ARRANGEMENT FOR INDICATING AN INTENDED END OF THE PERIOD OF USE OF A TEXTILE PRODUCT

Abstract

In an arrangement for indicating an intended end of a period of use of a textile product (1), the textile product (1) or a label (2) of the textile product (1) has an indicator field (3) which, in a first area (3a), has a first color that changes during the period of use of the textile product (1) and in the course of the associated washes. The indicator field (3) additionally has a second color in a second area (3b), wherein the wash-fastness of the first color is less than the wash-fastness of the second color, and the first color differs, in the delivery state, from the second color and, over a number of washes of the textile product (1), increasingly approximates to the second color.

Claims

1. An arrangement for indicating an intended end of a period of use of a textile product, comprising the textile product or a label of the textile product including an indicator field which in a first region has a color that changes in the course of a period of use of the textile product and of washing procedures associated therewith, the indicator field in addition to the first region in which said indicator field has the first color that changes in the course of the period of use of the textile product and of the washing procedures associated therewith, includes a second region that has a second color, and a wash-fastness of the first color is lower than a wash-fastness of the second color, and the first color in a shipped state differs from the second color, and over a number of washing procedures of the textile product is adapted to increasingly approximate the second color.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first color after a number of washing procedures is identical to the second color.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first color in the shipped state is black.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second region is contiguous to the first region.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the textile product is a cleaning cloth.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the textile product comprises microfibers or consists entirely of microfibers.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first region of the indicator field comprises a first yarn having the first color, and the second region of the indicator field comprises a second yarn having the second color.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator field includes a third region that has a third color, and the first color in the shipped state is identical to the third color, and the wash-fastness of the first color is lower than a wash-fastness of the third color.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the third region is contiguous to the first region.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first region lies between the third region and the second region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Further advantages and details of the invention will be explained hereunder by means of the appended drawing. In the drawings:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, and

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a modification thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a textile product 1 to which a label 2 is attached. The label 2 has an indicator field 3 having a first region 3a and a second region 3b. The label 2 in the first region 3a comprises a yarn having a first color. The label 2 in the second region 3b comprises a yarn having a second color. Based on this, the first region 3a has the first color, and the second region 3b has the second color, wherein the colors of the regions 3a and 3b in the shipped state are different.

[0019] In order for a ready comparison between the colors of the regions 3a and 3b to be possible, the regions 3a and 3b in the exemplary embodiment shown are directly contiguous, as is preferred.

[0020] The wash-fastness of the color of the region 3a is substantially lower than the wash-fastness of the color of the region 3b. Therefore, a substantially more intense change in the color of the region 3a than of the region 3b arises over a multiplicity of washing procedures of the textile product 1 including the label 2. The color of the region 3b preferably remains at least substantially unchanged. Over the multiplicity of washing procedures the color of the region 3a increasingly approximates the color of the region 3b. After a number of washing procedures, said number potentially being in the range from 50 to 300 for example, the color of the region 3a is preferably identical to the color of the region 3b.

[0021] The color of the region 3a in the shipped state is in particular darker than the color of the region 3b. Once the number of washing procedures at which the colors of the regions 3a and 3b are identical has been exceeded, the region 3a in relation to the region 3b becomes increasingly lighter due to further washing procedures of the textile product.

[0022] The color shade of the region 3a can also change over the number of washing procedures when the dye by way of which the yarn of the region 3a is dyed comprises a plurality of components of different colors which wash out to a dissimilar degree.

[0023] For example, the color of the first region 3a in the shipped state can be black. On account thereof, the change in color and the approximation toward the color of the region 3b can be readily identifiable. For example, the region 3b (in the shipped state and after the number of washing procedures) can be blue. However, other colors of the region 3a and/or region 3b in the shipped state are also conceivable and possible.

[0024] For example, the yarn having the first color that is provided in the first region 3a can be configured from polyamide. Other yarns, in particular man-made yarns, can also be used.

[0025] The yarn having the second color that is provided in the second region 3b can be composed of polyester, for example. Other yarns, in particular man-made yarns, can also be used.

[0026] The textile product 1 can in particular be a cleaning cloth, for example a cleaning cloth that has a protruding pile.

[0027] A potential configuration of the cleaning cloth provides that the latter is composed of microfibers or comprises such microfibers. However, the cleaning cloth can also have only fibers that are thicker when compared to said microfibers.

[0028] When the textile product 1 is washed at a temperature that is higher than the intended temperature of, 60 C., for example, this will generally lead to the change in color of the first region 3a in relation to the second region 3b being intensified. Due to this, the end of the intended period of use is indicated after fewer washing procedures. The wear of the textile product 1 at higher washing temperatures is generally also increased such that the expedient period of use of the textile product is reduced.

[0029] On the other hand, in the case of a relatively new product in which the end of the intended period of use can be read from the indicator field 3, it can be concluded that the textile product has been washed at a higher temperature than the intended temperature of 60 C., for example.

