Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PROCESS FOR PATTERNING TEXTILE MATERIALS AND FABRICS MADE
THEREFROM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to a process for patterning textile materials.
More specifically, the invention relates to a process for producing patterned
textile
materials using a dye process conventionally used for dyeing solid fabrics,
and
fabrics made using the process.
BACKGROUND
Textile manufacturers are continually striving to achieve products having
unique and different appearances. While designers can create seemingly
infinite
quantities of looks for fabrics, the fabric manufacturers must take into
account such
things as machinery capabilities, costs of raw materials, labor input and
processing
expenses, performance characteristics required of the fabric, and the like.
Thus, the
creativity of the designers is often limited by the ability of the
manufacturers to
efficiently produce the fabrics according to their designs.
One traditional way of achieving patterned fabrics is by forming the fabric
from
alternating regions of differently colored, previously dyed yarns. The fabrics
made in
this manner are called yarn-dyed fabrics, and are used in the manufacture of
such
fabrics as woven striped broadcloth (e.g., of the variety commonly used in
men's
dress shirts). While providing a desirable appearance in many respects, there
are
some disadvantages to yarn-dyed fabrics, the main being that the yarns must be
dyed in advance to the colors desired for use in the product. As will be
readily
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, this adds significantly to the
lead time
required to produce the fabric (since colors must be determined and the yarns
dyed
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to achieve those colors prior to the fabric formation process) and it can be
expensive
to produce small lots of particular color combinations.
In addition, the fabric formation equipment (e.g. the loom or knitting
machine)
must be specifically set up to achieve the particular pattern desired. This
can result
in significant machine downtime between color and pattern changes.
Furthermore,
yarn-dyed fabrics have a tendency to shrink differentially due to component
yarns
having been exposed to different temperatures and conditions during their
respective
dyeing and processing conditions. As a result, yarn-dyed fabrics often pucker
along
the regions of transition between one yarn color and another following
laundering. In
summary, the yarn-dyed products require undesirably long lead times and
manufacturing complexity, while achieving products that may have undesirable
side-
to-side variation.
Attempts have been made to achieve patterned fabrics by means other than
the use of differently colored yarns in the fabric formation process. For
example,
fabrics are often directly printed with variously colored patterns. In this
method, the
colors for the desired designs are applied directly to the undyed or
previously dyed
fabric. The disadvantages of this type of patterning are twofold. First, where
colors
are being printed over a previously dyed fabric, the color palette is limited
based
upon the base shade. This is because some colors used in patterning will not
be
visible or will be changed because of the base shade showing through. An
example
would be a blue pattern printed on a yellow base shade. After printing, the
pattern
would likely appear to be green. Furthermore, a yellow pattern printed on the
yellow
base may not be visible at all. Therefore, with very dark base shades, very
few
printed dyes would be visible. This limits the designer to using only certain
colors
with particular base shades or dictates the use of an undyed base fabric in
order to
use the full color palette.
The second disadvantage of this type of patterning is encountered when using
pigments to print over a base shade. It is generally known that the above-
described
problem of color limitations can be overcome by printing pigments onto the
surface
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of a dyed fabric as is commonly done in plastisol printing. In this way, even
white
and light colors can be patterned onto very dark backgrounds and the color
selection
is not limited. However, the resulting pattern has a somewhat stiff and/or
rubbery
feel and may have a raised appearance as compared to the feel and appearance
of
the unpatterned area. In many apparel applications, this is not desirable.
Furthermore, with repeated launderings and/or abrasion, the printed pattern
may
eventually become brittle, crack and peel off.
Another method commonly used is called discharge printing. In discharge
printing, the fabric is dyed (typically piece dyed), then printed in a pattern
with a
paste containing a chemical that reduces the dye, to thereby form white
patterns
within the dyed background. A colorant may also be added to the discharge
paste
so that the discharged color is replaced with another color. The discharge
chemistry
can tend to be harsh and often weakens the portions of the fabric to which it
is
applied, thereby reducing the overall strength of the fabric. Another
disadvantage of
this type processing is that only dyes that readily discharge to white when
subjected
to chemical reducing agents can be selected or there will be residual color
left in the
patterned area. This type of chemistry adds to the cost and reduces the
flexibility of
the process.
Another method used to produce patterned fabrics is called resist printing. In
resist printing, a substance designed to resist dyeing of the fabric is
applied to the
fabric in a pattern. The fabric is then dyed using a discontinuous dye
process. In
prior resist printing processes, the resist agent was typically a water
insoluble
medium. Examples of patterning processes which use water insoluble media are
batik, which uses wax, and tie dyeing, which uses elastic bands or the like to
inhibit
the dyeing of the fabric in particular regions. As will be readily appreciated
by those
of ordinary skill in the art, the use of these media requires an additional
processing
operation to remove the dye-inhibiting medium. Where the dye-inhibiting medium
is
wax, the removal process can be difficult and can result in damage to the
underlying
fabric regions. In tie-dye processes, removal of the bands is likewise labor
intensive.
Furthermore, processes such as tie-dyeing are limited in the types of design
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configurations they can be used to produce, and the wax used in batik does not
enable the portions of the fabric where it is applied to be simultaneously
dyed a
different color from the rest of the fabric.
Another type of resist printing involves the chemical binding of the dye sites
of
the fibers in particular regions of the fabric. Typically, the resist
chemistry will be
printed on the fabric in a particular pattern prior to dyeing of the fabric.
One example
of this method is described in U. S. Patent No. 5,984,977 to Moore et al.
which
describes the use of a substance designed to chemically block the dye sites of
a
cellulosic material during a discontinuous dye process. Because the dye sites
are
bound by the resist chemistry, the fabric will not dye in the regions where
the
chemistry has been applied. While performing well in many applications, this
process is somewhat limited in that the resist chemistry must be selected to
chemically block the dye sites of the particular fibers in the fabric, which
may present
a problem when the fabric to be patterned is made from a blend of fibers. For
one, if
one fiber in the blend is blocked and the other fiber is not prevented from
dyeing,
then a total resist of the patterned area cannot be achieved unless the
unblocked
fiber is left undyed. This results in a heather effect on the base shade of
the fabric,
thereby limiting design flexibility. In addition, commercially available
chemical resist
processes are marketed for use in discontinuous dye processes, which have
lower
production speeds as compared with continuous and semi-continuous processes.
Also, such resist chemistries are generally deleterious to fabric strength.
Finally, heat transfer printing is also used to pattern fabrics. This method
uses a paper printed with dyes that are subject to sublimation upon heating.
