GB2141640A - Interlinings - Google Patents

Abstract

An interlining having directional reinforcing properties comprises a substrate having a fusible surface that melts below 150 DEG C and substantially parallel reinforcing filaments that do not melt at 160 DEG C and that are thermally bonded with the fusible surface. The fusible surface may be a fusible tissue, for instance supported on a release coated paper, or may be the fusible surface of a non fusible non woven or other substrate.

Description

SPECIFICATION Interlinings and their production Interlinings are used as reinforcements in the manufacture of garments. The physical properties of the interlinings may be uniform in all directions or may have a directional component. For instance it may be desired for the interlining to be stronger in one direction than another or to fold more easily in one direction than another. Interlinings are often formed of non woven webs and small directional variations in physical properties can easily be obtained by appropriate orientation of the fibres in the non woven web.

It is possible to impart strong directional properties to an interlining material by sewing or otherwise fixing strips of non woven or other reinforcements to the interlining. Whilst this is satisfactory for making up individual garments, it is not satisfactory for the large scale production of sheet interlining materials.

Various attempts at producing such materials on a commercial scale have been made. For instance in British Patent Specification No. 1,319,541 reinforcing material is printed in the form of dots or stripes onto a substrate. Unfortunately the directional properties that are obtained are rather poor. In British Patent Specification No. 1,519,602 directional properties are obtained by sandwiching threads between two layers of interlining fabric in such a manner that the threads are trapped between the layers. The threads are not fixed and can easily be removed or lost and positioning them is difficult and requires sophisticated expensive equipment.

At present therefore it is impossible to produce interlining materials having strong directional properties using processes that are easy to operate for the large scale production of sheet interlinings.

In the invention an interlining material having directional reinforcing properties comprises a substrate having a fusible surface that melts below 150"C and substantially parallel reinforcing filaments that do not melt at1 60 C and that are thermally bonded with the fusible surface. In the invention this material may be made by extruding substantially parallel reinforcing filaments onto a substrate having a fusible surface that melts below 1 50 C and thermally bonding the filament to the fusible surface.

The substrate may consist solely of the material of the fusible surface and thus may be a tissue of fusible filaments, such as is described in British Specification No.

1,117,751. The fusible tissue may be destroyed during hot pressing or other garment manuffacturing processes, so that the sole interlining reinforcement in the final garment may then consist of the parallel reinforcing filaments similarly bonded to the other garment material by thC residues of the fusible tissue.

Generally, however, the substrate has a fusible surface that melts below 1 50 C carried on a non fusible material (i.e. a material that does not melt at 1 60 C). The fusible surface may be a random distribution of fusible powder bonded to the surface or-printed at random or regular deposits of fusible material, but generally is in the form of filaments bonded to the surface of the non fusible substrate. These filaments are generally randomly arranged and are fused to each other and to the non fusible substrate and generally are in the form of a tissue of fusible filaments formed on and bonded to a non fusible substrate. The tissue may be as described in British Patent Specification No. 1,117,751.

The fusible filaments on the non fusible substrate generally have a diameter of 0.005 to 0.05, preferably 0.01 to 0.02mm. They generally have a melting point of from 80 to 1 20 C. Any convenient, low melting, fibre forming polymeric material may be used, including especially those that are widely used for forming fusible fibre webs. Examples are various polyolefines, polyurethanes, polyesters and polyamides including especially co-, ter-or higher-polymers of polyamides, for instance a terpolymer of nylon 6, 66 and 1 2.

The reinforcing filaments generally have a diameter in the range of 0.1 to 0.4mm, preferably around 0.2 to 0.3mm. They may be provided as groups of filaments fused in contact with one another, but preferably they are provided as individual monofilaments, and preferably they have a substantially circular, more preferably, a wholly circular cross section. The spacing between adjacent parallel filaments is generally from 0.5 to 5mm with best results generally being obtained with spacings of 1 to 3mm, preferably about 2mm.

The filaments are generally positioned in a rectilinear arrangement. It is generally desired that the spacing between filaments should be substantially uniform and constant but some variations may occur during manufacture and are tolerable. However if variations in properties are required across the width of the interlining, for instance in a graduated chest piece, it is possible to graduate the weight of non fusible filamentary material, for instance by graduating the diameter of the filaments or by graduating the separation between the filaments.

The softening point of the filamentary material must be such that the filament does not lose its shape during conventional garment manufacturing operations, such as pressing, and so the softening point is above 160"C, often above 1 80 C and frequently is between 200 and 300"C. Any convenient, high melting, fibre forming polymeric material may be used, for instance, various polyester, polyamide, polyolefine, polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride materials.