[0030] The wash-fastness of the respective region 3a, 3b can be determined in particular according to international standard ISO 105-C06:2010 (E) (this is the fourth edition of this ISO standard, published Mar. 15, 2010).

[0031] According to this standard, a rotatable shaft which radially supports a (cylindrical) stainless steel container having a diameter of 755 mm and a height of 12510 mm and a volume of 55050 ml is provided, wherein the base of the container lies 4510 mm away from the longitudinal central axis of the shaft. The container is rotated at a frequency of 402 revolutions per minute.

[0032] Test C1S of this standard, in which washing is performed at a temperature of 60 C. (2 C.) is preferably performed. The washing procedure is carried out over 30 minutes, and 25 stainless steel balls having a diameter of 6 mm are added. The volume of liquid filled into the container is 50 ml.

[0033] A specimen having the dimensions 1002 mm402 mm is washed.

[0034] An adjacent woven multifilament fabric (composed of triacetate and viscose, according to ISO 105-A01 and 105-F10) having the same dimensions is attached to the specimen by sewing along one of the shorter edges. Since the point in this case is not the migration of dye to another woven fabric, this adjacent woven fabric can also be omitted.

[0035] The AATCC 1993 standard laundry detergent WOB (without optical brighteners) is used as the laundry detergent. The exact composition of this reference laundry detergent WOB is listed in detail in the standard mentioned.

[0036] The suds are produced in that 4 g of the standard laundry detergent WOB are dissolved per liter of water (water hardness level 3, according to ISO 3696). The pH value is set to 10.50.1 by adding approx. 1 g of sodium bicarbonate.

[0037] Once filled with the specimen, the stainless steel balls, and the suds, the container is closed and the washing procedure is carried out at the intended temperature over the intended duration.

[0038] After the washing procedure has ended, the washed specimen is rinsed twice in each case for one minute in two separate quantities of 100 ml of water at 40 C. Excess water is subsequently removed and the specimen is air dried at a temperature of less than 60 C. The change in color is subsequently determined. In particular, a spectrophotometer or a colorimeter according to ISO 105-A05:1996 can be used.

[0039] The wash-fastness of the color of the second region 3b is preferably so high that after 150 washing procedures according to test C1S of the standard mentioned the color of the second region 3b in terms of the saturation, the shade, and the brightness parameter thereof has changed in each case by less than 5% in relation to the CIE color space (CIE 1931).

[0040] The difference in the wash-fastness of the color of the region 3a and the wash-fastness of the color of the region 3b is preferably so large that after 150 washing procedures according to test C1S of the standard mentioned the change in the saturation of the color of the region 3a is at least double the change in the saturation of the color of the region 3b, and/or the change in the color shade of the color of the region 3a is at least double the change in the color shade of the color of the region 3b and/or the change in the brightness parameter of the color of the region 3a is at least double the change in the brightness parameter of the color of the region 3b, in each case in relation to the CIE color space (CIE 1931).

[0041] In one advantageous configuration of the invention the color of the region 3a after a number of washing procedures according to test C1S of the standard mentioned that is in the range from 50 to 300, preferably in the range from 100 to 200, is identical or at least substantially identical to the color of the region 3b. That the colors are substantially identical herein is to mean that the saturation, the color shades, and the brightness parameters of said colors in the CIE color space (CIE 1931) in each case differ by less than 5%.

[0042] The label 2 in the exemplary embodiment shown has the indicator field 3. In principle, the textile product 1 per se could also be provided with such an indicator field.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a modified exemplary embodiment. The difference in relation to the previously described exemplary embodiment lies merely in that the indicator field here, in addition to the first region 3a and to the second region 3b, has a third region 3c. The indicator field 3 in the third region 3c has a third color. The wash-fastness of the first color is lower than the wash-fastness of the third color, and the first color in the shipped state is identical to the third color.

[0044] The third color favorably has a wash-fastness that is so high that said third color over the period of use of the textile product remains unchanged or at least substantially unchanged. The wash-fastness of the color of the third region 3c is preferably so high that after 150 washing procedures according to test C1S of the standard mentioned the color of the third region 3c in terms of the saturation, the color shade, and the brightness parameter thereof in each case has changed by less than 5% in relation to the CIE color space (CIE 1931).

[0045] The user can thus establish in a simple manner how intensely the first color deviates from the third color. By a comparison between the first color and the third color and the second color it can be made clear in a particularly positive manner to the user or to another person assessing the textile product how much of the intended period of use of the textile product has already expired.

[0046] The region 3a preferably lies between the regions 3c and 3b. The regions 3c, 3a and 3b are preferably directly contiguous.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0047] 1 Textile product [0048] 2 Label [0049] 3 Indicator field [0050] 3a First region [0051] 3b Second region [0052] 3c Third region