Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WOVEN TERRY FABRIC WITH CONTROLLED WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION AND
ARTICLES MADE THEREFROM
Field
[0001] The present invention relates to woven terry fabrics and more
particularly, to woven
terry fabric articles having controlled weight distribution.
Back2round
[0002] Woven terry fabric bath and hand towels tend to have a uniform weight
distribution
from end to end and side to side resulting from a generally uniform
construction and height
across the length and width of the fabricated finished article. However,
during use, it is
known that most individuals primarily utilize the central portion of the towel
to dry their
hands, hair, and bodies, while the ends of the towel are less frequently used
for these
purposes and more commonly serve to provide a means by which one holds the
towel.
[0003] Laundering towels consumes significant resources. In particular, towels
tend to be
made from hydrophilic materials that require significant amounts of detergents
or soaps to
clean, water to rinse, and heat to dry. Moreover, facilities that pay to
process towels and
other terry cloth articles on a large scale typically pay according to article
weight for
laundering services. Reducing the weight of towels could reduce the resources
and costs to
launder the towels. One way to reduce the weight of a towel is to reduce the
pile height in
the towel. However, the absorbency of a towel corresponds to the weight of the
towel and
the total weight of the towel is often a significant influence on the
perception of towel
quality. As such, a lighter weight towel with a reduced pile height will tend
to be less
absorbent and will tend to have a less luxurious feel than a heavier weight
towel. This can
be particularly important in the hospitality industry where patrons often
prefer and expect
heavy weight towels as a sign of quality and luxury.
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Summary
[0004] Aspects of the present invention provide an improved terry fabric.
Further aspects
of the invention provide improved terry fabric articles, such as towels,
having desirable
drying characteristics and aesthetics while also having a reduced total weight
as compared
to the weight of the primary area of use, which decreases the resources
necessary to
manufacture and launder the terry fabric articles. One way to accomplish this
is to vary the
height of individual rows or groups of pile yams so as to create a fabric
having a controlled,
non-uniform distribution of weight either from side to side or end to end. The
resulting
terry fabric may be utilized to make a terry fabric article, such as a towel,
that is woven so
that the expected area of primary use, such as the central area of the terry
fabric article, has
a weight that may be the same or even greater than the weight of a article
made from a
conventionally woven fabric having a substantially uniform pile height from
end to end.
However, the fabric results in a terry fabric article that is woven so as to
reduce the unit
weight in aggregate by decreasing the pile heights of rows or groups of pile
that are outside
of the primary use of the terry fabric article. Control of the pile height
variations could
facilitate the weaving and fabrication of terry fabric articles that can be
more or less
imperceptible from conventionally woven terry fabric articles woven with
substantially
uniform pile height and weight distribution.
[0005] In particular, an aspect of the invention is directed to a terry fabric
that includes a
body having a first end and a second end that are opposite one another and a
first side edge
and a second side edge that are also opposite another and generally
perpendicular to the first
and second opposite ends. The body also includes a plurality of zones
extending across the
fabric between the first and second opposite ends or the first and second
opposite edges.
Each zone of the plurality of zones has a pile with a pile height and the pile
height in a zone
differs from the pile height in an adjacent zone and the difference between
the pile heights
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in adjacent Zones is in a range between about 0.1 mm and about 2 mm. The
plurality of
zones may include a first zone having a lowest pile height and a second zone
having a
highest pile height and a first plurality of intermediate zones that are
intermediate to the first
zone and the second zone. The pile heights in each of the first plurality of
intermediate
zones incrementally increases from adjacent the first zone to adjacent the
second zone. The
plurality of zones may fiirther include a third zone having a pile height less
than the pile
height of the second zone and a second plurality of intermediate zones that
are intermediate
to the third zone and the second zone. The pile heights in each of the second
plurality of
intermediate zones incrementally increases from adjacent the third zone to
adjacent the
second zone. In an embodiment, the pile height in at least one zone is less
than the pile
height in thc zones that are on opposite sides of and immediately adjacent to
the at least one
zone. The fabric may be utilized to produce a terry fabric article, such as a
bath mat, a wash
cloth, or a towel.
