons-tituting
the pile yarns of the material pile fabric are
homogeneous throughout the pile fabric, the appearance
of the product fur is monotonous, and the product fur
has an inferior aesthetic effect compared to genuine
furs.
The inventors further researched this and
found that if plural kinds of yarns differing in the
properties are used as material pile yarns in preparing
the above mentioned material pile cloth, groups of pile
fiber bundles differing in the properties are locally
produced in the pile cloth and -the aesthetic value of
the appearance is enhanced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The fundamental technical idea of the present
invention is to provide an artificial fur having an
appearance or touch closer to the appearance or touch of
a genuine fur by improving the artificial fur prepared
according to the method disclosed in the above-
mentioned Canadian Patent No. 1,176,0~6, especially an
artificial fur having an appearance resembling that of a
high-grade genuine fur by increasing the rising hair
density of guard hair fibers having the sharpened
top ends and imparting a stripe pattern to the surface
of rising hairs.
More speci:Eically, in accordance with the funda
mental aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an artificial fur comprising a pile cloth
having pile yarns composed oF guard hair fibers and
under fur fibers and fixed to a ground cons-truction,
wherein the pile yarns are present in the form oE :Eiber
bundles within
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the ground construction, the constituent individual
~ibers of the pile yarns are opened and raised in the
pile portions, the guard hair fibers of the pile yarns
have the tapered top ends and a stripe pattern is formed
on the surface of the pile with the rising hair density
of the guard hair fibers being at least 500 fibers
per cm .
In the warp pile cloth to be used as the material
of an artificial fur, the above-mentioned stripe pattern
can be formed by using as material pile yarn plural
kinds of yarns being different from each other in a
construction of said yarn in such a way that at least
one of a physical property of the constituent guard hair
and/or under fur of one kind of yarn such as fiber
length, fineness, color or ends number used in the yarn
is different from that of another kind of yarn and
arranging each kind of pile yarns in a specific pattern
having a certain width or certain pile yarn density
respectively. The difference of the structure in the
pile yarns can be produced by the difference of the
color in the guard hair fibers, the difference of the
rising length of the guard hair fibers, the difference
of the apparent fineness or denier in the guard hair
fibers, the difference of the rising hair density in the
guard hair fibers, the difference of the color in the
under fur fibers, the difference of the rising hair
density in the under fur fibers, and the difference of
the apparent fineness or denier in the under fur fibers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figures 1 and 2 are sectional model diagrams
illustrating an artificial fur according to the present
i.nvention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The artificial fur of the present invention com-
prises a ground construction and rising fibers rislng
densely from the ground construction. This artificial
fur is obtained preferably by using a single or double
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pile weaving machine customarily adopted in the art.
Especially, a method for preparing a warp pile cloth as
the material of an artificial fur, disclosed in the
above-mentioned Canadian Patent 1,176,046, is adopted in
the present invention~
In a fast pile construction, having a warp pile
density of less than 50 piles per inch according to a
preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned basic
technique, the upper limit of the pile yarn density is
about 500 yarns per square inch, and when a mixed spun
yarn having a yarn count of 10 S and including 40~ o:E
guard hair fibers having a fineness of 40 d are used as
pile yarns for forma-tion of a pile cloth, the rising
hair density of the guard hair fibers is about 500
fibers per cm2. On the other hand, in order to obtain
such a high rising hair density of the guard hair fibers
as a-t least 500 fibers per cm2 in the present invention,
it is necessary to use fine warp ground yarns and pile
yarns composed of mixed spun yarn having a yarn count
of at least 10 S and including about 40% of guard hair
fibers having a fineness of about 40 d and to weave
these yarns at a warp density of at least 60 yarns per
inch.
It is preferred that weaving is effected at a warp
density of at least 70 ends per inch, whereby a rising
hair density of at least 800 fibers/cm can be obtained.
Studies by the inventors showed that a pile fabric
having at least a 100 root portion per cm2 as a rising
hair root portion density is preferable for a high
grade artificial fur and that the artificial fur of the
presen-t invention woven by the above high density
usually has at least a 200 root portion per cm2 and is
extremely high grade in appearance and :Eeeling.
Figure 1 is a sectional model view illustratlng
diagrammatically an artificial fur oE the presen-t
inven-tion in which a stripe pat-tern is mani:Eested by the
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~ difEerence oE the rising hair length in guard hair
fibers rising from the ground construction.
In Fig. 1, the rising hair portion 1 comprises
guard hair fibers 3 and 4 and under fur fibers 5, and
root portions of these fibers are secured to the ground
construction 2. This fixation is accomplished by a
weave texture or a backing material. In the rising hair
portion 1, the pile fibers are opened, and the guard
hair fibers 3 and 4 have a rising length larger than
-that of the under fur fibers and the guard hair fibers 3
and 4 have the tapered end portions and are relatively
linear. In the root portions, -the pile yarns have a
configuration like a fiber bundle having twist and are
fixed by the ground construction 2.
