A METHOD TO MANUFACTURE A TEXTILE PRODUCT, A USE THEREOF AND A DEVICE FOR APPLYING THE METHOD

Abstract

The invention pertains to a method to manufacture a textile product comprising a first sheet having polymer yarns fastened to this sheet to form a pile thereon, the method comprising providing the sheet, stitching the polymer yarns through the sheet to form the pile on a first surface of the sheet and loops of the yarns at a second surface of the sheet, heating the second surface of the sheet to at least partly melt the loops of the yarns to fasten the yarns to the sheet, wherein the method comprises measuring a roughness of the second surface with the at least partly molten loops of the yarns thereon, after the at least partly molten loops have solidified and, if the roughness differs from a predetermined surface roughness, adapting the method to manufacture the textile product, in order to obtain a second surface roughness that differs from the measured surface roughness. The invention also pertains to a device for applying this method.

Claims

1. A method to manufacture a textile product comprising a first sheet having polymer yarns fastened to this sheet to form a pile thereon, the method comprising: providing the sheet, stitching the polymer yarns through the sheet to form the pile on a first surface of the sheet and loops of the yarns at a second surface of the sheet, heating the second surface of the sheet to at least partly melt the loops of the yarns to fasten the yarns to the sheet, wherein the method comprises measuring a roughness of the second surface with the at least partly molten loops of the yarns thereon, after the at least partly molten loops have solidified and, if the roughness differs from a predetermined surface roughness, adapting the method to manufacture the textile product, in order to obtain a second surface roughness that differs from the measured surface roughness.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring of the roughness of the second surface, and the adaptation of the method to manufacture the textile product take place in-line.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring of the roughness of the second surface takes place after the polymer of the molten loops has cooled down to below its glass transition temperature.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring of the roughness takes place using a non-contact measurement method.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring of the roughness takes place using an optical measurement method.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second surface of the sheet is heated using a hot body that contacts the second surface.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the hot body has a relative speed with respect to the second surface of the first sheet.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method to manufacture the textile product is adapted by adapting the said heating of the second surface and/or by performing a calendering step after the at least partly molten loops of the yarns have solidified.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the heating of the second surface is adapted by changing the time period during which the second surface is heated.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the textile product is a laminate of the first sheet and a second sheet, characterised in that after the second surface of the first sheet has been processed according to any of the preceding claims, an adhesive is applied to this second surface to which adhesive the second sheet is adhered.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the adhesive is a hot melt adhesive.

12. Use of a textile product obtainable according to claim 1 to cover a surface of a building or any other artificial or natural construction.

13. A device for use in manufacturing a textile product comprising a first sheet having polymer yarns fastened to this sheet to form a pile thereon, the yarns being stitched through the sheet to form the pile on a first surface of the sheet and loops of the yarns at a second surface of the sheet, the device comprising: a heating element that is able to heat the loops of the yarns to above a melting temperature of the polymer, transport means for transporting the sheet with the stitched yarns along the heating element, wherein the second surface is directed to the heating element, wherein the device comprises a sensor to measure the surface roughness of the second surface, the sensor being positioned at a section distal of the heating element.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the device comprises a central processing unit (CPU) to control the manufacturing process, wherein the sensor is operatively connected to the CPU whilst the CPU is configured to receive surface roughness data from the sensor, the CPU being programmed to adapt the manufacturing process using the said surface roughness data.

15. A device according to claim 13, wherein the heating element comprises a hot body and means for contacting the hot body with the second surface of the sheet.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0034] FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross section of a textile product manufactured according to the invention

[0035] FIG. 2 schematically shows details of a textile manufacturing process according to the invention

[0036] FIG. 3 schematically shows an overview of a textile manufacturing process according to the invention

[0037] FIG. 4 schematically represents a laminating configuration

[0038] Example 1 describes an example of measuring surface roughness

FIG. 1

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of respective layers of an embodiment of a laminated textile product manufactured according to the invention, in this case a carpet tile. The tile comprises a first sheet 2, the so called primary backing, which may be a tufted nonwoven sealed polyester backing. The polyester yarns 5 extend from the first surface 3 of this first sheet and are sealed to the second surface 4 of the sheet using the yarn melting method as described with reference to FIG. 2. The weight of this first sheet is typically about 500-800 g per m.sup.2. In order to provide mechanical stability, the tile 1 comprises a second sheet 6, in this case a polyester needle felt backing. The weight of this second sheet is typically about 700-900 g/m.sup.2. In between the first and second sheet is an optional resilient layer 10 (which could for example be a polyester expansion fleece having a weight of 330 g/m.sup.2, obtainable from TWE, Emsdetten, Germany as Abstandsvliesstof). The three layers (first and second sheet and intermediate layer) are laminated together using a glue, which may be a polyester hot melt glue as obtainable from DSM, Geleen, the Netherlands, applied as layers 11 and 12 at a weight of about 300 g/m.sup.2.