The
paper is placed in direct contact with the fabric and heat is applied to
transfer the
dyes from the paper to the fabric by sublimation. Largely used with disperse
dyes on
polyester, heat transfer printing is normally performed in a dry state, with
the heat
applied also serving to diffuse the dye into the fiber. This method is
primarily limited
to disperse dyes that readily sublime. A variation of this method where the
heat
transfer is done in a wet state allows other dye classes to be used that will
readily
transfer from the paper to the fabric in the vapor phase. Still, the dye
selection is
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limited and a two-step process of printing the paper and then transferring the
dye to
the fabric is necessary. Furthermore, resist effects are not made by this
process and
designs are therefore limited by the base shade of the fabric prior to
printing.
5
SUMMARY
The process of the instant invention enables the production of patterned
fabrics in an efficient manner, while avoiding extra processing operations
required by
prior art methods. In addition, the process enables the production of fabrics
having
the surface appearance of yarn-dyed goods, while avoiding the complexity
inherent
in yarn-dye manufacturing methods and the fabric strength degradation provided
by
other dye methods. Furthermore, the process enables the manufacture of
patterned
fabrics using a continuous or semi-continuous dyeing operation, which achieve
greater manufacturing efficiencies than typical discontinuous processes. For
purposes of this application, the term "continuous or semi-continuous dye
operation"
is intended to mean those dye operations where the fabric generally lingers
within
the dye bath for a relatively short period of time, generally as a result of
the
continuous motion of the fabric through the process. For example, continuous
and
semi-continuous dye operations of the variety contemplated by the invention
include
thermosol dye processes, pad/steam processes, thermosol/pad/steam processes,
pad/high temperature steam operations, jig dye processes, pad batch, and the
like.
Such processes are typically non-exhaust type processes. In contrast,
discontinuous dye processes involve the dyeing of a "batch" of fabric, where
the
fabric spends an extended uninterrupted period of time in the dye liquor to
achieve
even dyeing through exhaustion and equilibrium.
The process involves applying to the fabric a chemical substance capable of
temporarily mechanically inhibiting the wetting of underlying regions of the
fabric,
and then continuously or semi-continuously dyeing the fabric. The chemical
substance desirably comprises a print paste. In some embodiments of the
invention,
the chemical substance may comprise a fluorochemical. In some cases, the
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chemical substance may comprise both fluorochemical and a print paste. In any
event, the chemical substance is selected so that it mechanically inhibits the
wetting
of underlying regions of the fabric to which it is applied, while not
requiring removal
from the fabric by way of a separate removal operation. To this end, the
chemical
substance is desirably water soluble so that it is removed, if desired, by the
subsequent chemical and/or mechanical action of the normal dyeing and
finishing
processes.
The chemical substance can be selected to either totally inhibit wetting of
the
underlying fabric regions or only partially inhibit the dye uptake such that
the
underlying fabric regions dye to a lesser extent than other areas of the
fabric where
the chemical substance was not provided. In a similar manner, the chemical
substance can be selected to correspond with the particular dye process-to be
utilized so that the chemical substance is removed shortly before the end of
the dye
process and portions of the fabric underlying the chemical substance are wet
to a
lesser extent than the base portions of the fabric, thereby having less of an
opportunity to bond with the dye molecules in those regions. In this way, the
portions of the fabric where the chemical substance was applied are dyed the
same
color as the uncovered fabric portions but at a lighter shade level.
Therefore, a
fabric having a pattern formed from varied dye uptake amounts in predetermined
regions can be efficiently manufactured.
The chemical substance may also include a dye such that the portions of the
fabric on which the chemical substance is printed are dyed a different color
than
those portions of the fabric dyed by the subsequent continuous dye process.
The
invention is not limited to the application of a single chemical substance,
rather plural
different chemical substances could be printed in different patterns within
the scope
of the invention. For example, a first pattern of a chemical substance which
does not
include dye could be applied in a first pattern, while a second chemical
substance
which does include dye could be applied in a second pattern, to thereby
produce a
three-color patterned fabric. Additionally, a three or more color effect could
be
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achieved using two different chemical substances having different resist
characteristics printed in two or more different patterns.
The process of the invention enables the production of fabrics having a
unique yarn-dyed appearance without the disadvantages associated with yarn-
dyed
products. For example, in one aspect of the invention, the pattern printed on
the
fabric is selected to correspond to the yarns in the fabric construction, to
thereby give
the appearance of a yarn-dyed fabric. In addition, the patterning capability
and
pattern clarity of fabrics printed in this manner far exceeds that of yarn-
dyed goods,
especially where intricate designs are desired. Furthermore, the fabrics
retain
substantially all of their initial strength, have good colorfastness, and have
superior
aesthetic and functional characteristics.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the process of the instant
invention;
Fig. 2 is a photograph (40X magnification) of a conventional yarn-dyed
product; and
Fig. 3 is a photograph (40X magnification) of a fabric made according to the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following detailed description of the invention, specific preferred
embodiments of the invention are described to enable a full and complete
understanding of the invention. It will be recognized that it is not intended
to limit the
invention to the particular preferred embodiment described, and although
specific
terms are employed in describing the invention, such terms are used in a
descriptive
sense for the purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limitation.
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With reference to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a process for manufacturing
patterned fabrics according to the instant invention. As noted, the steps
performed
in this aspect are printing resist chemistry on the fabric, drying the
chemistry
(optional), applying the dye, pre-drying the dye (if desired), setting the
dye, cooling
the fabric (if previously heated), applying chemistry as desired, reacting the
chemistry if necessary, washing the fabric to remove excess chemistry, and
drying
and taking up the fabric. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in
the art,
the specific steps used will vary according to the dye process used, type of
fabric
being patterned, chemistry used, pattern sought, etc. The steps will be
discussed
more specifically below.
The fabric to be patterned is obtained. The fabric can be of any variety,
including a woven fabric, a knit fabric, nonwoven fabric, or the like. The
fabric can
be formed of any conventional type of fibers that are capable of being
continuously
or semi-continuously dyed, including but not limited to synthetic fibers such
as
polyesters (including, but not limited to polyethylene terephthalate,
polytrimethylene
terephthalate (PTT) and modified versions thereof), polyamides, polypropylene,
aramids, polyolefins, regenerated fibers such as polylactide based fibers
(PLA) and
rayon (e.g. viscose, cuprammonium), natural fibers such as cotton, linen,
ramie,
hemp, jute, or the like, or combinations thereof. The process of the invention
has
been found to perform particularly well in the production of 100% polyester,
100%
cotton, and polyester/cotton blended fabrics. The fabric will be selected to
provide
the weight and performance characteristics desired for the end use product.
The fabric is desirably in prepared form, meaning that it has been washed to
remove oils, impurities and the like which it has picked up during the
manufacturing
and/or transport processes. Preferably, the fabric is dried as part of the
preparation
process so that a consistent product is presented for chemical substance
application
and dyeing.
