In an embodiment, a paint roller manufacturing system and method uses a fabric-coating applicator to apply a fabric adhesive onto a portion of a perforated paint roller cover fabric material having a plurality of perforations through which adhesive may flow, and into the plurality of perforations and into interstitial spaces of the fabric material, to yield a length of coated fabric. An inner strip and an outer strip are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. A strip-coating applicator is used to apply a strip adhesive to the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. Simultaneously with the step of applying the strip adhesive to the outer strip, a portion of the coated paint roller fabric material is received at the outer strip and the length of coated fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube.

A paint roller manufacturing system includes a cover dispenser for continuously dispensing a windable width of paint roller cover fabric, a fabric supporting and advancing device for supporting the fabric and maintaining a width-wise dimension of the paint roller cover fabric as the fabric advances, a fabric coating applicator for applying a coating to the back side of the paint roller cover fabric while the fabric supporting and advancing device maintains the fabric in a width-wise dimension, and a compressing roller positioned downstream of the fabric coating applicator and configured to apply a compressive force on the coating after it has been applied to the back side of the paint roller cover fabric and while the fabric is supported by the fabric supporting and advancing device. In two-strip embodiments, first and second strip dispensers continuously dispense a first and second windable width of strip material. A guide system guides the first and second strip coming from the first and second strip dispensers to be wound about a mandrel and guides the coated paint roller cover fabric from the fabric supporting device to be wound about the first and second strips. An adhesive applicator is configured to apply adhesive on substantially all of the outer side of the first and second windable strips and positioned to apply adhesive to the outer side of the first and second windable strips upstream of a location where the coated paint roller cover fabric is wound about the first and second strips.

A paint roller manufacturing system includes a cover dispenser for continuously dispensing a windable width of paint roller cover fabric, a fabric supporting and advancing device for supporting the fabric and maintaining a width-wise dimension of the paint roller cover fabric as the fabric advances, a fabric coating applicator for applying a coating to the back side of the paint roller cover fabric while the fabric supporting and advancing device maintains the fabric in a width-wise dimension, and a compressing roller positioned downstream of the fabric coating applicator and configured to apply a compressive force on the coating after it has been applied to the back side of the paint roller cover fabric and while the fabric is supported by the fabric supporting and advancing device. In two-strip embodiments, first and second strip dispensers continuously dispense a first and second windable width of strip material. A guide system guides the first and second strip coming from the first and second strip dispensers to be wound about a mandrel and guides the coated paint roller cover fabric from the fabric supporting device to be wound about the first and second strips. An adhesive applicator is configured to apply adhesive on substantially all of the outer side of the first and second windable strips and positioned to apply adhesive to the outer side of the first and second windable strips upstream of a location where the coated paint roller cover fabric is wound about the first and second strips.

In an embodiment, a paint roller manufacturing system and method uses a fabric-coating applicator to apply a fabric adhesive onto a portion of a perforated paint roller cover fabric material having a plurality of perforations through which adhesive may flow, and into the plurality of perforations and into interstitial spaces of the fabric material, to yield a length of coated fabric. An inner strip and an outer strip are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. A strip-coating applicator is used to apply a strip adhesive to the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. Simultaneously with the step of applying the strip adhesive to the outer strip, a portion of the coated paint roller fabric material is received at the outer strip and the length of coated fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube.

In an embodiment, a paint roller manufacturing system and method uses a fabric-coating applicator to apply a fabric adhesive onto a portion of a perforated paint roller cover fabric material having a plurality of perforations through which adhesive may flow, and into the plurality of perforations and into interstitial spaces of the fabric material, to yield a length of coated fabric. An inner strip and an outer strip are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. A strip-coating applicator is used to apply a strip adhesive to the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. Simultaneously with the step of applying the strip adhesive to the outer strip, a portion of the coated paint roller fabric material is received at the outer strip and the length of coated fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube.

