Process To Manufacture High Opacity Knitted Fabric, The Fabric Produced Thereby And Use Of The Fabric In Vehicles

Abstract

A process is disclosed for decreasing the light transmission of a knitted fabric without reduction of its abrasion resistance. The process comprises the steps of forming a flat circular knitted fabric on a knitting machine and then needling the fabric using a needle punch with an elliptical needle action.

1 . A process for decreasing the light transmission of a knitted fabric without reduction of its abrasion resistance the process comprising the steps of:
 forming a flat circular knitted fabric on a knitting machine, then   needling the fabric using a needle punch with an elliptical needle action.   
   
   
       2 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the fabric comprises filament yarn. 
   
   
       3 . A process according to  claim 1  or  claim 2  in which the fabric has a weight of less than 200 g/m 2 . 
   
   
       4 . A process according to any preceding claim in which the fabric has been needled only once and has a light transmission value of less than 3000 lumens. 
   
   
       5 . A process according to any preceding claim in which the needle density is between 400 and 800 per cm 2 . 
   
   
       6 . A process according to any preceding claim in which the needle penetration is such that the number of barbs passing into the fabric per cm 2  is between 800 and 4800. 
   
   
       7 . A process according to any preceding claim in which the needles are barbed needles with substantially all of the barbs in alignment. 
   
   
       8 . A process according to  claim 7  in which the needle orientation has the barbs aligned in the cross machine direction. 
   
   
       9 . A process according to  claim 8  in which approximately half of the needles are aligned with barbs in one cross machine direction and substantially the remainder are aligned with barbs in the opposite cross machine direction. 
   
   
       10 . A process according to any preceding claim in which the fabric is heat set after it has been needled. 
   
   
       11 . A circular knitted fabric formed from continuous filament yarns which has an average light transmission value, as hereinbefore defined, of less than 3000 lumens and which passes the Martindale 30 000 cycle abrasion test. 
   
   
       12 . A fabric as claimed in  claim 11  which passes the Martindale 50 000 cycle abrasion test. 
   
   
       13 . A fabric as claimed in  claim 11  or  claim 12  which has a weight of less than or equal to 320 g/m 2 . 
   
   
       14 . A fabric as claimed in  claim 13  with a weigh of less than 200 g/m 2 . 
   
   
       15 . A fabric as claimed in  claim 14  with a weight of less than 150 g/m 2 . 
   
   
       16 . A fabric according to any one of  claims 11  to  15  which comprises twisted continuous filament yarn. 
   
   
       17 . A fabric according to  claim 16  in which the yarn comprises polyester. 
   
   
       18 . Use of a fabric according to any one of  claims 11  to  17  as a cover for at least one vehicle component. 
   
   
       19 . Use according to  claim 18  in which the at least one vehicle component comprises at least one component selected from a seat, a door panel, a bolster and a sun visor. 
   
   
       20 . Use according to  claim 18  in which the at least one vehicle component comprises at least two different components selected from a seat, a door panel, a bolster and a sun visor. 
   
   
       21 . Use according to  claim 18  in which the at least one vehicle component comprises at least three different components selected from a seat, a door panel, a bolster and a sun visor.