FIG. 2

[0040] FIG. 2 which schematically shows details of a textile manufacturing process according to the invention. In the configuration shown in FIG. 2 a first heating block 500 and a second heating block 501 are present, in order to heat the heating elements, also denoted as heating blades or heating bodies, 505 and 506 respectively. These heating elements have a working surface 515 and 516 respectively, which surfaces are brought in contact with a product to be processed, typically a primary carrier to which yarns are applied via a stitching process such as tufting. The working surfaces both have a working width of 18 mm, and the intermediate distance is 26 mm. The back surface of the product (i.e. the second surface of the first sheet as explained with reference to FIG. 1) is brought in contact with the working surfaces of the heating elements. In order to be able and apply adequate pressure for the product to be processed, a Teflon support 520 is present which is used to counteract a pushing force applied to the heating elements. In operation, the heating elements are stationary and the product 2 (not indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 2) is moved relatively to the heating elements in the indicated direction X to become product 20 (indicated in dashed lines).

[0041] The (intermediate) textile product to be processed with the above described configuration consists of a primary sheet provided with a cut pile of polyester yarns, tufted into the sheet. The yarns typically have a melting temperature of about 260-280 C. This product is processed using a temperature of the heating element 506 of 200-220 C. in order to pre-heat the product. The other (distal) heating element 505 is kept at a temperature about 15 C. above the melting temperature of the polyester yarns. To keep the temperatures at the required level, the heating blocks and heating elements are provided with layers of insulating material 510, 511, 512 and 513 respectively. The product is supplied at a speed of 12 mm per second (0.72 metre per minute) or higher, and the pressure applied with the heating elements is about 1.35 Newton per square centimetre. This way, the loops of the yarns at the second surface of the sheet are partly molten and mechanically spread over the second surface to form a semi-continues layer of molten material that locks the yarns into the first sheet. Depending i.a. on the temperature of the heating elements, the pressure applied and the process speed, this will result in a second surface having a more or less smoothed surface with some noticeable surface texture.

[0042] Downstream (distal) of the heating blocks, at a section where the molten material will be sufficiently solidified, directed to the second surface of the product 20, is an optical surface roughness measurement sensor 300. With this sensor the 2D surface roughness of the second surface can be measured and data corresponding to this surface roughness are sent to CPU 320 via line 315. In this CPU, the actual surface roughness data are compared to predetermined values. If the data match these values, no adaptation of the manufacturing process will follow. If however the data indicate that the roughness is either too small (surface too smooth) or too large (surface too rough), the time period of heating and/or the heating temperatures of the two blocks may be adapted in order for a next section of product to meet the predetermined surface roughness data. Also, the pressure with which plate 520 is pressed against the heating blocks may be adapted.

FIG. 3

[0043] FIG. 3 schematically shows an overview of a textile manufacturing process according to the invention. In this embodiment, the heating bodies 505 and 506 are arranged around a circular support 520. The intermediate textile product 2 is transported with its second surface 4 towards the heating bodies, while the product 2 is lying with its first surface (actually the pile that extends from the first surface) on the rotating support drum 520. At the downstream side of the drum 520, the intermediate product is transported along transport path 200 and encounters cooling beam 305. In this embodiment, the cooling beam is a Teflon coated aluminum stationary massive beam having a thickness of 20 mm, kept at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polyester yarns, typically below 120 C. The beam has a length L.sub.1 of 80 mm in the transport direction, and is situated at a distance L.sub.2 of 76 mm from heating body 505. Depending on the process speed, the beam is actively cooled to prevent that its temperature rises too much. At process speeds below 1-2 meters/minute active cooling of the beam is generally not required. Above a process speed of 3 m/min, active cooling is usually required. The beam is pressed against the second surface 4 of the textile product 2, using rotating counter roller 306, to provide for an additional calendering action. At a distal section surface roughness sensor 300 is positioned, directed to the second surface. In this embodiment, both the heating elements and the beam/roller combination for the additional calendering step, are controlled by a CPU (not shown), at least partly based on surface roughness data received by the CPU from sensor 300.