If the substrate consists solely of the fusible tissue, then this tissue will generally have a weight of from 10 to 80, preferably 20 to 50 g/m2 but when, as is usual, the fusible surface is carried by non fusible substrate, the fusible surface generally weighs from 5 to 50, preferably 10 to 20 g/m2. The non fusible filaments that are thermally bonded to the fusible surface generally weigh from 10 to 100, preferably around 20 to 50 g/m2. Typically, the weight of the filaments is from 0.5 to 4, often 2 to 3 times the weight of the fusible material.

When the substrate consists of fusible material, it may be supported on paper or other carrier provided with release properties in known manner. When the substrate comprises a non fusible substrate to which fusible material has been applied, the non fusible substrate may be any conventional interlining material and so may be selected from, for instance, woven fabrics, non woven fabrics, knitted fabrics and reticulated or non reticulated foam materials. Preferably the substrate is a non woven fabric. This may be made of conventional interlining fibres that may be randomly arranged and that will generally be mechanically or chemically bonded, for instance, by needling and/or impregnation with a bonding agent. The non fusible substrate may have been made by thermally bonding a blend of fibres including some fusible fibres.

The non fusible filaments are generally thermally bonded to the fusible surface as a result of extruding them, while molten, towards the surface and collecting them on the surface, while they are sufficiently hot that they cause fusion with the fusible surface. Alternatively, the filaments may be deposited onto the fusible surface at a termperature such that there is substantially no thermal bonding upon contact, and the assembly may then be heated to cause melting of the fusible surface and fusion of the filaments to it. In another process the filaments are extruded onto a carrier and the fusible surface is then deposited onto them and bonded to them. For instance tissue of the type described in British Patent Specification No. 1,117,751 may be extruded onto the filaments that are supported by a carrier.

If desired, a thermally bonded assembly of a fusible tissue carrying the non fusible reinforcing filaments may be formed and may then be laminated to a substrate by hot pressing.

In a preferred method a fusible tissue is made by extruding from first orifices molten filaments of polymeric material having a melting point below 1 50 C, stretching them while molten and collecting them while partially or fully molten in random arrangement on substrate (that may be a release-coated carrier or a non fusible substrate) and, before or after forming the tissue extruding from second orifices molten polymeric material having a melting point above 1 80 C and collecting this as parallel filaments on the substrate. The stretching of the polymeric material from the first orifices is preferably effected by the action of gas streams emerging from apertures close to the first orifices. These orifices are preferably arranged in a straight row, as described in British Patent Specification No.

1,117,751. The row of orifices can be reciprocated during extrusion but this is generally unnecessary. The carrier onto which the tissue is collected is normally 8 to 25, most usually around 15cm below the extrusion orifices. The fusible filaments are deposited on the carrier in a substantially random manner, generally while they are still partially fused but after they have been drawn substantially while as individual filaments by the gas streams.

The extrusion of the parallel non fusible filaments onto the carrier or tissue is preferably conducted by extrusion through a straight row of orifices positioned close to the carrier, the orifices typically being from 0.5 to 3, and preferably about 1, cm above the carrier.

Preferably the carrier is drawn away from the orifices at a speed faster than the speed of the filaments as they approach the carrier, with the result that the filaments are stretched upon contact with the carrier and they maintain their parallel configuration. If desired the filaments may additionaliy be stretched by gas streams emerging close to the extrusion orifices, but these gas streams must not be such as to create so much turbulence adjacent the carrier that the parallel configuration of the filaments is destroyed.

The products are of value whenever it is desired to impart direction reinforcement to a fabric or garment. They are of particular value when used in s chest piece construction since using the product with the filaments extending across the chest results in a strong reinforcing effect across the chest, combined with the ability to collapse readily in the transverse direction. Depending on the nature of the substrate the products can be used as sew-in or fusible interlinings.

The following are examples of the invention.

Example 1 A bonded, non fusible, interlining is formed from a web of randomly arranged polyester and viscose fibres followed by needling and impregnation with acrylate binder. This web is passed continuously, at 10 metres per minute, beneath two transversely arranged linear spinnerets. The first is positioned about 15cm above the web and has a linear row of orifices through which a terpolymer of nylon 6, 66 and 1 2 is extruded. Air streams emerge from slots close to and parallel with the row of orifices and stretch the filaments as they pass down towards the web. The filaments are still partially fused upon impact with the web. The rate of extrusion of the filaments is such that the weight of filaments on the web is about 1 5g/m2 and the filaments have a diameter of about 0.01 mm.