The rising hair portion 1 comprises at least two
kinds of pile fibers. The guard hair fibers of the
rising hair portion 1 rising from the part A of the
ground construction have a rising hair length longer
than the guard hair fibers of the rising portion 1
rising from the part B of the ground construction. The
rising hair length of the under fur fibers 5 may be the
same as that of the rising hair portion rising from
part A or B of the ground construction.
The width of stripes which can be recognized as the
difference between both the stripes of part A composed
of the guard hair fibers having a rela-tively long rising
hair length and part B composed of the guard hair fibers
having a relatively short rising hair length differs
according to the rising hair density of the pile yarns,
but recognition of stripes is possible if at least 10
root portions are successively arranged in each part A
and B which is provided in the pile fabric, alternately.
Generally, in order to rnanifest definite stripes on the
surface of rising hairs, it is preferred that parts A
and B are arranged alternately with a width of at least
20 mm.
Figure 2 is a sectional model view illustrating
diagrarnmatically an artificial fur of the present
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invention in which a stripe pattern is manifested by the
difference in the fineness of the rising hair density in
the guard hair fibers rising from the ground construc-
tion. In Figure 2, the rising hair portion 1 comprising
guard hair fibers 6 and 7 and under fur fibers 5, and
root portions of these fibers are secured in the ground
construction 2. The pile fibers are opened in the
rising hair portion. The guard hair fibers 6 and 7 have
a rising hair length longer than the under fur fibers 5,
and they have tapered top ends and are relatively linear.
In the root portions, the pile yarns have a configuration
like a fiber bundle with twist and are fixed by the
ground construction 2.
The rising hair portion 1 comprises at least 2
kinds of pile fibers. The guard hair fibers of the
rising hair portion 1 rising from part C of the ground
construction have a fineness thicker than that of the
guard hair fibers of the rising hair portion 1 rising
from part D of the ground construction. The fineness of
the under fur fibers 5 may be the same as the fineness
of the rising hair portion rising from part C or D of
the ground construction, or the fineness of the under
fur fibers 5 rising from part D may be thinner than the
same rising from part C.
The width of stripes which can be recognized as
the difference between both stripes of part C composed
of the guard hair fibers having a relatively large
thickness and part D composed of -the guard hair fibers
having a relatively fine thickness differs according
to the rising hair density of the pile yarns, bu-t
recognition of stripes is possible if at least 10 root
portions were successively arranged in each part C
and D which is provided in the pile fabric, alternately.
In order to manifest definite stripes on -the surface of
rising hairs, it is generally preferred that parts C
and D are arranged alternately with a width of at least
20 mm.
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The stripe pattern manifested by the difference of
the rising hair length in the guard hair fibers and the
stripe pattern manifested by the difference of the
fineness ln the guard hair fibers have been described
hereinbefore, but according to similar methods, there
can be manifested a stripe pattern by the difference
of the apparent thickness of the guard hair fibers, a
stripe pattern by the difference of the color in the
guard hair fibers, a stripe pattern by the difference
of the color in the under fur fibers, (such color
differences may be realized by using colored yarns),
a stripe pattern by the difference of the rising hair
density in the guard hair fibers, and a stripe pattern
by the difference of the rising hair density in the
under fur fibers.
Furthermore, a more definite stripe pattern can
be obtained by combining two or more of the foregoing
stripe patterns appropriately. Of course, it is possible
to obtain a wave patterned stripe construction having
concave portions and convex portions.
Example 1
A 150 d/72 f yarn having a twist number of
300 T/m (S), which was composed of island-in-sea type
conjugated fibers ~the island component was composed of
polyethylene terephthalate, and the sea component was
composed of polystyrene, the island/sea ratio was 55/45,
and ultra-fine filaments of 0.1 d were formed by removal
of the sea component) was used as either the ground warp
or the ground we~t. A blended spun yarn having a coun-t
of 10 S and a twist number of 452 T/m (Z) was prepared
by mix-spinning 55~ of polybu-tylene terephthalate staple
fibers of 40 d x ~0 mm having both the ends tapered by
an aqueous solution of an alkali and being package-dyed
in a dense brown color as the guard hair fibers and
45~ of polybutylene terephthalate staple fibers of
1.5 d x 20 mm (the crimp number was 15 crimps per lnch
and the crimp degree was 10%) package-dyed into a light
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brown color as the under fur fibers under a customary
co-tton spinning process. This spun yarn was untwisted
by a twist number of ~52 T/m (S) by a twisting machine
for producing a fancy yarn. Simultaneously, a water-
soluble PVA filament yarn was supplied at an overfeed
rate of 0% to the substantially untwisted yarn of 10 S
to double the substantially un-twisted yarn with the PVA
filament yarn. The resulting doubled yarn having an
enhanced tenacity was used as -the pile yarn A. A spun
yarn was prepared by mix-spinning 35~ of polybutylene
tereph-thalate staple fibers of 40 d x 30 mm having both
the ends tapered and dyed in a dense brown color as the
guard hair fibers and 65% of polybutylene terephthalate
staple fibers of 1.5 d x 20 mm (the crimp number was
15 crimps per inch and the crimp degree was 10%) as the
under fur fibers, and the spun yarn was processed in the
same manner as in case of the pile yarn A. The
resulting yarn was used as the pile yarn B.
