Woven products

Abstract

Disclosed is a woven product adapted to be used as a primary backing layer for a surface, ground or floor covering comprising artificial or synthetic grass or turf. The woven product comprises at least a first woven layer and a second woven layer, wherein the first and second woven layers are interwoven, the first woven layer comprises a plurality of warp tapes/threads and a plurality of weft tapes/threads, the warp tapes/threads and the weft tapes/threads of the first woven layer being substantially perpendicular to one another. The second woven layer comprises a plurality of warp tapes/threads and a plurality of weft tapes/threads, the warp tapes/threads and the weft tapes/threads of the second woven layer being substantially perpendicular to one another.

Claims

1. A woven product adapted to be used as a backing for a surface, ground or floor covering, the woven product comprising at least a first woven layer and a second woven layer, wherein the first and second woven layers are interwoven at interwoven areas, wherein: the first woven layer comprises a plurality of warp tapes or threads and a plurality of weft tapes or threads, the warp tapes or threads and the weft tapes or threads of the first woven layer being substantially perpendicular to one another; the second woven layer comprises a plurality of warp tapes or threads and a plurality of weft tapes or threads, the warp tapes or threads and the weft tapes or threads of the second woven layer being substantially perpendicular to one another; the warp tapes or threads of the first and second woven layers are substantially parallel to one another; and the weft tapes or threads of the first and second woven layers are substantially parallel to one another; and wherein each interwoven area comprises one or more of: a weft tape or thread of the first woven layer and a transversely coincident weft tape or thread of the second woven layer which are passed over both a warp tape or thread of the first woven layer and a longitudinally coincident warp tape or thread of the second woven layer; and an adjacent weft tape or thread of the first woven layer and an adjacent and transversely coincident weft tape or thread of the second woven layer which are passed under both said warp tape or thread of the first woven layer and said longitudinally coincident warp tape or thread of the second layer.

2. The woven product as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the woven product consists of the first and second woven layers.

3. The woven product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second layers are interwoven together at or by lines of interweaving, wherein a plurality of portions, areas or lines of interweaving are provided substantially parallel to one another.

4. The woven product as claimed in claim 1, wherein each interwoven area comprises a pair of weft tapes or threads, a pair of adjacent weft tapes or threads, a pair of warp tapes or threads, and a pair of adjacent warp tapes or threads, one weft/warp tape or thread of each pair being provided from the first woven layer, and another weft/warp tape or thread of each pair being provided from the second woven layer.

5. The woven product as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of: the woven product, first woven layer, second woven layer, warp/weft tapes or threads of the first woven layer, and the second woven layer comprise or consist of a polymer or polymeric material or a polyolefin material.

6. The woven product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the woven product is capable of being provided with tufts.

7. The woven product as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the first and second layers are adjacent or substantially parallel to one another, one of the first or second layers being above, below, adjacent or abutting the other of the second or first layers.

8. A textile product or tufted product for a surface, ground or floor covering, comprising the woven product according to any of claim 1.

9. The textile product or tufted product as claimed in claim 8, comprising an upper or outer layer of pile or face yarn tufted and/or attached to the woven product.

10. The textile product or tufted product as claimed in claim 9, wherein the upper or outer layer of pile comprises a plurality twisted and/or spirally wrapped tufts.

11. The textile product or tufted product as claimed in claim 10, wherein each tuft comprises or provides a blade of artificial/synthetic grass.

12. The textile product or tufted product as claimed in claim 8, comprising an upper or outer layer of yarn, face yarn, or further tape or thread tufted to the woven product.

13. The textile product or tufted product as claimed in claim 8, comprising an upper or outer layer of pile or face yarn tufted to the woven product, wherein each tuft comprises or consists of a polymer or polymeric material.

