Manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects

Abstract

A manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects, including the following steps: applying a hardener additive on the flesh side of a piece of leather, positioning the flesh side of the piece of leather on a shape, introducing the shape with the piece of leather in a vacuum sack, applying rough vacuum in the vacuum sack, heating the vacuum sack with the shape and the piece of leather, and progressively applying vacuum during the heating step, stopping the vacuum pressure and cooling the vacuum sack with the shape and the piece of leather, opening the sack and extracting the shape with the piece of leather from the vacuum sack and removing the piece of leather from the shape in such a way that the piece of leather has the shape of a three-dimensional object.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing a three-dimensional leather object, the process comprising: providing a piece of leather, the piece of leather having a flesh side and a grain side; applying a hardener additive onto the flesh side of the piece of leather, wherein the hardener additive is activated at an activation temperature of approximately 40? C. to 50? C., wherein the hardener additive comprises thiophene, sodium diocytl sulphosuccinate, alcohols, fatty alcohols C12-C18 that are even numbered and ethoxylates; drying the hardener additive; providing a shape matching a shape of the three-dimensional leather object; positioning the flesh side of the piece of leather on the provided shape; introducing the shape of the piece of leather inside a vacuum sack such that the vacuum sack generates a membrane applied on the grain side of the piece of leather; applying a rough vacuum in the vacuum sack such that the flesh side of the piece of leather adheres onto the shape; heating the vacuum sack with the shape and the piece of leather until the piece of leather reaches the activation temperature of the hardener additive; applying the vacuum progressively during the step of heating so as to progressively compress the piece of leather onto the shape until a desired shape is obtained; cooling the vacuum sack with the shape and the piece of leather until the piece of leather reaches a temperature of approximately 25? C. under vacuum conditions; extracting the shape with the piece of leather from the vacuum sack; and removing the piece of leather from the shape such that the piece of leather has a shape of the three-dimensional leather object.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the hardener additive is applied on the flesh side of the piece of leather so as to be absorbed by leather fibers without the hardener additive reaching the grain side of the piece of leather.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the hardener additive has an average dosage of between 300 g/m.sup.2 and 500 g/m.sup.2.

4. The process of claim 1, further comprising: applying tensioning and holding elements in an area of the piece of leather that has a highest level of deformation; and stretching the piece of leather so as to copy a concave geometry or a convex geometry of the shape.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of heating comprises: positioning the vacuum sack with the shape and the piece of leather in a hot chamber, the hot chamber being heated to a temperature of 40? C. to 75? C. for between three minutes and ten minutes.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of applying vacuum progressively is carried out inside the vacuum sack.

7. The process of claim 1, further comprising: applying an adhesive onto the flesh side of the piece of leather before the step of drying the hardener additive and before the step of positioning the flesh side of the piece of leather onto the shape, the adhesive having an activation temperature greater than 70? C. so as to not activate during the step of heating the vacuum sack with the shape and the piece of leather.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of drying the hardener additive is performed in fresh air.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of drying the hardener additive is performed in a ventilated chamber.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of cooling is performed in fresh air.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of cooling is performed in a climatic chamber.

Description

(1) Additional features of the invention will be clearer from the following detailed description, which refers to a merely illustrative, not limiting embodiment, which is shown in the appended figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the steps of a manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a first step of the manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a roller coating machine for the application of additive on a piece of leather;

(5) FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a second step of the manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects according to the invention;

(6) FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views of the following steps of the manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects according to the invention; and

(7) FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a variant of the manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects according to the invention.

(8) FIG. 8 illustrates a three-dimensional leather object obtained with the process of the present inventon.

(9) The manufacturing process of three-dimensional leather objects according to the invention comprises the provision of a piece of leather (1) with a flesh side (1a) and a grain side (1b). A hardener additive (2) is applied on the flesh side (1a) of the piece of leather, in such a way to be absorbed by the leather fibers without reaching the grain side (1b) of the piece of leather. The additive (2) applied on the piece of leather (1) undergoes a drying process (3) that can be performed in the fresh air for 20-30 minutes or in a drying chamber.

(10) The additive (2) is a chemical compound that is activated at a temperature comprised between 30? C. and 50? C. The additive (2) comprises Thiophene, Sodium Dioctyl Sulphosuccinate, Alcohols, Fatty Alcohols (long-chain alcohols) C12-18 (even numbered) and Ethoxylates.

(11) It must be considered that when the temperature increases, the elasticity and plasticity of leather generally increase and leather can be given the desired shape by uniformly distributing a pressure according to a specific geometry.

(12) The addition of the additive (2) on the piece of leather (1) increases the homogeneous elasticity of the piece of leather (1) on every part of the geometric area where pressure is exerted.

(13) The additive (2) must be homogeneously applied on the flesh side (1a) of the piece of leather. Spray-coating machines or roller coating machines can be used to apply the additive (2); otherwise, the additive (2) can be applied manually with a sponge or a roller. In order for the additive (2) to penetrate the piece of leather (1) with the correct depth, without getting the grain side (1b) of the piece of leather wet, an average dose of additive from 300 to 500 g/m.sup.2 is used according to the features of the leather and the result to be obtained.

(14) FIG. 3 illustrates a roller coating machine, wherein the piece of leather (1) is fed between a first counter-rotating roller (R1) and a second counter-rotating roller (R2), and the flesh side (1a) of the piece of leather is directed towards the first roller (R1). The additive (2) contained in a tank (V) is used to get the first roller (R1) wet.