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A chemical substance designed to temporarily inhibit the wetting of the
underlying fabric areas is then applied to the fabric in a desired pattern.
The
chemical substance is desirably applied to the fabric by a printing process.
For
example, the printing process can be roller bed printing, rotary screen
printing,
flexographic printing, gravure roll application, multiple nozzle injection
patterning
(such as that described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,923,743), or
the
like. However, other application methods are contemplated within the scope of
the
invention including, but not limited to flick brush, ultrasonic spray, foam
application,print head pattern methods, and the like. The chemical substance
can be
applied in any desired pattern. Alternatively, the application "pattern" can
be that of
randomized spots or the like (e.g. such as those achieved with a flick brush.)
As will
be readily appreciated, the regions where the chemistry is applied will
determine the
pattern of undyed or differentially dyed areas on the finished fabric, and the
variety of
application patterns is essentially limitless. As a result, the process can be
used to
achieve a limitless variety of fabric appearances.
The chemical substance is designed to physically inhibit the wetting of
underlying regions of the fabric for a period of time. In one aspect of the
invention,
the chemical substance is designed to prevent wetting of the underlying
regions of
the fabric for a period of time greater than the fabric is in contact with the
aqueous
dye liquor. In another aspect of the invention, the chemical substance can be
selected to prevent saturation of the underlying regions while allowing some
wetting,
either by virtue of the length of time it inhibits wetting or the degree it
inhibits wetting.
The fabric may retain the property of being inhibited from wetting after
processing
since the downstream processing does not require the removal of the chemistry.
(In
contrast, prior means of mechanically inhibiting the wetting of fabric areas
such as
wax require a separate processing step to remove the substance, since the
fabric
would not have the aesthetic and performance characteristics sufficient to
render it
useful until such time as that substance was removed.) To this end, the
chemical
substance is desirably water soluble.
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Stated differently, the chemical substance is selected to inhibit wetting of
the
underlying portions of the fabric, and preferably to totally inhibit wetting.
Where the
chemical substance is designed to partially inhibit wetting of the fabric, it
can be
selected to allow underlying portions of the fabric to wet at a significantly
slower rate
5 than the untreated regions, or it can be selected to inhibit wetting for a
period of time
somewhat shorter than the length of the dye process. In this way, portions of
the
fabric on which the chemical substance has been printed will be exposed to a
lesser
amount of the dye and/or exposed for a lesser length of time than the
untreated
fabric regions. As a result, the portions of the fabric that were treated with
the
10 chemical substance will be dyed the same basic color (hue) as the
surrounding
fabric regions, but with a depth of shade ranging from slightly lighter to
much lighter
than the untreated regions.
The chemical substance preferably includes a print paste comprising a
thickening agent and water. In some forms of the invention, the chemical
substance
includes a fluorochemical. In some forms of the invention, the chemical
substance
includes both a print paste and a fluorochemical. In any event, the chemical
substance is selected so that it inhibits the wetting of underlying regions of
the fabric
to which it is applied, while not requiring removal from the fabric by way of
a
separate removal operation, as will be discussed further herein.
Examples of chemical substances that have been found to perform well in the
instant invention are alginate-based print pastes, xanthan-based print pastes,
synthetic-thickener-based print pastes, a wide variety of fluorochemicals, and
combinations thereof. The viscosity and rheology of the chemical substance
will be
selected to optimize wetting inhibition and to achieve the intended design
appearance in the finished fabric. As will be readily appreciated by those of
ordinary
skill in the art, the precise chemical substance formulation used will be
selected to
accommodate the application method used, screen or mesh size, add-on desired,
etc. Such parameters are all contemplated within the scope of the invention,
with the
precise formulations used for each fabric being readily discernable without
undue
experimentation. It has been found that in a rotary screen print process (such
as
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that used herein in the examples), a chemical substance viscosity of about 8
poise to
about 70 poise, and preferably about 10 poise to about 40 poise (depending on
the
thickening agent used) performs well. The chemical substance will be applied
at a
pressure designed to achieve even printing with adequate penetration for the
specific
chemical substance and substrate used. For example, pressure ranges of about 3
psi to about 10 psi have been found to perform well for the chemical
substances
described above. In addition, the pressure at which the chemical substance is
applied will be selected to optimize penetration of the substance into the
particular
fabric to the extent necessary to achieve the desired design and to achieve
evenly
printed goods. Likewise, the rheology of the chemical substance desirably
provides
good flow and quick stop characteristics.
In some forms of the invention, the chemical substance will also include a
dye. In this way, the portions of the fabric on which the chemical substance
is
applied will be printed a first color, while surrounding regions of the base
fabric not
having the chemical substance thereon will be dyed a different color during
the dye
process. As will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art,
the
chemical substances may be applied more than once using different patterns and
different chemical substances. Therefore, the process can be used to form an
essentially infinite number of fabric patterns and appearances. For example,
the
chemical substance can be applied to the fabric such that it mimics the
pattern of
yarns in a fabric construction, such as through a pattern of stripes printed
in the
direction of warp or filling yarns on a woven fabric to simulate a yarn-dyed
striped
fabric. Furthermore, the chemical substance may include other types of
chemicals
such as optical brighteners, different dye classes, copolymers, any type of
chemistry
that provides an additional benefit without interfering with the properties
necessary
for this invention to operate, and the like.
In most instances, it will be desirable to dry the chemistry prior to the
subsequent dyeing step. This can be done by way of any method conventionally
used to dry fabrics, such as by passing the fabric through an oven. This helps
secure the chemical substance to the underlying fabric portions. The
temperature
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and method used will be selected to optimize performance of the chemical
substance and substrate used.
The fabric is then dyed in a conventional continuous or semi-continuous
manner such as by a thermosol dye process. However, other types of dye
operations such as pad/steam processes, thermosol/pad/steam processes, cold
pad
batch, jig dye processes, and the like can also be used within the scope of
the
instant invention with varying effects. As will be appreciated by those of
ordinary skill
in the art, the dyeing process used will be selected depending on the type of
fabric
being processed as well as the type of dye to be used. Similarly, the type and
amount of chemical substance used will be selected to optimize the appearance
of
the dyed fabric. In other words, the type of dye process and chemical
substance will
be coordinated so that the mechanical inhibition of wetting provided by the
chemical
substance survives the specific dye process used to the extent necessary to
achieve
the desired patterned effect from dyeing. Similarly, the dye method utilized
will be
selected to achieve the desired results for the particular fabric being
produced. For
example, in many cases it will be desirable to utilize high efficiency
continuous and
semi-continuous dye processes; in such cases the yarns forming the fabric will
often
be ring dyed.