[0006] By virtue of the foregoing, there is thus provided a terry fabric, and
terry fabric
articles made therefrom, having a reduced overall weight as compared to the
weight of the
primary area of use while maintaining the appearance and utility of a heavier
weight
conventionally woven terry fabric having uniform weight from edge to edge or
end to end.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made
apparent
from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007] The drawings,
illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general
description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the
embodiments
given below, serve to explain the principles of thc present invention.
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[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a woven terry fabric in accordance with
the
principles of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a partial, cross-sectional view, not to scale, taken along
line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a schematic representation of a terry
fabric towel in
accordance with the principles of the invention; and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a partial, cross-sectional view, not to scale, of a portion
of the terry fabric
towel of FIG. 3.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0012] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a terry fabric 10 is woven in a three-
pick terry
weave, and includes a top surface 12 and a bottom surface 14, with the
surfaces 12, 14
extending between a left selvage 16 and a right selvage 18, as well as a top
or trailing end
20 and a bottom or leading end 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the ground warp ends
El, E2 are
formed of yarn C, the terry pile loops N are formed of yarns T1, T2, and the
ground fill picks
Pi, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, Ps are formed of yam F. The ground warp ends E1,
E2 and the
ground fill picks P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, PS form the ground fabric. The
terry pile loops N
form the pile that projects from the surface of the ground fabric. As seen in
FIG. 2, the
ground warp yam C, terry pile loop yam Ti, T?, and ground fill yarn F are
woven together
in a three-pick terry weave. Although FIG. 2 illustrates part of a single
warpwise row, the
ground warp ends and terry pile loops of the other rows of the terry fabric 10
may be
constructed and arranged as shown in FIG. 2.
[0013] While not readily apparent upon casual visual inspection, the terry
fabric 10
illustrated in FIG. 1 is woven with a plurality of zones extending across the
fabric wherein
the pile height in each zone is slightly higher or lower than the pile height
in an adjacent
zone. FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a terry fabric article, in
particular, a
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towel 30 formed from the terry fabric 10 with dashed lines indicating
otherwise non-
apparent transitions between zones. FIG. 4, which is not drawn to scale, is a
partial cross
section of the towel 30 of FIG. 3 illustrating the differences in pile height
between adjacent
zones of terry fabric 10.
[0014] The exemplary towel 30 in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a body 31 with a length LB
extending
between the opposite ends 32, 32' of the towel 30 and a width W extending
between
opposite side edges 34, 34' of the towel 30. In the illustrated embodiment,
the terry fabric
of towel 30 includes optional opposite end sections 36, 36' that are separated
from the
body 31 of the towel 30 by a pair of optional border sections 38, 38'. The
body 31 of the
towel 30 is illustrated as being divided into a plurality of zones 40, 40',
42, 42', 44, 44', 46,
46', and 48 that each extend across the width of the towel. It will be
appreciated that the
terry fabric 10 could be formed in which the zones 40, 40', 42, 42', 44, 44',
46, 46', and 48
extend across the length LB of the body 31 of the towel 30 instead of the
width W. It will be
further appreciated that the towel 30 may be formed without the optional end
sections 36,
36' or the optional border sections 38, 38'. Moreover, it will be appreciated
that the towel
30 may include a hem and a selvage or both around the sides edges 34, 34' and
opposite
ends 32, 32' and that references herein to extending to the ends 32, 32'
and/or edges 34, 34'
of the towel 30 contemplates extending to beginning of the hems and/or
selvage.