14. A method of making a woven product, for example, for a surface, ground or floor covering, the method comprising the steps of: weaving or forming a first woven layer; weaving or forming a second woven layer; interweaving the first and second woven layers at interwoven areas, wherein the first woven layer comprises a plurality of warp tapes or threads and a plurality of weft tapes or threads, the warp tapes or threads and the weft tapes or threads of the first woven layer being substantially perpendicular to one another; the second woven layer comprises a plurality of warp tapes or threads and a plurality of weft tapes or threads, the warp tapes or threads and the weft tapes or threads of the second woven layer being substantially perpendicular to one another; the warp tapes or threads of the first and second woven layers are substantially parallel to one another; and the weft tapes or threads of the first and second woven layers are substantially parallel to one another; and wherein each interwoven area comprises one or more of: a weft tape or thread of the first woven layer and a transversely coincident weft tape or thread of the second woven layer which are passed over both a warp tape or thread of the first woven layer and a longitudinally coincident warp tape or thread of the second woven layer; and an adjacent weft tape or thread of the first woven layer and an adjacent and transversely coincident weft tape or thread of the second woven layer which are passed under both said warp tape or thread of the first woven layer and said longitudinally coincident warp tape or thread of the second layer.

15. The method of making the woven product as claimed in claim 14, wherein the steps of weaving or forming the first woven layer, weaving or forming the second woven layer, and interweaving the first and second layers together are done or performed simultaneously.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a first textile product comprising a primary backing layer falling outside of the scope of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic side view of a second textile product comprising a primary backing layer falling outside of the scope of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 a schematic side view of a third textile product comprising a primary backing layer falling outside of the scope of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic side view of a fourth textile product comprising a primary backing layer falling outside of the scope of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 a schematic side view of a textile product comprising a primary backing layer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 a more detailed side view to an enlarged scale of the primary backing layer of FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 a top view of the primary backing layer of FIG. 5; and

(9) FIGS. 8(a) and (b) further detailed side view to an enlarged scale of the first and second stages in forming an interwoven area in the primary backing layer of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(10) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, there are shown first to fourth textile products comprising primary backing layers as hereinbefore described falling outside the scope of the present invention.

(11) Referring particularly to FIG. 4, there is shown a textile or woven product, generally designated 5′, comprising a primary backing layer falling outside of the scope of the present invention. The woven product 5′ comprises and/or is adapted for use as a backing or substrate (layer). The woven product 5′ comprises at least a first woven layer 10′ and a second woven layer 15′. After the first woven layer 10′ and second woven layer 15′ are separately woven, the layers 10′, 15′ are stitched together by stitching 20′ comprising threads which are not tapes or threads of the layers 10′ 15′. The woven product 5′ is used as a backing for a tufted product 100′.

(12) Referring now to FIGS. 5 to 8(b), there is shown a textile or woven product, generally designated 5, comprising a primary backing layer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The woven product 5 comprises and/or is adapted for use as a backing or substrate (layer), for example for a surface, ground or floor covering, such as artificial or synthetic grass or turf. The woven product 5 comprises at least a first woven layer 10 and a second woven layer 15, wherein the first and second woven layers 10, 15 are interwoven together at an interwoven region, portion or area 20.

(13) The woven product 5 can typically be referred to as a ‘primary backing’.

(14) The woven product 5 comprises, and beneficially solely comprises, the first and second woven layers 10, 15. The first and second layers 10, 15 are adjacent or substantially parallel to one another. In use, one of the first or second layers 10, 15 is (directly) above or below the other of the second or first layers 15, 10.

(15) The first and second layers 10, 15 are interwoven together at or by lines of interweaving 20. A plurality of lines of interweaving 20 are provided, which are substantially parallel to one another, and which are spaced, for example substantially equally spaced, for example by 15 cm to 25 cm, for example around 20 cm.

(16) The first woven layer 10 comprises a plurality of warp tapes 25. The first woven layer 10 comprises a plurality of weft tapes 30. The warp tapes 25 and the weft tapes 30 of the first woven layer 10 are substantially perpendicular to one another.

(17) The second woven layer 15 comprises a plurality of warp tapes 35. The second woven layer 15 comprises a plurality of waft tapes 40. The warp tapes 35 and the weft tapes 40 of the second woven layer 15 are substantially perpendicular to one another.

