Abstract
A flat touch-and-close fastener element, which is detachably connected to a second touch-and-close fastener element, thereby forms a touch-and-close closure. The fastener element has a system of threads (10) of warp and weft threads, as well as pile threads. The individual threads have different chemical and/or physical properties and, for this purpose, are formed of different materials.
Claims
1. A flat touch-and-close fastener element connectable to another touch-and-close fastener element to form a releasable touch-and-close fastener, the flat touch-and-close fastener element comprising: a thread system having warp threads, weft threads, and pile threads, individual ones of said warp threads, weft threads or pile threads having different chemical or physical properties provided by the individual ones of the warp threads, weft threads or pile threads being formed of different materials, said weft threads extending over a long thread path as longer weft threads within said thread system being formed of polyamide, said weft threads extending over a shorter thread path as shorter partial weft threads being formed of polyester.
2. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 1 wherein said warp threads are formed of polyester; and at least parts of said pile threads are formed of polyamide.
3. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 1 wherein parts of said pile threads are formed of polyester; and other parts of said pile threads are formed of polyamide.
4. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 1 wherein a partial weft fiber is incorporated into a weave pattern of said thread system for each warp thread course with two of said pile threads being followed by four warp thread courses, said weave pattern restarting beginning with one of said shorter partial weft threads.
5. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 1 wherein each of said threads of said thread system are made of multifilaments.
6. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 1 wherein said thread system is a Raschel knit.
7. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 1 wherein said thread system has a finish thereon.
8. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 7 wherein said finish comprises a polyurethane material on a side of said thread system facing away from said pile threads.
9. A touch-and-close fastener element according to claim 1 wherein said thread system comprises at least one of flame retardant linear elements, electrically conductive linear elements, thermally conductive linear elements or strength value increasing linear elements in addition to said warp threads, said weft threads and said pile threads.
10. A cleaning system, comprising: a flat wiping material having a back side; and a manually actuatable holder having a handle and a hook material on a surface of said holder; and a flat touch-and-close fastener element on said back side of said flat wiping material and releasably connected to said hook material, said flat touch-and-close fastener element including a thread system having warp threads, weft threads, and pile threads, individual ones of said warp threads, weft threads or pile threads having different chemical or physical properties provided by the individual ones of the warp threads, weft threads or pile threads being formed of different materials, said weft threads extending over a long thread path as longer weft threads within said thread system being formed of polyamide, said weft threads extending over a shorter thread path as shorter partial weft threads being formed of polyester.
11. A cleaning system according to claim 10 wherein said warp threads are formed of polyester; and at least parts of said pile threads are formed of polyamide.
12. A cleaning system according to claim 10 wherein parts of said pile threads are formed of polyester; and other parts of said pile threads are formed of polyamide.
13. A cleaning system according to claim 10 wherein a partial weft fiber is incorporated into a weave pattern of said thread system for each warp thread course with two of said pile threads being followed by four warp thread courses, said weave pattern restarting beginning with one of said shorter partial weft threads.
14. A cleaning system according to claim 10 wherein each of said threads of said thread system are made of multifilaments.
15. A cleaning system according to claim 10 wherein said thread system is a Raschel knit.
16. A cleaning system according to claim 10 wherein said thread system has a finish thereon.
17. A cleaning system according to claim 16 wherein said finish comprises a polyurethane material on a side of said thread system facing away from said pile threads.
18. A cleaning system according to claim 10 wherein said thread system comprises at least one of flame retardant linear elements, electrically conductive linear elements, thermally conductive linear elements or strength value increasing linear elements in addition to said warp threads, said weft threads and said pile threads.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Referring to the drawings that form a part of this disclosure and that are basic and not to scale:
(2) FIG. 1 is a rectangular, perspective section of a part of a flat touch-and-close fastener element according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention without finish;
(3) FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a section from the thread system of FIG. 1, only with one warp thread and four partial weft threads that are positioned by the warp threads in their weft direction, wherein the associated pattern repeats after four partial weft threads;
(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a partial thread system of FIG. 1, with two warp threads that are only partially shown, one partial weft thread, as well as an incorporated pile thread in the warp thread on the right in FIG. 3;
(5) FIG. 4 is a plan view of the partial section of a thread system according to FIG. 1, wherein at least the pile threads are formed of multifilament threads or yarns;
(6) FIG. 5 is an exploded, perspective view of a wiper, at the very bottom, that can be connected via a touch-and-close fastener to the holder portrayed at the very top;
(7) FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial bottom view of a section of the holder according to FIG. 5 enclosed in a circle X of FIG. 5; and
(8) FIG. 7 is an end view in section of the section of the holder taken along line Y-Y in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(9) As mentioned above, FIG. 1 shows a rectangular section in a perspective view of a part of a flat touch-and-close fastener element according to the invention, without an applied finish. The flat touch-and-close fastener element can be connected to another touch-and-close fastener element in a releasable manner, in particular, while forming a touch-and-close fastener, as further explained below with reference to a cleaning system. The touch-and-close fastener element has a thread system 10, formed of warp threads 12 that, in the perspective facing FIG. 1, extend in a vertical direction, and formed of weft threads 14 that contrastingly extend in a horizontal direction and formed of pile threads 16 in the basic weave system of the warp threads and weft threads 12, 14.