[0015] In the illustrated embodiment, the pile in the end zones 40, 40' of the
body 31 of the
towel 30 adjacent to the border sections 38, 38' have a height h that is the
shortest pile in the
towel 30. In the first intermediate zones 42, 42' that are adjacent to the end
zones 40, 40',
the pile height h increases by an increment y that is not readily apparent
upon casual visual
inspection. The pile height in the first intermediate zones 42, 42' is thus
equal to h + y. In
the second intermediate zones 44, 44' that are adjacent to the first
intermediate zones 42,
42', the pile height increases by another increment, designated here as 2y,
relative to the pile
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height hpz in the preceding zones, (i.e., first intermediate zones 42, 42').
The pile height in
the second intermediate zones 44, 44' is thus equal to hpz + 2y. In the third
intermediate
zones 46, 46' that are adjacent to the second intermediate zones 44, 44, the
pile height
increases by another increment, designated here as 3y, relative to the pile
height hpz in the
preceding zones (i.e., second intermediate zones 44, 44'). The pile height in
the third
intermediate zones 46, 46' is thus equal to hpz + 3y. In the central zone 48
that is adjacent to
the third intermediate zones 46, 46', the pile height increases by another
increment,
designated here as 4y, relative to the pile height hpz in the preceding zones
(i.e., third
intermediate zones 46, 46'). The pile height in the central zone 48 is thus
equal to hpz + 4y.
The central zone 48 has the highest pile height in the body 31 of the towel
30.
[0016] While the incremental increases y, 2y, 3y, 4y in pile height h, hp7 are
illustrated as
being the same across all zones 40, 40', 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46', 48, it
will be appreciated
that the incremental increases in pile height between adjacent zones need not
be identical
across all zones. For example, the incremental increase y in pile height
between the end
zones 40, 40' and the first intermediate zones 42, 42' may equal a first value
and the
incremental increase 2y between the first intermediate zones 42, 42' and the
second
intermediate zones 44, 44' may be a second value that is greater or smaller
than the first
value so long as the incremental increase y, 2y, 3y, 4y between adjacent zones
40, 40', 42,
42', 44, 44', 46, 46', 48 is not readily apparent upon casual visual
inspection of the body 31
of the towel 30. The pile heights in the optional end sections 36, 36' and
optional border
sections 38, 38' may be less than, greater than, or equal to the pile heights
of one or more of
the zones 40, 40', 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46', 48 of the body 31 of the towel
30.
[0017] As described above, the differences (i.e., incremental increases y, 2y,
3y, 4y)
between the pile heights h, hpz in adjacent zones 40, 40', 42, 42', 44, 44',
46, 46', 48 of the
body 31 of the towel 30 are small enough that the differences are not readily
apparent upon
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casual visual inspection of the towel 30. In an embodiment, the difference in
pile height
between adjacent zones may range between about 0.1 mm and about 2 mm. In
another
embodiment, the difference in pile height between adjacent zones may range
between about
0.1 mm and about 1.5 mm. In another embodiment, the difference in pile height
between
adjacent zones may range between about 0.1 mm and about 1 mm. In another
embodiment,
the difference in pile height between adjacent zones may range between about
0.1 mm and
about 0.8 mm. In another embodiment, the difference in pile height between
adjacent zones
may range between about 0.1 mm and about 0.6 mm. In another embodiment, the
difference in pile height between adjacent zones may range between about 0.1
mm and
about 0.5 mm. In another embodiment, the difference in pile height between
adjacent zones
may range between about 0.1 mm and about 0.4 mm. In another embodiment, the
difference in pile height between adjacent zones may range between about 0.1
mm and
about 0.3 mm. In another embodiment, the difference in pile height between
adjacent zones
may range between about 0.1 mm and about 0.2 mm. In another embodiment, the
difference in pile height between adjacent zones may range between about 0.2
mm and
about 0.4 mm. In another embodiment, the difference in pile height between
adjacent zones
may range between about 0.3 mm and about 0.4 mm.