When a thermosol/pad-steam process is used, the process generally goes as
follows: The fabric having the chemical substance applied to it is routed
through the
dye pad, where the fabric is saturated with dye, with the exception of those
regions
where the chemical substance prevents the fabric from fully wetting. The
fabric is
desirably pre-dried, and then heated to a temperature sufficient to sublime
the
dyestuff into the substrate such that the dyes sublime and penetrate into the
fibers.
The fabric is then desirably steamed, scoured and washed in a conventional
manner
to remove any excess chemistry and dye that may remain. The fabric is cooled,
and
any finish chemistries that are desired can be applied. For example,
chemistries
designed to promote soil release and wicking, or reduce static and/or pilling,
etc. can
be provided according to the needs of the fabric. In addition, any desired
face
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finishing operations can also be performed as needed. The fabric is then
desirably
dried and packaged for distribution.
The dye utilized can also be selected to achieve the type of appearance
desired. For example, where the textile fabric is a polyester/cotton blended
fabric
and it is desired to have a solid-colored base fabric, a combination of
disperse and
vat dyes may be utilized to achieve dyeing of both the polyester and cotton
constituents. In this instance, a thermosol/pad/steam process could be
utilized with
the additional steps of steaming, scouring and washing added to the process
described above after the thermosol oven. Alternatively, the dye bath may
include
dyes that are designed to dye only one of the fiber constituents, so as to
achieve a
heather type appearance of the base fabric. For example, a polyester/cotton
blended fabric could be exposed to disperse dyes only, which will dye the
polyester
component while leaving the cotton component substantially undyed, to thereby
achieve a unique appearance of the base fabric.
As noted above, the chemical substance is selected to at least temporarily
inhibit wetting of portions of the fabric, so that a pattern can be produced
on the
fabric during a continuous or semi-continuous dye process. The nature of the
chemical substance results in it not requiring a subsequent removal process.
In
other words, the action of the dye process, drying, finishing and/or scouring
operations serve to remove any of the chemistry that would interfere with the
end
performance of the fabric. For example, where the chemical substance includes
or
consists essentially of a print paste, the subsequent processing steps
generally
serve to remove the print paste from the fabric. By the same token, where the
chemical substance comprises or consists essentially of a fluorocarbon, it may
be
desirable for some of the fluorocarbon chemistry to remain on the fabric in
order that
long term water repellency in the printed areas is achieved. In any event, the
chemical substance and dye process used can be coordinated so that the amount
of
the chemical substance that remains on the fabric following processing is
controlled
at desired levels.
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As illustrated by a comparison of the yarn-dyed fabric in Fig. 2 and the
fabric
of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the fabrics produced according to the
process of
the invention have superior appearance, in many cases closely approximating
the
appearance of yarn-dyed fabrics, while avoiding the problems with that
production
process. For example, the differential shrinkage problems commonly associated
with yarn-dyed fabrics can be avoided because the base fabric can be produced
in a
uniform construction if so desired. The fabrics of the invention also have
good
performance characteristics such as good uniform physical strength,
appearance,
colorfastness, washfastness, design durability, and a consistent feel or hand
across
patterned and unpatterned areas.
EXAMPLES
Three samples of commercially-available yarn-dyed shirting fabrics were
obtained and are described below as Samples A, B and C.
Sample A was a bright blue and dark grey striped conventional poplin fabric
having a weight of 4.3 oz/sq yd. The finished construction had 102 ends per
inch
and 57 picks per inch. Both warp and filling yarns consisted of a 65%
polyester and
35% cotton blend. It is believed by the inventors that the fabric had been
treated
with conventional soil release and permanent press chemistries, and lightly
sanded.
Sample B was a conventional poplin fabric having small blue stripes on a
white background. The fabric had a weight of 4.3 oz/ sq yd and a finished
construction having 77 ends per inch and 59 picks per inch. Both warp and
filling
yarns consisted of a 65% polyester and 35% cotton blend. It is believed by the
inventors that the fabric had been treated with conventional soil release and
permanent press chemistries, and lightly sanded.
Sample C was a conventional poplin fabric having multi-colored stripes. The
fabric had a weight of 4.3 oz/ sq yd and a finished construction of 104 ends
per inch
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and 60 picks per inch. Both warp and filling yarns consisted of a 65%
polyester and
35% cotton blend. It is believed by the inventors that the fabric had been
treated
with conventional soil release and permanent press chemistries, and lightly
sanded.
5 Sample D was a 4.3 oz 65/35 polyester/cotton poplin fabric. The fabric was
dyed in a thermosol at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye
mixture: 2.469 g//
CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g// CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g// CI Disperse
Rubine Mix, 1.986 g// CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g// CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394
g// CI
Vat Black 22. (In other words, the fabric was dyed the same base shade as
Sample
10 E below.) The fabric was then finished in a conventional manner, by padding
on
conventional type finish chemistry to provide moisture transport, soil release
and
permanent press characteristics, running it through a tenter in a conventional
manner to cross-link the resin and set the fabric width. The fabric was then
mechanically abraded in the manner described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent
15 No. 5,752,300 to Dischler and treated with high pressure air (to form
microfissures in
the resin chemistry) in the manner described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent
No.
5,822,835 to Dischler. The fabric had a finished construction of 102 ends per
inch
and 47 picks per inch.
Sample E was woven in the same construction as Sample D, prepared, and
then a twin stripe pattern from a 165 mesh screen of the following chemical
substance was applied to the fabric: 60 g/kg fluorochemical (APG-85 from
Advanced Polymer, Inc.), 11g/kg of a synthetic back thickener, 929 g/kg
alginate
stock print paste which included 32.5 g/kg of a low viscosity alginate
thickener, a
sequestering agent, a defoamer, an antimicrobial, and water. (As will be
readily
appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the sequestering agent,
defoamer
and antimicrobial were provided in minor quantities to facilitate the
performance of
the printing equipment.) The chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg
disperse
red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The
mix
had a viscosity of 38 poise, and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a
pressure of about 11 psi. The chemical substance was dried at 320°F.
The fabric
was then dyed in a thermosol at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following
dye mixture:
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2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI
Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then finished in the manner
described with
respect to Sample D. The finished fabric had a weight of 4.36 oz /sq yd, with
101
ends per inch and 48 picks per inch.
Sample F was woven in the same construction as Sample D, prepared, and
then a wide stripe pattern of the following chemical substance was applied to
the
fabric: 60 g/kg fluorochemical (APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc. of
Carlstadt,
New Jersey), 11g/kg of a synthetic back thickener, 929 g/kg alginate stock
print
paste (which included 32.5 g/kg of a low viscosity alginate thickener, a
sequestering
agent, a defoamer, an antimicrobial, and water). The chemical substance also
included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg
disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity of 38 poise, and was applied
using a
40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi. The chemical substance was
dried
at 370°F. The fabric was then dyed in a thermosol at 425°F for
50 seconds with the
following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse
Blue
165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1
CI Vat
Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then finished in the
manner
described above with respect to Sample D. The finished fabric had a weight of
4.41
oz/ sq yd and a construction of 101 ends and 48 picks per inch.