(10) Long weft threads 18 extend within the thread system 10 over a longer thread path and preferably extend over the entire length or width of the entire thread system. In addition to these long weft threads 18 that, when viewed in the perspective facing toward FIG. 1, are arranged in a vertical direction in equidistant distances to each other, four partial weft threads 20, 22, 24 and 26 extend parallel to the long weft threads 18. The pattern viewed in the weft direction, repeats with the incorporation of the first partial weft thread 20 and each additional partial weft thread 22, 24, 26. For a better view, the relevant structure is depicted in FIG. 2. The individual partial weft threads are depicted with different outlines next to the warp thread 12. The warp thread 12, which extends vertically in the view of FIG. 2, forms a multi-loop system and penetrates the four partial weft threads 20, 22, 24, 26 between the neighboring loops of the warp thread 12, while incorporating the relevant warp thread 12. Starting at the fourth partial weft thread 26, the pattern repeat repeats beginning with the first partial weft thread 20 and, as shown on the right in the perspective facing FIG. 2, terminates with the fourth partial weft thread 26. Preferably according to the representation in FIG. 1, an independent warp thread system 12 exists for each partial weft thread.
(11) In particular, according to the representation in FIG. 2, the double incorporation is shown therein between two neighboring warp threads 12 for one of the partial weft threads 20. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows the incorporation of a loop-forming pile thread 16 in the right warp thread system 12. If the weave structure according to FIGS. 2 and 3 is combined in an obvious manner, the overall pattern results according to the representation in FIG. 1.
(12) To achieve different functions for the thread system, the warp threads 12 all are formed of polyester material, and one part of the pile threads 16 is formed of polyamide. The other, preferably half, part of the pile threads 16 are formed of polyester. Furthermore, the long floating long weft threads 18 that extend over the entire weave are made of polyamide plastic material, whereas the partial weft threads 20, 22, 24, 26 preferably are formed of polyester or have such polyester materials. Other material combinations are used depending on the context in which the addressed function of the individual components is to be adjusted.
(13) In a particularly preferred form of the touch-and-close fastener element according to the invention, as FIG. 4 furthermore shows, at least the pile threads 16 are multifilament threads, i.e., an individual thread or individual yarn is divided into a plurality of individual filaments that all form a loop shape and are particularly suitable for interacting with a corresponding fastening material, such as in the form of fastening hooks for a releasable touch-and-close fastener. Accordingly in the representation in FIG. 4, the warp thread systems 12, the weft thread systems 14 with the long weft threads 18, as well as the partial weft threads 20 or 22, 24 and 26, are designed as monofilament threads. One embodiment (not shown) can incorporate the relevant warp and weft threads 12, 14 as multifilament threads in the weave for additionally improved adhesion.
(14) The touch-and-close fastener elements shown as examples in FIGS. 1 and 4 with their woven or knit structure can be produced on Raschel machines (not shown) which are generically considered to be warp knitting looms. Such Raschel machines normally have two rows of latch needles and six rows of guide needles, where both the hook needles as well as the guide needles are integrally held, in particular combined in the form of needle bars or guide bars. A nonmoving knock over comb on the upper end possesses comb-shaped milled slots for the needle passage and assumes the functions of ADVANCE, APPLY and KNOCK OVER by a movement relative to the needle bar. The threads are then combined into the warps, in particular as warp beams or section warp beams on Raschel machines. The threads are then fed to the needles through the guide bars. The warp beams are driven separately. The Raschel fabric produced in this manner is then pulled off in the bottom part of the machine frame by a pull-off device and provided for subsequent use (see Groes Textillexikon, Deutsche Verlagsanstalt Stuttgart).
(15) In order to ensure the weave according to the representations in FIGS. 1 and 4 between the individual threads of the overall thread system 10, they are provided with a finish on the side opposite the pile threads 16, preferably in the form of a polyurethane material applied to the whole surface. In addition to the presented threads, other threads can also be used with in particular a linear configuration that are flame retarding, and/or electrically conductive, and/or thermally conductive, and/or strength-value increasing. In addition to metal threads, nylon or carbon threads can also be used, or thread systems coated with flame retardant. A part of the described partial weft threads can accordingly be replaced by such a different thread. The use of bicomponent fibers in the overall thread structure 10 is also conceivable in principle.
(16) FIG. 5 shows the use of the touch-and-close fastener element according to the invention in a cleaning system, in particular in the form of a mop, in which a flat wiping material 30 including a plurality of wiping loops 32, for example, of a cotton material, is provided on the rear side 34 with the thread system 10. In particular, the thread system 10 is sewn to the rear side along longitudinal and transverse seams 36 and 38. In order to represent both the front side and rear side of the wiping material in the form of the wiper, the front side of the wiping material is represented on the left half of the image in FIG. 5, and the rear side is represented folded over on the right side. The thread system portrayed as an example in FIG. 4 is then on the right side of the image in FIG. 5 facing the viewer and is able to engage with two hook and loop strips 40 that extend along the bottom side of a holder 42 from the one side 44 of the holder to its other side 46, while correspondingly forming a releasable touch-and-close fastener. The holder 42 is preferably produced from an aluminum or plastic profile material. The individual hook and loop strips 40 with the projecting hook material 48 as an additional fastener element 50 can be pulled off of the holder 42 in the manner of a hollow profile 52 (see FIG. 7) so that it can be easily exchanged from the holder in case of failure, and/or can be easily washed or otherwise cleaned using the removable hollow profile 52. In particular, the holder 42 can be reused immediately when the respective hollow-profile 52 is exchanged. On its top side, the holder 42 is provided with a handle part 54. In the depicted embodiment, such a holder 42 with a handle part 54 can for example be used to clean window or working surfaces. If the handle part 54 on the holder 42 is correspondingly extended (not shown), such cleaning system can also easily be used to clean floors of any kind in addition to their floor coverings. If the wiping material 30 is used or dirty, the relevant wiping material or wiping means 30 can be exchanged for a new part using the portrayed Klett connection system. The used or dirty wiping material 30 can then be washed and preferably reused in a disinfected form for additional cleaning processes as a part of the described cleaning system with a holder 42.
(17) While one embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