[0018] In the illustrated embodiment, the central zone 48 has the highest pile
height in the
body 31 of the towel 30. In an embodiment, the pile height in the zone with
the highest pile
height is not less than about 110% or more than about 300% of the pile height
in the zone
with the lowest pile height. In an embodiment, the pile height in the zone
with the highest
pile height is not less than about 125% or more than about 250% of the pile
height in the
zone with the lowest pile height. For example, if the pile height in the end
zones 40, 40' of
the illustrated embodiment is about 10 mm, the pile height of the central zone
may range
between about 12.5 mm and about 25 mm. In another embodiment, the pile height
in the
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zone with the highest pile height is not less than about 125% or more than
about 200% of
the pile height in the zone with the lowest pile height.
[0019] In an embodiment, the heights of the pile, measured as the distance
that the pile
projects from the ground fabric, may range from between about 5 mm and about
10 mm. If
the terry has double sided pile, the total thickness of the pile from both
sides of the fabric
may range between about 10 mm and about 20 mm.
[0020] The pile height may also be considered as a function of the terry
ratio, which is an
expression of the length of yarn consumed for the pile as compared to the
ground warp. In
an embodiment of the invention, the fabric may have a terry ratio which ranges
between
about 3:1 and about 12:1. In another embodiment, the fabric may have a terry
ratio which
ranges between about 5:1 and 11:1.
[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, end zone 40, first intermediate zone 42,
the second
intermediate zone 44, the third intermediate zone 46, and the central zone 48
each have a
different pile height with the end zone 40 having the lowest pile height and
the central zone
48 having the highest pile height. These pile heights correspond with the pile
heights in the
zones at the opposite end of the towel, i.e., end zone 40', first intermediate
zone 42', the
second intermediate zone 44', the third intermediate zone 46'. Thus, the
illustrated
embodiment utilizes five different pile heights spread across the end zones
40, 40',
intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46', and the central zone 48. It will
be appreciated
that a different number of zones, each having a different pile height relative
to their
respective adjacent zones may be used. In an embodiment, at least four zones
from the end
zones to the central zone having four different pile heights are used. In
another
embodiment, at least eight zones from the end zones to the central zone having
eight
different pile heights are used. In another embodiment, at least twelve zones
from the end
zones to the central zone having twelve different pile heights are used. In
another
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embodiment, at least sixteen zones from the end zones to the central zone
having sixteen
different pile heights are used. In another embodiment, at least twenty zones
from the end
zones to the central zone having twenty different pile heights are used. In
another
embodiment, the number of zones between the end zones and the central zone may
range
between four zones and thirty-two zones. In another embodiment, the number of
zones
between the end zones and the central zone may range between ten zones and
thirty zones.
In another embodiment, the number of zones between the end zones and the
central zone
may range between sixteen zones and thirty zones. In another embodiment, the
number of
zones between the end zones and the central zone may range between twenty
zones and
thirty zones.
[0022] Furthermore, while the illustrated towel 30 has a central zone 48
surrounded by an
equal number of intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46' between the
central zone 48 and
the two end zones 40, 40', the towel 30 could have an unequal number of
intermediate zones
between the central zone 48 and the end zones 40, 40'. For example, in an
embodiment, the
first end 32 of the towel 30 may include end zone 40 and a first plurality of
intermediate
zones and the second end 32' of the towel 30 may include second end zone 40'
and a second
plurality of intermediate zones, and the number of zones in the first
plurality of intermediate
zones may be different from the number of zones in the second plurality of
intermediate
zones.
[0023] It will be further appreciated that the towel 30 could have a zone at
the first end 32
with the shortest pile height and a second zone at the opposite end 32' with
the highest pile
height and a plurality of intermediate zones with piles heights that
incrementally increase
from the zone at the first end 32 to the zone at the second end 32' such that
the difference
between pile heights in adjacent zones is not be readily apparent upon casual
visual
inspection.