A total of 72 pile yarns A were arranged along a
width of 2.5 cm, and 36 pile yarns A and 36 pile yarns B
were arranged alte.rnately one by one along a subsequent
width of 2.5 cm, 72 pile yarn B were arranged along a
subsequent width of 2.5 cm, and 36 pile yarns A and 36
pile yarns B were arranged alternately one by one along
a subsequent length of 2.5 cm. The so-arranged pile
yarns were warped by a sectional warping machine.
A pile cloth was prepared from the above-men-tioned
ground yarns and pile yarns by using a double velvet
weaving machine according to the method disclosed in
3Q Canadian Patent No. 1,176,046. The warp ground yarn
density was 72 ends per inch, the warp pile yarn density
was 72 ends per inch, and the weft ground yarn density
was 45 ends per inch. The obtained cloth was a fast
pile fabric in which the distance between -the upper and
lower base fabric was 45 mm, and the upper and lower
base fabric were separated from each other.
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The so-obtained pile fabric was backed with a
polyurethane resin, and the pile yarns were opened and
the brushing operation was carried out for removing
free fibers. Then, the polystyrene constituting the
sea portion of the ground yarn fibers was dissolved by
trichloroethylene, and the pile surface was brushed to
make the rising hairs uniform.
In the so-obtained artificial fur, portions where
the guard hair fibers having a maximum rising hair length
of about 40 mm and rising from the ground construction
relatively densely, compose a dense brown colored stripe
consisting of the guard hair fibers and portions where
the guard hair fibers having a maximum rising hair length
of about 30 mm and rising from the ground construction
relatively roughly, compose a light brown colored stripe
caused by color of the under fur fibers were arranged
alternately along widths of 5 cm to manifest a stripe
pattern on the surface of the rising hairs. The rising
hair density of the guard hair fibers was as high as
about 880 fibers per cm . When a woman's half-coat
was prepared from the so-obtained artificial fur, the
resulting hal~-coat had mink-like appearance and touch.
Example 2
A 150 d/72 f yarn twisted at a twist number of
300 T/m (S), which was composed of island-in-sea type
conjugated fibers (the island component was composed of
polyethylene terephthalate, and the sea component was
composed of polystyrene, the island/sea ratio was 55/45,
and ultra-fine fibers of 0.1 d were formed by elimination
of the sea component) was used as the ground warp, and a
spun yarn of 40/2 S composed of staples of 2 d x 51 mm,
which were formed of island-in-sea type conjugated
fibers (the island component was composed of polye-thylene
terephthalate, and the sea component was composed of
polystyrene, the island/sea ratio was 55/45, and ultra-
fine fibers of 0.1 d x 11 islands were formed by elimi-
nation of the sea component), was used as the ground
weftO A blended spun yarn having a count of 15 S and a
twist number of 534 T/m (Z) was prepared by mix-spinning
55~ of polybutylene terephthalate staple fibers of 40 d
x 40 mm having both ends tapered and being dyed in a
dense grey color as the guard hair fibers and 45% of
polybutylene terephthalate staple fibers of 1.5 d x 20 mm
(the crimp number was 15 crimps per inch and the crimp
degree of 10~) dyed in a light grey color as the under
fur fibers under a customary cotton spinning process.
This spun yarn was untwisted by a twisting number of
534 T/m (S) by a twisting machine for producing a fancy
yarn. Simultaneously, a water-soluble PVA filament yarn
was supplied at an overfeed rate of 0% to double the
substantially untwisted yarn of 10 S with the PVA
filament yarn. The resulting yarn having an enhanced
tenacity was used as the pile yarn A. A spun yarn was
prepared by mix-spinning 35% of polybutylene tere-
phthalate staple fibers of 25 d x 30 mm having both ends
tapered and being dyed in a dense grey color as the
guard hair fibers and 65% of polyethylene terephthalate
staple fibers of 1.5 d x 20 mm (the crimp number was 15
crimps per inch and the crimp degree was 10~) dyed in a
light grey color as the under fur fibers. The spun yarn
was treated in the same manner as in case of the pile
yarn A. The resulting yarn was used as the pile yarn B.
An artificial fur was prepared in the same manner
as in Example 1 by using -the above-mentioned ground
yarns and pile yarns. Incidentally, the ground warp
density was changed to 54 ends per inch.
The rising hair density of the guard hair fibers
in either portion of the pile yarns A or portion of the
pile yarn B was as high as about 970 fibers per cm in
the so-obtained artificial fur. Portions where the
fibers in the pile yarn A compose a dense grey colored
stripe caused by the color of the guard hair fibers and
portions where the fibers in the plle yarn B compose a
light colored stripe caused by the color of the under
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fur fibers were arranyed alternately along widths of
5 cm to manifest a stripe pattern on the surface of the
rising hairs. When a woman's half-coat was prepared by
using this artificial fur, a coat having an appearance
and touch resembling those of mink was obtained.