Sample G was woven in the same manner as Sample D, prepared, and then
a wide stripe pattern of the following chemical substance was applied to the
fabric:
60 g/kg fluorochemical (APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc. of Carlstadt, New
Jersey), 11g/kg synthetic back thickener, 929 g/kg alginate stock print paste
(which
included a 32.5 g/kg of a low viscosity alginate thickener, a sequestering
agent, a
defoamer, an antimicrobial, and water.) The chemical substance also included
1.35
g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse
violet 57
dye. The mix had a viscosity of 38 poise, and was applied using a 40mm metal
blade at a pressure of about 11 psi. The chemical substance was dried at
350°F.
The fabric was then dyed in a thermosol at 425°F for 50 seconds with
the following
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dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165,
0.700
g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red
10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then finished in the manner
described
above with respect to Sample D. The finished fabric had a weight of 4.36 oz/
sq yd,
with 101 ends and 48 picks per inch.
Sample H was woven in the same manner as Sample D, prepared, and then a
twin stripe pattern of the following chemical substance was applied to the
fabric: 60
g/kg fluorochemical (APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc.), 11 g/kg of a
synthetic
back thickener, 929 g/kg alginate stock print paste (which included 32.5 g/kg
of a low
viscosity alginate thickener, a sequestering agent, a defoamer, an
antimicrobial, and
water). The chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41
g/kg
disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity
of 38
poise, and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi.
The chemical substance was dried at 350°F. The fabric was then
dyed in a
thermosol at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469
g/1 CI
Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse
Rubine
Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI
Vat Black
22. The fabric was then finished in the manner described above with respect to
Sample D. The finished fabric had a weight of 4.31 oz/ sq yd and a
construction of
101 ends and 48 picks per inch.
Sample I was woven in the manner of Sample D, prepared, and then a wide
stripe pattern of the following chemical substance was applied to the fabric:
60 g/kg
fluorochemical (APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc.), 11 g/kg of a synthetic
back
thickener, 929 g/kg alginate stock print paste (which included 32.5 g/kg of a
low
viscosity alginate thickener, a sequestering agent, a defoamer, an
antimicrobial, and
water). The chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41
g/kg
disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity
of 38
poise, and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi.
The chemical substance was dried at 320°F. The fabric was dyed in a
thermosol at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
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30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986
g/1 CI
Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The
fabric
was then finished in the manner described above with respect to Sample D. The
finished fabric had a weight of 4.35 oz/ sq yd and a construction of 102 ends
and 48
picks per inch.
Sample J was woven in the manner of Sample D, prepared, and then a twin
stripe pattern of the following chemical substance was applied to the fabric:
60 g/kg
fluorochemical (APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc.), 11g/kg synthetic back
thickener, 929 g/kg alginate stock print paste (which included 32.5 g/kg of a
low
viscosity alginate thickener, a sequestering agent, a defoamer, an
antimicrobial, and
water). The chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41
g/kg
disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity
of 38
poise, and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi.
The chemical substance was dried at 370°F. The fabric was then
dyed in a
thermosol at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469
g/1 CI
Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse
Rubine
Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI
Vat Black
22. The fabric was then finished in the manner described above in Sample D.
The
finished fabric had a weight of 4.34 oz/sq yd and a construction of 102 ends
by 48
picks per inch.
Sample K was woven in the manner of Sample D, then a twin stripe pattern of
the following chemical substance was applied to the fabric: 60 g/kg
fluorochemical
(APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc), 11g/kg synthetic back thickener, 929 g/kg
alginate stock print paste (which included 32.5 g/kg of a low viscosity
alginate
thickener, a sequestering agent, a defoamer, an antimicrobial, and water). The
chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse
blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity of 38
poise,
and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi. The
chemical substance was dried at 385°F. The fabric was then dyed in a
thermosol at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
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30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986
g/1 CI
Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The
fabric
was then finished in the manner described above in Sample D. The fabric had a
finished weight of 4.4 oz/sq yd and a construction of 102 ends by 48 picks per
inch.
Sample L was woven in the manner of Sample D, then a wide stripe pattern of
the following chemical substance was applied to the fabric: 60 g/kg
fluorochemical
(APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc.), 11g/kg synthetic back thickener, 929
g/kg
alginate stock print paste (which included 32.5 g/kg of a low viscosity
alginate
thickener, a sequestering agent, a defoamer, an antimicrobial, and water). The
chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse
blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity of 38
poise,
and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi. The
chemical substance was dried at 385°F. The fabric was then dyed in a
thermosol at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986
g/1 CI
Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The
fabric
was then finished in the manner described above in Sample D. The finished
fabric
had a weight of 4.42 oz/sq yd and a construction of 101 ends by 48 picks per
inch.
Sample M was woven in the manner of Sample D, then a mesh pattern of the
following chemical substance was applied to the fabric: 60 g/kg fluorochemical
(APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc.), 11g/kg of a synthetic back thickener,
929
g/kg alginate stock print paste (which included 32.5 g/kg of a low viscosity
alginate
thickener, a sequestering agent, a defoamer, an antimicrobial, and water). The
chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse
blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity of 38
poise,
and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi. The
chemical substance was dried at 385°F. The fabric was then dyed in a
thermosol at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986
g/1 CI
Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The
fabric
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was then finished in the manner described above in Sample D. The finished
fabric
had a weight of 4.42 oz/sq yd and a construction of 101 ends by 48 picks per
inch.
Sample N was woven in the manner of Sample D, then a mesh pattern of the
5 following chemical substance was applied to the fabric: 60 g/kg
fluorochemical
(APG-85 from Advanced Polymer, Inc.), 11g/kg of a synthetic back thickener,
929
g/kg alginate stock print paste (which included 32.5 g/kg of a low viscosity
alginate
thickener, a sequestering agent, a defoamer, an antimicrobial, and water). The
chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse
10 blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The mix had a viscosity of 38
poise,
and was applied using a 40mm metal blade at a pressure of about 11 psi. The
chemical substance was dried at 385°F. The fabric was then dyed in a
thermosol at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986
g/1 CI
15 Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The
fabric
was then finished in the manner described above in Sample D. The finished
fabric
had a weight of 4.33 oz/sq yd and a construction of 102 ends by 48 picks per
inch.