(15) With reference to FIG. 4, when the piece of leather (1) is treated with the additive (2) and is completely dried, said piece of leather (1) is disposed on a forming shape (4), with the flesh side (1a) of the piece of leather disposed on the shape (4). The shape (4) can be selected according to the shape to be given to the piece of leather. Alternatively, the shape (4) can directly consist in a structure whereon the piece of leather is suitable for being glued in order to coat said structure with leather.

(16) Tensioning and holding elements (5) can be applied in the areas with the highest level of deformation and stretching of the piece of leather (1) in order to copy concave and/or convex geometries of the shape (4) and avoid the formation of wrinkles and creases.

(17) A membrane (60) is applied on the grain side (1b) of the piece of leather (1) in order to homogeneously exert a uniform pressure. The membrane (60) must be made of a soft, elastic material in such a way not to compress the grain side (1b) of the leather, without flattening and polishing the finishing of the grain side and maintaining the pattern of the original grain of the grain side (1b) of the piece of leather.

(18) With reference to FIG. 5, after the piece of leather (1) is disposed on the shape (4), the piece of leather (1) and the shape (4) are inserted in a vacuum sack (6) that generates the membrane (60) that is distributed on the grain side (1b) of the piece of leather. The vacuum sack (6) is hermetically closed and connected to a vacuum pump (61). Air is extracted from the vacuum sack (6) by means of the pump (61), in such a way that the flesh side (1a) of the piece of leather is in close contact with the shape (4), without compressing the piece of leather. In view of the above, the piece of leather and the shape (4) will not change their position during the following handling steps. A rough vacuum (RV) is applied during this step: 1?10.sup.5 Pa-1?10.sub.2 Pa. The rough vacuum is sufficient to make the piece of leather adhere to the shape.

(19) With reference to FIG. 6, the vacuum sack (6) with the shape (4) and the piece of leather (1) is inserted in a hot chamber (7) that is heated at a temperature of 40??75? C. Such a hot chamber (7) may be ventilated. The vacuum sack (6) with the shape (4) and the piece of leather (1) remains in the hot chamber (7) for 3-10 minutes, according to the dimensions and thickness of the piece of leather (1) and of the shape (4), in such a way that the piece of leather reaches a uniform temperature of approximately 50? C. The additive (2) is activated at the temperature of 40?-50? and the deformability of the piece of leather increases.

(20) It must be considered that the process according to the invention is performed at a low temperature (approximately 50?), i.e. at a temperature that is considerably lower than the temperature of the piece of leather (1) for the formation of the grain on the grain side (1b). Therefore, the leather is not significantly altered in the areas with the highest deformation and/or stretching, as it occurs in the hot forming process wherein leather is in contact with hard surfaces, such as the heated aluminum or steel surface of the half-mold.

(21) Vacuum is applied to the vacuum sack (6) and air is extracted gradually by means of the vacuum pump (61), in such a way to progressively compress the piece of leather (1) on the shape (4) until the desired shape is achieved. In this step a high vacuum (HV) can be gradually achieved: 1?10.sup.?1 Pa-1?10.sup.?5 Pa.

(22) When the desired deformation of the piece of leather (1) is achieved, the vacuum sack (6) is extracted from the hot chamber, keeping the vacuum pressure in the vacuum sack (6).

(23) The vacuum sack (6) with the shape (4) and the piece of leather (1) is cooled in the fresh air or in a ventilated environment until the piece of leather (1) reaches a temperature of 25? C. When the piece of leather reaches a temperature of 25? C., the vacuum sack (6) is opened and the shape (4) and the piece of leather (1) are extracted.

(24) The use of the vacuum sack (6) permits to exert a homogeneous pressure on all the surfaces of the piece of leather (1), in any direction, without the limitation of the closing direction of the mold that occurs in the hot forming process according to the prior art. In view of the above, undercuts or reliefs can be copied also in the lateral sides of the shape (4), without using any lateral movement of the shape or any special automation.

(25) Now the piece of leather (1) can be detached from the shape (4). The piece of leather (1) has taken the form of the shape (4) whereon it has been pressed, maintaining the geometry and the original elasticity and softness properties.

(26) With reference to FIG. 7, according to a variant of the method of the invention, before disposing the piece of leather (1) on the shape (4), an adhesive (8) is applied on the flesh side (1a) of the piece of leather. Such a type of adhesive is an aqueous-based adhesive that is activated at a temperature higher than 70? C.

(27) When the adhesive (8) is dry, the piece of leather (1) is disposed on the shape (4) and the shape (4) with the piece of leather (1) are disposed in the vacuum sack (6). Considering that the vacuum forming process occurs at a temperature of approximately 50? C. of the piece of leather, the adhesive (8) is not activated and therefore, when the process is finished, the piece of leather (1) can be detached from the shape (4) because adhesion was not obtained. When the piece of leather (1) must be fixed to a supporting structure, it will be simply necessary to heat such a piece of leather at a temperature equal to the activation temperature of the adhesive (8) in such a way that the piece of leather is adhered on the supporting structure.

(28) For illustrative purposes, FIG. 8 illustrates a three-dimensional leather object (9) obtained with the process of the invention.

(29) As clearly shown in FIG. 8, the grain of the grain side of the leather is unaltered; moreover, several recessed or undercut lateral parts of the three-dimensional leather object (9), which cannot be obtained with a hot forming process, are obtained.