FIG. 4

[0044] FIG. 4 schematically represents a laminating configuration for applying a second sheet, in this case a dimensionally stable secondary backing sheet, to the back of the first sheet that is produced with a method as described in conjunction with FIG. 2. In this embodiment the term target sheet denotes either the separate resilient layer and second sheet applied one after the other in that order, or the combined laminate of them both applied together to the first sheet. Both the second sheet and the resilient layer may be of polyester. In this figure a first roller 600 is depicted on to which roller is wound a 2 metre wide web of the said (pre-fabricated) product made according to the method described in conjunction with FIG. 2. The product is unwound from the roller 600 to have its back-side 217 to come into contact with a second roller 601. This roller is provided to apply a layer of hot melt adhesive (HMA) 219 to the back side 217. For this, a bulk amount of HMA 219 is present and heated between the rollers 601 and 602. The thickness of this layer can be adjusted by adjusting the gap between these two rollers. Downstream of the section where the HMA is applied is the target sheet 215, which sheet is unwound from roller 603. This sheet is pressed against the hot and tacky adhesive and cooled in the unit 700. This unit consists of two belts 701 and 702 which on the one hand press the target sheet 215 against the primary product, i.e. the product that comprises the product of FIG. 2 with a layer of HMA 219 applied to it, and on the other hand cools down the adhesive to below its solidification temperature. The resulting end product 201 (corresponding to textile product 1 of FIG. 1) is thereafter wound on roller 604. In an alternative embodiment the fibre-binding process as described in relation with FIG. 2 and the lamination process take place in line. In that case, the fibre-binding set-up as shown in FIG. 2 could be placed between roller 600 and roller 601. In this embodiment the applied HMA is the polyester of Example D as described in the Research Disclosure RD591084 as mentioned herein before. A suitable temperature of the roller 601 at the site where this HMA is applied to the back-side of the primary backing is 140 C. By having a gap of 2 mm, the HMA, at a web speed of 2 m/min, roller 602 not revolving and roller 601 having a circumferential speed of 1.6 m/min, will be applied with a thickness of about 500 g/m.sup.2. This is adequate to glue the target sheet 215 to the primary backing (i.e. the first sheet).

[0045] The hot melt adhesive may be optionally provided as a layer having a thickness of less than 1 mm, usefully less than 0.5 mm, more usefully from 0.2 to 0.4 mm. Whereas in the prior art carpets on the market, the hot melt layer typically has a thickness well above 1 mm, applicant found that when reducing the thickness of this layer to 1 mm or below an adequate adhesion can still be obtained. Therefore, the adhesive layer present in textile products of the present invention may have preferred mean thickness of from 50 microns to 1 mm, more preferably from 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, most preferably from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm. The amount of HMA used to form the adhesive layer in textile products of the present invention may be from 0.01 to 1000 g/m.sup.2 of HMA per area of the adhesive layer. In another embodiment the HMA may be applied in an amount of from 0.05 to 800 g/m.sup.2. In a still yet other embodiment HMA may be applied in an amount from 0.1 to 600 g/m.sup.2.

Example 1

[0046] In this example a method of measuring surface roughness is described. Three textile products were made using the method as described in the GENERAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION section, i.e. a method wherein polymer yarns are stitched through a sheet to form the pile on a surface of this sheet and loops of the yarns at the back surface of this sheet, whereafter the sheet is heat treated to at least partly melt the loops of the yarns (cf. the method as outlined with respect to FIG. 3). For this test, the three products each underwent a different heating process, i.e. the melting and spreading process was done differently to arrive at three products with different durability properties, ranging from good, to middle and bad. It was established whether this difference in properties could be captured in or more surface roughness indicators. For this, the surface roughness of each of the products (after cooling down to below the melting temperature of the yarns) was measured using a MikroCad premium surface roughness measurement device (available from LMI Technologies, Delta, Canada). This device has a measuring area of 6080 mm.sup.2, and is able to assess the surface roughness at a high throughput speed (8 meters/minute or above). An alternative device is the Gocator laser scanner (also available from LMI Technologies), but this device was not used in this experiment.

[0047] The MikroCad device can generate multiple different types of surface roughness indicators. Here below in Table 1, the results for the following indicators are given: [0048] S.sub.pk: this value summarizes the highest peak variations. If the yarns are very well melted and the molten material is well spread, one would expect this value to be low. [0049] S.sub.k: this is a value which represents the roughness of the bulk of the material. [0050] S.sub.vk: this value represents the peaks in the valleys.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Surface roughness indicators for three qualities, with standard deviations Quality S.sub.pk STD S.sub.k STD S.sub.vk STD Good 51 10 369 13 138 9 Middle 65 8 452 19 149 11 Bad 112 36 380 42 193 18

[0051] From the results it appears that for this property, the S.sub.pk and S.sub.vk indicators correspond well to the quality of the product. Also, the standard deviations are relatively small. This means that one of these parameters might be used to establish a predetermined surface roughness (corresponding for example to an allowed range for one of these indicators). During manufacturing, if it would be established that the roughness differs from this predetermined surface roughness, the method may be adapted in order to obtain a surface roughness that meets the predetermined surface roughness.