A system and method are provided for conditioning paint roller cover fabric inline in a continuous paint roller manufacturing process. The system and method provide an inline fabric conditioning unit upstream of the point in the process that the paint roller fabric cover strip is wrapped about the outer side of the outer strip, the fabric conditioning unit including a fabric conditioning device that conditions the paint roller fabric cover strip as it is being fed towards the outer side of the outer strip. The fabric conditioning unit may be used to perforate the fabric, to remove loose fibers from the fabric side of the paint roller fabric cover, to buff the paint roller fabric, and to orient the paint roller cover fibers. The continuous paint roller manufacturing process includes steps of feeding an inner strip and an outer strip towards a mandrel, wrapping the inner strip and the outer strip about the mandrel in offset relation, applying a strip adhesive to at least a portion of an outer side of the inner strip and at least a portion of an outer side of the outer strip, feeding a paint roller fabric cover strip having a fabric side and a backing side towards the outer side of the outer strip, the fabric side comprising loose fibers and attached fibers, forming a paint roller tube by wrapping the paint roller fabric cover strip about the outer strip at a point in the process after the strip adhesive has been applied to the outer side of the outer strip such that the backing side contacts the strip adhesive, applying compression to the paint roller tube, and cutting the paint roller tubes into like lengths.

A system and method are provided for conditioning paint roller cover fabric inline in a continuous paint roller manufacturing process. The system and method provide an inline fabric conditioning unit upstream of the point in the process that the paint roller fabric cover strip is wrapped about the outer side of the outer strip, the fabric conditioning unit including a fabric conditioning device that conditions the paint roller fabric cover strip as it is being fed towards the outer side of the outer strip. The fabric conditioning unit may be used to perforate the fabric, to remove loose fibers from the fabric side of the paint roller fabric cover, to buff the paint roller fabric, and to orient the paint roller cover fibers. The continuous paint roller manufacturing process includes steps of feeding an inner strip and an outer strip towards a mandrel, wrapping the inner strip and the outer strip about the mandrel in offset relation, applying a strip adhesive to at least a portion of an outer side of the inner strip and at least a portion of an outer side of the outer strip, feeding a paint roller fabric cover strip having a fabric side and a backing side towards the outer side of the outer strip, the fabric side comprising loose fibers and attached fibers, forming a paint roller tube by wrapping the paint roller fabric cover strip about the outer strip at a point in the process after the strip adhesive has been applied to the outer side of the outer strip such that the backing side contacts the strip adhesive, applying compression to the paint roller tube, and cutting the paint roller tubes into like lengths.

The present invention refers to a plant (1) for printing, particularly for digitally printing, a sheet fibrous material (T), said printing plant (1) comprising: a conveyor belt (2) configured for temporarily receiving in contact a first side (T1) of the sheet fibrous material (T) and guiding this latter in the movement along an advancement direction (A); one printing station (6) adapted to ink-print at least part of a second side (T2) of the sheet fibrous material (T), opposite to the first side (T1), one treating station (10) of the sheet fibrous material (T) configured for placing on a side of the sheet fibrous material (T) a treatment foam comprising at least one among: an anti-migration agent, a pH control agent, a hydrotropic agent. The present invention also refers to a process of printing of sheet fibrous material.

Processes are disclosed which substantially eliminate the formation of oxidized indigo dye before and during dye application onto a natural fiber yarn or fabric while allowing the leuco-indigo dye molecule to diffuse fully into the natural fibers of the yarn where it can fix to the fibers prior to oxidation (i.e., exposure of the leuco-dyed yarns to oxygen). Indigo dyed textile products (e.g., dyed cotton yarns that may be twill woven to form a denim fabric) exhibit exceptionally high colorfastness as determined by the AATCC Crock Test.

Processes and apparatus are disclosed which substantially eliminate the formation of oxidized indigo dye before and during dye application onto a natural fiber yarn or fabric while allowing the leuco-indigo dye molecule to diffuse fully into the natural fibers of the yarn where it can fix to the fibers prior to oxidation (i.e., exposure of the leuco-dyed yarns to oxygen). Indigo dyed textile products (e.g., dyed cotton yarns that may be twill woven to form a denim fabric) exhibit exceptionally high colorfastness as determined by the AATCC Crock Test.