TEST METHODS:
20 For purposes of these tests, the term "industrial washes" is intended to
describe the wash process described below.
Industrial Wash Test:
PROCEDURE:
1. Weigh samples to make a 15 ~1 ) pound load.
Note: Use 100% cotton white dummies if necessary to achieve the proper
load weight.
2. Industrial Laundry Process Specifications (Milnor Washer):
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Alkalinity (ppm)
Process Wll_ Time SuppliesPH Available
Temp. Total
BREAK LOW Add Steam15 16.5(t1 2826 3964
min ) oz
11.5-12.5
to 165 Orthosil
or300(t10)ml
2.8(t0.2)
oz
IFL #
15 or
50(t2)
ml
CARRYOVER 140-155 5 min.None 11.0-12.01880 2459
LOW
RINSE HIGH120-130 2 min.None 10.2-10.8148 299
RINSE HIGH110-120 2 min.None 10.2-10.899 205
RINSE HIGH100-110 2 min.None 9.0-10.050 173
RINSE HIGH90-100 2 min.None 9.0-10.012 46
SOUR LOW 90-100 , 5 .25(t0.05)6.5-7.0--- ---
min.
oz. Sour
or 7(t0.5)
milliliters
3. Start the cycle with the signal switch in the down position.
4. W/L refers to water level. LOW = 12 gallons and HIGH = 24 gallons.
5. Take 4 (~.25) pounds out of the 15 (~1 ) pound load and place in the Sears
Kenmore Home Dryer. (Insure all of the samples are placed in the dryer, if
you have more than 4.25 pounds of samples, split them into two loads with an
even number of samples in each. The balance of each load should be made
up of dummy fabric.)
6. Set the dryer on the Cotton Sturdy setting for 30 minutes. Insure the
samples
are completely dry prior to removing them from the dryer.
7. Repeat the above wash and dry steps for the specified number of cycles.
Note: Orthosil = Orthobrite
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Tensile Strength: The tensile strength of each of the fabric samples was
tested in each of the warp and fill directions according to ASTM D-5034-95. A
number of the samples were also tested after 10, 25, 50 and 100 Industrial
Washes.
Tear Strength: The tear strength of each of the fabric samples was tested in
each of the warp and fill directions using an Elmendorf Tear Test according to
ASTM
D1424-96. A number of the samples were also tested after 10, 25, 50 and 100
industrial washes.
Seam Slippage: Seam slippage was tested in both the warp and fill directions
according to the ASTM D-434-42 Test Method.
Flex: Fabric flexion was tested in both the warp and fill directions according
to
ASTM D3885-99.
Aaaearance: Fabrics were washed according to the above-described wash
methods, and rated according to AATCC Test Method 124-1992.
Pilling: Fabric pilling was tested according to ASTM D-3512-99A. For the
yarn dyed products, it was tested as received and after 10, 25 and 50
industrial
washes. For the fabrics of the invention, pilling was tested as received.
Color Data: Raw color data was measured using a 10 degree spherical
spectrophotometer, with a D65, specular excluded light source with a UV filter
set at
0%. The untreated regions were as the standard and the treated regions were
read
as the sample. The DE, DL, Da and Db were calculated using the following
formulae:
DL = L~ - L2, with L~ being the untreated and L2 being the treated.
Da = A1- A2, with A~ being the untreated and A2 being the treated.
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Db = B~- B2, with B~ being the untreated and B2 being the treated.
DE =~/DLZ +DbZ +DaZ
% Strength = area under reflectance curve of treated area
area under reflectance curve of untreated area
DE is indicative of the overall color difference between the two areas, while
DL is
indicative of the difference in depth of shade. For example, a DL of zero
would
indicate there was no difference in the depth of shade between the two areas.
Da is
indicative of the difference in red/green hues, while Db is indicative of
differences in
yellow/blue hues. The Strength rating illustrates the % difference in the
color for the
two regions. For those samples where the resist chemistry did not include a
dye, a
low strength number would illustrate a high amount of resist.
The results of each of the tests are recorded below in Tables A and B.
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TABLE A
A B C D E F G
WIDTH N/A N/A N/A --- 64.63 64.63 64.75
WEIGHT oz/sq 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.36 4.41 4.36
yd
ENDS 102 77 104 102 101 101 101
PICKS 57 59 60 47 48 48 48
TENSILE WASH 119 101 117 112 113 111 112
Tensile W 10W 115 110 96 --- 129 121 130
Tensile W 25 110 103 97 --- 116 115 109
W
Tensile W 50W 102 98 71 --- 98 110 101
Tensile W 100W --- --- --- --- 99 90 94
TENSILE F As 59 78 64 77 80 74 71
Recd
Tensile F 10W 60 78 66 --- 82 79 84
Tensile F 25W 51 73 56 --- 82 77 79
Tensile F 50W 36 64 51 --- 74 75 74
Tensile F 100W --- --- --- --- 77 76 77
TEAR W AR 2246 2588 2096 2035 2300 2200 1900
Tear W 10W 1958 2166 1833 --- 2000 1700 1725
Tear W 25W 1635 1801 1440 --- 1750 1650 1575
Tear W 50W 1267 1478 1136 --- 1750 1800 1700
Tear W 100W --- --- --- --- 1650 1475 1400
TEAR F AR 1401 1715 1264 2100 1950 2100 2250
Tear F 10W 1305 1446 1126 --- 1650 1700 1725
Tear F 25W 931 1267 838 --- 1600 1650 1650
Tear F 50W 688 976 627 --- 1850 2100 1900
Tear F 100W --- --- --- --- 1500 1650 1550
SS WARP 40 40 40 37 33 34 35
SS FILL 40 40 40 40 40 40 40
FLEX WARP 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000
FLEX FILL 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000
APPEARANCE 3 3 3 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.5
P I LL AR 4 4.5 4 --- 4 4 4
P I LL 1 Ow 4 4.5 4 3.5 --- --- ---
P I LL 25w 4.5 4.5 4.5 --- --- --- ---
P I LL 50w 4.5 4.5 4.5 --- --- --- ---
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TABLE B
H I J K L M N
W I DTH 64.63 64.75 64.88 64.63 64.75 64.63 64.5
WEIGHT 4.31 4.35 4.34 4.4 4.42 4.42 4.33
ENDS 101 102 102 102 101 101 102
PICKS 48 48 48 48 48 48 48
TENSILE W 109 114 119 108 104 112 101
Tensile W 10W 124 119 115 110 109 123 105
Tensile W 25 113 108 114 113 118 107 105
W
Tensile W 50W 107 105 97 95 109 105 107
Tensile W 100W 99 84 91 73 95 94 95
TENSILE F AR 77 74 74 69 76 73 70
Tensile F 10W 82 82 82 76 80 82 77
Tensile F 25W 85 78 80 74 84 82 76
Tensile F 50W 80 73 72 60 65 82 77
Tensile F 100W 78 77 77 68 70 74 74
TEAR W AR 1975 1975 2000 1850 2100 1900 2050
Tear W 10W 1700 1750 1500 1550 1700 1750 1750
Tear W 25W 1600 1750 1750 1600 1675 1650 1700
Tear W 50W 1800 1800 1900 1000 1750 1750 1800
Tear W 100W 1400 1450 1500 1250 1400 1500 1450
TEAR F AR 2100 2200 2150 1925 2200 2100 2300
Tear F 10W 1700 1575 1450 1750 1600 1675 1750
TearF 25W 1800 1800 1850 1625 1750 1750 1600
Tear F 50W 2000 2025 1975 1500 1950 1400 1950
TearF100W 1750 1550 1600 1500 1550 1650 1575
SS WARP 31 33 30 36 36 34 34
SS FILL 40 40 40 40 40 40 40
FLEX WARP 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000
FLEX FILL 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000
APPEARANCE 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5
PILL AR 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
PILL 10w ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
PILL 25w ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
PILL 50w ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Samples AA through AP were all done in the lab. A lab thermosol pad steam
5 was used. None of the fabrics were finished.