(18) The warp tapes 25, 35 of the first and second woven layers 10, 15 are substantially parallel.

(19) The weft tapes 30, 40 of the first and second woven layers 10, 15 are substantially parallel.

(20) The first and second woven layers 10, 15 are interwoven together by the weft and warp tapes 30 (25) of the first woven layer 10 and by the weft and warp tapes 40 (35) of the second woven layer 15.

(21) In one advantageous Implementation each Interwoven area or interweave comprises a weft tape 30 of the first woven layer 10 and a (transversely coincident) weft tape 40 of the second weft layer 15 being passed over and/or under both a warp tape 25 of the first woven layer and a (longitudinally coincident) warp tape 35 of the second woven layer 15.

(22) In said advantageous implementation the/each adjacent interwoven area or interweave comprises an adjacent weft tape 30 of the first woven layer 10 and an adjacent (and transversely coincident) weft tape 40 of the second woven layer 15 being passed under and/or over an adjacent warp tape 25 of the first woven layer 10 and an adjacent (longitudinally coincident) warp tape 35 of the second layer 15.

(23) It will thus be appreciated that in said advantageous implementation each interwoven area comprises a pair of weft tapes 30, 40, a pair of adjacent weft tapes 30, 40, a pair of warp tapes 25, 35, and a pair of adjacent warp tapes 25, 35.

(24) One weft/warp tape 25, 30 of each pair come from the first woven layer 10, and another weft/warp tape 35, 40 of each pair comes from the second woven layer 15.

(25) The woven product 35, 40 can be said to be ‘interwoven’ or combined, for example by weft and warp tapes 25, 30, 35, 40.

(26) The warp and/or the weft tapes 25, 30, 35, 40 are substantially planar.

(27) The woven product 5 and/or first and/or second woven layer 10, 15, and/or warp and/or weft tapes 25, 30, 35, 40 of the first and/or second woven layers 10, 15 comprise or consist of a polymer or polymeric material or a polyolefin material, for example polypropylene. The polymeric material can comprise a homopolymer.

(28) The woven product 5 comprises a backing layer (for example ‘primary backing’) for a textile product or tufted product. The textile product or tufted product comprises an upper or outer layer or pile tufted and/or attached to the woven product 5.

(29) The upper or outer layer or pile comprises a plurality of tufts, for example twisted and/or spirally wrapped tufts. Each tuft comprises or provides a blade of artificial/synthetic grass. Each tuft comprises a yarn (face yarn) or further tape. Each tuft comprises or consists of a further polymer or polymeric material or a polyolefin material, for example polypropylene. The further polymeric material can comprise a homopolymer. The further polymeric material advantageously comprises a/the same material as the polymeric material.

(30) The woven product 5 is rollable.

(31) The present invention provides a textile product or tufted product generally designated 100, for example a surface, ground or floor covering, comprising a woven product 5 as hereinbefore described.

(32) Advantageously the textile product or tufted product 100 comprises or is adapted to comprise a sports surface, for example a playing surface. Alternatively the textile product or tufted product comprises a leisure surface. The tufted product advantageously comprises artificial or synthetic grass or turf or can comprise carpet.

(33) The present invention provides a method of making a woven product 5 comprising a backing or substrate (layer), for example for a surface, ground or floor covering such as artificial grass, the method comprising:

(34) weaving or forming a first woven layer 10;

(35) weaving or forming a second woven layer 15;

(36) interweaving the first and second woven layers together.

(37) The steps of weaving or forming the first woven layer, weaving or forming the second woven layer, and interweaving the first and second layers together are done or performed simultaneously.

(38) The present invention provides use of the woven product 5 as a backing or substrate (layer), for example for a surface, ground or floor covering, the woven product 5 comprising a first woven layer 10 and a second woven layer 15, wherein the first and second woven layers 10, 15 are interwoven together.

(39) The Applicant has developed a weaving process that allows two woven polypropylene primary backing materials to be simultaneously both woven and combined (interwoven) together in a single stage during weaving (see FIG. 5).