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[0024] It is further contemplated that the pile heights in adjacent zones may
not necessarily
increase from one zone to the next across a plurality of zones. In other
words, the pile
heights across a plurality of zones may alternate between lower pile heights
and higher pile
heights. For example, the towel illustrated in FIG. 3 could be produced such
that the pile
heights in zones 40 and 44 are higher or lower than the pile height in zones
42 and 46. This
pattern of alternating pile heights could continue along the entire length LB
of the body 31
of the towel 30 or along a portion of the length of the towel 30. To exemplify
this latter
point, the pile heights could alternate in the end zones 40, 40', the first
intermediate zones
42, 42' and the second intermediate zones 44, 44' and then the pile heights
could increase
incrementally from the second intermediate zones 44, 44' across the third
intermediate
zones 46, 46' to the central zone 48. These alternative embodiments maintain
the spirit of
the invention that the difference between pile heights in adjacent zones is
not readily
apparent upon casual visual inspection.
[0025] Between each zone 40, 40', 42, 42, 44, 44', 46, 46', 48 is a transition
from the pile
height in one zone to the pile height in the adjacent zone. The distance
between the
transitions from one zone to the next zone defines the widths of each zone.
For example,
the width WEz for end zone 40 is defined as the distance between transition 52
to the
optional border section 38 and transition 54 to the first intermediate zone
42. And, the
width Wcz for the central zone 48 is defined as the distance between the
transitions 56, 58
to the third intermediate zones 46, 46'. In an embodiment, the width Wcz of
the central
zone 48 may be wider than the width of the end zones 40, 40' and the
intermediate zones 42,
42', 44, 44', 46, 46'. In another embodiment, the width Wcz is about equal to
the width of
one or more of the end zones 40, 40' and the intermediate zones 42, 42', 44,
44', 46, 46'. In
an embodiment, none of the individual zones (i.e., the individual end zones
40, 40',
intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46', or central zone 48) has a
continuous width that is
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more than about 25% of the overall length LB of the body 31 of the towel 30.
In another
embodiment, the width of the individual zones (i.e., the individual end zones
40, 40',
intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46', or central zone 48) ranges
between about 1%
and about 25% of the overall length LB of the body 31 of the towel 30. In
another
embodiment, the width of the individual zones (i.e., the individual end zones
40, 40',
intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46', or central zone 48) ranges
between about 2%
and about 15% of the overall length LB of the body 31 of the towel 30.
100261 In another embodiment, the width of the central zone 48 is greater than
the width of
any one of the end zones 40, 40' or intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44', 46,
46' and is not
more than about 25% of the overall length LB of the body 31 of the towel 30.
In this same
embodiment, the width of the end zones 40, 40' and intermediate zones 42, 42',
44, 44', 46,
46' may range between about 1% and about 10%, or, alternatively between about
2% and
about 5% of the overall length LB of the body 31 of the towel 30. In a towel
exemplifying
this embodiment that has a length of about 50 inches, the widths of the end
zones 40, 40'
and intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44', 46, 46' may range from between about
0.5 inch and
about 5 inches and the width Wcz of the central zone 48 would not be more than
about 12.5
inches. Of course, intermediate zones in addition to the illustrated
intermediate zones 42,
42', 44, 44', 46, 46' may be necessary to span to the distance from the end
zones 40, 40' to
the central zone 48.
[00271 In another embodiment, the width of the third intermediate zones 46,
46'
immediately adjacent to the central zone 48 may be greater than the width of
the end zones
40, 40' and the remaining intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44'. For example,
the central zone
48 may have a width Wcz that ranges between 5 times and 10 times the widths of
the
individual end zones 40, 40' and first and second intermediate zones 42, 42',
44, 44' and the
third intermediate zones 46, 46' immediately adjacent the central zone 48 may
have a width
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that ranges between about 3 times and about 6 times the width of the
individual end zones
40, 40' and first and second intermediate zones 42, 42', 44, 44'.
[0028] The yarns defining the ground fill, ground warp, and pile warp of
embodiments of
the terry fabric 10 may be made of any suitable material including yarns made
of natural
material, synthetic material, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, at
least a portion
of the yarns include hydrophilic fibers, such as cotton or other cellulosic
fibers that may
optionally be blended with synthetic yarns such as polyester in spun or
filament yarn form.