Sample AA was a 4.3 oz 65/35 polyester/cotton poplin fabric. The fabric was
printed on a lab scale strike table in a wide bar pattern with an alginate
based print
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paste containing 11.5g/kg of a synthetic back thickener, and a 988.5g/kg of a
stock
print paste containing an anginate thickener, a sequestering agent, a
defoamer, an
anti-microbial agent, and water. (As in the above samples, the sequestering
agent,
defoamer and anti-microbial agent were included in minor quantities to
facilitate the
performance of the printing.) The paste had a viscosity of 25 poise. The
chemical
substance was dried on a laboratory infrared conveyor dryer of the variety
marketed
by Glenro Inc. of Paterson, New Jersey, set at 65% output with a conveyor
speed of
1.96 m/min. and a temperature between 220 and 330°. The fabric was then
dyed in
a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the
following dye
mixture: 5.10 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 11.97 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, and
5.65 g/1
CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the infrared drying unit
at a
temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AB was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA and which also included 6% of the fluorochemical APG 5264 from
Advanced Polymer, Inc. Carlstadt, New Jersey. The chemical substance was dried
on a laboratory infrared conveyor dryer as described in Sample AA. The fabric
vvas
then dyed in lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with
the following
dye mixture: 5.10 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 11.97 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165,
and
5.65 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the infrared
drying unit
at a temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AC was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA and which also included 6% of the fluorochemical APG 85 from
Advanced Polymer, Inc. The chemical substance was dried in the manner
described
in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at
425°F
for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 5.10 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30,
11.97
g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, and 5.65 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was
then
dried in the infrared drying unit at a temperature not exceeding 300°F.
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27
Sample AD was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA and which also included 10% of Solopol ZB30, a sugar co-polymer
supplied by Stockhausen, Inc. of Greensboro, North Carolina. The chemical
substance was dried in the manner described above in Sample AA. The fabric was
then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds
with the
following dye mixture: 5.10 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 11.97 g/1 CI Disperse
Blue
165, and 5.65 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the
infrared
drying unit at a temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AE was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA. The chemical substance was dried in the manner described above in
Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at
425°F for
50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30,
0.729
g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat
Yellow
Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was
then
dried in the infrared drying unit at a temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AF was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA. The paste also included 6% of the fluorochemical APG 5264 from
Advanced Polymer, Inc. The chemical substance was dried in the manner
described
above in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in lab thermosol/pad/steam unit
at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986
g/1 CI
Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The
fabric
was then dried in the infrared drying unit at a temperature not exceeding
300°F.
Sample AG was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA. The paste also included 6% of the fluorochemical APG 85 from
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28
Advanced Polymer, Inc. The chemical substance was dried in the manner
described
above in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit
at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986
g/1 CI
Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The
fabric
was then dried in the infrared drying unit at a temperature not exceeding
300°F.
Sample AH was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA. The paste also included 10% of Solopol ZB30, a sugar co-polymer
supplied by Stockhausen, Inc. of Greensboro, North Carolina. The chemical
substance was dried in the manner described in Sample AA. The fabric was then
dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the
following
dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165,
0.700
g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red
10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried in the infrared drying
unit at a
temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AI was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed in
a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample
AA. The paste also included 10% of Solopol ZB30, a sugar co-polymer supplied
by
Stockhausen, Inc. of Greensboro, North Carolina and 1.35 g/kg disperse red
mix,
0.41 g/kg disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The chemical
substance was dried in the manner described in Sample AA. The fabric was then
dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the
following
dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165,
and
0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the infrared
drying
unit at a temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AJ was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA. The print paste also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
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disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The chemical substance
was
dried in the manner described in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a lab
thermosol/pad/steam unit I at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following
dye mixture:
2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, and 0.700 g/1
CI
Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the infrared drying unit at
a
temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AK was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA. The print paste included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse
blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The paste also included 6% of
the
fluorochemical APG 5264 from Advanced Polymer Inc. The chemical substance was
dried on a laboratory infrared conveyor dryer set at 65% output with a
conveyor
speed of 1.96 m/min. The fabric was then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam
unit at
425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI
Disperse Orange
30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, and 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The
fabric was then dried in an infrared drying unit at a temperature not
exceeding 300°F.
Sample AL was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA and also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse
blue
60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The paste also included 6% of the
fluorochemical APG 85. The chemical substance was dried in the manner
described
in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at
425°F
for 50 seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange
30,
0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, and 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The
fabric
was then dried in the manner described in Sample AA.
Sample AM was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
Sample AA. The print paste also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The paste also included
10%
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of Solopol ZB30, a sugar co-polymer supplied by Stockhausen, Inc. The chemical
substance was dried in the manner described in Sample AA. The fabric was then
dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the
following
dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165,
0.700
5 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat
Red 10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried in the manner described
in
Sample AA.
Sample AN was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
10 in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above
in
Sample AA. The chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix,
0.41
g/kg disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The chemical
substance
was dried in the manner described in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a
lab
thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye
mixture:
15 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1
CI
Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried as described in Sample
AA.
Sample AO was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
20 in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above
in
Sample AA. The paste also included 6% of the fluorochemical APG 5264. The
chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse
blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The chemical substance was dried
in
the manner described in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a lab
25 thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following
dye mixture:
2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI
Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried in the manner described
in
Sample AA.