(40) The resulting two layer fabric is designed to deliver required dimensional stability, strength and Improved tuft lock required in a single roll, comprising a combined double layer woven product. The Applicant has Identified that producing a composite woven primary backing, with the two layers joined together on the loom, addresses a disadvantage of other composite primary backing rolls (either stitched or needled together, as per the examples of FIGS. 1 to 4)—variable tension or fabric differences between the layers, causing dimensional Instability or wrinkles in the primary backing either during feeding, tufting or adhesive coating/backing. An advantage of the Applicant's system is that the double layer fabric is produced in one step on the weaving loom, which acts to eliminate tension or fabric differences and reduces the number of process steps. There is also a reduction in energy consumption by reducing number of process steps. An additional advantage of using the process according to the present invention is that the entire primary backing is 100% of one material, for example polypropylene, and is, therefore, able to be recycled.

(41) Embodiments of the invention provide a composite two-layer woven polypropylene fabric intended for use as grass primary backing.

(42) The Applicant previously manufactured a single layer for grass backing which was combined with an additional primary backing layer by the tufter during the grass tufting process. Typical woven fabric construction of a single layer woven grass primary backing is:

(43) 134 grams/metre.sup.2.

(44) Warp tape and density—56 tex @ 94 warp ends/10 cm.

(45) Weft tape and density—122 tex @ 63 shot/10 cm.

(46) Normal weaving practice is to weave fabric from a single warp beam, or in heavier/denser fabric applications a double warp beam can be used. The use of a double warp beam reduces the number of changeovers and prevents the large volume of warp tapes crushing together, giving a flatter smooth beam which in turn gives a smooth finish to the finished fabric.

(47) What the Applicant has achieved is to weave two layers of single layer grass primary woven backing, as described above, simultaneously on one loom, whilst also simultaneously interweaving these layers together using the weft and warp tapes, all in a single step. The loom incorporates technology using two warp beams, feeding the loom in combination with the set-up of the shafts and tappets on the loom.

(48) To illustrate this, take the example of a single layer woven grass primary backing at 134 grams/metre.sup.2 with 94 warp ends/10 cm and a weft shotting of 63 shots/10 cm. When weaving and combining two layers of this grass primary backing on a loom with the required configuration gives:

(49) 268 grams/metre.sup.2.

(50) Warp tape and density—56 tex @ 188 warp ends/10 cm.

(51) Weft tape and density—122 tex @ 126 shot/10 cm.

(52) As grass primary backing fabrics are wide, typically between 420 cm and 477 cm wide, the 2 layers of grass primary on the loom have a interwoven area (or seam) every 20 cms to maintain the integrity of the woven 2 layer fabric (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

(53) It is the configuration of the shafts and tappets on the weaving loom that allows a two layer fabric to be simultaneously woven and combined (interwoven) using the weft and warp tapes, specifically: Two SELVEDGE Shafts with 1/1 tappet configuration interweaving the edges of fabric. Two SEAL (or Interweaving) Shafts with 2/2 tappet configuration interweaving the body of fabric together. Four GROUND Shafts with alternating 3/1 and 1/3 tappet configuration weaving both fabrics. TOTAL of eight SHAFTS required.

(54) This fabric can be woven with either a woven edge or melt selvedge edge, to provide a bond at the fabric edges, depending on customer requirements. A woven selvedge edge is required when strength is needed at the selvedge edge, typically used when tufting close to the full width of the fabric. The stronger edge gives support to the cloth during the tufting and adhesive backing process. Mechanical grippers are often used in the latex/polyurethane adhesive backing process, a woven selvedge provides the robustness required to withstand these mechanical grippers.

(55) It will be appreciated that the embodiment of the present invention hereinbefore described is given by way of example only, and is not meant to be limiting of the scope of the invention in any way.

(56) It will also be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention provide for joining (interweaving) of two layers of woven fabric at intermittent points, areas or regions in situ, utilising warp and/or weft tapes (or threads) of the two layers during simultaneous weaving of the two layers so as to form a (primary) backing layer.