Such yarns are known in the art. Further, depending upon the desired
characteristic of the
fabric the ground fill and ground warp may be selected of appropriate
materials and the pile
warp may be selected of the same or different materials, likewise any
combination of yarns
may be utilized to define the ground fill, ground warp, and pile warp as
desired.
[0029] The terry fabrics described herein may be used to manufacture any sort
of terry
fabric article, such as bath mats, wash cloths, and towels including bath
sheets, bath towels,
hand towels, and dish towels.
[0030] As the fabric is woven, the pile height for each zone 40, 40', 42, 42',
44, 44', 46, 46',
48 of the body 31 of the towel 30 is woven to have the desired height. In an
embodiment,
terry fabric is woven on a terry loom capable of weaving the terry fabric with
the desired
pile height in each zone. In an embodiment, the terry loom weaves a different
pile height
for every 48 to 96 pick insertions, which corresponds to about 16 loops to
about 32 loops at
the desired height in the zone over a distance of about 1 inch to about 2
inches. The number
of pick insertions and corresponding loops per zone may be adjusted as
necessary to result
in zones having the desired widths as discussed above.
[0031] The incremental increases y, 2y, 3y, 4y in pile height from the end
zones 40, 40' to
the central zone 48 result in a towel 30 wherein the difference in the pile
height in the end
zones 40, 40' of the towel 30 compared to the central zone 48 will not be
readily apparent to
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the user of the towel 30 upon casual visual inspection. Moreover, since most
people dry
themselves with the central area of towels, which corresponds to the central
zone 48 of the
presently described towel 30, most people using the resulting towels 30 will
experience the
same performance qualities as they would experience if the towel 30 had been
woven with a
uniform pile height from end to end 32, 32 that matches the pile height in the
central zone
48. The resulting towel 30 has the further benefit of requiring less material
to manufacture
as less yam will be needed to weave the fabric for the towel 30 due to the
lower average
pile heights. Further, the lower average pile heights will decrease the weight
of the towels
30 which will decrease the resources necessary for laundering the towels 30.
This has
environmental consequences as less soap and water will be necessary to wash
the towels 30
and less energy will be needed to dry the towels 30. This is especially
helpful in
institutional settings wherein laundering is paid based on the weight of the
laundered items.
The significant weight reductions in the towel will result in significant
savings for
institutional users of the towel 30, such as hotels and hospitals, which
launder large
quantities of towels 30 every day. Thus, the resulting towel 30 provides the
same user
benefits as heavier towels while reducing the resources required to
manufacture and launder
the towel 30.
[0032] By virtue of the foregoing, there is thus provided a woven terry fabric
10 with
controlled weight distribution and terry fabric articles, such as towel 30,
having advantages
over prior woven terry fabrics and terry fabric articles.
[0033] While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of
embodiments
thereof and specific examples, and while the embodiments have been described
in
considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the
scope of the
appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will
readily
appear to those skilled in the art. For example, although the drawings
illustrate a three-pick
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terry-weave pattern, any suitable pattern may be used to form the woven terry
fabric. It is
further contemplated that the towel could include one or more zones that
include a
continuous or near continuous increase in pile height from one row of pile
loops to the next
so long as the difference between pile heights is not readily apparent upon
casual visual
inspection. Additionally, if more than one yarn type is used in the warp, any
desired
sequence or pattern of spun yarn and/or synthetic filament yarn may be used.
Also, the
woven terry fabric may include synthetic fibers, filaments, and/or yarns in
the pile loops,
with the synthetic material being polyester and/or other suitable synthetic
material(s). In
addition, while the pile is illustrated herein as a loop pile, cut pile could
also be used and is
within the scope of the invention. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects
is therefore not
limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods and
illustrative
examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such
details
without departing from the scope or spirit of applicant's general inventive
concept.
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