Sample AP was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with an alginate based print paste as described above in
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Sample AA. The paste also included 6% of the fluorochemical APG 85. The
chemical substance also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg
disperse
blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The chemical substance was dried
in
the manner described in Sample AA. The fabric was then dyed in a lab
thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye
mixture:
2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI
Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried in the manner described
in
Sample AA.
Sample AQ was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic based print paste containing 17.4 kg
water,
12.114 g/kg concentrated synthetic paste (sold under the tradename WTA by Abco
Industries of Roebuck, South Carolina), and minor quantities of a sequestering
agent, a defoamer and an antimicrobial agent to facilitate printing
performance. The
paste was stiff and therefore was not tested for viscosity. The paste was
dried using
a laboratory infrared conveyor dryer of the variety marketed by Glenro Inc. of
Paterson, New Jersey, set at 65% output with a conveyor speed of 1.96 m/min.
and
a temperature between 220 and 330°F. The fabric was then dyed in a lab
thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following dye
mixture:
5.10 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 11.97 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, and 5.65 g/1
CI
Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the infrared drying unit at
a
temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AR was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic based print paste of the variety
described in
Sample AQ. However, the print paste also included 6% Hipochem FCX fluorocarbon
extender, distributed by High Point Chemical Co. of High Point, North
Carolina. The
fabric was dried in the manner described in Sample AQ. The fabric was then
dyed in
a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the
following dye
mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, and
0.700
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32
g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the infrared drying
unit at a
temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AS was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic based print paste of the variety
described in
Sample AQ. The fabric was then dried in the manner described in Sample AQ. The
fabric was then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50
seconds with
the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI
Disperse
Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811
g/1 CI
Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried in the
manner
described in Sample AQ.
Sample AT was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic based print paste of the variety
described in
Sample AQ. The paste also included 6% Hipochem FCX fluorocarbon extender.
The fabric was then dried in the manner described in Sample AQ. The fabric was
then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds
with the
following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse
Blue
165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1
CI Vat
Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried in the manner
described in Sample AQ.
Sample AU was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic print paste of the variety described in
Sample
AQ. The paste also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse
blue 60,
and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The fabric was dried in the manner
described in
Sample AQ, and then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F
for 50
seconds with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729
g/1
CI Disperse Blue 165, and 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was
then
dried in the infrared drying unit at a temperature not exceeding 300°F.
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Sample AV was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic print paste of the variety described in
Sample
AQ, with the paste also containing 6% Hipochem FCX fluorocarbon extender along
with 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg
disperse
violet 57 dye. The fabric was dried in the manner described in Sample AQ, then
dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the
following
dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165,
and
0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix. The fabric was then dried in the infrared
drying
unit at a temperature not exceeding 300°F.
Sample AW was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic print paste of the variety described in
Sample
AQ. The paste also included 1.35 g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse
blue 60,
and 8.2 g/kg disperse violet 57 dye. The fabric was dried in the manner
described in
Sample AQ, then dyed in a lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50
seconds
with the following dye mixture: 2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI
Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow
Mix,
1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and 3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then
dried in
the manner described in Sample AQ.
Sample AX was the same base fabric as Sample AA. The fabric was printed
in a wide bar pattern with a synthetic print paste of the variety described in
Sample
AQ. The paste also included 6% Hipochem FCX fluorocarbon extender and 1.35
g/kg disperse red mix, 0.41 g/kg disperse blue 60, and 8.2 g/kg disperse
violet 57
dye. The fabric was dried in the manner described in Sample AQ, then dyed in a
lab thermosol/pad/steam unit at 425°F for 50 seconds with the following
dye mixture:
2.469 g/1 CI Disperse Orange 30, 0.729 g/1 CI Disperse Blue 165, 0.700 g/1 CI
Disperse Rubine Mix, 1.986 g/1 CI Vat Yellow Mix, 1.811 g/1 CI Vat Red 10, and
3.394 g/1 CI Vat Black 22. The fabric was then dried in the manner described
in
Sample AQ.
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The color data was tested using the method described above. The relative
dE, dL, da, db and strength for each sample (for the portion having the
chemical
substance relative to the portion of the fabric not having the chemical
substance)
were calculated. The results are listed below in Table C.
TABLE C
Strength
dE dL da db
AA 13.858 13.764 0.092 -1.609 39.2
AB 15.391 15.359 0.161 -0.977 35.52
AC 17.106 17.093 0.031 -0.654 31.76
AD 16.026 15.969 0.07 -1.345 33.95
AE 16.37 16.246 1.268 1.556 34.86
AF 17.129 16.983 1.824 1.293 33.01
AG 19.682 19.496 1.95 1.869 28.07
AH 18.319 18.182 1.359 1.775 30.67
AI 14.75 10.127 -6.124 -8.804 50.24
AJ 13.937 8.904 -5.865 -8.976 54.23
AK 16.551 8.624 -7.508 -11.966 55.85
AL 16.87 8.054 -7.872 -12.561 58.2
AM 15.814 8.653 -7.604 -10.834 57.03
AN 15.939 7.56 -7.742 -11.703 61.25
AO 18.173 6.821 -8.024 -14.811 64.18
AP 18.591 5.07 -8.062 -15.966 72.28
AQ 5.681 5.622 -0.091 -0.808 67.8
AR 7.701 7.643 0.041 0.91 60.55
AS 8.6 8.652 0.095 0.35 56.6
AT 10.421 10.353 0.17 1.175 51.13
AU 7.414 2.905 -3.902 -5.595 80.85
AV 7.463 2.752 -4.63 -5.16 82.6
AW 12.73 1.144 -6.616 -10.815 92.22
AX 12.698 0.0601 -6.914 -10.633 95.99
As noted from the examples, both the synthetic and the alginate print pastes
enabled the production of patterned fabrics using a continuous dye process.
However, the alginate was found to perform better than the particular
synthetic print
paste used based upon the specific conditions (viscosity, pressure, screen
mesh,
etc) used. However, it was found that each of the pastes tested provided good
patterning while minimizing the strength loss of the fabric. It is noted that
varying
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degrees of resistance of dyeing can be achieved using the process of the
invention,
through the selection of the type of resist chemistry, application method,
substrate,
and dyes used, and the like. Patterns using high to substantially complete
resistance as well as those having lower levels of resistance (to achieve only
subtle
5 color variations) are all contemplated within the scope of the invention.
The fabrics produced according to the invention can be used in any end use
where patterned textiles would have utility, including but not limited to
apparel, home
furnishings, napery, industrial products, or the like. As evidenced by the
durability of
10 the products following industrial launderings, the fabrics will have
particular utility in
the manufacture of garments used in the rental laundry markets.
In the specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the
invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a
generic and
15 descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation, the scope of the
invention
being defined in the claims.
