Textile fabric with variable heat-shrunk yarn constituents

Abstract

A method for forming a texture patterned fabric by selectively printing a corresponding pattern of heat absorbing fluid to the greige fabric to form zones of differential heat absorption capacity across the fabric. The differential heat absorption properties across the fabric are then used to selectively heat shrink yarns surrounding locations of fluid application.

1 . A method of forming a fabric characterized by localized variable surface texturing and substantially aligned dye shading, the method comprising:
 providing a fabric comprising a plurality of pile-forming yarn elements formed from a partially oriented polyester yarn characterized by a predefined heat shrinkage capacity;   printing a volume of heat absorbing fluid onto the fabric according to a predetermined pattern to define treated zones where the fluid is applied and untreated zones where the fluid is not applied;   heating the fabric such that pile-forming yarn elements of partially oriented polyester yarn which are located in untreated zones undergo preferential shrinkage relative to pile-forming yarn elements of partially oriented polyester yarn located in treated zones; and   subjecting the fabric to a substantially uniform dye treatment, wherein pile-forming yarn elements of partially oriented polyester yarn which are located in untreated zones are characterized by differential dye acceptance relative to pile-forming yarn elements of partially oriented polyester yarn located in treated zones such that the fabric exhibits differential color shading across the surface corresponding substantially to the pattern of fluid applied during the printing step.   
   
   
       2 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is a stitch bonded fabric. 
   
   
       3 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the printing is carried out by a rotary screen printer. 
   
   
       4 . The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the heat absorbing fluid comprises an aqueous polyacrylate solution. 
   
   
       5 . The invention as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the polyacrylate solution is chilled below room temperature for application during the printing step. 
   
   
       6 . The invention as recited in  claim 1 , comprising the further step of tip shearing substantially all pile-forming yarn elements in the treated and untreated zones. 
   
   
       7 . A fabric formed by the method of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       8 . A method of forming a fabric characterized by localized variable surface texturing, the method comprising:
 providing a fabric comprising a first plurality of pile-forming yarn elements formed from a first yarn characterized by a first heat shrinkage capacity and a second plurality of pile-forming yarn elements formed from second yarn characterized by a second heat shrinkage capacity, wherein the first heat shrinkage capacity is greater than the second heat shrinkage capacity;   printing a volume of heat absorbing fluid onto the fabric according to a predetermined pattern to define treated zones where the fluid is applied and untreated zones where the fluid is not applied, wherein at least a portion of the treated zones and at least a portion of the untreated zones include pile-forming yarn elements formed from the first yarn in combination with pile-forming yarn elements formed from the second yarn; and   heating the fabric such that pile-forming yarn elements formed from the first yarn and which are located in untreated zones undergo preferential shrinkage relative to pile-forming yarn elements formed from the first yarn which are located in treated zones and relative to pile-forming yarn elements formed from the second yarn in both treated and untreated zones.   
   
   
       9 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the fabric is a stitch bonded fabric. 
   
   
       10 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the printing is carried out by a rotary screen printer. 
   
   
       11 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the first yarn is a multi-filament partially oriented polyester yarn. 
   
   
       12 . The invention as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second yarn is nylon. 
   
   
       13 . The invention as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second yarn is a cellulosic yarn. 
   
   
       14 . The invention as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the heat absorbing fluid comprises an aqueous polyacrylate solution. 
   
   
       15 . The invention as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the polyacrylate solution is chilled below room temperature for application during the printing step. 
   
   
       16 . The invention as recited in  claim 8 , comprising the further step of tip shearing substantially all pile-forming yarn elements in the treated and untreated zones. 
   
   
       17 . A fabric formed by the process of  claim 8 . 
   
   
       18 . A method of forming a fabric characterized by localized variable surface texturing and substantially aligned dye shading, the method comprising:
 providing a fabric comprising a first plurality of pile-forming yarn elements formed from partially oriented polyester yarn characterized by a predefined first heat shrinkage capacity and a second plurality of pile-forming yarn elements formed from at least one of the group consisting of nylon and cellulosic yarn characterized by a second heat shrinkage capacity, wherein the first heat shrinkage capacity is greater than the second heat shrinkage capacity;   printing a volume of heat absorbing fluid onto the fabric to define treated zones where the fluid is applied and untreated zones where the fluid is not applied, wherein at least a portion of the treated zones and at least a portion of the untreated zones include pile-forming yarn elements formed from the first plurality of pile-forming yarn elements in combination with pile-forming yarn elements formed from the second plurality of pile-forming yarn elements;   heating the fabric such that pile-forming yarn elements formed from the polyester yarn and which are located in untreated zones undergo preferential shrinkage relative to pile-forming yarn elements formed from the polyester yarns which are located in treated zones and relative to the second plurality of pile-forming yarn elements in both treated and untreated zones; and   subjecting the fabric to a substantially uniform dye treatment, wherein pile-forming yarn elements of partially oriented polyester yarn which are located in untreated zones are characterized by differential dye acceptance relative to pile-forming yarn elements of partially oriented polyester yarn located in treated zones such that the fabric exhibits differential color shading across the surface corresponding substantially to the pattern of fluid applied during the printing step.   
   
   
       19 . A fabric formed by the process of  claim 18 .