The second spinneret beneath which the web, now carrying the tissue, passes is positioned about 1cm above the issue and consists of a row of orifices each having a circular diameter of 0.5mm. A polyamide polymer having a melting temperature of 290"C is extruded through this and the resultant filaments are stretched as a result of the forward take-off speed of the tissue onto which they are collected. The degree of stretching is about 3 times and the filaments deposited on the tissue have a diameter of about 0.2mm and are deposited at a weight of about 35g/m2. These parallel filaments are still above 1 50,C at the time of contacting the tissue, with the result that they firmly bond to the tissue.

The resultant product can be used as a sew in or as a fusible interlining. When the material is flexed across the parallel filaments it provides an excellent rounding effect, and so is of particular value in the manufacture of cuffs and collars. The material can be used in waist band construction to give differing effects, depending upon the direction of filaments. Excellent recovery properties can be obtained when the waist band construction is cut across the filaments while excellent strengthening can be obtained if the waist band is cut in the direction of the filaments.

Example 2 A fusible interlining tissue is made by the same general method as in Example 1 except that the filaments having the diameter of about 0.01 mm are collected on a releasecoated sheet of paper instead of being collected on the described polyester-viscose bonded web. After the described deposition of the filaments having a diameter of about 0.2 mm the product is a fusible tissue that can be transferred by ironing onto a fabric to impart directional reinforcement properties to the fabric.

Claims (20)

1. An interlining material having directional reinforcing properties and comprising a substrate having a fusible surface that melts below 1 50 C and substantially parallel reinforcing filaments that do not melt at 1 60 C and that are thermally bonded with the fusible surface.

2. An interlining according to claim 1, in which the reinforcing filaments have a diameter in the range 0.1 to 0.4mm and the spacing between adjacent filaments is 0.5 to 5mm.

3. An interlining according to claim 1, in which the reinforcing filaments have a diameter of 0.2 to 0.3mm and a spacing between adjacent filaments of from 1 to 3mm.

4. An interlining according to any preceding claim, in which the reinforcing filaments are individual monofilaments having a substantially circular crosssection.

5. An interlining according to any preceding claim, in which the weight of the reinforcing filaments in the interlining is from~20 to 50g/m2.

6. An interlining according to any preceding claim, in which the substrate comprises a non fusible substrate carrying the fusible surface.

7. An interlining according to claim 6, in which the substrate comprises a non fusible non woven fabric having a fusible surface weighing from 5 to 50g/m2.

8. An interlining according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the substrate consists of a fusible tissue.

9. An interlining according to claim 8, in which the tissue has a weight of 10 to 80g/m2 and is releasably supported on a carrier having release properties.

10. An interlining according to any preceding claim in which the fusible surface is formed of randomly arranged fusible filaments having a diameter of 0.005 to 0.05 mm.

11. An interlining according to any preceding claim in which the reinforcing filaments do not melt at 1 80 C.

1 2. An interlining according to claim 11 in which the reinforcing filaments have a softening point of from 200 to 300"C and the fusible surface has a melting point of 80 to 1 20'C.

1 3. An interlining according to claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to either of the Examples.

14. A method of making an interlining according to any preceding claim comprising forming a fusible tissue by extruding from frist orifices molten filaments of a first polymeric material having a melting point below 1 50 C, stretching them while molten and collecting them while partially or fully molten in random arrangement on a substrate and, before or after forming the tissue, extruding from second orifices molten polymeric material having a melting point above 180"C and collecting this as parallel filaments on the substrate.

15. A method according to claim 14 in which the polymeric material from the second orifices is stretched and laid as parallel filaments by drawing the substrate away from the second orifices at a speed greater than the speed at which the filaments approach the carrier.

16. A method according to claim 14 or claim 15, in which the polymeric material from the first orifices is stretched by gas streams emerging from apertures close to the orifices.

17. A method according to any of claims 1 4 to 16, in which the first and second orifices are arranged in rows extending across the substrate.

1 8. A method according to any of claims 1 4 to 17, in which the first orifices are positioned 8 to 25 cm above the substrate and the second orifices are positioned 0.5 to 3 cm above the substrate.

1 9. A method according to any of claims 1 4 to 18, in which the tissue is formed on the substrate and the parallel filaments are then deposited onto the tissue whilst they are still molten.

20. A method according to claim 1 4 sub stantiaily as herein described with reference to the Examples.